Citenook1Compare
Citenook vs Gemini Notebook (formerly NotebookLM)
Gemini Notebook, which Google renamed from NotebookLM in July 2026, is a free research assistant in Google's cloud with extras like Audio Overviews. Citenook is a Mac app: your files stay on your Mac, it works offline, and every answer shows the exact sentence it came from.
Last checked: , against Google's own pages. Sources
Side by side
| Citenook | Gemini Notebook | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it runs | A Mac app (Apple silicon, macOS 15 or later) | Web browser, plus Android and iPhone/iPad apps |
| Your files | Stay on your Mac and are read there | A copy is uploaded to Google |
| Works offline | Yes, with a model on your Mac | No offline mode documented (Audio Overviews can be saved for offline listening on mobile) |
| Proof for each answer | Links to the passage, with the exact sentence highlighted | In-line citations with direct quotes; select one to jump to the quote |
| Answers only from your files | Yes, and says so when your files don't cover it | Yes; if the answer isn't in your sources, it won't give one |
| How much you can add | Standard: 3 brains, 1,000 files. Pro and Pro+: unlimited | Free: 100 notebooks, 50 sources each. Paid: up to 600 sources. Each source up to 500,000 words or 200 MB |
| Usage limits | None from Citenook (online AI services have their own) | Quota refreshes every 5 hours, up to a weekly limit |
| Files that change | Folders on your Mac stay up to date on their own | Google Drive sources sync every few minutes; uploads are copies |
| Sources | PDF, Word, PowerPoint, Excel, CSV, Pages, EPUB, text, Markdown, saved emails, images, recordings, Apple Notes, Obsidian, web pages, YouTube, Notion | PDF, Word, PowerPoint, CSV, EPUB, text, Markdown, images, audio, Google Docs, Slides and Sheets, web pages, YouTube, pasted text |
| Which AI answers | Your choice: Apple Intelligence, a model on your Mac, Ollama, LM Studio, or your own OpenAI, Anthropic, Google or OpenRouter key | Google's Gemini |
| Extras | Ask from any app (⌥ Space), your writing style, workflows, personal details hidden | Audio and Video Overviews, mind maps, flashcards, quizzes, slide decks, reports, sharing, finding sources for you |
| Price | Free for 30 days, then $9.99, $19.99 or $29.99 a month | Free; more with Google AI Plus $4.99, Pro $19.99 or Ultra $99.99 or $199.99 a month (US) |
| Account | No account; a key by email | A Google account, with age and region limits |
Choose Citenook if
- Your files are private: client work, contracts, health or money matters you'd rather not upload.
- You want answers with no internet, on a plane or with Wi-Fi off.
- Your files live in folders, Apple Notes or Obsidian and change often.
- You want to choose the AI, including models on your Mac.
- You don't want usage caps that reset every few hours.
Choose Gemini Notebook if
- You want a free tool, or use Windows, a Chromebook or your phone.
- Audio Overviews, videos, flashcards or quizzes are what you're after.
- Your files are in Google Drive, Docs, Slides or Sheets.
- You want to share notebooks with others or publish them.
- Your school or company gives you Google Workspace with its stricter data terms.
Privacy
The biggest difference is where your files go. Citenook reads them on your Mac. Gemini Notebook works on a copy uploaded to Google.
Where files go
Citenook: nowhere; with an online AI you chose, only the question and the passages picked for that answer. Gemini Notebook: your sources are uploaded to Google.
Training
Google says personal accounts' content isn't used for training unless you give feedback. Citenook never uses your files to train anything.
Human review
On personal Google accounts, feedback you give is reviewed by trained teams and kept up to 3 years. Workspace and Education accounts have no human review.
Offline
With a model on your Mac, Citenook answers with nothing leaving it. Gemini Notebook needs the internet to answer.
Questions
Is NotebookLM the same as Gemini Notebook?
Yes. Google renamed NotebookLM to Gemini Notebook on 16 July 2026. It's the same product, and old links redirect to the new address.
Is there an offline NotebookLM?
Gemini Notebook has no documented offline mode. Citenook works offline on a Mac when you use Apple Intelligence or a model you downloaded in Settings.
Does Citenook have Audio Overviews?
No. Citenook focuses on answers you can check against the exact sentence. If you want AI hosts talking through your sources, Gemini Notebook does that well.
Can Citenook handle more than 50 sources?
Yes. Standard holds 3 brains and 1,000 files, and Pro and Pro+ have no limit on brains or files. A whole folder counts as one source to add, and every file in it is read.
Can I use Google Docs with Citenook?
Not directly. Download them as Word or PDF files into a folder, and add the folder to a brain. Citenook keeps the folder up to date as you add more.
Keep your files on your Mac.
Every feature free for 30 days. No card needed.
Sources
Gemini Notebook facts were checked on on Google's own pages. Limits and prices change; check Google's site for the latest.
- The rename: Google blog, Workspace Updates
- What it is, languages, age: Help center
- Apps: Mobile app help
- Tiers and limits: Plans and limits, Usage limits, FAQ
- Prices: Google AI plans (US)
- Sources and syncing: Add sources
- Citations and answers: Chat help
- Audio and Video Overviews: Audio, Video
- Privacy: Privacy help
- Citenook: Features, Pricing, Privacy and security