Anytype vs Notable
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted notes & knowledge base options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Anytype
Local-first encrypted knowledge workspace
VS
Notable
Markdown-based note-taking app for plain files
| Feature | Anytype | Notable |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 92 · Excellent | 28 · At risk |
| Category | Notes & Knowledge Base | Notes & Knowledge Base |
| License | MIT | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, binary | binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 8,846 | ★ 23,496 |
| First released | 2023 | 2018 |
| Replaces | Notion | Evernote, Notion |
What are Anytype and Notable?
Anytype
Anytype is a local-first, encrypted knowledge management app for notes, tasks, and objects with a flexible data model. It targets users wanting a private Notion-like tool. It uses peer-to-peer sync and an optional self-hosted sync node.
- Local-first encrypted storage
- Flexible object-based model
- Peer-to-peer sync
- Self-hostable sync node
Notable
Notable is a note-taking application that stores notes as plain Markdown files on disk. It offers a clean editor, tags, and full-text search while keeping all data in portable files.
- Plain Markdown file storage
- Tag-based organization
- Full-text search
- Clean editor
Anytype vs Notable: key differences
Both projects are written in TypeScript. Licensing differs — MIT for Anytype versus AGPL-3.0 for Notable. Notable is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Anytype. Notable is the more established project (first released 2018), while Anytype arrived in 2023. Notable has the considerably larger community, at 23,496 GitHub stars versus 8,846. Anytype lists first-class Docker deployment; Notable does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Anytype if…
- Strong privacy model
- Flexible structure
- Works offline
Watch out for
- Self-hosting sync is advanced
- Ecosystem still young
Choose Notable if…
- Notes stay as portable files
- Simple and focused
Watch out for
- Development has slowed
- Desktop only
Frequently asked questions
Is Anytype or Notable better?
Notable is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Anytype if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Anytype and Notable free and open-source?
Yes. Anytype is licensed under MIT and Notable under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Anytype and Notable with Docker?
Anytype: yes. Notable: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Anytype or Notable?
Notable has the smaller minimum footprint at 256 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for Anytype. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.