Grimoire 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.
Grimoire
Archived
Bookmark manager for your reading list and inspiration
VS
Promnesia
Browser extension that turns your history into a memory aid
| Feature | Grimoire | Promnesia |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 15 · At risk | 83 · Excellent |
| Status | Archived | Actively maintained |
| Category | Bookmarks & Read-It-Later | Bookmarks & Read-It-Later |
| License | MIT | MIT |
| Language | TypeScript | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker | binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 2,856 | ★ 1,900 |
| First released | 2023 | 2019 |
| Replaces | Raindrop.io, Pocket | Pocket, Raindrop.io |
What are Grimoire and Promnesia?
Grimoire
Grimoire is a self-hosted bookmarking app for keeping track of links, articles, and inspiration. It organizes bookmarks into categories with tags, notes, and full-text search.
- Category and tag organization
- Notes on bookmarks
- Full-text search
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
Grimoire vs Promnesia: key differences
The biggest difference is maintenance: Grimoire's repository is archived and no longer developed, while Promnesia is actively maintained. Grimoire is written in TypeScript, while Promnesia is built with Python. Promnesia is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Grimoire. Promnesia is the more established project (first released 2019), while Grimoire arrived in 2023. Grimoire lists first-class Docker deployment; Promnesia does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Grimoire if…
- Released under the MIT license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (2.9k 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 Grimoire or Promnesia better?
Grimoire is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler medium setup. Consider Grimoire if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Grimoire and Promnesia free and open-source?
Yes. Grimoire is licensed under MIT and Promnesia under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Grimoire and Promnesia with Docker?
Grimoire: yes. Promnesia: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Grimoire or Promnesia?
Promnesia has the smaller minimum footprint at 256 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for Grimoire. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.