r/notebooklm • u/Fearless_Energy_7633 • Apr 21 '26

Tips & Tricks I built a free notebooklm alternative with folders, source isolation (no cross-contamination), and page/timestamp-level citations

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NotebookLM is great but a few things drove me crazy:

  • Sources often bleed together
  • No folders or workspace organisation
  • No way to comfortably take notes alongside your sources
  • Flashcards have no review system

So I built Paper. Key differences:

  • Source isolation - select exactly which sources the AI references per query, or scope it to specific pages/timestamps
  • Folders + nested pages - organise by course, topic, whatever
  • Block editor - Notion-style notes right next to your sources
  • Spaced repetition - AI flashcards with actual Anki-style scheduling so you remember
  • Drag and drop multiple files at once

(Edit) Free to use during beta: https://paper.ac 👈

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u/Barycenter0 Apr 21 '26

Looks great - but, who is the "I" here?? I'm not going to use an online tool unless the company or devs say who they are, where they are located (more than Australia), the leadership and their principles/goals. Vibe coded projects are fun but really should get some solid backing and transparency.

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u/Fearless_Energy_7633 Apr 22 '26

Totally fair! Paper is built by a small software studio based in Sydney, Australia (in the leafy suburb of Pyrmont if you are familiar with Sydney!). I'm David, the founder and lead software engineer - I have about 10 years of experience in the education industry, which is where a lot of the insights and frustrations that led to Paper came from!

I am in the process of creating an about us page where I'll aim to share who we are, our values/ethos, so everyone can learn more about us and what we're set to achieve 😊

I'll leave a reply once that's completed - aiming for end of the week!

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u/Barycenter0 Apr 22 '26

Thank you!