Logseq vs The Archive
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
The Archive
Plain-text note-taking app for Mac built around Zettelkasten
Free trial · from $19.99 one-time
Where they differ
- Logseq starts at $5 per month for Open Collective backers, which unlocks Logseq Sync. The Archive starts at $19.99 one-time purchase.
- Logseq has a free plan. The Archive does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Logseq lists a web app.
- Only Logseq lists Windows, Linux, iOS and Android apps.
- Logseq is open source, according to its own site.
- The Archive can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Logseq also covers whiteboard and daily notes.
In commonmacOSLocal-firstNotesMarkdownLinked notes
At a glance
| Logseq | The Archive | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free trial |
| Starts at | $5 per month for Open Collective backers, which unlocks Logseq Sync | $19.99 one-time purchase |
| Free plan | 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. | None |
| Free trial | None listed | 60-day free trial |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Logseq, Inc. | Christian Tietze and Sascha Fast |
| Price read from | opencollective.com | zettelkasten.de |
| Checked | Oct 4, 2026 | Oct 6, 2026 |
Who each one suits
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
The Archive
- Writers and researchers practicing the Zettelkasten method
- Mac users who want notes kept as plain text files
- People who liked nvALT and want a similar search-first app
Worth knowing
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.
The Archive
- It is a Mac app only; the site lists no iPhone, iPad, Windows or web version.
- There is no sync service of its own: notes sync only by keeping the folder in a cloud storage service.
- The developers plan a paid version 2 and say version 1 owners will get a discount on it.
- It ignores Finder tags on purpose; a separate converter turns them into #hashtags for notes coming from nvALT or DEVONthink.
Key features
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.
The Archive
- Plain text file storage
- Every note is a plain text file in a folder you pick, so notes stay readable without the app and can sync through iCloud, Dropbox, Google Drive, Box or similar services.
- Search-first navigation
- One search field, the Omnibar, finds notes by their text and creates a new note from the search term. Saved searches switch between subsets of your notes.
- Wiki-links and note IDs
- Double-bracket wiki-links look up the target note by its ID, giving clickable links between notes without file paths or a proprietary format.
- Markdown editor
- Markdown highlighting, inline image preview, typewriter mode, hashtags, auto-completion of tags and links, and customizable themes.
- Plug-ins
- Plug-ins, added in version 1.8, automate tasks such as extracting a note from selected text or building a list of links. They cannot delete notes or reach the internet.
- URL scheme
- Links starting with thearchive:// let other apps such as Alfred and Keyboard Maestro open a matching note, run a search or launch a plug-in.
Plans
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.
The Archive
The Archive$19.99
one-time purchase
A license for version 1 of the Mac app, with the features announced for version 1 shipped as free updates. The press kit also gives the price as 19.99 EUR.
