CherryTree vs Logseq

A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted notes & knowledge base options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.

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FeatureCherryTreeLogseq
CategoryNotes & Knowledge BaseNotes & Knowledge Base
LicenseGPL-3.0AGPL-3.0
LanguageC++Clojure
Setup difficultyEasyEasy
Min. RAM128 MB256 MB
Deploymentbinary, sourcebinary, bare-metal
GitHub stars★ 3,925★ 44,329
First released20092020
ReplacesOneNote, EvernoteNotion, Roam Research

Why pick each one

Choose CherryTree if…

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

Choose Logseq if…

  • Local-first and private
  • Great for linked thinking
  • Files stay portable
Logseq details

Frequently asked questions

Is CherryTree or Logseq better?

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

Are CherryTree and Logseq free and open-source?

Yes. CherryTree is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Logseq under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.

Can I run CherryTree and Logseq with Docker?

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

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