Notesnook 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.
Notesnook
Private, end-to-end encrypted note-taking app
VS
Wiki.js
Modern and powerful open-source wiki
| Feature | Notesnook | Wiki.js |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 94 · Excellent | 98 · Excellent |
| Category | Notes & Knowledge Base | Notes & Knowledge Base |
| License | GPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | Vue |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, source | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 14,628 | ★ 28,956 |
| First released | 2021 | 2017 |
| Replaces | Evernote, OneNote, Notion | Confluence, Notion |
What are Notesnook and Wiki.js?
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
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
Notesnook vs Wiki.js: key differences
Notesnook is written in TypeScript, while Wiki.js is built with Vue. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for Notesnook versus AGPL-3.0 for Wiki.js. Wiki.js is the more established project (first released 2017), while Notesnook arrived in 2021.
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 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 Notesnook or Wiki.js better?
Neither is universally better. Wiki.js has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Notesnook and Wiki.js free and open-source?
Yes. Notesnook is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Wiki.js under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Notesnook and Wiki.js with Docker?
Notesnook: yes. Wiki.js: yes.