Notable vs Wiki.js
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted notes & knowledge base options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Wiki.js
Modern and powerful open-source wiki
| Feature | Notable | Wiki.js |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 28 · At risk | 98 · Excellent |
| Category | Notes & Knowledge Base | Notes & Knowledge Base |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | Vue |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | binary | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 23,496 | ★ 28,956 |
| First released | 2018 | 2017 |
| Replaces | Evernote, Notion | Confluence, Notion |
What are Notable and Wiki.js?
Notable
Notable is a note-taking application that stores notes as plain Markdown files on disk. It offers a clean editor, tags, and full-text search while keeping all data in portable files.
- Plain Markdown file storage
- Tag-based organization
- Full-text search
- Clean editor
Wiki.js
Wiki.js is a modern, feature-rich wiki engine with multiple editors, authentication options, and storage backends. It targets teams and communities building a structured knowledge base. It is deployed via Docker or Node.js.
- Markdown, WYSIWYG and code editors
- Many authentication providers
- Git and storage sync
- Powerful permissions
Notable vs Wiki.js: key differences
Notable is written in TypeScript, while Wiki.js is built with Vue. Notable is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Wiki.js. Wiki.js lists first-class Docker deployment; Notable does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Notable if…
- Notes stay as portable files
- Simple and focused
Watch out for
- Development has slowed
- Desktop only
Choose Wiki.js if…
- Flexible and full-featured
- Many auth options
- Good content management
Watch out for
- Configuration can be involved
- Version 3 rewrite in progress
Frequently asked questions
Is Notable or Wiki.js better?
Neither is universally better. Wiki.js has the larger community, while Notable is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Notable and Wiki.js free and open-source?
Yes. Notable is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Wiki.js under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Notable and Wiki.js with Docker?
Notable: check the project docs for container support. Wiki.js: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Notable or Wiki.js?
Notable has the smaller minimum footprint at 256 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for Wiki.js. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.