siyuan vs Trilium
Is it time to switch? We break down the differences so you can stop bleeding money.
Choose siyuan.
If you want to own your data, save money, and avoid vendor lock-in, siyuan is more popular among developers.
What Actually Matters
No fluff โ just the differences that affect your decision
Both are open source under AGPL-3.0. No lock-in on either side โ pick based on fit, not fear.
Both are free. Your wallet can relax on this one.
Both can run on your own metal with Docker. Full data ownership, no cloud dependency. We have deploy guides for each.
siyuan leads at 46.7k stars vs 38.3k, but both have solid communities. You won't be alone with either choice.
Both written in TypeScript. Same ecosystem, same talent pool โ makes switching easier if you ever need to.
Try both โ most offer free tiers. The right pick depends on your stack size, team, and tolerance for DevOps.
siyuan
Self-hosted personal knowledge management software built with TypeScript and Go, providing a private note-taking platform.
Why Choose siyuan
- โBuilt with TypeScript and Go โ high-performance backend
- โSelf-hosted solution โ full control over data
- โAGPL-3.0 license โ free to use and modify
Drawbacks
- รSelf-hosting can be complex
- รSmaller ecosystem compared to proprietary alternatives
Trilium
A hierarchical note-taking application built on TypeScript and available for desktop platforms, allowing users to organize and build their personal knowledge base. Supports data synchronization, tagging, and media embedding.
Why Choose Trilium
- โBuilt on TypeScript โ ensuring a robust and maintainable architecture
- โSupports data synchronization โ keeping notes up-to-date across devices
- โHierarchical organization โ enabling users to build a structured knowledge base
Drawbacks
- รSelf-hosting can be complex
- รSmaller ecosystem compared to other note-taking applications
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