Reor vs WizNote
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 | WizNote |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 15 · At risk | 18 · At risk |
| Status | Archived | Actively maintained |
| Category | Notes & Knowledge Base | Notes & Knowledge Base |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | JavaScript | C |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | binary, source | docker, binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 8,551 | ★ 2,660 |
| First released | 2024 | 2011 |
| Replaces | Evernote, Notion | Evernote, OneNote |
What are Reor and WizNote?
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
WizNote
WizNote is a cross-platform note-taking app with desktop and mobile clients. The Qt desktop client is open source; the self-hostable sync server is distributed as a closed-source Docker image with a free tier for small teams.
- Cross-platform note clients
- Self-hostable sync server
- Rich note formatting
- Attachment support
Reor vs WizNote: key differences
The biggest difference is maintenance: Reor's repository is archived and no longer developed, while WizNote is actively maintained. Reor is written in JavaScript, while WizNote is built with C. Licensing differs — AGPL-3.0 for Reor versus GPL-3.0 for WizNote. WizNote is the lighter option, starting around 512 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for Reor. WizNote is the more established project (first released 2011), while Reor arrived in 2024. Reor has the considerably larger community, at 8,551 GitHub stars versus 2,660. WizNote lists first-class Docker deployment; Reor does not.
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 WizNote if…
- Mature multi-platform apps
- Server can be self-hosted
Watch out for
- Documentation strongest in Chinese
- Client and server are separate projects
Frequently asked questions
Is Reor or WizNote better?
Reor is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Reor if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Reor and WizNote free and open-source?
Yes. Reor is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and WizNote under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Reor and WizNote with Docker?
Reor: check the project docs for container support. WizNote: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Reor or WizNote?
WizNote 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.