Boost Note 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.
Notesnook
Private, end-to-end encrypted note-taking app
| Feature | Boost Note | Notesnook |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 15 · At risk | 94 · Excellent |
| Status | Archived | Actively maintained |
| Category | Notes & Knowledge Base | Notes & Knowledge Base |
| License | GPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, binary | docker, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 4,046 | ★ 14,628 |
| First released | 2016 | 2021 |
| Replaces | Evernote | Evernote, OneNote, Notion |
What are Boost Note and Notesnook?
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
Notesnook
Notesnook is an open-source, privacy-focused note-taking app with end-to-end encryption on all notes. Its sync server can be self-hosted so users keep complete control of their encrypted data.
- End-to-end encrypted notes
- Self-hostable sync server
- Rich text editor
- Cross-platform apps
Boost Note vs Notesnook: key differences
The biggest difference is maintenance: Boost Note's repository is archived and no longer developed, while Notesnook is actively maintained. Both projects are written in TypeScript. Boost Note is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Notesnook. Boost Note is the more established project (first released 2016), while Notesnook arrived in 2021. Notesnook has the considerably larger community, at 14,628 GitHub stars versus 4,046. Notesnook 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 Notesnook if…
- Strong privacy by default
- Polished apps on all platforms
Watch out for
- Self-hosting is relatively new
- Some features tied to subscription
Frequently asked questions
Is Boost Note or Notesnook better?
Neither is universally better. Notesnook has the larger community, while Boost Note is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Boost Note and Notesnook free and open-source?
Yes. Boost Note is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Notesnook under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Boost Note and Notesnook with Docker?
Boost Note: check the project docs for container support. Notesnook: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Boost Note or Notesnook?
Boost Note has the smaller minimum footprint at 256 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for Notesnook. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.