Reor vs VNote
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted notes & knowledge base options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Reor | VNote |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 15 · At risk | 94 · Excellent |
| Status | Archived | Actively maintained |
| Category | Notes & Knowledge Base | Notes & Knowledge Base |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Language | JavaScript | C++ |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | binary, source | bare-metal, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 8,551 | ★ 12,977 |
| First released | 2024 | 2017 |
| Replaces | Evernote, Notion | Evernote, OneNote |
What are Reor and VNote?
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
VNote
VNote is a Markdown-based note-taking application focused on developers, offering folder-based notebooks, syntax highlighting, and Vim-style editing. Notes are plain files that can be synced through external tools.
- Folder-based notebooks
- Vim editing mode
- Markdown with diagrams
- Code-friendly themes
Reor vs VNote: key differences
The biggest difference is maintenance: Reor's repository is archived and no longer developed, while VNote is actively maintained. Reor is written in JavaScript, while VNote is built with C++. Licensing differs — AGPL-3.0 for Reor versus MIT for VNote. VNote is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for Reor. VNote is the more established project (first released 2017), while Reor arrived in 2024.
Why pick each one
Choose Reor if…
- AI features without sending data away
- Notes stay as portable files
Watch out for
- AI features need more RAM
- Younger project
Choose VNote if…
- Fast native app
- Plain file storage
Watch out for
- Desktop only
- No built-in sync
Frequently asked questions
Is Reor or VNote better?
Neither is universally better. VNote has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Reor and VNote free and open-source?
Yes. Reor is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and VNote under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Reor and VNote with Docker?
Reor: check the project docs for container support. VNote: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Reor or VNote?
VNote has the smaller minimum footprint at 256 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for Reor. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.