Laverna vs nb Notes
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted notes & knowledge base options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Laverna | nb Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 24 · At risk | 92 · Excellent |
| Category | Notes & Knowledge Base | Notes & Knowledge Base |
| License | MPL-2.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | JavaScript | Shell |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 32 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, source | bare-metal, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 9,171 | ★ 8,410 |
| First released | 2014 | 2019 |
| Replaces | Evernote, Simplenote | Evernote, Notion |
What are Laverna and nb Notes?
Laverna
Laverna is an open-source, web-based note-taking application with Markdown support and client-side encryption. It can store notes locally or sync via Dropbox or remoteStorage and can be self-hosted as a static app.
- Client-side encryption
- Markdown editor
- Offline support
- Static self-hosted app
nb Notes
nb is a command-line and local web tool for plain-text note-taking, bookmarking, and archiving with Git-backed versioning and syncing. It works entirely in the terminal and supports encryption.
- Plain-text notes and bookmarks
- Git-backed sync
- Optional encryption
- Tagging and search
Laverna vs nb Notes: key differences
Laverna is written in JavaScript, while nb Notes is built with Shell. Licensing differs — MPL-2.0 for Laverna versus AGPL-3.0 for nb Notes. Nb Notes is the lighter option, starting around 32 MB of RAM against 128 MB for Laverna. Laverna is the more established project (first released 2014), while nb Notes arrived in 2019.
Why pick each one
Choose Laverna if…
- Strong privacy focus
- No backend required
Watch out for
- Development has stalled
- Aging codebase
Choose nb Notes if…
- Powerful for terminal users
- Versioned with Git
Watch out for
- Command-line only
- No graphical client
Frequently asked questions
Is Laverna or nb Notes better?
Neither is universally better. Laverna has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Laverna and nb Notes free and open-source?
Yes. Laverna is licensed under MPL-2.0 and nb Notes under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Laverna and nb Notes with Docker?
Laverna: check the project docs for container support. nb Notes: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Laverna or nb Notes?
nb Notes has the smaller minimum footprint at 32 MB of RAM, compared to about 128 MB for Laverna. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.