Joplin vs memEx
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted notes & knowledge base options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Joplin
Open-source note-taking and to-do app with sync
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memEx
Structured personal knowledge base, inspired by zettlekasten and
| Feature | Joplin | memEx |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Notes & Knowledge Base | Notes & Knowledge Base |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | Docker |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 55,856 | — |
| First released | 2017 | 2020 |
| Replaces | Evernote, OneNote | — |
Why pick each one
Choose memEx if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in Docker
- Lightweight — runs in 512 MB RAM
Frequently asked questions
Is Joplin or memEx better?
Joplin is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider memEx if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Joplin and memEx free and open-source?
Yes. Joplin is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and memEx under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Joplin and memEx with Docker?
Joplin: yes. memEx: yes.