CherryTree 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.
Not the right match-up?
CherryTree
Hierarchical rich-text and code note-taking application
VS
Flatnotes
Self-hosted, database-less note-taking web app
| Feature | CherryTree | Flatnotes |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Notes & Knowledge Base | Notes & Knowledge Base |
| License | GPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Language | C++ | Vue |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | binary, source | docker, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 3,925 | ★ 3,172 |
| First released | 2009 | 2021 |
| Replaces | OneNote, Evernote | Evernote, Simplenote |
Why pick each one
Frequently asked questions
Is CherryTree or Flatnotes better?
Neither is universally better. CherryTree has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are CherryTree and Flatnotes free and open-source?
Yes. CherryTree is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Flatnotes under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run CherryTree and Flatnotes with Docker?
CherryTree: check the project docs for container support. Flatnotes: yes.