jotcompare · checked
Jot vs Drafts
Both start from the same idea: capture first, organize later. Drafts is everywhere Apple is and has years of actions behind it. Jot lives on the Mac, grabs selected text with Shift Shift, dictates with fn, and keeps every note as a Markdown file.
At a glance
| Jot | Drafts | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free for 3 days, then $9 once for the first 50 buyers, then $29. No subscription. | Free core with sync. Pro is $2.99 a month or $24.99 a year. |
| Platforms | Mac (macOS 12 or later, Apple silicon and Intel) | iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Watch |
| Capture selected text | Select text in any app and tap Shift twice. Images in the selection come too. | A Mac capture window and a share extension |
| Where text lives | Plain Markdown files in ~/Documents/Jot, a folder you own | Inside the app, synced through iCloud |
| Dictation | Hold fn and speak. The text types into the app in front. | Apple's system dictation |
| Automation | CLI and MCP server for Claude Code, Codex and Cursor | JavaScript actions, AppleScript, Shortcuts and a URL scheme |
Pick Drafts if
- You capture on your iPhone or Watch as much as on the Mac.
- You live in actions that send text to other apps.
Pick Jot if
- You want capture to take one gesture in any Mac app, without switching windows.
- You want your notes as files that grep, Git and agents can read.
- You'd rather pay once than subscribe.
Sources
Drafts facts come from its own site, checked on 2026-11-14. Prices and features change. If something here is out of date, email support@sayjot.xyz and I'll fix it.