CherryTree vs VNote
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 | VNote |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 89 · Excellent | 94 · Excellent |
| Category | Notes & Knowledge Base | Notes & Knowledge Base |
| License | GPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Language | C++ | C++ |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | binary, source | bare-metal, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 3,951 | ★ 12,977 |
| First released | 2009 | 2017 |
| Replaces | OneNote, Evernote | Evernote, OneNote |
What are CherryTree and VNote?
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
VNote
VNote is a Markdown-based note-taking application focused on developers, offering folder-based notebooks, syntax highlighting, and Vim-style editing. Notes are plain files that can be synced through external tools.
- Folder-based notebooks
- Vim editing mode
- Markdown with diagrams
- Code-friendly themes
CherryTree vs VNote: key differences
Both projects are written in C++. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for CherryTree versus MIT for VNote. CherryTree is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 256 MB for VNote. CherryTree is the more established project (first released 2009), while VNote arrived in 2017. VNote has the considerably larger community, at 12,977 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
Choose VNote if…
- Fast native app
- Plain file storage
Watch out for
- Desktop only
- No built-in sync
Frequently asked questions
Is CherryTree or VNote better?
Neither is universally better. VNote has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are CherryTree and VNote free and open-source?
Yes. CherryTree is licensed under GPL-3.0 and VNote under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run CherryTree and VNote with Docker?
CherryTree: check the project docs for container support. VNote: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, CherryTree or VNote?
CherryTree has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for VNote. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.