Open Notebook

About Open Notebook

Open Notebook is an open-source alternative to NotebookLM that focuses on customizable AI-assisted self-learning. Users can upload sources like PDFs, research papers, and URLs, then either chat with an AI about those sources or run apps that transform the content into different formats.

Review

Open Notebook puts customization at the center: the app exposes the full source of AI workflows (prompts, steps, formats) so users can edit, remix, and share how outputs are produced. The interface feels familiar to users of NotebookLM while adding the ability to build or adapt "apps" such as video and summary generators.

Key Features

• Open-source NotebookLM-style notebook with a familiar UI and workflow-based outputs.
• Upload and index multiple source types (PDFs, research papers, URLs) for contextual AI chat or transformation.
• Customizable "apps" that transform content - examples include short video overviews and digestible summaries.
• Full access to AI workflow source (LLM prompts, steps, and formats) with remix and sharing capabilities.
• No-code workflow builder support for editing and composing new apps (no-code builder referenced by the project).

Pricing and Value

The platform is listed as free at launch. As an open-source offering, it brings value by removing vendor lock-in and letting users inspect and modify the AI workflows that produce outputs. For learners and educators who want control over prompt engineering and output formats, this can reduce the time spent on repetitive manual editing and create reusable learning artifacts.

Pros

• Open-source approach gives transparency into how outputs are generated and enables community-driven improvements.
• Highly customizable workflows allow users to remix or create apps for different learning formats (video, summaries, podcasts, etc.).
• Familiar UI lowers the friction for users coming from similar notebook-style tools.
• Sharing workflows promotes reuse across notebooks and among collaborators.

Cons

• Early-stage feature set: only a few example apps are available initially (video and summary generators), so creative use may require building custom workflows.
• Some users may want clearer documentation or a public code repository link to dive into the source code more quickly.
• Output quality depends on the chosen models and prompts; users may need to invest time in tuning workflows for best results.

Open Notebook is best suited for independent learners, educators, and small teams who want transparent, editable AI workflows and multi-format outputs from their personal source libraries. If you prefer control over prompts and enjoy remixing processes or building lightweight learning apps, this tool is worth trying; those who want a plug-and-play, fully polished product may find some gaps while it continues to mature.