Memos
Knowledge base that works with a SQLite db file.
Best self-hosted Note-taking & Editors software in 2026
Note taking editors.
We track 24 open-source, self-hosted Note-taking & Editors apps. 22 of them had commits in the last 90 days, 18 can run with Docker, and the most common licenses are MIT (10), AGPL-3.0 (9), GPL-3.0 (4). The most-used languages are Nodejs, Ruby, Javascript. Below are the top picks by GitHub stars, followed by every app ranked by stars weighted by maintenance health.
Alternatives to NotionAlternatives to EvernoteAlternatives to Google KeepAlternatives to ObsidianAlternatives to Roam ResearchAlternatives to Microsoft OneNoteAlternatives to Apple NotesAlternatives to BearAlternatives to HackMDAlternatives to Microsoft WordAlternatives to Microsoft PowerPointAlternatives to Google SlidesAlternatives to LucidchartAlternatives to Microsoft VisioAlternatives to Miro
Top 5 by GitHub stars
| # | App | Stars | Health | Last activity | License | Language | Docker |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Memos | 64.5k | Active | 2026-11-09 | MIT | Docker, Go | ✓ |
| 2 | Joplin | 57.2k | Active | 2026-11-10 | MIT | Nodejs | – |
| 3 | TriliumNext Notes | 38.9k | Active | 2026-11-09 | AGPL-3.0 | Nodejs, Docker | ✓ |
| 4 | Overleaf | 18.3k | Active | 2026-09-17 | AGPL-3.0 | Ruby | – |
| 5 | Docs | 17k | Active | 2026-11-05 | MIT | K8S | – |
- Memos — Knowledge base that works with a SQLite db file.
- Joplin — Note taking application with markdown editor and encryption support for mobile and desktop platforms. Runs client-side and syncs through your own Nextcloud instance or similar (alternative to Evernote).
- TriliumNext Notes — Cross-platform hierarchical note taking application with focus on building large personal knowledge bases (fork of Trilium Notes).
- Overleaf — Web-based collaborative LaTeX editor.
- Docs — Collaborative note taking, wiki and documentation platform that scales.
Head-to-head comparisons
Joplin vs MemosMemos vs TriliumNext NotesJoplin vs TriliumNext NotesMemos vs OverleafJoplin vs OverleafOverleaf vs TriliumNext NotesDocs vs NoteDiscovery
All 24 self-hosted Note-taking & Editors apps
Ranked by GitHub stars weighted by maintenance health.
Joplin
Note taking application with markdown editor and encryption support for mobile and desktop platforms. Runs client-side and syncs through your own Nextcloud instance or similar (alternative to Evernote).
TriliumNext Notes
Cross-platform hierarchical note taking application with focus on building large personal knowledge bases (fork of Trilium Notes).
Overleaf
Web-based collaborative LaTeX editor.
Docs
Collaborative note taking, wiki and documentation platform that scales.
Blinko
Personal note tool with AI features.
draw.io
Diagram software for making flowcharts, process diagrams, org charts, UML, ER and network diagrams.
HedgeDoc
Realtime collaborative markdown notes on all platforms, formerly known as CodiMD and HackMD CE.
Standard Notes
Simple and private notes app. Protect your privacy while getting more done. That's Standard Notes.
SilverBullet
Note-taking application optimized for people with a hacker mindset.
Livebook
Realtime collaborative notebook app based on Markdown that supports running Elixir code snippets, TeX and Mermaid Diagrams. Easily deployed using Docker or Elixir.
flatnotes
Database-less note-taking web app that utilises a flat folder of markdown files for storage.
NoteDiscovery
Markdown note-taking app with plain-file storage, graph view, and MCP integration (alternative to Obsidian, Notion).
Jotty
Lightweight but powerful alternative for managing your personal, file based, notes and checklists.
bewCloud
File sharing + sync, notes, and photos (alternative to Nextcloud and ownCloud's RSS reader).
Many Notes
Markdown note-taking web application designed for simplicity.
Note Mark
Minimal web-based Markdown notes app.
DailyTxT
Encrypted diary Web application to save your personal memories of each day. Includes a search function and encrypted file upload.
Plainpad
Modern note taking application for the cloud, utilizing the best features of progressive web apps technology.
Kept Notes
A notes app built for quick capture: text notes, checklists, images, drawings, links, attachments, labels, colors, and reminders (alternative to Google Keep).
plumio
Markdown notes taking app with live preview, document encryption, multi-user support, multi-organization capabilities and more.
Neverkin
Collaborative writing, worldbuilding and D&D-session-planning app. Tools for organizing your notes and stories.
Writing
Lightweight distraction-free text editor, in the browser (Markdown and LaTeX supported). No lag when writing.
Turtl
Totally private personal database and note taking app.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best self-hosted Note-taking & Editors software in 2026?
By GitHub stars, the most popular self-hosted Note-taking & Editors apps are Memos (64,454 stars), Joplin (57,175 stars), TriliumNext Notes (38,948 stars). Popularity is only one signal: also check maintenance health, license and whether it fits your setup.
How many self-hosted Note-taking & Editors apps are actively maintained?
22 of the 24 apps listed had commits in the last 90 days; for 1 we have no repository activity data.
Which self-hosted Note-taking & Editors apps can I run with Docker?
18 of the 24 apps can run with Docker; 4 publish an image on Docker Hub, including Blinko, flatnotes, Many Notes and Plainpad.
Which licenses do self-hosted Note-taking & Editors apps use?
The most common licenses in this category are MIT (10 apps), AGPL-3.0 (9 apps), GPL-3.0 (4 apps).
How much does it cost to self-host Note-taking & Editors software?
The software itself is free to download. Based on our rough hardware estimates, the cheapest suitable VPS plan starts at about $3.5/month (median $5/month across apps in this category). Several light apps can share one server.
Related categories
Figures from GitHub and Docker Hub as of 2026-11-15; hosting costs are rough estimates.