NoteGen vs SiYuan
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
SiYuan
Open-source, local-first notes built on linked content blocks
Free plan · from $64 one-time
Where they differ
- NoteGen is free. SiYuan starts at $64 one-time payment (PRO Features).
- Only SiYuan lists a web app.
- SiYuan is self-hostable and end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- NoteGen also covers Markdown, whiteboard and web clipper.
- SiYuan also covers linked notes and databases.
In commonFree planWindowsmacOSLinuxAndroidiOSBrowser extensionOpen sourceLocal-firstNotes
At a glance
| NoteGen | SiYuan | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free plan |
| Starts at | Free | $64 one-time payment (PRO Features) |
| Free plan | Free and open source under GPL-3.0, with no subscription or account. The site says all core features are free and that donations do not buy feature priority or private support. | Free: basic functions with local storage, including for commercial use. Data sync and backup between devices are paid features. |
| Free trial | None listed | 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 | codexu and contributors | Yunnan Liandi Technology Co., Ltd. |
| Price read from | notegen.top | b3log.org |
| Checked | Oct 9, 2026 | Oct 5, 2026 |
Who each one suits
NoteGen
- People who capture fragments first and write them up later
- Using AI on notes with the models and API keys you choose
- Keeping notes as Markdown files synced through Git or your own storage
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
NoteGen
- The README labels the desktop apps Beta and the mobile apps Alpha: Android is an ARM64 APK download and iOS is distributed through TestFlight.
- The macOS app is not signed, and the download page gives Terminal commands to run if macOS reports it as damaged.
- AI features rely on built-in free models or a provider you configure, and the docs note that data sent to an online model leaves the device.
- The self-hosted sync server is marked experimental, and the site warns against treating an instance as the only copy of important data.
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
NoteGen
- Records for quick capture
- Text, voice recordings, screenshots, images, links, files and to-dos go into one stream and are filtered later by tag, time or type, so nothing has to be filed when it is captured.
- AI organization into notes
- Selected records are organized into a summary, report or article from a template or a prompt, and AI tools can continue, shorten, expand, rewrite or translate text in the editor.
- Markdown editor
- Notes are standard Markdown files in a workspace folder, edited visually or in source mode, with tables, task lists, code blocks, math, Mermaid diagrams, export and file history.
- Chat and Agent
- Chat answers questions using notes, records and a knowledge base. Agent mode can read and change notes, folders and tags once you approve its tools, and supports MCP servers and Skills.
- Infinite canvas
- Notes, records, images, links, shapes and charts become nodes that can be connected and grouped, and AI can generate flowcharts, charts and Mermaid diagrams from note content.
- Sync to a place you choose
- Notes stay on the device by default and can sync through GitHub, GitLab, Gitee, Gitea, S3 or WebDAV. A self-hosted NoteGen Server adds realtime sync and collaboration.
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
NoteGen
NoteGen$0
The full app on every platform, with built-in free models or your own AI provider. The sync server can be self-hosted at no charge.
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
NoteGen
No public discounts listed.
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.
