FUTO Notes vs Logseq
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Logseq
Open-source outliner for linked notes stored as local files
Free plan · from $5/mo
Where they differ
- FUTO Notes is free. Logseq starts at $5 per month for Open Collective backers, which unlocks Logseq Sync.
- Only Logseq lists a web app.
- FUTO Notes is self-hostable and end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- Logseq also covers linked notes, whiteboard and daily notes.
In commonFree planmacOSWindowsLinuxiOSAndroidOpen sourceLocal-firstNotesMarkdown
At a glance
| FUTO Notes | Logseq | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free plan |
| Starts at | Free | $5 per month for Open Collective backers, which unlocks Logseq Sync |
| Free plan | Every feature is free. The FAQ says version 1.8.0 has no paid tier, no license key and no in-app purchase, and no account is needed. | 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. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | FUTO | Logseq, Inc. |
| Price read from | notes.futo.tech | opencollective.com |
| Checked | Oct 9, 2026 | Oct 4, 2026 |
Who each one suits
FUTO Notes
- People who want Markdown notes as plain files on every device
- Self-hosters comfortable running a small sync server
- Obsidian users who want another app for an existing vault
Logseq
- People who think in outlines and want their notes as plain-text files
- Students and researchers who annotate PDFs and manage sources in Zotero
- Users who prefer open-source software licensed under AGPL-3.0
Worth knowing
FUTO Notes
- Syncing between devices needs a server you run yourself; FUTO does not offer a hosted sync service today.
- Sync carries Markdown notes and images only. PDFs and other files stay on the device they are on.
- The source is public, but the licenses are not OSI-approved: modifying and redistributing the code is limited to non-commercial use.
- The download page labels the builds a beta release, and the app is available in English and Simplified Chinese only.
Logseq
- Sync is not part of the free app: Logseq Sync is in beta and limited to active Open Collective contributors paying $5 or $15 per month.
- Logseq 2.0, the database version, is still in beta, and its release notes advise backing up data before testing it.
- The mobile app for the database version is in alpha on iOS only, with Android listed as coming soon.
Key features
FUTO Notes
- Plain Markdown files
- Each note is one .md file named after its title, and each folder in the app is a real folder on disk. There is no database, so any text editor can open the notes.
- Markdown styled as you type
- Headings, bold text, checklists, tables, wikilinks and fenced code are formatted while you write, with the syntax fading out of view.
- Apps for five platforms
- Native iOS and Android apps use the same editor as the desktop app, which is built on Tauri for Linux, macOS and Windows. Search runs on the device.
- End-to-end encrypted sync
- Notes and images are encrypted on the device with AES-256-GCM before upload, along with file names and folder paths. The server stores only ciphertext.
- Self-hosted sync server
- Sync goes through a server you run yourself, installed with one command using Docker. The docs cover reverse proxies, backups and storage growth.
- Works with an Obsidian vault
- On desktop the app opens an Obsidian vault folder where it is. Notes, folders, wikilinks, tags, checklists and tables carry over; embeds, aliases and plugins do not.
Logseq
- Outliner on local files
- Notes are nested bullet blocks saved as plain-text Markdown or Org-mode files on your device.
- References, backlinks and knowledge graph
- Pages and blocks can be referenced or embedded anywhere else, with backlinks and a graph showing how pages connect.
- Journals, tasks and queries
- A journals page collects dated entries, tasks and to-dos sit inside the outline, and queries pull matching blocks into one place.
- Whiteboards
- A spatial canvas where blocks from your notes sit next to shapes, drawings, website embeds and connectors.
- PDF highlights and flashcards
- Highlight PDFs inside the app, bring in references through the Zotero integration and review notes as spaced-repetition cards.
- Logseq Sync and the DB version
- Logseq Sync (beta) encrypts and syncs up to 10 graphs for backers. Logseq 2.0, a database-based version with real-time collaboration sync, is in beta.
Plans
FUTO Notes
FUTO Notes$0
The full app on iOS, Android, Linux, macOS and Windows, plus the sync server to host yourself.
Logseq
Free$0
The full app with local graphs. No commercial license is required for personal or company use.
Backers$5
per month, as an Open Collective contribution
Monthly donation that gives access to Logseq Sync (beta) for up to 10 graphs, plus early access to insider builds.
Sponsors$15
per month, as an Open Collective contribution
A larger monthly donation with the same Logseq Sync access and early access to insider builds.
