NoteDiscovery vs SilverBullet

NoteDiscovery

• Self-hosters who want notes kept as Markdown files on their own server
• People with an Obsidian vault who want to reach it from a browser
• Connecting a personal note collection to AI assistants over MCP

SilverBullet

• People who want Markdown notes they can query and script
• Self-hosters running a personal or team wiki from one container
• Developers keeping documentation in the same git repository as their code

NoteDiscovery

• There is no hosted version from the maker and no cloud sync: you run a server yourself or deploy through PikaPods, a separate hosting service.
• There are no native desktop or mobile apps; it is used in a browser and can be installed as a progressive web app.
• Password protection is off by default and is one password built for single-user use; the README suggests a reverse proxy with OAuth or SSO for multi-user setups.
• Text search covers note contents only, not file or folder names.

SilverBullet

• Using the Desktop app at work requires Pro at $50 per user per year; only personal and education use is free.
• Desktop is not open source. The FAQ says only SilverBullet Server is, with the same editor and Space Lua in both.
• There is no app-store mobile app: phones open the Server in a browser and can install it as a PWA.
• The features page marks live sync, the Mention Inbox and the object graph as experimental.

NoteDiscovery

Markdown editor with live preview

Edit, split and preview modes with auto-save, code highlighting, LaTeX math through MathJax and Mermaid diagrams.

Wikilinks, backlinks and graph view

Notes link with [[wikilink]] syntax, a backlinks panel shows which notes point at the current one, and an interactive graph maps the connections.

Plain-file storage

Notes are Markdown files in normal folders, so an existing Obsidian vault can be dropped in and the files open in any other Markdown editor.

Built-in MCP server

A Model Context Protocol server lets assistants such as Claude Desktop and Cursor search, create, edit and organize notes.

Tags and templates

Tags are set in YAML frontmatter and can be combined with text search. New notes can start from templates with dynamic placeholders.

Drawing editor and public sharing

Sketches are saved as PNG files beside the notes, and a note can be shared through a token-based link or exported as standalone HTML.

SilverBullet

Live Preview Markdown editor

Plain Markdown is rendered as you type, including links, tasks, tables, code and widgets. Outlining, templates, slash commands, a daily journal and an optional Vim mode are included.

Wiki links and Linked Mentions

Double-bracket links connect pages, headings or positions, every page lists where it is mentioned, and a page or section can be embedded inside another.

Live queries

Notes can be queried like a database from inside a page, for example open tasks across projects or every page with a tag, and the results update as notes change.

Space Lua scripting

A Lua dialect built into the notes adds commands, widgets and automations with no build step, and CSS written in a page restyles the interface.

Server for browsers and teams

The Server runs as one container or a single binary and is used from any browser, with accounts and roles, comments, @-mentions, single sign-on and read-only publishing.

Desktop app with sync

Desktop opens any local folder as a space, binds system-wide shortcuts to commands, and syncs both ways with your own or a hosted SilverBullet Server.

NoteDiscovery

• NoteDiscovery$0

  The full self-hosted app, installed with Docker or run directly with Python 3.8 or higher.

SilverBullet

• Server$0

  The MIT-licensed server for any number of users, at home or at work, run on your own hardware and used from a browser.

• Desktop Personal$0

  The desktop app for personal use and education, with unlimited spaces and sync with any SilverBullet Server.

• Desktop Pro$50

  per user / year

  Needed for work use. Adds Meta Space, the Edge release channel of nightly builds, and bulk seats that can be assigned to a team.

• Cloud$2

  per month and up, billed by PikaPods

  SilverBullet Server hosted by PikaPods, an independent host, with one-click deployment and starting credit at sign-up.

NoteDiscovery

No public discounts listed.

SilverBullet

• Education

  Desktop is free for use in education

  SilverBullet Desktop is free for personal use and for use in education. Only work use needs the Pro license at $50 per user per year.