Floccus vs Promnesia
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted bookmarks & read-it-later options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Floccus | Promnesia |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 92 · Excellent | 83 · Excellent |
| Category | Bookmarks & Read-It-Later | Bookmarks & Read-It-Later |
| License | MPL-2.0 | MIT |
| Language | TypeScript | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 64 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | source | binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 8,491 | ★ 1,900 |
| First released | 2015 | 2019 |
| Replaces | Raindrop.io, Chrome Sync | Pocket, Raindrop.io |
What are Floccus and Promnesia?
Floccus
Floccus is a browser extension that syncs your bookmarks across browsers via Nextcloud, a WebDAV server, a Git repository, or a local file. It keeps bookmarks consistent everywhere.
- Sync via Nextcloud or WebDAV
- Cross-browser support
- Optional client-side encryption
Promnesia
Promnesia is a browser extension and backend that helps you remember which pages you have visited and how. It connects your browsing history with bookmarks, notes, and other tools.
- Annotates pages you have visited
- Connects history with notes
- Local data ownership
Floccus vs Promnesia: key differences
Floccus is written in TypeScript, while Promnesia is built with Python. Licensing differs — MPL-2.0 for Floccus versus MIT for Promnesia. Floccus is the lighter option, starting around 64 MB of RAM against 256 MB for Promnesia. Floccus is the more established project (first released 2015), while Promnesia arrived in 2019. Floccus has the considerably larger community, at 8,491 GitHub stars versus 1,900.
Why pick each one
Choose Floccus if…
- Released under the MPL-2.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Mature project with 8.5k GitHub stars
- Written in TypeScript
Choose Promnesia if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Active community (1.9k GitHub stars)
- Written in Python
- Tiny footprint — runs in 256 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Floccus or Promnesia better?
Floccus is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Promnesia if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Floccus and Promnesia free and open-source?
Yes. Floccus is licensed under MPL-2.0 and Promnesia under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Floccus and Promnesia with Docker?
Floccus: check the project docs for container support. Promnesia: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Floccus or Promnesia?
Floccus has the smaller minimum footprint at 64 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for Promnesia. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.