TreePad & CherryTree Alternative for Windows

Hierarchical tree note managers like TreePad and CherryTree have long been favorites among developers, researchers, and technical power users. Structuring notes into an organized tree hierarchy makes managing complex knowledge bases simple.

Three builds ship from this site. SEO Note 2.1 is the current one: an Electron app (about 121 MB installer) for Windows 10/11 64-bit and Linux x64, with Markdown, the tree editor, AI talking to a model you connect — a local one or any OpenAI-compatible endpoint, a web clipper and git sync of the file. For Android 6.0 and newer there is a release-signed APK (~10 MB) of the same interface; on the phone notes live as a folder of Markdown files on the device, and passwords, sync, the clipper and AI answer there with an explicit refusal. The classic build 1.3.34 (~2.5 MB, Win32) stays on the download page for Windows 7, 8 and 32-bit PCs, where 2.1 does not install; its notes file is .seo. All three work offline with no account: pick your build, or read how 2.1 and 1.3.34 differ.

However, TreePad has been discontinued, and GTK-based applications can feel bulky or sluggish on native Windows environments. SEO Note delivers an ultra-fast Win32 tree outliner in the classic 1.3.34 build (~2.5 MB executable, zero external dependencies), and the current 2.1 Electron build for Windows 10/11 64-bit and Linux.

Who SEO Note fits best

• Former TreePad users: the familiar split of a section tree on the left and a text editor on the right.
• Developers and sysadmins: cheat sheets, commands, runbooks and logs kept in a structured tree.
• SEO specialists and copywriters: client projects, keywords, briefs and references in one place.
• Students: lecture notes filed by subject and semester in one compact file.

Key Advantages of SEO Note

• Native Speed: Built with Win32 C++ without GTK or Python runtimes; the window appears in 2-3 seconds on a 2015-era Core i5.
• Single File Database: Save all your trees, sub-trees, and notes into one portable file.
• 100% Offline Privacy: No telemetry, no cloud accounts, no forced updates.
• Freeware: Free for personal and commercial use.

Download SEO Note for Windows and enjoy a lightweight, powerful tree outliner.

Mini FAQ

Is SEO Note free to use for commercial projects? It is freeware, free for both personal and commercial use.

Do I need Python or GTK installed for it to run? It has zero external dependencies, so no GTK or Python runtimes are involved.

How quickly does the app start on Windows? The classic 1.3.34 is a native Win32 C++ executable: ~2.5 MB download, about 24 MB of memory in use. On a 2015-era Core i5 the window appears in 2-3 seconds. The current 2.1 is an Electron app (about 121 MB) for Windows 10/11 64-bit and Linux.

Where does SEO Note keep my tree of notes? All trees, sub-trees and notes go into one portable file, kept offline with no telemetry and no cloud accounts.

What is worth keeping in this outliner instead of old PIMs? Developers and sysadmins store cheat sheets, commands, and runbooks; SEO specialists keep client projects, keywords, and briefs; students hold lecture notes by subject in one compact file. Full-text search covers the entire file; content goes beyond plain text — Rich Text and HTML with a bookmark panel.