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BrainSwitchs vs Heptabase
Heptabase is a visual research tool. BrainSwitchs is a visual thinking tool with focus sessions, modes and a Live brain on top.
Heptabase is popular with researchers and students who learn by laying cards out on a whiteboard. BrainSwitchs shares that idea, with canvases and pages that nest inside each other, then adds what happens around the thinking: focused sessions, a Logical or Creative mode, sheets and databases, and a Live brain that maps everything you've made.
Product strategy, 2026
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We sell to small teams first. Below is the map we drew on Monday, still live. Drag anything in it and the canvas updates everywhere.
Open questions
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| Feature | BrainSwitchs | Heptabase |
|---|---|---|
| Infinite whiteboard | Yes | Yes |
| Cards that open as full notes | Yes, pages | Yes |
| Databases with board, calendar and chart views | Yes | Limited |
| Spreadsheet block with formulas | Yes | No |
| Focus timer and focus sound | Yes | No |
| 3D map of your work | Live brain | No |
| PDF reading and highlighting | Embeds | Strong |
| Runs in the browser | Yes | Desktop apps and web |
Heptabase details are based on its publicly listed features and may change. Corrections welcome.
Choose BrainSwitchs if
- Planning, tracking and writing happen in the same project as your canvas.
- You can see whether you've been planning or creating, and rebalance.
Stick with Heptabase if
- Reading and annotating PDFs and research papers.
- A mature card-based study workflow.
Moving from Heptabase
Export your Heptabase cards as Markdown and paste them into BrainSwitchs pages, then lay them out on a canvas.
You don't have to move everything at once. Plenty of people start with one project, see how the canvas and pages feel together, and bring the rest over later.
Other comparisons
Try BrainSwitchs alongside Heptabase.
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