The Roam Research Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Roam Research in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Roam Research
The Insider’s Guide
Outliner for networked notes with bidirectional links
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among note-taking apps, read from Roam Research’s own pages.
Made by Roam Research, Inc. · checked Oct 4, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Roam Research’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Roam Research’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 4, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.0
GPA, above 4 of the 147 other note-taking apps we grade
Roam Research is an outliner for networked note-taking. Notes are written as bullet blocks in daily notes and pages, and any page or block can be linked or referenced from elsewhere, so a graph of connected ideas builds up over time. It is sold by subscription with a 31-day trial and no free plan; paid plans cover unlimited graphs and collaborators.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Roam Research, taken from its own pages and our grades.
The trial is only for people who never had a plan, there's no Android or Windows app, and the local API works only in the desktop app.
- 1
Best for bullet notes where every line can be linked
Roam is an outliner for linked notes: you type bullets into a daily note, and any bullet or page can be linked or pulled into another.
- 2
Paid plans start at $13.75 a month when paid by the year
As its pricing page puts it: $15 per month, or $165 per year ($13.75 a month).
- 3
You can try it first
31-day free trial, available only if you have never had a plan.
- 4
It runs on 3 platforms
Web, macOS and iOS.
- 5
Bidirectional links and block references
Pages link to each other in both directions, and individual blocks can be referenced from other notes.
- 6
Daily notes
Writing starts in a dated daily note, and links from there connect entries to the rest of the graph.
- 7
Hosted, offline and encrypted graphs
A graph can be hosted in Roam's cloud or kept offline as a local-only graph, and graphs can be encrypted. Paid plans allow unlimited private or public graphs.
- 8
A 2.0 GPA, above 4 of 147
That is against the other note-taking apps we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
The plain part of Roam Research you could make: notes, linked notes and daily notes. What surrounds it you could not. The 3 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
Roam Research at a glance
- Pricing
- Free trial, from $15 per month, or $165 per year ($13.75 a month)
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- 31-day free trial, available only if you have never had a plan.
- Runs on
- Web, macOS, iOS
- Made by
- Roam Research, Inc.
- Category
- Note-Taking Apps
- Our grade
- 2.0 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for bullet notes where every line can be linked
Roam is an outliner for linked notes: you type bullets into a daily note, and any bullet or page can be linked or pulled into another. There's no free plan, and after a 31-day trial it's $15 a month, against a $6 middle in this category. The trial is only for people who never had a plan, there's no Android or Windows app, and the local API works only in the desktop app.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | D | $15 a month, or $165 a year, which works out at $13.75. The dearest tenth of this category starts at $9.99 and the middle is $6, so Roam is well inside the expensive end. Two things soften it: collaborators cost nothing extra, and Believer is $500 once for 5 years, about $8.33 a month. |
| Free plan and trial | C | No free plan at all. There's a 31-day trial, but only if you've never had a plan, and nothing on record says whether it asks for a card. After that you pay or you stop. |
| Features | C | It does networked outlining completely: two-way links, block references, daily notes, graphs you can host, keep offline or encrypt, unlimited collaborators, Roam Depot extensions and an MCP server. But that's a narrower job than note-taking, and the local API behind the MCP server and CLI works only in the desktop app. |
| Ease of use | C | No rating on record, and the listing shows a product you configure: hosted, offline or encrypted graphs to choose between, extensions to install from Roam Depot, and a way of working built on blocks and references rather than pages you just type on. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web, Mac and iPhone, with an API, an MCP server and extensions. No Android and no Windows app on the listing, and the local API the MCP server and CLI rely on only works in the desktop app, not on the web. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Roam Research is for
- Fits if you think in bullets and want every one of them to be linkable
- Works for a group sharing one graph, since collaborators aren't charged per seat
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you want a free plan, because after the 31-day trial there isn't one, and the trial is for first-timers only
- Pricey if you only want linked notes, at $15 a month against a $6 middle in this category
- Not for you if you're on Android or Windows, as the listing has no app for either
- Watch out: the lowest monthly rate needs $500 up front for the 5-year Believer plan
- Watch out: the local API behind the MCP server and CLI works only in the desktop app, not on the web
Good to know
Good for
- People who work from daily notes and want every block to be linkable
- Researchers who reference and reuse individual blocks across notes
- Groups sharing a graph who do not want to pay per collaborator
Worth knowing
- There is no free plan; after the 31-day trial a paid subscription is required.
- The lowest monthly-equivalent price, the Believer plan, is a single $500 payment covering 5 years.
- The local API used by the official MCP server and CLI works only in the desktop app, not the web version.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$13.75
A month to start, paid by the year
Roam Research is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $15 per month, or $165 per year ($13.75 a month).
Pro
$15
per month, or $165 per year
Unlimited private or public graphs, unlimited collaborators, and API access and apps.
Believer
$500
one payment for 5 years ($8.33 a month)
Everything in Pro, plus first access to new features, community calls with the team and priority support.
Trying it first
31-day free trial, available only if you have never had a plan.
Read from frontdeskreview.com on Oct 4, 2026, where its own pages could not be read.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
3
Places it runs: Web, macOS and iOS
Outliner for networked notes with bidirectional links. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: public API, notes, linked notes, daily notes.
But that's a narrower job than note-taking, and the local API behind the MCP server and CLI works only in the desktop app.
- Bidirectional links and block references
- Pages link to each other in both directions, and individual blocks can be referenced from other notes.
- Daily notes
- Writing starts in a dated daily note, and links from there connect entries to the rest of the graph.
- Hosted, offline and encrypted graphs
- A graph can be hosted in Roam's cloud or kept offline as a local-only graph, and graphs can be encrypted. Paid plans allow unlimited private or public graphs.
- Shared graphs
- Plans include unlimited collaborators with no per-seat charge, and a graph can be edited on mobile and in the web app at the same time.
- Roam Depot extensions
- A marketplace of community-built extensions, which developers submit through GitHub pull requests.
- MCP server, CLI and SDKs
- An official MCP server and command-line tool connect Claude, Cursor and other AI assistants to a graph to read, write, search and query it.
Where it runs
- Web
- macOS
- iOS
What it works with
- Claude
- Cursor
Roam Research is made by Roam Research, Inc.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
4/147
Other note-taking apps it is graded above
Roam Research's GPA of 2.0 is higher than 4 of the 147 other note-taking apps we grade, and level with 7.
It stands best on platforms and integrations (B, above 86 of 147) and worst on value for money (D, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $13.75 a month when paid by the year, against a middle price of $5.83 for the category: 64 of the 66 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4. 49 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 148 note-taking apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. Roam Research’s own letter is outlined.
- DValue for moneyAbove 0 of 147
- CFree plan and trialAbove 7 of 147
- CFeaturesAbove 2 of 147
- CEase of useAbove 5 of 147
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 86 of 147
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 103 note-taking apps. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Roam Research is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
The plain part of Roam Research you could make: notes, linked notes and daily notes. What surrounds it you could not. The 3 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 136 of the 147 other note-taking apps grade higher. It costs $165 a year.
What you could make
- Notes, linked notes and daily notes: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- Apps for macOS and iOS that stay in step with each other.
- It plugs into other products, Claude and Cursor among them, and has an API.
- Sharing with other people, which means accounts and invitations.
What this rests on. Roam Research’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Logseq, Obsidian, Tana Outliner, Reflect and Capacities
The 5 tools Roam Research is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 3.0GPA
Logseq
Free plan · from $5/mo
Open-source outliner for linked notes stored as local files.
- Logseq has a free plan. Roam Research does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Logseq lists Windows, Linux and Android apps.
- Logseq is open source, according to its own site.
- 3.6GPA
Obsidian
Free plan · from $4/mo
Markdown note-taking app that keeps your files on your device.
- Obsidian has a free plan. Roam Research does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Roam Research lists a web app.
- Only Obsidian lists Windows, Linux and Android apps.
- 2.8GPA
Tana Outliner
Free plan · from $8/mo
Outliner with supertags, daily notes and built-in AI features.
- Tana Outliner has a free plan. Roam Research does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Tana Outliner lists Windows, Linux and Android apps.
- Tana Outliner also covers meeting notes and tasks.
- 2.2GPA
Reflect
Free plan · from $9.99/mo
Open-source daily notes app with backlinks and local Markdown.
- Reflect has a free plan. Roam Research does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Roam Research lists a web app.
- Only Reflect lists a browser extension.
- 2.6GPA
Capacities
Free plan · from $9.99/mo
Object-based note-taking app with daily notes and backlinks.
- Capacities has a free plan. Roam Research does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Capacities lists Windows, Linux and Android apps.
- Only Capacities lists a browser extension.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
13
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Roam Research free?
No, Roam Research is a paid product, but you can try it first. 31-day free trial, available only if you have never had a plan.
How much does Roam Research cost?
Roam Research lists 2 plans. Pro: $15 per month, or $165 per year.
What platforms does Roam Research work on?
Roam Research is available on Web, macOS and iOS.
Does Roam Research have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 4, 2026. Roam Research is listed for Web, macOS and iOS.
Does Roam Research have a Windows app?
No Windows app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 4, 2026. Roam Research is listed for Web, macOS and iOS.
Is Roam Research open source?
Roam Research is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 4, 2026.
Does Roam Research have an API?
Yes. Roam Research offers a public API, according to its own site.
What does Roam Research integrate with?
Roam Research's listing names Claude and Cursor. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Who makes Roam Research?
Roam Research is made by Roam Research, Inc.
What are the alternatives to Roam Research?
The closest alternatives to Roam Research in our directory are Logseq, Obsidian, Tana Outliner, Reflect and Capacities.
How does Roam Research compare with other note-taking apps?
Roam Research's GPA of 2.0 is higher than 4 of the 147 other note-taking apps we grade, and level with 7.
Is Roam Research good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Roam Research D for value for money. Its paid plans start at $13.75 a month when paid by the year, against a middle price of $5.83 for the category: 64 of the 66 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Roam Research?
The plain part of Roam Research you could make: notes, linked notes and daily notes.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Roam Research’s own pages on Oct 4, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Roam Research's own pages on 4 October 2026, except the prices and trial terms, which the listing takes from third-party price pages because Roam's site shows none to a plain reader. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-07-23.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Roam Research, Inc. Prices change, so check roamresearch.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
3,189
Tools graded, in 94 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
3,189
tools graded
94
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Roam Research, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/roam-research
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Roam Research: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 4, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/roam-research
Know someone choosing between note-taking apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/roam-research/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded note-taking apps after Roam Research, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Note-Taking Apps Insider's GuideEvery one of the 148 note-taking apps we grade, compared
- Microsoft OneNote Insider's GuideMicrosoft's free digital notebook for typed, inked and audio notes3.8 GPA
- Goodnotes Insider's GuideHandwritten notes, PDF markup and whiteboards with an AI assistant3.6 GPA
- Joplin Insider's GuideOpen source Markdown notes with sync through a service you choose3.6 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Roam Research’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Roam Research is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Roam Research, Inc. Prices and plans change: check roamresearch.com before you buy.