Dendron vs Trilium Notes (2026): which should you pick?

Pick Dendron if

• Fits if you already live in VS Code and want your notes there
• Works for people who like notes as plain files in git

Look elsewhere if

• Skip it if you don't use an editor like VS Code, as there is no standalone app
• Not for you if you want notes on your phone or in a browser
• Too light for publishing: the homepage lists Dendron Publishing as a waitlist
• Tight if you dislike setup, because the dotted names and schemas take learning

Pick Trilium Notes if

• Fits if you're building a large personal knowledge base on a desktop computer
• Works for people who already self-host and want sync on a server they control

Look elsewhere if

• Skip it if you want a phone app, as there's no official one, only the browser or a PWA from your own server
• Not for you if several people need to edit the same notes at once, because it's designed for a single user
• Tight if you want plain text files, since notes are kept in an SQLite database
• Watch out: syncing a second device means running your own server or paying a third-party host such as PikaPods
• Watch out: notes aren't encrypted unless you mark them as protected

Dendron

• It works inside editors such as VS Code or VSCodium, so there is no standalone mobile or web app.
• The pages we read give no operating-system list; the platforms shown follow from VS Code support.
• Its homepage lists Dendron Publishing as a waitlist sign-up, not a product you can buy.

Trilium Notes

• There is no official mobile app; phones reach a self-hosted server through the browser or an installed PWA.
• There is no official hosted version, so syncing devices means running your own server or paying a third-party host such as PikaPods.
• It is designed for a single user: real-time editing of the same notes by several people is not supported.
• Notes are kept in an SQLite database rather than plain-text files, and are not encrypted unless marked as protected.

Dendron

Plain-text notes

Notes are Markdown files that can be managed with git or edited in any text editor such as Vim.

Hierarchies and lookup

A single lookup command finds or creates notes and walks a dotted hierarchy, and refactors keep links intact when notes move.

Schemas and templates

Schemas describe the structure of a hierarchy, give autocomplete hints and apply templates to new notes.

Backlinks and graph view

Navigate through backlinks, headers and blocks, and view the knowledge base as a graph.

Vaults and publishing

Vaults are git-backed folders that can be shared, and a knowledge base can be exported as a static Next.js site.

Trilium Notes

Hierarchical notes

Notes nest inside other notes instead of folders, and a single note can appear in several places in the tree. Labels and relations add structure.

Many note types

Rich text, Markdown, code, spreadsheet, canvas, Mermaid diagram, mind map and file notes can be mixed freely in the same tree.

Collections

Display a group of notes as a calendar, table, kanban board, map, presentation or dashboard, and switch between layouts at any time.

Sync through your own server

A self-hosted server syncs notes across devices, gives access from a browser and can publish a subtree of notes as a read-only website.

Scripting and REST API

JavaScript runs in the app or on the server to add widgets and automate work, and a built-in REST API reads, creates and updates notes over HTTP.

Protected notes and revisions

Selected notes can be encrypted behind a password-protected session, and periodic background revisions let you review or undo changes.

Dendron

• Open source$0

  Free to use, with the source on GitHub under Apache-2.0; notes stay as files you host yourself.

Trilium Notes

• Free$0

  Every feature of the desktop apps and the self-hosted server, including sync, scripting and the REST API.