Cortex vs Capacities
Capacities brings object-based structure to PKM — everything is a typed object. Cortex takes the opposite bet: don't make people design ontologies; capture by voice, let structure and connections emerge, and put agents on top.
Where Capacities shines
- Object types give satisfying, consistent structure to a knowledge base
- Thoughtful design and an active, fast-shipping team
- Strong media handling — images, PDFs, and rich objects
Where Cortex differs
- Philosophy: Capacities asks you to think in objects and types. Cortex asks you to just talk — structure is inferred, not designed.
- Capture: voice → structured note in seconds vs. creating and filling typed objects.
- Agents: Cortex runs scheduled agents (reviews, debriefs, monitors) across the graph; Capacities' AI is assistant-style.
Side by side
| Cortex | Capacities | |
|---|---|---|
| Capture | Voice-first — speak, get a structured note in <3s | Create typed objects, then write |
| Bi-directional links | Yes — [[wiki-links]] + auto-suggested connections | Yes — object references |
| Knowledge graph | Self-organizing, with vector semantic search | Yes — object network |
| Autonomous agents | Yes — durable agents run on your notes 24/7 | AI assistant; no scheduled agents |
| Chat with your notes | Yes — chat with your whole graph (Cmd+K) | AI chat features |
| Local-first / offline | Local-first with offline support | Cloud-first with offline plans |
| Privacy | E2E encrypted sync, never trains on your data | Cloud storage |
| Bring your own key | Yes — bring your own OpenAI/Anthropic key | No |
| Pricing | Free tier planned · Pro $15/mo | Free tier · paid Pro |
Who should stay with Capacities
Common questions
Objects vs emergent structure — which is right?
Depends on you. If designing systems energizes you, Capacities is delightful. If you want zero ceremony between a thought and a saved, connected note, that's Cortex.
Does Cortex support images and files?
Notes are markdown-first; attachments are on the roadmap. Voice and text capture are the core today.
When can I try Cortex?
It's in early access — join the founding queue at the link below and you'll get access as it opens.
Try the Cortex wedge in 10 seconds
Speak a thought on the early-access page and watch it become a structured note.
Join the founding queue →Cortex is in early access. This page reflects our understanding of Capacities as of July 2026 — if we got something wrong, tell us and we'll fix it.