BookStack vs Notesnook
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted notes & knowledge base options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
BookStack
Simple self-hosted documentation and wiki platform
VS
Notesnook
Private, end-to-end encrypted note-taking app
| Feature | BookStack | Notesnook |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Notes & Knowledge Base | Notes & Knowledge Base |
| License | MIT | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | PHP | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 18,974 | ★ 14,380 |
| First released | 2017 | 2021 |
| Replaces | Confluence, Notion | Evernote, OneNote, Notion |
Why pick each one
Frequently asked questions
Is BookStack or Notesnook better?
BookStack is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Notesnook if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are BookStack and Notesnook free and open-source?
Yes. BookStack is licensed under MIT and Notesnook under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run BookStack and Notesnook with Docker?
BookStack: yes. Notesnook: yes.