Markor Sync vs SiYuan
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted notes & knowledge base options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
SiYuan
Privacy-first personal knowledge management system
| Feature | Markor Sync | SiYuan |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 88 · Excellent | 100 · Excellent |
| Category | Notes & Knowledge Base | Notes & Knowledge Base |
| License | Apache-2.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Java | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 64 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, binary | docker, binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 6,170 | ★ 46,488 |
| First released | 2017 | 2020 |
| Replaces | Google Keep, Evernote | Notion, Evernote |
What are Markor Sync and SiYuan?
Markor Sync
Markor is a text and Markdown notes editor that works directly on local files, making it ideal for folders synchronized by tools like Syncthing. It supports to-do lists, Zim wiki, and todo.txt formats.
- Works on plain files
- Markdown and todo.txt
- No accounts needed
- Offline editing
SiYuan
SiYuan is an open-source, privacy-first personal knowledge management system that supports block-level references and bidirectional links. It can run locally or be self-hosted for access across devices.
- Block-level referencing
- Bidirectional links
- Self-hosted or local mode
- End-to-end encrypted sync
Markor Sync vs SiYuan: key differences
Markor Sync is written in Java, while SiYuan is built with TypeScript. Licensing differs — Apache-2.0 for Markor Sync versus AGPL-3.0 for SiYuan. Markor Sync is the lighter option, starting around 64 MB of RAM against 512 MB for SiYuan. Markor Sync is the more established project (first released 2017), while SiYuan arrived in 2020. SiYuan has the considerably larger community, at 46,488 GitHub stars versus 6,170. SiYuan lists first-class Docker deployment; Markor Sync does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Markor Sync if…
- Pairs with any sync tool
- Privacy respecting
Watch out for
- Android only
- Manual sync setup
Choose SiYuan if…
- Powerful block-based model
- Works offline and self-hosted
Watch out for
- Documentation strongest in Chinese
- Some advanced features are paid
Frequently asked questions
Is Markor Sync or SiYuan better?
Neither is universally better. SiYuan has the larger community, while Markor Sync is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Markor Sync and SiYuan free and open-source?
Yes. Markor Sync is licensed under Apache-2.0 and SiYuan under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Markor Sync and SiYuan with Docker?
Markor Sync: check the project docs for container support. SiYuan: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Markor Sync or SiYuan?
Markor Sync has the smaller minimum footprint at 64 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for SiYuan. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.