QOwnNotes 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 | QOwnNotes | SiYuan |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 90 · Excellent | 100 · Excellent |
| Category | Notes & Knowledge Base | Notes & Knowledge Base |
| License | GPL-2.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | C++ | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | binary, source | docker, binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 5,886 | ★ 46,488 |
| First released | 2014 | 2020 |
| Replaces | Evernote, OneNote | Notion, Evernote |
What are QOwnNotes and SiYuan?
QOwnNotes
QOwnNotes is an open-source plain-text note-taking and to-do application with Markdown support. It integrates tightly with Nextcloud and ownCloud for syncing notes across devices.
- Plain-text Markdown notes
- Nextcloud and ownCloud sync
- Scripting support
- Note versioning via Nextcloud
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
QOwnNotes vs SiYuan: key differences
QOwnNotes is written in C++, while SiYuan is built with TypeScript. Licensing differs — GPL-2.0 for QOwnNotes versus AGPL-3.0 for SiYuan. QOwnNotes is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 512 MB for SiYuan. QOwnNotes is the more established project (first released 2014), while SiYuan arrived in 2020. SiYuan has the considerably larger community, at 46,488 GitHub stars versus 5,886. SiYuan lists first-class Docker deployment; QOwnNotes does not.
Why pick each one
Choose QOwnNotes if…
- Pairs well with Nextcloud
- Notes remain plain files
Watch out for
- Desktop only
- Interface feels utilitarian
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 QOwnNotes or SiYuan better?
Neither is universally better. SiYuan has the larger community, while QOwnNotes is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are QOwnNotes and SiYuan free and open-source?
Yes. QOwnNotes is licensed under GPL-2.0 and SiYuan under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run QOwnNotes and SiYuan with Docker?
QOwnNotes: check the project docs for container support. SiYuan: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, QOwnNotes or SiYuan?
QOwnNotes has the smaller minimum footprint at 256 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for SiYuan. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.