Download Palimpseste

macOS · Windows · Linux

Palimpseste for macOS

Format: .dmg (Apple disk image) · macOS 10.15+

~12 MB · Free essentials · Pro from €6.99/month

Apple signed & notarized

100% local

Permanent free plan

Why isn't Palimpseste on the Mac App Store?

Apple requires its in-app purchase system (StoreKit) for all subscription apps sold on the Mac App Store, which is incompatible with our independent licensing infrastructure (Stripe + our own validation server). Distributing via the App Store would force us to give Apple 15-30 % of every subscription and surrender direct control over the activation experience.

Our choice: direct distribution, Apple signed & notarized with the same Developer ID certificate as App Store apps. You get the same authenticity guarantee, without the middleman. Auto-updates work as expected — see the Changelog page.

Palimpseste for Windows

Format: .exe (NSIS installer) · Windows 10+

~8 MB · Free essentials · Pro from €6.99/month

100% local

Permanent free plan

Palimpseste for Linux

Formats: .AppImage (universal) or .deb (Debian/Ubuntu)

AppImage: ~83 MB · .deb: ~12 MB · Free essentials · Pro from €6.99/month

100% local

Free plan, forever

Palimpseste for Linux ARM64

Formats: .AppImage (universal) or .deb (Debian/Ubuntu) — aarch64 architecture

AppImage: ~83 MB · .deb: ~12 MB · Free essentials · Pro from €6.99/month

Compatible with NVIDIA Grace, Apple Silicon (Asahi Linux), Raspberry Pi 4/5, ASUS Ascent GX10, Ampere Altra, etc.

100% local

Free plan, forever

System Requirements

OS	macOS 10.15+ · Windows 10+ · Linux (glibc 2.31+)
Architecture	macOS: Apple Silicon & Intel · Windows: x86_64 · Linux: x86_64 & ARM64 (aarch64)
Disk space	~100 MB (+ ~480 MB if you enable the optional local indexing)
Memory	4 GB RAM recommended
Optional	Pandoc — optional, for some export/import formats. Install Pandoc

Good to know before installing. Palimpseste stores your projects on your disk (.md, .yml, .json) — no remote copy is ever created. Make sure your projects folder is part of your regular backup: Time Machine, Windows File History, a sync service (iCloud Drive, Dropbox, Syncthing) or a Git repository. It's the natural flip side of the local-first choice.

Going further. Palimpseste works without anything else — editing, Story Bible, native exports, inline CSL citations, local semantic RAG. For generative AI, Zotero or some advanced exports, see the full local setup guide: it lists exactly what requires what.

Installation

Download the .dmg file above
Double-click the file to open the disk image
Drag Palimpseste to the Applications folder
Launch Palimpseste from the Applications folder

Download the .exe file above
Double-click the installer and follow the instructions
Launch Palimpseste from the Start menu

Windows SmartScreen may show a warning because the app is not yet widely distributed. Click "More info" then "Run anyway".

AppImage: make the file executable (chmod +x Palimpseste*.AppImage) then double-click
.deb: install via sudo dpkg -i Palimpseste*.deb or double-click in your file manager
Launch Palimpseste from the applications menu

Required dependencies: WebKitGTK 4.1, libappindicator3. On Ubuntu/Debian: sudo apt install libwebkit2gtk-4.1-0 libappindicator3-1

Updates: the AppImage auto-updates from within the app. The .deb package does not receive automatic updates — download the new version manually from this page (or use the AppImage for auto-update).

AppImage: make the file executable (chmod +x Palimpseste*aarch64.AppImage) then double-click
.deb: install via sudo dpkg -i Palimpseste*arm64.deb or double-click in your file manager
Launch Palimpseste from the applications menu

Required dependencies: WebKitGTK 4.1, libappindicator3. On Ubuntu/Debian ARM64: sudo apt install libwebkit2gtk-4.1-0 libappindicator3-1

Activate your Pro subscription

After subscribing at palimpseste.ai/pricing, you receive an activation key by email. To activate it in the app:

Open Palimpseste
Go to Settings → License
Enter your activation key and the email address used when subscribing
Click "Activate" — Pro access is instant

Palimpseste is free for core features, with no time limit. The Pro plan unlocks AI, advanced exports, style analysis tools and more.

View pricing

Your data stays with you

Palimpseste is a 100% local application. Your files never leave your computer. No online account is required. No telemetry is collected.

Legal Information

Palimpseste is published by NMA Conseil (Nicolas Mathieu, sole proprietor).
Proprietary software — Free plan with no time limit, Pro features by subscription. Your files stay in open formats (Markdown, YAML, JSON), with no lock-in.
Pro plan available as a monthly or annual subscription — cancellable at any time from palimpseste.ai/pricing.
Free version with no time limit and no credit card to evaluate the software before any commitment. At checkout, the consumer expressly waives their right of withdrawal (Art. L221-28-13° of the French Consumer Code) — see the Terms.
The software is provided "as is", without warranty of any kind.
For full terms: legal notices, terms of sale and privacy policy.

Troubleshooting

macOS: the app won't open

Palimpseste is signed and notarized by Apple: no Gatekeeper warning should appear. If you encounter an issue, verify you have macOS 10.15+ and contact contact@nma-conseil.fr.

Windows: SmartScreen warning

Since the app is not yet widely distributed, Windows SmartScreen may show a warning. Click "More info" then "Run anyway".

Linux: missing dependencies

If the app doesn't start, install the required dependencies: sudo apt install libwebkit2gtk-4.1-0 libappindicator3-1

I didn't receive my license key

Check your spam/junk folder. If the issue persists, contact contact@nma-conseil.fr with your Stripe payment confirmation.

Can I use my license on multiple machines?

Yes. Your license is tied to your email address, not to a machine. You can activate it on all your personal computers, regardless of OS.

Have a question? Contact us: contact@nma-conseil.fr