Beaver Notes vs QuillPad
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted notes & knowledge base options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Beaver Notes | QuillPad |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 82 · Excellent | 84 · Excellent |
| Category | Notes & Knowledge Base | Notes & Knowledge Base |
| License | MIT | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | JavaScript | Kotlin |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | binary, source | source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,343 | ★ 1,388 |
| First released | 2023 | 2022 |
| Replaces | Evernote, OneNote | Google Keep, OneNote |
What are Beaver Notes and QuillPad?
Beaver Notes
File-over-app note tools include several options; Beaver Notes is an open-source, privacy-focused note-taking application that stores notes locally. It offers a clean editor with tags, folders, and Markdown.
- Local-first note storage
- Markdown editor
- Tags and folders
- Cross-platform apps
QuillPad
Quillpad is an open-source note-taking application focused on a clean, distraction-free writing experience with rich text formatting. It organizes notes into notebooks and supports tags, search, and offline use.
- Rich text notes
- Notebooks and tags
- Offline-first design
- Lightweight footprint
Beaver Notes vs QuillPad: key differences
Beaver Notes is written in JavaScript, while QuillPad is built with Kotlin. Licensing differs — MIT for Beaver Notes versus GPL-3.0 for QuillPad. QuillPad is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 256 MB for Beaver Notes.
Why pick each one
Choose Beaver Notes if…
- Privacy-focused and local
- Clean modern interface
Watch out for
- Younger project
- Sync requires external tools
Choose QuillPad if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Active community (1.4k GitHub stars)
- Written in Kotlin
Frequently asked questions
Is Beaver Notes or QuillPad better?
Neither is universally better. QuillPad has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Beaver Notes and QuillPad free and open-source?
Yes. Beaver Notes is licensed under MIT and QuillPad under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Beaver Notes and QuillPad with Docker?
Beaver Notes: check the project docs for container support. QuillPad: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Beaver Notes or QuillPad?
QuillPad has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for Beaver Notes. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.