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Notion vs Trilium Notes
Notion vs Trilium Notes
A side-by-side look at Notion (the paid SaaS) and Trilium Notes (the open source alternative). Use this page to decide if the switch fits your team and workflow.
| Notion | Trilium Notes | |
|---|---|---|
| Tagline | All-in-one workspace for notes, docs and databases. | Hierarchical personal notes with scripting. |
| License | Proprietary SaaS | AGPL-3.0 |
| Pricing | Free tier; paid from $10/user/month. | Free to self-host |
| Self-host option | No | Yes — difficulty 2/5 |
| Hosted cloud available | Yes (only option) | No |
| Desktop apps | Varies by product | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Mobile apps | Official apps typically available | None official |
Ad slot — between tables
Best for
Serious personal knowledge bases with hierarchical notes.
Trilium Notes strengths
- Deep hierarchical notes with relations.
- Scripting support for automation inside notes.
- Strong for large personal knowledge bases.
Trilium Notes weaknesses
- No official mobile apps.
- UI feels dense for new users.
- Original maintainer stepped back; Trilium Next fork is active.
What's the catch with Notion?
- Data lives on someone else's server; sensitive notes feel exposed.
- Slow on large workspaces and offline support is limited.
- Export options for full workspaces are clunky.
Still unsure?
Check the full list of alternatives to Notion: see Notion alternatives, or learn more about Trilium Notes on its project page.