Many Notes vs Mark Text
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?
Many Notes
Markdown note-taking web app designed for simplicity
VS
Mark Text
Real-time preview Markdown editor for the desktop
| Feature | Many Notes | Mark Text |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Notes & Knowledge Base | Notes & Knowledge Base |
| License | MIT | MIT |
| Language | PHP | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, source | source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,037 | ★ 59,781 |
| First released | 2024 | 2017 |
| Replaces | Obsidian, Notion | Typora |
Why pick each one
Choose Many Notes if…
- Released under the MIT license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (1k GitHub stars)
- Written in PHP
Choose Mark Text if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Mature project with 59.8k GitHub stars
- Written in TypeScript
Frequently asked questions
Is Many Notes or Mark Text better?
Mark Text is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Many Notes if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Many Notes and Mark Text free and open-source?
Yes. Many Notes is licensed under MIT and Mark Text under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Many Notes and Mark Text with Docker?
Many Notes: yes. Mark Text: check the project docs for container support.