Flatnotes vs Trilium Notes Next
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted notes & knowledge base options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Flatnotes
Self-hosted, database-less note-taking web app
VS
Trilium Notes Next
Archived
Hierarchical note-taking app for building knowledge bases
| Feature | Flatnotes | Trilium Notes Next |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 88 · Excellent | 15 · At risk |
| Status | Actively maintained | Archived |
| Category | Notes & Knowledge Base | Notes & Knowledge Base |
| License | MIT | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Vue | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, source | docker, binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 3,230 | ★ 2,926 |
| First released | 2021 | 2024 |
| Replaces | Evernote, Simplenote | Evernote, OneNote, Notion |
What are Flatnotes and Trilium Notes Next?
Flatnotes
Flatnotes is a self-hosted web application for taking notes, with a focus on simplicity and storing all notes as flat Markdown files. It has no database and keeps notes easy to back up and access.
- Flat Markdown file storage
- No database required
- Full-text search
- Clean minimal interface
Trilium Notes Next
TriliumNext is the actively maintained community continuation of Trilium Notes, a hierarchical note-taking application for building large personal knowledge bases. It supports rich text, code notes, and scripting.
- Hierarchical note tree
- Rich text and code notes
- Scripting and automation
- Note encryption
Flatnotes vs Trilium Notes Next: key differences
The biggest difference is maintenance: Trilium Notes Next's repository is archived and no longer developed, while Flatnotes is actively maintained. Flatnotes is written in Vue, while Trilium Notes Next is built with TypeScript. Licensing differs — MIT for Flatnotes versus AGPL-3.0 for Trilium Notes Next. Flatnotes is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Trilium Notes Next. Flatnotes is the more established project (first released 2021), while Trilium Notes Next arrived in 2024.
Why pick each one
Choose Flatnotes if…
- Trivial to back up
- Very lightweight
Watch out for
- Basic feature set
- Single-user oriented
Choose Trilium Notes Next if…
- Excellent for large knowledge bases
- Powerful and extensible
Watch out for
- Steeper learning curve
- Primarily single-user
Frequently asked questions
Is Flatnotes or Trilium Notes Next better?
Flatnotes is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Trilium Notes Next if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Flatnotes and Trilium Notes Next free and open-source?
Yes. Flatnotes is licensed under MIT and Trilium Notes Next under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Flatnotes and Trilium Notes Next with Docker?
Flatnotes: yes. Trilium Notes Next: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Flatnotes or Trilium Notes Next?
Flatnotes has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for Trilium Notes Next. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.