Blockcore Notes is a free, open-source client for Nostr, the decentralized social protocol, built for people who want to follow friends and topics without handing their accounts to a single company. It is delivered as a Progressive Web App, so the same interface runs in a browser and can be installed on mobile and desktop, including Windows.
Nostr works differently from traditional social networks. Your identity is a public key, and your notes travel through a set of relays that store and distribute them. Blockcore Notes lets you sort the people you follow into circles, keep public and private following lists, and run a personal relay to hold a backup of your own notes. Signing is handled by a separate extension, so your private key stays under your control.
What Is Nostr and Why Clients Matter
Nostr is an open protocol for publishing and reading short notes without a central server that owns the data. Instead of one platform storing every post, a user's notes are sent to relays, which are servers that store and forward them. Anyone can run a relay, and users can choose several at once.
Because the protocol is open, many different clients can read the same network. A client is the app you actually use to write, read and organize notes. Two clients can show the same accounts in very different ways, with different feeds, notification layouts and media handling.
This is why choosing a client matters. A Nostr client decides how you find people, how you sort them and how you see what they post. Blockcore Notes focuses on organization and backup, so it suits readers who care about structure as much as about the posts themselves.
Who Blockcore Notes Is For
Blockcore Notes fits several kinds of readers. The first group is people who have followed hundreds of accounts over the years and want a way to group them. Circles let you keep a work network, a hobby community and a close circle of friends in separate spaces inside one app.
The second group is users who care about keeping their own data. Exporting a JSON backup and running a personal relay both give you a copy of your notes that does not depend on a single outside service. For someone who has lost access to a platform before, this kind of redundancy is a practical benefit.
The third group is people who want to use the same client on different devices. Because it runs as a Progressive Web App, the interface can be installed on a phone and on a Windows computer. Someone who reads on a commute and writes at a desk can keep the same setup in both places.
Real-World Scenarios for Nostr Following Lists
Consider a journalist who follows reporters, sources and editors on Nostr. Circles let them keep sources in a separate group, so a daily check of the following feed does not mix official updates with personal chatter. Private following lists give them room to track accounts without publishing every choice.
Another example is a community organizer who runs a hobby group. They might export their contact list to share with co-organizers, then import it on a new device. The JSON backup covers the case where they switch computers and need their setup back quickly.
A third scenario is a longtime Nostr user who wants to go back and find an old post from someone they followed. Infinite scrolling through older posts makes that search quicker than clicking through pages, and the activity feed helps them see who replied to their own notes in the meantime.
Key features
Mobile and Desktop
Organize People and Circles
Activity Feed
Following Feed
Reactions
Rich Media Support
Profile View and Edit
Infinity Scroll
Import and Export of Backup
Import and Export of Contacts
Identity Verification
Supported coins
The program's documentation mentions the Lightning Network and Nostr. Nostr is the network the app is built around, and Lightning is a payment layer that some Nostr users link to their profiles and notes. Blockcore Notes is a social client rather than a wallet, so you should not expect it to store or send funds.
How to install Blockcore Notes on Windows
- 1
Get the official build
Go to the official Blockcore Notes website or the GitHub Releases page linked from the project repository at github.com/block-core/blockcore-notes. Download only from the official website or GitHub, and avoid mirror sites that offer bundled installers.
- 2
Verify the downloaded file
Compare the SHA-256 checksum of the file on your computer with the value published alongside the release. If a signature is provided instead, check it as well. If the values do not match, delete the file and download it again from the official source.
- 3
Run the Windows installer
Open the installer or the build you downloaded and follow the on-screen prompts. Choose an install location you can find later, and keep the default options unless you have a specific reason to change them. The installer creates a desktop entry you can use to launch the app.
-
Install a signing extension
Add a browser extension that keeps your keys secure and signs notes on your behalf. When the app asks for access, connect the extension. Without it, you cannot sign your notes or encrypt private notes, so the app will not be fully usable.
System requirements
- Windows, using the installer or build from the official release
- A browser extension that keeps your keys secure and handles signing and encryption of notes
- An internet connection to reach the relays you choose
How to use Blockcore Notes
Blockcore Notes is simple to start with, but it helps to set up your relays and circles before you follow many accounts. The steps below walk through a typical first session.
- Open the app and connect your Nostr identity through your signing extension. The public key is what others use to find you.
- Check which relays you are using. Your notes are stored and distributed through them, so pick relays you trust and consider running a personal relay for backup.
- Open the following section and sort the people you follow into circles. Start with a few groups, such as close friends, work and hobbies, then add more as your network grows.
- Decide whether you want public or private following lists for each group. Public lists are visible to others, while private lists keep your choices to yourself.
- Open Settings and turn reactions on or off depending on how you like to read. Turning them off gives you a cleaner feed.
- Export a JSON backup of your data once your setup is in order. Store the file somewhere safe and repeat the export after major changes, so the copy stays current.
- Try the infinite scroll on a profile you want to research. Going back through older posts is the quickest way to judge whether an account matches your interests before you follow it.
Pros & cons
- Free and open source, with the code available on GitHub
- Runs as a Progressive Web App on desktop and mobile
- Organizes follows into circles, with public and private following lists
- Supports a personal relay and JSON backups of your data
- Handles rich media such as video, music, podcasts and YouTube content
- Reactions can be turned off for a calmer feed
- Notes cannot be signed or encrypted without a separate browser extension
- Setup can feel unfamiliar if you have not used Nostr keys before
- Your reach and storage depend on the relays you choose, so choices matter
- The last code update was in April 2025, so check the repository for recent activity
Is Blockcore Notes safe?
Blockcore Notes does not ask for your seed phrase or private key in its own interface, but you should still treat your keys as the most important item in the setup. Download the program only from the official website or the GitHub Releases page, and compare the SHA-256 checksum of the file with the published value before you run it. If a signature is provided, check that too. Never enter a seed phrase or private key on third-party websites, even if the page looks like the app. Use a signing extension you trust, keep it updated, and review its permissions. Because the last code update was in April 2025, check the latest version on the official website before installing.
- Official source only. Download from github.com/block-core/blockcore-notes. Ignore ads and lookalike domains.
- Check the SHA-256. Compare the installer hash with the value the developer publishes before running it.
- Never share your seed phrase. No developer, support agent or website — including CryptApps — will ever ask for it.
Alternatives
Blockcore Notes stands out for its organization tools and backup options. Circles, public and private following lists, and JSON export focus on managing a large network and keeping a copy of your data. Amethyst is also a Nostr client, and it is a good comparison point if you want a different interface on your devices. Vega is a cross-platform desktop client, so it may suit readers who want a desktop-first experience. Nostrid offers binaries for Windows among other platforms, which makes it a useful comparison for Windows users. Notedeck is a Rust-based desktop browser from Damus, and it appeals to people who want a native desktop tool. Compare the features that matter to you, such as circles, backups and the platforms you use daily.
Specifications
- Price
- Free
- Type
- Open source
- License
- —
- Latest version
- 2.0.0
- Last update
- 20 Apr 2025
- Windows support
- Yes (Windows build or installer)
- Source code
- github.com/block-core/blockcore-notes
Frequently asked questions
Yes, Blockcore Notes is free. It is an open-source project, and its source code is available on GitHub, so you can review how it works. Free access applies to the program itself, but any Nostr relays you use or extensions you install may have their own terms, so check those separately.
It can be used safely when you download it from the official website or GitHub Releases, verify the SHA-256 checksum, and keep your keys in a trusted signing extension. The app itself does not ask for a seed phrase, but you should never enter one on a third-party site. Reviewing the safety steps before installing is the best approach.
You do not create a traditional account with an email address. Your identity on Nostr is a public key, and the app connects to it through a signing extension. You can keep several identities if you use the protocol across different apps, which gives you control over how you present yourself.
A relay is a server that receives, stores and forwards notes on the Nostr network. Your notes are published to the relays you select, and other users read them from those relays. You can use public relays or run a personal relay, which keeps a backup of your notes under your control.
Use the export feature to save your data as a JSON file, then store it in a safe place. You can also run a personal relay, which keeps a copy of your notes. Repeat the export after major changes so your backup reflects your latest setup.
The documentation mentions the Lightning Network alongside Nostr. Lightning is a payment layer that some Nostr users connect to their profiles. Blockcore Notes is a social client, so treat Lightning references as part of the broader ecosystem rather than a built-in wallet.
Yes. Because the app is a Progressive Web App, it can be installed on mobile devices as well as desktop computers. Your setup can follow you across devices, but you still need a signing extension and reliable relay connections to use the app fully on each one.
Signing depends on a browser extension that keeps your keys secure and performs the signing. If the extension is not installed, not connected, or not allowed access, the app cannot sign notes. Check the extension settings, reconnect it, and try again.
Verdict
Blockcore Notes is a good choice for Nostr users who follow many accounts and want clear organization, backups and the option to run a personal relay. Its Progressive Web App design makes it available on Windows, mobile and desktop from one interface. It is less suited to people who want a fully self-contained app without a separate signing extension. Try it with a small follow list first, export a backup, and check the latest release before you commit your daily reading to it.