CherryTree vs Zim
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted apps from related categories — 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
Zim
A desktop wiki and personal knowledge base
| Feature | CherryTree | Zim |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Notes & Knowledge Base | Wikis & Documentation |
| License | GPL-3.0 | GPL-2.0 |
| Language | C++ | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | binary, source | binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 3,925 | ★ 2,194 |
| First released | 2009 | 2008 |
| Replaces | OneNote, Evernote | OneNote, Notion |
Why pick each one
Frequently asked questions
Is CherryTree or Zim 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 Zim free and open-source?
Yes. CherryTree is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Zim under GPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run CherryTree and Zim with Docker?
CherryTree: check the project docs for container support. Zim: check the project docs for container support.