Loose
Thought
Make sense of your research visually
Working on a literature review, thesis chapter or novel? Lay out your research on a paper-like infinite canvas that's easy to use.
Get StartedGet it down first and arrange it later.
- Just Start Typing
- Type anywhere on the page
- Keyboard shortcuts for almost everything
- Flesh Things Out
- Arrange ideas and form topic cards
- Group related concepts together
- Link ideas with connections
- Make it Memorable
- Use text size for emphasis
- Highlight important ideas
- Add images and link previews
AI..
"I want to slump in a chair, and watch a machine do all the things I've dreamt of doing."
Jokes aside, if you've tried AI for anything serious, then you know that it's impressive when it works, but it doesn't live up to the hype that everybody is trying to sell you.
There's research already arriving that's showing how AI usage isn't the miracle panacea some people claim it to be, and it may even do more harm than good. Only time will tell for sure, but there's one thing that's already obvious:
If you want to grow then you still need to think
Because of this, Loose Thought doesn't have any AI features. If that ever changes, there will always be an option to switch it off. Thinking is hard enough as it is, and making it easy to avoid thinking all together is probably not the solution.
Use Cases
Here's a sampling of what you can do with Loose Thought. These examples (and several more) are included in the app so you can explore them interactively.
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Timeline of Pre-Socratic Philosophy
Use section lines to form a timeline, and images to bring important figures to life. Add detailed notes and highlight key ideas.
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Film Studies and Visual Reference
Collect visual reference for costume, location and look, organize them into mood boards. Break down story ideas and arrange them into storyboards.
Features
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Work Offline + FAST
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Share with Collaborators
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Extensive Keyboard Support
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View and Edit on Mobile
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Copy & Paste as Markdown
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Link Notes Across Sheets
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Meticulously hand-crafted to be easy to use and easy on the eyes
What about knowledgebases?
Knowledgebases and 'second-brains' are great at storing observations and ideas, but sooner or later you will have to work out what you think about them. You will have to synthesize the readings and ideas into something new and interesting.
Because they present isolated snippets and fragments of knowledge, it can be difficult to get an overview. If you want to be able to discuss a topic intelligently, make connections and gain insights, then you need to know it inside and out.
Remember..
The most useful insights will come from an active and curious mind
Collecting and cataloging information is just the first step. To understand something deeply you have to go through your digital filing cabinet, and bring it to life in your mind's eye.
Additional Features
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YouTube Timestamps
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Rich Typography
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Snap-to-Grid
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Dark Mode
Pricing
Try it free for a week, no credit card needed.
- Free for 7 days. No credit card required, so there's nothing to cancel if you decide it isn't for you.
- $5.99 a month after that. Cancel whenever you like, you keep full access up to the end of the month you've paid for.
- Your notes are always accessible. If your trial or subscription ends, the app simply becomes read-only. You can still view and export all of your work at any time.
- See our Terms of Service and our refund policy.
Personal Plan
$5.99 per month
- Unlimited notes and sheets
- Unlimited image uploads
- Unlimited invitations for collaborators
- Sync across all devices
- Works offline
- Secure online backup
- Cancel any time
FAQs
Have a question that's not covered here? Get in touch with us any time.
Can I install Loose Thought on my desktop or phone?
Yes. It installs from your browser and gets its own icon and window, with no app store needed. See the install guide for step-by-step instructions.
Does Loose Thought work offline?
Yes. Once you've signed in on a device, Loose Thought keeps a copy of your notebooks locally, so you can work without a connection, including full text search. Your changes sync when you're back online. Some features like adding images, sharing and link previews still need a connection.
If I share a notebook with someone, do they need to pay to read it?
No. Reading and following a notebook that you share with someone is free. After their initial trial ends, the app will continue to function in read-only mode.
Who owns the content I create?
You do. All the work you create belongs to you, and you can export it at any time.
Does Loose Thought use AI?
No. There are no AI features in the app and we will not use your content to train AI models.
Can I read and annotate PDFs?
Not directly. Loose Thought is for the stage after reading, when you lay out what you've found and work out how it fits. Keep your PDFs and references in Zotero or your reference manager, and paste quotes, links and screenshots of figures into your notes.
How is it different from Heptabase or Obsidian Canvas?
Easy to use: everything is a note, and you can type anywhere. No database of cards to manage, no plugins to configure, and no AI. If you need to annotate PDFs inside the same app, Heptabase is a better fit.
What happens when my trial ends?
If you don't subscribe, the app switches to read-only mode. You can view your notes, and export them, at any time.
What do I get during the free trial?
The trial is fully functional. You have access to all features across all devices.
How do I subscribe?
When the app is in read-only mode you will see a notice with an option to subscribe, clicking this starts the checkout process. If you want to subscribe during the trial period, there is a Purchase option in the Help menu.
Checkout and billing are handled securely by our payment partner, Creem, acting as the merchant of record. Their name may appear alongside ours on your card statement.
How do I cancel?
Choose Manage Subscription from the Help menu in the app. That opens your billing page, where you can view or cancel your subscription.
Can I get a refund?
Yes. Please contact support@loosethought.com and we'll arrange it for you.
I signed up during the beta. Do I owe anything?
No, and thanks for trying out the app! Accounts which were created during the beta have lifetime free access applied automatically.
Hey!
Founder here!
When I'm researching a project, I usually lay out my thoughts on a big sheet of paper to get a handle on it. The trouble is, it gets out of date quickly, it's hard to collaborate with others, and it's awkward to use images and other digital media.
Alas, I couldn't find a digital tool that replicated that feeling of working on paper. Something that lets you think naturally without a lot of complex software getting in the way.
Knowledgebase apps are great for capturing ideas, but awkward for visualizing them, and can lead to procrastination when 'optimizing your workflow'. Note tools with a canvas are better, but usually the canvas is a secondary feature, and it's hard to totally reshape topics, something you really need when mapping out complex ideas.
Hence Loose Thought. My goal is to combine the feeling of paper with the benefits of digital media, all while staying out of your way and being as easy to use as possible.
Hopefully I've succeeded and you find it as useful as I do. Feel free to drop me a line with any thoughts or suggestions!
Rob
Founder, Loose Thought
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