Many Notes vs Zettlr
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
Zettlr
Markdown editor for writers, researchers, and Zettelkasten users
| Feature | Many Notes | Zettlr |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Notes & Knowledge Base | Notes & Knowledge Base |
| License | MIT | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | PHP | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, source | bare-metal, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,037 | ★ 13,354 |
| First released | 2024 | 2017 |
| Replaces | Obsidian, Notion | Notion, Obsidian |
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
Frequently asked questions
Is Many Notes or Zettlr better?
Zettlr 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 Zettlr free and open-source?
Yes. Many Notes is licensed under MIT and Zettlr under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Many Notes and Zettlr with Docker?
Many Notes: yes. Zettlr: check the project docs for container support.