Bangle.io vs Tangent Notes
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted notes & knowledge base options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Bangle.io | Tangent Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 79 · Good | 75 · Good |
| Category | Notes & Knowledge Base | Notes & Knowledge Base |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Language | TypeScript | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,231 | ★ 556 |
| First released | 2021 | 2022 |
| Replaces | Notion, Obsidian | Obsidian, Roam Research |
What are Bangle.io and Tangent Notes?
Bangle.io
Bangle.io is a local-first web app for taking Markdown notes. It stores notes in the browser or a local folder via the file system API, supports WYSIWYG-style editing and backlinks, and works fully offline without a server.
- Local-first Markdown notes
- WYSIWYG editing
- Backlinks and tags
- Works offline in browser
Tangent Notes
Tangent is a free, local-first note-taking application that stores notes as plain Markdown files and links them together into a connected map. It focuses on capturing and connecting ideas without a cloud dependency.
- Local-first storage
- Linked note map
- Plain Markdown files
- Session history
Bangle.io vs Tangent Notes: key differences
Both projects are written in TypeScript. Licensing differs — AGPL-3.0 for Bangle.io versus MIT for Tangent Notes. Bangle.io is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 256 MB for Tangent Notes. Bangle.io has the considerably larger community, at 1,231 GitHub stars versus 556. Bangle.io lists first-class Docker deployment; Tangent Notes does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Bangle.io if…
- Owns your files
- No server required
Watch out for
- Browser storage limits
- Small plugin ecosystem
Choose Tangent Notes if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Written in TypeScript
- Tiny footprint — runs in 256 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Bangle.io or Tangent Notes better?
Neither is universally better. Bangle.io has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Bangle.io and Tangent Notes free and open-source?
Yes. Bangle.io is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Tangent Notes under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Bangle.io and Tangent Notes with Docker?
Bangle.io: yes. Tangent Notes: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Bangle.io or Tangent Notes?
Bangle.io has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for Tangent Notes. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.