Foam
Focus: notes, wikilinks and vs code. Shares backlinks and open source with SiYuan. Rated 4.4 (SiYuan: 4.7).
Desktop AppFreemacOS, Windows
4.4Visit
Desktop App
SiYuan
A privacy-first knowledge workspace with block links, databases and flashcards.
Rating
4.7 / 5
Pricing
Free
Difficulty
Intermediate
Works on
Windows, macOS, Linux
Built with love by Shushant Lakhyani. Building bestproductivityresources.com
What is SiYuan?
SiYuan is a free, open-source, local-first note-taking and knowledge management app. It combines a block-based Markdown editor with two-way links, PDF annotation, table databases and spaced repetition flashcards, and runs on desktop, mobile or Docker, so your notes stay on your own devices.
Third-party open-source projects. We are not affiliated with their authors; repositories are provided as-is by their maintainers. Review each project's license, code and security before installing. See our Disclaimer.
Pros: what SiYuan does well
- Block-level links and references
- Built-in flashcards and databases
- Works offline on every platform
Cons: where it falls short
- Some features, such as official cloud sync, need a paid membership
- Many options to learn at first
Who SiYuan is for
Students, researchers and writers who want a private second brain with linked notes.
Who can skip it
People who only need a simple list of short notes.
SiYuan alternatives
Not sold on SiYuan? These do a similar job, and each card says what it has in common.
nb
Focus: notes, bookmarks and command line. Shares open source and github with SiYuan. Adds Offline. Rated 4.5 (SiYuan: 4.7).
Desktop AppFreemacOS, Linux
4.5Visit
zk
Focus: zettelkasten, markdown notes and command line. Shares open source and github with SiYuan. Adds Offline. Rated 4.5 (SiYuan: 4.7).
Desktop AppFreemacOS, Linux
4.5Visit
claude-obsidian
Focus: obsidian, claude code and pkm. Shares second brain and open source with SiYuan. An AI tool, not a desktop app. Rated 4.8 (SiYuan: 4.7).
AI ToolFreemacOS, Windows
4.8Visit
SilverBullet
Focus: markdown, wiki and notes. Shares open source and github with SiYuan. A web app, not a desktop app. Adds Web. Rated 4.6 (SiYuan: 4.7).
Web AppFreeWeb, Cross-Platform
4.6Visit
Alexandrie
Focus: markdown, knowledge base and latex. Shares open source and github with SiYuan. A web app, not a desktop app. Adds Web. Rated 4.5 (SiYuan: 4.7).
Web AppFreeWeb, Cross-Platform
4.5Visit
Free alternatives to SiYuan
Want to spend nothing? These free picks cover similar ground.
Flatnotes
Focus: markdown notes, self-hosted and search. Shares open source and github with SiYuan. A web app, not a desktop app. Adds Web. Rated 4.5 (SiYuan: 4.7).
Web AppFreeWeb, Cross-Platform
4.5Visit
TiddlyWiki
Focus: wiki, notebook and single file. Shares open source and github with SiYuan. A web app, not a desktop app. Adds Web and Offline. Rated 4.5 (SiYuan: 4.7).
Web AppFreeWeb, Offline
4.5Visit
Logseq
Focus: PKM, Note-Taking and Graph Database. Shares Open Source with SiYuan. Adds Web. Rated 4.6 (SiYuan: 4.7).
Desktop AppFreemacOS, Windows
4.6Visit
Trilium Notes
Focus: notes, knowledge base and self-hosted. Shares open source with SiYuan. Adds Web and Offline. Rated 4.6 (SiYuan: 4.7).
Desktop AppFreeWindows, macOS
4.6Visit
hypernovum
Focus: obsidian, 3d and visualization. Shares second brain with SiYuan. Rated 4.3 (SiYuan: 4.7).
Desktop AppFreemacOS, Windows
4.3Visit
QOwnNotes
Focus: markdown notes, plain text and nextcloud. Shares open source and github with SiYuan. Rated 4.6 (SiYuan: 4.7).
Desktop AppFreeWindows, macOS
4.6Visit
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