MyTetra vs QuillPad
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted notes & knowledge base options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | MyTetra | QuillPad |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 49 · Fair | 84 · Excellent |
| Category | Notes & Knowledge Base | Notes & Knowledge Base |
| License | GPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | C++ | Kotlin |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | binary, source | source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 258 | ★ 1,388 |
| First released | 2010 | 2022 |
| Replaces | Evernote, OneNote | Google Keep, OneNote |
What are MyTetra and QuillPad?
MyTetra
MyTetra is an open-source manager for hierarchical notes and code snippets, designed for building a personal knowledge base. It stores data in a portable XML structure that can be synced with any tool.
- Hierarchical note tree
- Code snippet storage
- Portable XML data
- Syncable with external tools
QuillPad
Quillpad is an open-source note-taking application focused on a clean, distraction-free writing experience with rich text formatting. It organizes notes into notebooks and supports tags, search, and offline use.
- Rich text notes
- Notebooks and tags
- Offline-first design
- Lightweight footprint
MyTetra vs QuillPad: key differences
MyTetra is written in C++, while QuillPad is built with Kotlin. MyTetra is the more established project (first released 2010), while QuillPad arrived in 2022. QuillPad has the considerably larger community, at 1,388 GitHub stars versus 258.
Why pick each one
Choose MyTetra if…
- Good for code snippet libraries
- Portable data format
Watch out for
- Dated interface
- Small community
Choose QuillPad if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Active community (1.4k GitHub stars)
- Written in Kotlin
Frequently asked questions
Is MyTetra or QuillPad better?
Neither is universally better. QuillPad has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are MyTetra and QuillPad free and open-source?
Yes. MyTetra is licensed under GPL-3.0 and QuillPad under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run MyTetra and QuillPad with Docker?
MyTetra: check the project docs for container support. QuillPad: check the project docs for container support.