BatNoter vs Reor
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted notes & knowledge base options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | BatNoter | Reor |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 18 · At risk | 15 · At risk |
| Status | Actively maintained | Archived |
| Category | Notes & Knowledge Base | Notes & Knowledge Base |
| License | MIT | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | JavaScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | docker, source | binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 2,421 | ★ 8,551 |
| First released | 2022 | 2024 |
| Replaces | Standard Notes, Evernote | Evernote, Notion |
What are BatNoter and Reor?
BatNoter
BatNoter is an open-source, Markdown-based note-taking web application that stores all notes in a user's own Git repository. It provides an editor with preview and keeps notes versioned and portable.
- Notes stored in your Git repo
- Markdown editor with preview
- Versioned, portable notes
- Self-hosted backend
Reor
Reor is an open-source, private, local-first AI note-taking application. It automatically links related notes, runs AI models locally, and stores everything as plain Markdown files on your machine.
- Local AI models
- Automatic note linking
- Plain Markdown storage
- Semantic search
BatNoter vs Reor: key differences
The biggest difference is maintenance: Reor's repository is archived and no longer developed, while BatNoter is actively maintained. BatNoter is written in TypeScript, while Reor is built with JavaScript. Licensing differs — MIT for BatNoter versus AGPL-3.0 for Reor. BatNoter is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for Reor. BatNoter is the more established project (first released 2022), while Reor arrived in 2024. Reor has the considerably larger community, at 8,551 GitHub stars versus 2,421. BatNoter lists first-class Docker deployment; Reor does not.
Why pick each one
Choose BatNoter if…
- Released under the MIT license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (2.4k GitHub stars)
- Written in TypeScript
Choose Reor if…
- AI features without sending data away
- Notes stay as portable files
Watch out for
- AI features need more RAM
- Younger project
Frequently asked questions
Is BatNoter or Reor better?
Reor is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Reor if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are BatNoter and Reor free and open-source?
Yes. BatNoter is licensed under MIT and Reor under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run BatNoter and Reor with Docker?
BatNoter: yes. Reor: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, BatNoter or Reor?
BatNoter has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for Reor. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.