Boost Note vs Flatnotes
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted notes & knowledge base options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Flatnotes
Self-hosted, database-less note-taking web app
| Feature | Boost Note | Flatnotes |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 15 · At risk | 88 · Excellent |
| Status | Archived | Actively maintained |
| Category | Notes & Knowledge Base | Notes & Knowledge Base |
| License | GPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Language | TypeScript | Vue |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, binary | docker, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 4,046 | ★ 3,230 |
| First released | 2016 | 2021 |
| Replaces | Evernote | Evernote, Simplenote |
What are Boost Note and Flatnotes?
Boost Note
Boost Note is an open-source note-taking app aimed at developers, with Markdown editing, code snippet notes, tagging, and syntax highlighting. Notes are stored as files. The upstream app repository is archived and no longer actively developed.
- Markdown and snippet notes
- Tag-based organization
- File-based storage
- Code syntax highlighting
Flatnotes
Flatnotes is a self-hosted web application for taking notes, with a focus on simplicity and storing all notes as flat Markdown files. It has no database and keeps notes easy to back up and access.
- Flat Markdown file storage
- No database required
- Full-text search
- Clean minimal interface
Boost Note vs Flatnotes: key differences
The biggest difference is maintenance: Boost Note's repository is archived and no longer developed, while Flatnotes is actively maintained. Boost Note is written in TypeScript, while Flatnotes is built with Vue. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for Boost Note versus MIT for Flatnotes. Flatnotes is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 256 MB for Boost Note. Boost Note is the more established project (first released 2016), while Flatnotes arrived in 2021. Flatnotes lists first-class Docker deployment; Boost Note does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Boost Note if…
- Developer-friendly
- Files you control
Watch out for
- Project direction shifted
- No first-party server
Choose Flatnotes if…
- Trivial to back up
- Very lightweight
Watch out for
- Basic feature set
- Single-user oriented
Frequently asked questions
Is Boost Note or Flatnotes better?
Neither is universally better. Boost Note has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Boost Note and Flatnotes free and open-source?
Yes. Boost Note is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Flatnotes under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Boost Note and Flatnotes with Docker?
Boost Note: check the project docs for container support. Flatnotes: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Boost Note or Flatnotes?
Flatnotes has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for Boost Note. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.