Notesnook vs Reor
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted notes & knowledge base options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Notesnook
Private, end-to-end encrypted note-taking app
VS
Reor
Archived
AI-powered local-first personal knowledge management app
| Feature | Notesnook | Reor |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 94 · Excellent | 15 · At risk |
| Status | Actively maintained | Archived |
| Category | Notes & Knowledge Base | Notes & Knowledge Base |
| License | GPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | JavaScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | docker, source | binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 14,628 | ★ 8,551 |
| First released | 2021 | 2024 |
| Replaces | Evernote, OneNote, Notion | Evernote, Notion |
What are Notesnook and Reor?
Notesnook
Notesnook is an open-source, privacy-focused note-taking app with end-to-end encryption on all notes. Its sync server can be self-hosted so users keep complete control of their encrypted data.
- End-to-end encrypted notes
- Self-hostable sync server
- Rich text editor
- Cross-platform apps
Reor
Reor is an open-source, private, local-first AI note-taking application. It automatically links related notes, runs AI models locally, and stores everything as plain Markdown files on your machine.
- Local AI models
- Automatic note linking
- Plain Markdown storage
- Semantic search
Notesnook vs Reor: key differences
The biggest difference is maintenance: Reor's repository is archived and no longer developed, while Notesnook is actively maintained. Notesnook is written in TypeScript, while Reor is built with JavaScript. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for Notesnook versus AGPL-3.0 for Reor. Notesnook is the lighter option, starting around 512 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for Reor. Notesnook is the more established project (first released 2021), while Reor arrived in 2024. Notesnook lists first-class Docker deployment; Reor does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Notesnook if…
- Strong privacy by default
- Polished apps on all platforms
Watch out for
- Self-hosting is relatively new
- Some features tied to subscription
Choose Reor if…
- AI features without sending data away
- Notes stay as portable files
Watch out for
- AI features need more RAM
- Younger project
Frequently asked questions
Is Notesnook or Reor better?
Neither is universally better. Notesnook has the larger community, while Reor is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Notesnook and Reor free and open-source?
Yes. Notesnook is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Reor under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Notesnook and Reor with Docker?
Notesnook: yes. Reor: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Notesnook or Reor?
Notesnook has the smaller minimum footprint at 512 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for Reor. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.