Logseq 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?
Logseq
Privacy-first outliner for networked thought
VS
memEx
Structured personal knowledge base, inspired by zettlekasten and
| Feature | Logseq | memEx |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Notes & Knowledge Base | Notes & Knowledge Base |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Clojure | Docker |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | binary, bare-metal | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 44,329 | — |
| First released | 2020 | 2020 |
| Replaces | Notion, Roam Research | — |
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 Logseq or memEx better?
Logseq 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 Logseq and memEx free and open-source?
Yes. Logseq is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and memEx under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Logseq and memEx with Docker?
Logseq: check the project docs for container support. memEx: yes.