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Wren
What it is
Wren is a local-first reference manager for research, offered free and open source for Apple Silicon Macs running macOS 14 or later. It handles more than 40 bibliographic item types and stores PDFs, EPUBs, HTML snapshots, images, and notes as plain files. Built-in PDF and EPUB readers provide annotation tools, and PDF highlights can be exported within a PDF. Its Markdown editor supports math, code highlighting, reference links, anchored comments, and automatic backlinks. Full-text and semantic search can connect results to source passages. On-device layout analysis, OCR, and table extraction process PDFs, including scanned papers, fully offline. Libraries can sync through iCloud Drive, Dropbox, Google Drive, or another already-synced folder, without a Wren account or Wren servers. A Chrome connector captures references, PDFs, and snapshots through Wren’s local server. Optional bring-your-own-model AI supports OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini, Ollama, and Apple MLX, including local use without a key. A local REST API, deep links, and bibliographic import/export round out the tool.
For and against
For
- Handles 40+ bibliographic item types
- Offline OCR and table extraction
- PDF and EPUB annotation
- Syncs through existing storage folders
- Local API and browser connector
Against
- Requires macOS 14 or later
- Apple Silicon required
- No mobile apps listed
- Windows and Linux builds are on the roadmap
The verdict
Wren combines local storage, research-focused reading tools, and flexible synchronization without requiring its own account or servers. Its current availability is limited to newer Apple Silicon Macs.
Who it suits
Wren suits researchers who want local files, offline document processing, annotation, and semantic search. It is designed for Apple Silicon Macs on macOS 14 or later.
Plans and prices
Free
macOS 14 Sonoma+ · Apple Silicon desktop app · v0.1.0 early access
Read 15 Oct 2026 · wrenapp.dev
On the record
- AI behavior
- AI helpers enrich metadata, structure documents and build embeddings; Wren states it has no chat or answer-generation feature.github.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- AI integrations
- Optional bring-your-own-model AI supports OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini, Ollama, and Apple MLX, including fully local use with no key.wrenapp.dev · read 7 Oct 2026
- Annotations
- Highlights and other annotations are stored separately from original PDFs and can be exported into PDF copies.github.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- API
- A local REST API on 127.0.0.1 can list items, search, retrieve citations, browse collections and tags, and add notes.github.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Attachments
- It stores PDFs, EPUBs, HTML snapshots, images, notes and web links as local attachments.github.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Availability
- The listed Mac app requires macOS 14 (Sonoma) or later and Apple Silicon; Windows and Linux builds are on the roadmap.wrenapp.dev · read 7 Oct 2026
- Bibliographic model
- Wren supports more than 40 Zotero-style item types with structured bibliographic fields and creators.github.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Browser capture
- The Chrome connector saves references, PDFs and snapshots and is compatible with the Zotero connector workflow.wrenapp.dev · read 15 Oct 2026
- Browser connector
- A Chrome browser connector saves references, PDFs, and snapshots in one click and communicates with Wren's local server.wrenapp.dev · read 7 Oct 2026
- Build requirements
- Source builds require macOS, Rust 1.96 or newer, Node.js 20 or newer and Xcode Command Line Tools.github.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Deep links
- The wren:// URL scheme can open entries and specific PDF pages or annotations.github.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Document extraction
- An on-device pipeline performs layout analysis, OCR and table recognition, including on scanned PDFs.wrenapp.dev · read 15 Oct 2026
- EPUB reader
- The EPUB reader supports chapters, in-book search, font sizing and light or dark themes.github.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Import and export
- Import and export formats include BibTeX, BibLaTeX, CSL-JSON and a portable native .wren archive.github.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Integrations
- Optional AI providers include OpenAI, Anthropic, Google Gemini, Ollama and oMLX; cloud-folder sync can use iCloud Drive, Dropbox, Google Drive or OneDrive.github.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Library
- It supports 40+ bibliographic item types and stores PDFs, EPUBs, HTML snapshots, images, and notes as plain files.wrenapp.dev · read 7 Oct 2026
- License
- The Wren application is released under the MIT License, while its separate browser connector is AGPL-3.0.github.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Limit: collaboration
- The roadmap lists bundle sharing and peer-to-peer encrypted sync as future features, so they are not current capabilities.github.com · read 15 Oct 2026
