Gravity Flow
Gravity Flow spends its autumn on upkeep, with one breaking change in PDF Generator 4.0
Comparison · PM
Grocy vs NotePlan
A side-by-side editorial comparison of Grocy and NotePlan — release velocity, themes, recent moves, and the top alternatives to consider.
Grocy vs NotePlan: at a glance
What is Grocy?
Grocy 4.7 reorganizes authentication middleware and ships accent-insensitive search across the product.
Grocy 4.7 is the most actively maintained version in over a year, with 4.7.0 shipping a breaking authentication middleware reorganization and 4.7.1 following quickly with bug fixes and a new product copy API endpoint. Earlier in 2026, 4.6.0 dropped support for PHP below 8.5 and improved quantity unit handling — the first time the project has enforced a PHP version floor in some time.
What is NotePlan?
NotePlan builds MCP into the app and takes Memo AI to the Mac
NotePlan 3.22 ships a built-in MCP server on the Mac, found under Help ▸ AI Connectors, that lets assistants such as Claude, ChatGPT and Claude Code find, read and update notes, tasks and the calendar. It replaces the earlier Node.js server, needs nothing installed, and works when NotePlan is closed. The release also adds iPhone Duo layouts, a Mac share extension and Siri that adds to existing notes. Memo AI arrived on the Mac the same day, recording meetings without a bot and syncing with the iPhone app, which gained split memos and speaker management in 1.3.1.
Grocy vs NotePlan: editorial side-by-side
Grocy
5.0PM
Grocy 4.7 reorganizes authentication middleware and ships accent-insensitive search across the product.
◆ Current state
Grocy 4.7 is the most actively maintained version in over a year, with 4.7.0 shipping a breaking authentication middleware reorganization and 4.7.1 following quickly with bug fixes and a new product copy API endpoint. Earlier in 2026, 4.6.0 dropped support for PHP below 8.5 and improved quantity unit handling — the first time the project has enforced a PHP version floor in some time.
◆ Where it's heading
Grocy is maturing as a self-hosted household management platform with deliberate but slow progress. The PHP 8.5 mandate signals the team is willing to break older environments to simplify the codebase. Authentication improvements suggest growing attention to multi-user scenarios beyond the original single-household use case.
◆ Prediction
Given the cadence — roughly two feature releases per year — the next version will likely improve the mobile experience or expand API coverage for integrations, as those are the most common community asks not yet addressed.
NotePlan
5.0PM
NotePlan builds MCP into the app and takes Memo AI to the Mac
◆ Current state
NotePlan 3.22 ships a built-in MCP server on the Mac, found under Help ▸ AI Connectors, that lets assistants such as Claude, ChatGPT and Claude Code find, read and update notes, tasks and the calendar. It replaces the earlier Node.js server, needs nothing installed, and works when NotePlan is closed. The release also adds iPhone Duo layouts, a Mac share extension and Siri that adds to existing notes. Memo AI arrived on the Mac the same day, recording meetings without a bot and syncing with the iPhone app, which gained split memos and speaker management in 1.3.1.
◆ Where it's heading
Both product lines are moving onto the same desk. The MCP server went from something a user installed to something the app contains, which keeps opening the notebook to outside software with less setup. Memo AI's move to the Mac puts capture beside the note app, and bot-free meeting recording gives it a reason to be open during work. Siri support in 3.21.3 and 3.22 shows the assistant surface extending to Apple's side as well.
◆ Prediction
Expect Memo AI and the main app to connect more directly, since they now share the Mac, and assigning tasks by speaker remains the obvious first link. The new MCP server is Mac-only in this release, so reaching iPhone is a question these entries leave open.
Alternatives to Grocy and NotePlan
Other PM products tracked by Sparkpulse, ranked by recent ship velocity. Each card links to a full editorial trajectory and lets you pivot into a head-to-head comparison with either Grocy or NotePlan.
Nifty
Nifty rebuilt its mobile apps and shipped capacity planning while its API moved to v3.
Redmine
Redmine patches three security flaws in 7.0.2 and gives admins a page listing every webhook.
Birdview PSA
Birdview adds an MCP connector for ChatGPT and Claude after a run of workflow features.
Pipefy
Pipefy's feed is awards and governance essays; Oracle joins Microsoft in its partner story.
Avaza
Avaza's MCP server is still the news; the feed has turned to services-firm guides.
See all Grocy alternatives → · See all NotePlan alternatives →
Recent activity from Grocy and NotePlan
Latest ship moves from both products, interleaved chronologically. ⚡ = editorial spark.
- 10d agoNotePlanv1.3.1 - Memo AI: Available on Mac, plus Split Memos & Speaker Management
- 10d agoNotePlanv3.22 - Built-in MCP Server, iPhone Duo Support & Mac Share Extension
- 1mo agoNotePlanv3.21.3 - Siri AI Support, Smarter Folder Views & More Reliable Reminders
- 1mo agoGrocyVersion 4.7.1
- 2mo agoGrocyVersion 4.7.0
- 2mo agoNotePlanv1.3 - Memo AI: Redesigned Summaries, Speaker Labels & iCloud Sync
- 2mo agoNotePlanv3.21.2 - Apple Reminders Integration with Two-Way Sync
- 4mo agoNotePlanv3.21.1 - Wiki Link Aliases, Rebuilt Share Extension & Better Claude/MCP Support
- 8mo agoGrocyVersion 4.6.0
- 1y agoGrocyVersion 4.5.0
- 1y agoGrocyVersion 4.4.2
- 1y agoGrocyVersion 4.4.1
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Grocy and NotePlan?
They serve adjacent needs but don't currently overlap on shipped themes. Grocy and NotePlan are shipping at a similar cadence (velocity 5.0 vs 5.0, both within Sparkpulse's "active" band). See the at-a-glance table above for a side-by-side breakdown of velocity, recent sparks, and editorial themes.
Is Grocy better than NotePlan?
Sparkpulse doesn't pick a winner — we score release velocity, not feature parity. Grocy and NotePlan are shipping at a similar cadence (velocity 5.0 vs 5.0, both within Sparkpulse's "active" band). For your specific use case, the alternatives sections above list other PM products to evaluate alongside.
What are the best alternatives to Grocy?
Top Grocy alternatives in PM are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "Grocy alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/grocy for the full list with editorial commentary on each.
What are the best alternatives to NotePlan?
Top NotePlan alternatives in PM are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "NotePlan alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/noteplan for the full list with editorial commentary on each.