Simple Folders: Local Free vs. Pro Cloud Sync

Updated

Simple Folders is a browser extension that adds folders, tags, prompts, notes, rules, and pinned messages to ChatGPT and Claude. It ships in two forms: a local free version that keeps your organization data on your own device, and a Pro cloud sync version that syncs that data across devices. The core organizing tools are the same in both; the difference is where your data lives and whether it follows you between machines. Choose local free if you work on one device and want nothing leaving your browser. Choose Pro if you switch between devices and need the same folder structure everywhere.

What each version actually is

Local free version

  • Your folders, tags, prompts, notes, rules, and pinned messages are stored locally in your browser.
  • No account or payment is required to use it.
  • Data stays on the single device and browser profile where you created it.

Pro cloud sync version

  • The same organizing features, but your data is synced through the cloud.
  • Because it syncs, the same structure appears on every device where you sign in.
  • It is the paid tier; the free tier is the local one.

The site's own description frames it exactly this way: "Local free. Pro cloud sync."

Side-by-side comparison

Dimension Local free Pro cloud sync
Where data is stored On your device/browser In the cloud, synced
Cross-device access No — tied to one device Yes — same data on each device
Cost Free Paid (Pro)
Account needed Not indicated as required Implied by cloud sync
Core features (folders, tags, prompts, notes, rules, pinned messages) Yes Yes
Best for One device, privacy-first, no signup Multiple devices, consistent setup everywhere

How to decide

Pick local free when:

  • You use ChatGPT and Claude on a single computer or a single browser profile.
  • You prefer your prompts, notes, and rules to stay on your machine.
  • You don't want to create an account or pay.

Pick Pro cloud sync when:

  • You move between a laptop, desktop, or other devices and want the same folders and prompts on all of them.
  • You've built up a set of rules, notes, and pinned messages you don't want to rebuild per device.
  • Losing your local browser data would mean losing your organization.

A concrete scenario

Say you keep a "Client work" folder with pinned prompts and a set of rules for how Claude should respond. On the local free version, that setup exists only on the machine where you made it — open ChatGPT on a second laptop and it won't be there. With Pro cloud sync, the same folder, prompts, and rules appear on the second device once you sign in, so you don't recreate anything.

What to verify before choosing

  • Feature parity: The description lists the same features (folders, tags, prompts, notes, rules, pinned messages) for the product overall. Confirm on the site whether any specific feature is Pro-only before assuming the free tier includes everything.
  • Account requirement: Cloud sync implies an account, but the free local version is described as usable without one. Check the signup flow if avoiding an account matters to you.
  • Pricing: The source does not list a price for Pro. Check the site directly for current cost rather than assuming.
  • Data location: If keeping data off the cloud is a requirement, the local free version is the one that satisfies it.

The short version: same organizing tools, different storage. Local free for one device and no cloud; Pro for syncing the same setup across devices.