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Roam Research alternatives · Note-Taking

Free alternatives to Roam Research

Roam Research has no free plan. 123 of the 146 other note-taking apps in this directory are free or have a free plan.

Roam Research is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $15 per month, or $165 per year ($13.75 a month). 36 of them have no paid plan at all; the rest pair a free plan with paid ones.

123 tools · Listings checked up to Oct 9, 2026 · Where the facts come from

The 12 closest to Roam Research

  1. Logseq

    Open-source outliner for linked notes stored as local files

    What is free: The desktop, web and mobile apps are free and open source, and no commercial license is needed for personal or company use. Syncing between devices is the paid part.

    • Logseq starts at $5 per month for Open Collective backers, which unlocks Logseq Sync. Roam Research starts at $15 per month, or $165 per year ($13.75 a month).
    • Logseq has a free plan. Roam Research does not, though it has a free trial.
    • Only Logseq lists Windows, Linux and Android apps.
    • Logseq is open source, according to its own site.
    Logseq vs Roam ResearchLogseq pricing and details

  2. Obsidian

    Markdown note-taking app that keeps your files on your device

    What is free: The app is free without limits on desktop and mobile, with no sign-up, and a commercial license is not required for work use. Sync and Publish are optional paid add-ons.

    • Obsidian starts at $4 per user / month, billed annually (Sync Standard add-on). Roam Research starts at $15 per month, or $165 per year ($13.75 a month).
    • Obsidian has a free plan. Roam Research does not, though it has a free trial.
    • Only Obsidian lists Windows, Linux and Android apps.
    • Only Obsidian lists a browser extension.
    Obsidian vs Roam ResearchObsidian pricing and details

  3. Tana Outliner

    Outliner with supertags, daily notes and built-in AI features

    What is free: 500 AI credits a month, up to 3 workspaces, 0.5 GB of file storage and a 5 MB upload limit, with supertags, tasks and public page links. Free users cannot buy extra credits.

    • Tana Outliner starts at $8 per month, billed yearly. Roam Research starts at $15 per month, or $165 per year ($13.75 a month).
    • Tana Outliner has a free plan. Roam Research does not, though it has a free trial.
    • Only Tana Outliner lists Windows, Linux and Android apps.
    • Tana Outliner also covers meeting notes and tasks.
    Tana Outliner vs Roam ResearchTana Outliner pricing and details

  4. Reflect

    Open-source daily notes app with backlinks and local Markdown

    What is free: The Mac app is free and open source, with no subscription or account required. The iPhone and iPad app needs a paid subscription.

    • Reflect starts at $9.99 per month, or $99 per year, for the iPhone and iPad app. Roam Research starts at $15 per month, or $165 per year ($13.75 a month).
    • Reflect has a free plan. Roam Research does not, though it has a free trial.
    • Only Reflect lists a browser extension.
    • Only Roam Research lists a web app.
    Reflect vs Roam ResearchReflect pricing and details

  5. Capacities

    Object-based note-taking app with daily notes and backlinks

    What is free: Capacities Basic: unlimited spaces, objects and blocks, sync across devices, offline support and full-text search. Media uploads are capped at 5 GB in total, then 100 MB per month.

    • Capacities starts at $9.99 per month, billed yearly. Roam Research starts at $15 per month, or $165 per year ($13.75 a month).
    • Capacities has a free plan. Roam Research does not, though it has a free trial.
    • Only Capacities lists Windows, Linux and Android apps.
    • Only Capacities lists a browser extension.
    Capacities vs Roam ResearchCapacities pricing and details

  6. Dynalist

    Outlining app for nested lists, notes and tasks

    What is free: Unlimited items and documents, internal links, Markdown, dates, tags, checklists, sharing and collaboration, export and import, and 5 bookmarks.

    • Dynalist starts at $7.99 per month, billed annually ($95.88 per year). Roam Research starts at $15 per month, or $165 per year ($13.75 a month).
    • Dynalist has a free plan. Roam Research does not, though it has a free trial.
    • Only Dynalist lists Windows, Linux and Android apps.
    • Only Dynalist lists a browser extension.
    Dynalist vs Roam ResearchDynalist pricing and details

  7. Relanote

    Linked note-taking in the browser with AI writing and chat tools

    What is free: Starter plan, free for life with no card required: up to 100 notes, 100 MB of storage, 3,000 AI credits a month, private sharing and community support.

    • Relanote starts at $4.99 per month, or $49 per year if paid annually. Roam Research starts at $15 per month, or $165 per year ($13.75 a month).
    • Relanote has a free plan. Roam Research does not, though it has a free trial.
    • Only Relanote lists an Android app.
    • Only Roam Research lists a macOS app.
    Relanote vs Roam ResearchRelanote pricing and details

  8. RemNote

    Note-taking app with built-in flashcards and spaced repetition

    What is free: Unlimited notes, flashcards and synced devices, with 3 annotated PDFs, 5 image occlusion cards, 1 handwritten document, 1 scheduled exam and 250 AI credits a month.

    • RemNote starts at $8 per month, billed yearly ($96). Roam Research starts at $15 per month, or $165 per year ($13.75 a month).
    • RemNote has a free plan. Roam Research does not, though it has a free trial.
    • Only RemNote lists Windows, Linux and Android apps.
    • Only RemNote lists a browser extension.
    RemNote vs Roam ResearchRemNote pricing and details

  9. Supernotes

    Collaborative note-taking built on short, linkable notecards

    What is free: Starter: begins with 100 cards, with more earned through achievements and referrals. Includes all apps, sync, offline editing and real-time sharing.

    • Supernotes starts at £6 per month, billed annually (£72). Roam Research starts at $15 per month, or $165 per year ($13.75 a month).
    • Supernotes has a free plan. Roam Research does not, though it has a free trial.
    • Only Supernotes lists Windows, Linux and Android apps.
    • Supernotes also covers Markdown.
    Supernotes vs Roam ResearchSupernotes pricing and details

  10. TheBrain

    Visual knowledge network linking notes, files and web links

    What is free: Free App: every feature, unlimited thoughts, brains and local attachments, no account needed. Private sync stops at 1,000 thoughts, synced storage at 100 MB, and AI use is a small daily allowance.

    • TheBrain starts at $15 per month, billed at $180 per year (Pro Service). Roam Research starts at $15 per month, or $165 per year ($13.75 a month).
    • TheBrain has a free plan. Roam Research does not, though it has a free trial.
    • Only TheBrain lists Windows, Linux and Android apps.
    • TheBrain also covers Markdown and mind mapping.
    TheBrain vs Roam ResearchTheBrain pricing and details

  11. Workflowy

    Outliner that keeps notes, to-dos and plans in one nested list

    What is free: Basic plan, free forever: listed with all features, limited to 100 nodes (bullets) per month and 100 MB of file uploads. Help pages say AI Nodes and AI Actions need Pro.

    • Workflowy starts at $6.99 per month, billed annually (Pro). Roam Research starts at $15 per month, or $165 per year ($13.75 a month).
    • Workflowy has a free plan. Roam Research does not, though it has a free trial.
    • Only Workflowy lists Windows, Linux and Android apps.
    • Only Workflowy lists a browser extension.
    Workflowy vs Roam ResearchWorkflowy pricing and details

  12. Craft

    Notes and documents app with tasks, daily notes and whiteboards

    What is free: Starter plan: up to 1,500 content blocks across all documents, 1 GB of storage, 25 MB per file, 7-day version history and 15 AI credits.

    • Craft starts at $96 per year ($8 a month), or $10 billed monthly. Roam Research starts at $15 per month, or $165 per year ($13.75 a month).
    • Craft has a free plan. Roam Research does not, though it has a free trial.
    • Only Craft lists Windows and Android apps.
    • Only Craft lists a browser extension.
    Craft pricing and details

111 more that are free or have a free plan

All 123 in one table

Common questions

Is there a free alternative to Roam Research?

Yes. Logseq, Obsidian, Tana Outliner, Reflect, Capacities, Dynalist, Relanote, RemNote and 115 more are free or have a free plan.

Does Roam Research have a free plan?

Roam Research has no free plan. Roam Research is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $15 per month, or $165 per year ($13.75 a month).

When was this checked?

Each listing shows its own date. On this page they run from Oct 4, 2026 to Oct 9, 2026. Vendors change prices and plans without notice, so confirm on their site before you buy.

This page is built from the listings. A tool is here because its listing says so, and the order is how close each is to Roam Research: the alternatives its listing names first, then the tools that share the most features with it.