AFFiNE vs Trilium Notes
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted notes & knowledge base options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
AFFiNE
Workspace for docs, whiteboards and databases
VS
Trilium Notes
Hierarchical note-taking for building knowledge bases
| Feature | AFFiNE | Trilium Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | ≈5-minute setup |
| Health score | 100 · Excellent | 99 · Excellent |
| Category | Notes & Knowledge Base | Notes & Knowledge Base |
| License | MIT | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 72,916 | ★ 37,958 |
| First released | 2022 | 2017 |
| Replaces | Notion, Miro | Evernote, Notion |
What are AFFiNE and Trilium Notes?
AFFiNE
AFFiNE is an open-source knowledge base that combines documents, whiteboards, and databases in a single workspace. It targets users wanting an all-in-one alternative to Notion and Miro. It is deployed via Docker.
- Docs, whiteboard and database in one
- Local-first data model
- Real-time collaboration
- Edgeless canvas mode
Trilium Notes
Trilium Notes is a hierarchical note-taking application designed for building large personal knowledge bases with rich linking and scripting. It targets power users who want a structured second brain. It is deployed via Docker as a server with desktop and web clients.
- Deep hierarchical note tree
- Note attributes and relations
- Scripting and automation
- Encrypted protected notes
AFFiNE vs Trilium Notes: key differences
Both projects are written in TypeScript. Licensing differs — MIT for AFFiNE versus AGPL-3.0 for Trilium Notes. Trilium Notes is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for AFFiNE. Trilium Notes is the more established project (first released 2017), while AFFiNE arrived in 2022.
Why pick each one
Choose AFFiNE if…
- Versatile workspace
- Local-first design
- Modern UI
Watch out for
- Self-hosting still maturing
- Resource intensive
Choose Trilium Notes if…
- Powerful for big knowledge bases
- Flexible structure
- Scriptable
Watch out for
- Steep learning curve
- Single-user oriented
Frequently asked questions
Is AFFiNE or Trilium Notes better?
Neither is universally better. AFFiNE has the larger community, while Trilium Notes is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are AFFiNE and Trilium Notes free and open-source?
Yes. AFFiNE is licensed under MIT and Trilium Notes under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run AFFiNE and Trilium Notes with Docker?
AFFiNE: yes. Trilium Notes: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, AFFiNE or Trilium Notes?
Trilium Notes has the smaller minimum footprint at 256 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for AFFiNE. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.