Archivy vs TagSpaces
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted bookmarks & read-it-later options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Archivy | TagSpaces |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 19 · At risk | 90 · Excellent |
| Category | Bookmarks & Read-It-Later | Bookmarks & Read-It-Later |
| License | MIT | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Python | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | docker, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 3,277 | ★ 5,290 |
| First released | 2020 | 2014 |
| Replaces | Pocket, Evernote | Evernote, Raindrop.io |
What are Archivy and TagSpaces?
Archivy
Archivy is a self-hostable knowledge repository that lets you preserve useful web pages and notes so they are accessible and searchable offline. Saved bookmarks have their full content archived and indexed for full-text search.
- Full content archiving
- Offline searchable
- Markdown notes
- Extensible plugins
TagSpaces
TagSpaces is an offline, cross-platform application for organizing files and bookmarks using tags rather than folders. It works without a database and can be self-hosted as a web edition for browser-based access.
- Tag-based organization
- Works fully offline
- No database needed
- Browser and desktop editions
Archivy vs TagSpaces: key differences
Archivy is written in Python, while TagSpaces is built with TypeScript. Licensing differs — MIT for Archivy versus AGPL-3.0 for TagSpaces. Archivy is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 512 MB for TagSpaces. TagSpaces is the more established project (first released 2014), while Archivy arrived in 2020.
Why pick each one
Choose Archivy if…
- Released under the MIT license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (3.3k GitHub stars)
- Written in Python
Choose TagSpaces if…
- Strong privacy
- Cross-platform
Watch out for
- Pro features are paid
- Tagging workflow takes adjustment
Frequently asked questions
Is Archivy or TagSpaces better?
TagSpaces is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Archivy if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Archivy and TagSpaces free and open-source?
Yes. Archivy is licensed under MIT and TagSpaces under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Archivy and TagSpaces with Docker?
Archivy: yes. TagSpaces: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Archivy or TagSpaces?
Archivy has the smaller minimum footprint at 256 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for TagSpaces. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.