Anytype vs SiYuan
We give Anytype and SiYuan the same GPA: 3.6 out of 4.0. Anytype grades higher on the free plan. SiYuan grades higher on value for money. They get the same grade on features, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Anytype
Local-first, end-to-end encrypted workspace for notes and data
SiYuan
Open-source, local-first notes built on linked content blocks
How we grade them
| 3.6GPAAnytypeExcellent | 3.6GPASiYuanExcellent | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | BPlus is $4 a month billed yearly, or $5 month by month, a little under the $5.99 this category typically starts at. What it buys is modest, though: 1 GB of remote storage and unlimited shared channels. Pro at $8 gets you 10 GB. | APRO Features is $64 once, shown as reduced from $96. That's less than a year of a typical note subscription, though you supply the S3 or WebDAV storage yourself. The ready-made route is the $148 lifetime subscription with 8 GB of official cloud. No refunds on either. |
| Free plan and trial | AThe app is free with unlimited private spaces, and most people could stay on it. The free tier has 100 MB of remote storage, which only files like images and videos count toward, and up to 10 shared channels. | BThe app is free for local use, work included, and most features are in it. But sync and backup between devices are paid, so a free phone and a free laptop won't share notes. A trial subscription can be switched on in the desktop app, though its length isn't stated. |
| Features | AEverything is an object with a type, like Note, Task or Book, that you can view as a calendar, gallery or kanban board. Encrypted sync, offline use, shared channels with chat, publishing a page to the web, and the choice to host sync yourself. | AEverything is a block: more than 20 block types, references in both directions, a backlink panel and graphs of how notes connect. Databases have relations and rollups, and flashcards are scheduled with the FSRS algorithm. Paid sync is end-to-end encrypted. |
| Ease of use | BWe have no App Store rating on record, so a B is as high as we go. It's an app you install and use, and it works without a connection. Thinking in objects, types and properties takes longer to pick up than plain pages do. | BNo rating on record, so a B is our ceiling. It's a WYSIWYG editor, so notes look formatted as you type. The cheaper sync option does mean buying or setting up your own S3 or WebDAV storage, mind. |
| Platforms and integrations | AMac, Windows, Linux, iPhone and Android, with a Raycast extension. A Local API, an MCP server and a CLI tool let other apps work with your data. There's no browser version, mind, so it's apps only. | AWindows, Mac, Linux, iPhone, Android and a browser extension, with OpenAI as the one integration on record. The browser is the fiddly one: it needs a self-hosted Docker server, or a desktop app on the same local network. |
| Best for | an encrypted workspace that lives on your device | block-linked notes kept on your own device |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Anytype and SiYuan. How we grade
Where they differ
- Anytype starts at $4 per month, billed yearly ($5 billed monthly). SiYuan starts at $64 one-time payment (PRO Features).
- Only SiYuan lists a web app.
- Only SiYuan lists a browser extension.
- SiYuan is open source, according to its own site.
- Anytype also covers kanban boards.
- SiYuan also covers linked notes and databases.
At a glance
| Anytype | SiYuan | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | $4 per month, billed yearly ($5 billed monthly) | $64 one-time payment (PRO Features) |
| Free plan | The app is free with unlimited private spaces. The free tier includes 100 MB of remote storage, which only files such as images and videos count toward, and a limited number of shared channels. | Free: basic functions with local storage, including for commercial use. Data sync and backup between devices are paid features. |
| Free trial | 14-day free trial of Anytype for Business, no credit card required. | A trial subscription can be enabled in the desktop app under Settings > Account; its length is not stated |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Browser extension | ||
| Made by | Any Association | Yunnan Liandi Technology Co., Ltd. |
| Price read from | checkthat.ai (not the vendor's own page) | b3log.org |
| Checked | Oct 4, 2026 | Oct 5, 2026 |
Who each one suits
Anytype
- People who want encrypted notes that keep working without an internet connection
- Users who want the option to self-host sync or keep data on one device
- Small groups sharing a private, encrypted workspace with built-in chat
SiYuan
- People who want notes stored on their own device and usable offline
- Note-takers who link ideas at the block level and explore them in a graph
- Learners who want flashcards alongside their notes
Worth knowing
Anytype
- There is no browser version; Anytype runs only as desktop and mobile apps.
- The free tier includes 100 MB of remote storage; more requires a paid membership.
- Everyone in a shared space can see everything in it; per-object permissions are not supported.
- In September 2026 the team announced a rebuilt successor, Anytwo, and said development of the current app will slow down.
SiYuan
- Syncing devices costs money: $64 once to use your own S3 or WebDAV storage, or the subscription for the official cloud.
- The official cloud storage is limited to 8 GB per user.
- Refunds are not available after subscribing; the vendor suggests trying the trial subscription in the desktop app first.
- Browser access comes from a self-hosted Docker server or a desktop app on the same local network.
Key features
Anytype
- Objects, types and properties
- Every item is an object with a type, such as Note, Task, Person or Book, and properties like due date or priority that describe objects and link them together.
- Calendar, gallery and kanban views
- Groups of objects can be laid out as a calendar, a gallery or a kanban board, then filtered and grouped by their properties.
- Local-first encrypted sync
- Content is stored on your device and encrypted before it syncs, so the app keeps working without a connection. Sync can also run peer-to-peer over a local network.
- Self-hosting and local-only mode
- Instead of Anytype's network you can sync through your own infrastructure, or turn sync off so data stays on one device.
- Shared channels and chats
- Invite people as viewers, editors or admins. Changes appear instantly when members are online, and channels include encrypted chat threads.
- Web publishing and Local API
- Any object can be published as a public static web page. A Local API, an MCP server and a CLI tool let other applications work with your data.
SiYuan
- Block-based editor
- Everything is a content block. The WYSIWYG editor offers more than 20 block types and 10 inline types, and any block can be zoomed into on its own.
- Block references and backlinks
- Blocks link in both directions, a backlink panel surfaces mentions that can be turned into links, and global and block-level graphs show how notes connect.
- Databases
- Database views support relations that connect two databases, rollups across them and templates.
- Flashcards
- Built-in spaced repetition schedules card reviews with the FSRS algorithm.
- End-to-end encrypted sync
- Paid options sync devices with end-to-end encryption, using either the official 8 GB cloud or S3 or WebDAV storage that you provide.
- Self-hosted server
- A Docker image runs SiYuan on your own server for use from a browser, with a lock-screen password controlling access.
Plans
Anytype
Free$0
Unlimited private spaces, 100 MB of remote storage and up to 10 shared channels.
Plus$4
per month, billed yearly ($5 billed monthly)
1 GB of remote storage, unlimited shared channels and a custom ANY ID of 9 or more characters.
Pro$8
per month, billed yearly ($10 billed monthly)
10 GB of remote storage, unlimited shared channels and a custom ANY ID of 7 or more characters.
Ultra$16
per month, billed yearly ($20 billed monthly)
100 GB of remote storage, unlimited shared channels and a custom ANY ID of 5 or more characters.
Anytype for Business€20
per editor / month
Cloud-hosted team workspace with one admin panel for every space and org-level permissions. Viewers are free; only editors are billed.
SiYuan
Free$0
Basic functions with local storage, described by the vendor as completely free.
PRO Features$64
one-time payment
Adds data sync and backup through your own S3 or WebDAV storage; no storage is included. Shown as reduced from $96.
Subscription$148
one-time payment for a lifetime subscription
PRO Features plus 8 GB of official cloud storage, official sync and backup, a cloud inbox and asset hosting. Shown as reduced from $296 for limited seats.
Ways to pay less
Anytype
- Education
50% off memberships for students and faculty
Students, researchers and educators with an institutional email can claim a code for 50% off for 12 months, and request a new code once a year.
- Other savings
50% off for active contributors
Active contributors to Anytype's codebase, gallery, tutorials and community can ask the association for a 50% discount on memberships.
- Annual discount
Save 20% on Anytype for Business with annual billing
The Anytype for Business page lists a 20% saving on the per-editor price when billed annually instead of monthly.
SiYuan
- Lifetime license
Lifetime subscription at $148 for limited seats
A vendor post says the $148 lifetime price covers a limited number of seats, then reverts to $296, and that the lifetime option closes once all seats are sold.
