Boost Note vs Trilium Notes Next
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted notes & knowledge base options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Boost Note | Trilium Notes Next |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 15 · At risk | 15 · At risk |
| Status | Archived | Archived |
| Category | Notes & Knowledge Base | Notes & Knowledge Base |
| License | GPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, binary | docker, binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 4,046 | ★ 2,926 |
| First released | 2016 | 2024 |
| Replaces | Evernote | Evernote, OneNote, Notion |
What are Boost Note and Trilium Notes Next?
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
Trilium Notes Next
TriliumNext is the actively maintained community continuation of Trilium Notes, a hierarchical note-taking application for building large personal knowledge bases. It supports rich text, code notes, and scripting.
- Hierarchical note tree
- Rich text and code notes
- Scripting and automation
- Note encryption
Boost Note vs Trilium Notes Next: key differences
Note that both projects' repositories are archived — neither is actively developed. Both projects are written in TypeScript. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for Boost Note versus AGPL-3.0 for Trilium Notes Next. Boost Note is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Trilium Notes Next. Boost Note is the more established project (first released 2016), while Trilium Notes Next arrived in 2024. Trilium Notes Next 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 Trilium Notes Next if…
- Excellent for large knowledge bases
- Powerful and extensible
Watch out for
- Steeper learning curve
- Primarily single-user
Frequently asked questions
Is Boost Note or Trilium Notes Next better?
Boost Note is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Trilium Notes Next if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Boost Note and Trilium Notes Next free and open-source?
Yes. Boost Note is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Trilium Notes Next under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Boost Note and Trilium Notes Next with Docker?
Boost Note: check the project docs for container support. Trilium Notes Next: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Boost Note or Trilium Notes Next?
Boost Note has the smaller minimum footprint at 256 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for Trilium Notes Next. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.