v1.2

Introducing Multi Boards

Create boards, switch between them and keep your contexts separate.

Board names list
atlas /
thursday
Click & drag to create
left corner right corner
toolbar tools toolbar chart toolbar right
Forma canvas app preview on Mac

CursorClick and drag to create a card

Love it sign

Didn't expect to like it this much. Super simple, but somehow makes organizing things feel lighter and clearer.

- LikeChrisEvans

Not your average tasks app

Primitive task lists are over. Spatial canvas is where it’s at.

Canvas-based

01

A layout that is not limiting your creativity.

Marker tool

02

Productivity Chart

03

Your productivity each day, visualized.

Cards with markdown

04

Simple, yet powerful

The canvas is your oyster

Build any canvas layout you want – project boards, freeform notes, or your own system, right on your Mac.

Trip planning board in Forma with a checklist, weekly goals, and doodle space
Home office setup board in Forma with a checklist and connected note cards
Candle-making project board in Forma with a note card and step-by-step task cards

Beautifully designed

Forma is a native MacOS app with a focus on design, built by a product designer.

Snap to grid

With creative freedom sometimes comes inconsistency. Grids help keep everything uniform without much restriction.

Shortcuts you’ll use

The tools available can be switched between using ‘1’, ‘2’ and ‘3’ keys.

No card will get lost

A card that is fully covered will still let you know it’s there.

...and a million other small delights.

Frequent questions

01 Is Forma good for me?

If you think visually and want to organize notes and tasks on a canvas rather than in lists, Forma is a strong fit. It works especially well for solo creators, designers, and developers who plan projects spatially and find folder-based tools limiting.

02 Is Forma privacy-focused?

Yes. Forma stores everything locally on your Mac — your data never leaves your device, and no account is required to use the app. There are no servers, no syncing to the cloud, and no telemetry.

03 What macOS version does Forma require?

Forma requires macOS 14 Sonoma or later. It is optimized for Apple Silicon and runs natively on M-series Macs, with full support for Intel Macs on macOS 14+.

04 Does Forma sync across devices, and does it work offline?

Forma is intentionally local-first and does not sync across devices — iCloud sync is not currently supported. Your boards live on your Mac, so they load instantly and work fully offline. No internet connection is required to create, edit, or view them.

05 How does Forma compare to Obsidian Canvas?

Obsidian Canvas is built for linked Markdown notes and works best if you already use Obsidian for a knowledge base — it is a view onto your vault. Forma combines notes and tasks on a single canvas as its whole purpose, designed for daily project management rather than for browsing a note archive.

06 Is Forma free, and is there a trial or refund?

Forma is not free — it is a one-time purchase of $9.99 with no subscription, so you pay once and own it permanently. There is no free trial, but Forma is sold through the Mac App Store, which offers refunds through Apple's standard refund process. If you want a free canvas app first, Apple Freeform comes built into macOS.

07 How do I download Forma on my Mac?

Forma is available on the Mac App Store — click "get forma" anywhere on this page and it opens the App Store listing directly. It installs like any other Mac app, works on MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, and Mac mini, and requires no account to start using once installed.

08 How is Forma different from Apple Freeform?

Apple Freeform is free and pre-installed, and it is a good sketching whiteboard. The limits show up as you use it: boards pile into one flat list with no folders, there is no way to turn a sticky note into a task, and drawing is iPad-and-Pencil oriented. Forma is built for the part that comes after the brainstorm — organizing many boards, and keeping notes and tasks together on the same canvas.

09 Does Forma support handwriting and freehand drawing?

Yes. Forma includes freehand drawing directly on the canvas, so you can sketch, annotate, and mark up alongside your note and task cards rather than in a separate mode or a separate app.

10 What is the difference between Forma and Miro or Notion?

Miro and Notion are cloud-based collaboration tools designed for teams and require accounts and subscriptions. Forma is a native Mac app for individuals — local-only, subscription-free, and focused on personal spatial organization rather than team workflows or document management.