A NotebookLM alternative that lives on your desktop. Google's NotebookLM is a web app where you upload sources such as documents, PDFs and web pages, then ask questions and get answers grounded in them. ReticulOS answers questions over your material with citations too, but the material is whatever you capture from any app while you work, kept in an encrypted database on your desktop. Pick NotebookLM to study a fixed set of documents; pick ReticulOS to build up context as you go and keep it on your own machine.
At a glance
| ReticulOS | NotebookLM | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it runs | Desktop app (Linux, Windows) | In the browser |
| How material gets in | One-shortcut capture from any app, or drop in PDFs, pictures and recordings | Uploading or linking sources |
| Answers with citations | Yes, to your saved notes | Yes, to your uploaded sources |
| Your own notes and edits | Rich editor, day book, canvas | Notes inside each notebook |
| Where data lives | Encrypted database on your device | Google's cloud |
| AI model | Search runs on your computer; answers come from Ret AI, included with a free account, or your own ChatGPT plan with Pro | Google's models |
Choose NotebookLM if…
- You want to study a set of long documents you already have.
- You prefer a web app with nothing to install.
- You want its audio-style overviews of your sources.
Choose ReticulOS if…
- Your material arrives in small pieces from many apps during the day.
- You want your notes stored and encrypted on your own device.
- You want search that works on your computer, even offline.
Using both
Use NotebookLM to study a fixed set of documents you upload. Use ReticulOS to build up material as you go: everything you save from any app lands in a collection you can ask questions of, and each answer cites the note it came from.
The other difference is where things live. NotebookLM keeps your sources in your Google account in the browser; ReticulOS keeps your notes in an encrypted database on your own computer.
Questions
Does ReticulOS read PDFs like NotebookLM?
Yes. Drop a PDF in and it becomes a card you can open. With Pro, every page is read, including scanned pages and charts, so answers point to the page.
Do I need a Google account to use ReticulOS?
No. You can use ReticulOS without any account. Signing in is only needed to manage a paid plan.
Is ReticulOS free?
Yes. The free plan is the whole app, with no time limit. The Founder Edition is an optional one-time purchase for the first 100 backers.
Start saving.
Free for Linux and Windows, in beta now. Your first note takes one shortcut.
Linux and Windows today · Mac coming soon · Questions? support@reticulos.com
