SHSelfHostIndex

CherryTree vs Laverna

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?
CH CherryTree Hierarchical rich-text and code note-taking application VS LA Laverna Markdown note-taking app with client-side encryption
FeatureCherryTreeLaverna
Deploy effortRead-the-docs projectRead-the-docs project
Health score89 · Excellent24 · At risk
CategoryNotes & Knowledge BaseNotes & Knowledge Base
LicenseGPL-3.0MPL-2.0
LanguageC++JavaScript
Setup difficultyEasyEasy
Min. RAM128 MB128 MB
Deploymentbinary, sourcebare-metal, source
GitHub stars★ 3,951★ 9,171
First released20092014
ReplacesOneNote, EvernoteEvernote, Simplenote

What are CherryTree and Laverna?

CherryTree

Cherrytree is an open-source hierarchical note-taking application featuring rich text and syntax highlighting. It stores everything in a single XML or SQLite file, making it easy to back up and move.

  • Hierarchical note tree
  • Rich text and code highlighting
  • Single-file XML or SQLite storage
  • Password protection

Read the full CherryTree guide →

Laverna

Laverna is an open-source, web-based note-taking application with Markdown support and client-side encryption. It can store notes locally or sync via Dropbox or remoteStorage and can be self-hosted as a static app.

  • Client-side encryption
  • Markdown editor
  • Offline support
  • Static self-hosted app

Read the full Laverna guide →

CherryTree vs Laverna: key differences

CherryTree is written in C++, while Laverna is built with JavaScript. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for CherryTree versus MPL-2.0 for Laverna. CherryTree is the more established project (first released 2009), while Laverna arrived in 2014. Laverna has the considerably larger community, at 9,171 GitHub stars versus 3,951.

Why pick each one

Choose CherryTree if…

  • Highly portable single-file notes
  • Good for structured notes

Watch out for

  • Desktop only
  • No built-in sync
CherryTree details

Choose Laverna if…

  • Strong privacy focus
  • No backend required

Watch out for

  • Development has stalled
  • Aging codebase
Laverna details

Frequently asked questions

Is CherryTree or Laverna better?

Neither is universally better. Laverna has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.

Are CherryTree and Laverna free and open-source?

Yes. CherryTree is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Laverna under MPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.

Can I run CherryTree and Laverna with Docker?

CherryTree: check the project docs for container support. Laverna: check the project docs for container support.

Related comparisons