CherryTree vs QuillPad
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted notes & knowledge base options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | CherryTree | QuillPad |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 89 · Excellent | 84 · Excellent |
| Category | Notes & Knowledge Base | Notes & Knowledge Base |
| License | GPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | C++ | Kotlin |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | binary, source | source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 3,951 | ★ 1,388 |
| First released | 2009 | 2022 |
| Replaces | OneNote, Evernote | Google Keep, OneNote |
What are CherryTree and QuillPad?
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
QuillPad
Quillpad is an open-source note-taking application focused on a clean, distraction-free writing experience with rich text formatting. It organizes notes into notebooks and supports tags, search, and offline use.
- Rich text notes
- Notebooks and tags
- Offline-first design
- Lightweight footprint
CherryTree vs QuillPad: key differences
CherryTree is written in C++, while QuillPad is built with Kotlin. CherryTree is the more established project (first released 2009), while QuillPad arrived in 2022. CherryTree has the considerably larger community, at 3,951 GitHub stars versus 1,388.
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
Choose QuillPad if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Active community (1.4k GitHub stars)
- Written in Kotlin
Frequently asked questions
Is CherryTree or QuillPad 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 QuillPad free and open-source?
Yes. CherryTree is licensed under GPL-3.0 and QuillPad under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run CherryTree and QuillPad with Docker?
CherryTree: check the project docs for container support. QuillPad: check the project docs for container support.