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The TiddlyWiki Insider’s Guide

Everything we know about TiddlyWiki 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.

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ToolGPAOctober 2026

TiddlyWiki

The Insider’s Guide

Open-source personal wiki kept in a single HTML file

Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among note-taking apps, read from TiddlyWiki’s own pages.

Made by Jeremy Ruston and the TiddlyWiki community · checked Oct 6, 2026 · toolgpa.com

2.8GPA

Contents

  1. 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
  2. 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
  3. 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
  4. 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
  5. 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
  6. 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
  7. 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it

ToolGPA put this guide together from TiddlyWiki’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on TiddlyWiki’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 6, 2026.

Part 01 · Overview

Welcome

What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first

2.8

GPA, above 72 of the 147 other note-taking apps we grade

TiddlyWiki is an open-source notebook that keeps its content and its code together in one HTML file, which opens in a web browser without an install. Notes are small linked units called tiddlers, written in its own WikiText markup and organized with links, tags and filters. It can also run as a Node.js server that stores each tiddler as a separate file, and plugins extend it.

To get you started, here are 8 things to know about TiddlyWiki, taken from its own pages and our grades.

No rating on record, and there's a hurdle on day one.
From our grade for ease of use
  1. 1

    Best for a personal wiki kept in one file you control

    If you want to open an app and type, look elsewhere.

  2. 2

    It is free

    TiddlyWiki has no paid plan at all. Free and open source under the BSD 3-Clause license, with no license fee. The project collects donations through Open Collective for its community infrastructure.

  3. 3

    It runs on 4 platforms

    Web, macOS, Windows and Linux.

  4. 4

    Single-file notebook

    The whole wiki, content and code, lives in one HTML file that opens in a web browser with no install and no external dependencies.

  5. 5

    Tiddlers, links and tags

    Notes are small units called tiddlers, connected by links and tags. Each tiddler's info panel lists its backlinks and the tiddlers tagged with it.

  6. 6

    WikiText and filters

    WikiText covers formatting, links, transclusions and macros, and filters build lists of tiddlers by tag or field, such as a glossary.

  7. 7

    A 2.8 GPA, above 72 of 147

    That is against the other note-taking apps we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.

  8. 8

    Keep it

    TiddlyWiki is free, so making your own would save you nothing.

TiddlyWiki at a glance

Pricing
Free
Free plan
Yes
Free trial
None stated
Runs on
Web, macOS, Windows, Linux
Made by
Jeremy Ruston and the TiddlyWiki community, since 2004
Category
Note-Taking Apps
Our grade
2.8 GPA, good

The report card

Best for a personal wiki kept in one file you control

TiddlyWiki is a wiki in a single HTML file, your notes and the software together, that opens in a browser with nothing to install and is free and open source. You have to pick a saving method before changes stick, notes use its own WikiText unless you add a plugin, the phone apps come from other developers, and the Node server needs a restart to see edited files. If you want to open an app and type, look elsewhere.

ToolGPA report cardTiddlyWikiGraded Oct 10, 2026
SubjectGradeComment
Value for moneyAFree and open source under the BSD 3-Clause licence, with no licence fee and no paid edition, in a category where the middle plan wants $6 a month. Donations through Open Collective go to the community's infrastructure.
Free plan and trialAThe full notebook is free as a single HTML file, in the TiddlyDesktop app or on a Node.js server. No account is needed and nothing is held back for a paid tier.
FeaturesCAs a wiki it's complete: tiddlers joined by links and tags, backlinks in every info panel, transclusions, macros, filters that build lists, AES 256-bit encryption. The gaps are the ones its own docs list: Markdown only via a plugin, no official phone app, and a Node server you must restart to notice edited files.
Ease of useCNo rating on record, and there's a hurdle on day one. The browser's File / Save menu doesn't save your changes, so you first choose a saving method such as Tiddlyhost or TiddlyDesktop. Then there's WikiText to learn.
Platforms and integrationsCIt's a browser file: any browser on Mac, Windows or Linux, plus TiddlyDesktop. Phones and tablets can edit it only if you run the Node.js server, the iOS and Android apps the docs point to are other people's, and there are no integrations and no API on record.
Grade point averageGood, out of 4.02.8

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 TiddlyWiki is for

  • Fits if you want your notes in one HTML file that you control
  • Works for publishing a small wiki or documentation site as static HTML

Who it is not for

  • Skip it if you want to open an app and just type, because a saving method has to be set up first
  • Not for you if you want Markdown out of the box, since notes use its own WikiText
  • Tight if you live on your phone, as the iOS and Android apps, Quine and Tiddloid, come from independent developers
  • Watch out: the Node.js server doesn't notice files edited on disk until you restart it
  • Too light for linking to other apps, as no integrations or API are on record

Good to know

Good for

  • People who want their notes in a file they fully control
  • Tinkerers who customize a notebook with plugins, macros and filters
  • Publishing a small wiki or documentation site as static HTML

Worth knowing

  • The browser's File / Save menu does not save changes; a saving method such as Tiddlyhost or TiddlyDesktop has to be chosen first.
  • Notes are written in TiddlyWiki's own WikiText markup; Markdown is available only through an official plugin.
  • The iOS and Android apps the documentation points to, Quine and Tiddloid, are published independently of the project.
  • The Node.js server does not pick up tiddler files edited on disk while it runs; it has to be restarted.

Part 02 · Pricing

What it costs

Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved

Free

No paid plan at all

TiddlyWiki is free to use.

Donations through Open Collective go to the community's infrastructure.
From our grade for value for money

  • TiddlyWiki

    $0

    The full notebook as a single HTML file, in the TiddlyDesktop app or on a Node.js server. No account is needed.

The free plan

Free and open source under the BSD 3-Clause license, with no license fee. The project collects donations through Open Collective for its community infrastructure.

Read from tiddlywiki.com on Oct 6, 2026.

Part 03 · Features

What it does

Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it

4

Places it runs: Web, macOS, Windows and Linux

Open-source personal wiki kept in a single HTML file. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, self-hostable, works offline, notes, linked notes, wiki.

It's a browser file: any browser on Mac, Windows or Linux, plus TiddlyDesktop.
From our grade for platforms and integrations
Single-file notebook
The whole wiki, content and code, lives in one HTML file that opens in a web browser with no install and no external dependencies.
Tiddlers, links and tags
Notes are small units called tiddlers, connected by links and tags. Each tiddler's info panel lists its backlinks and the tiddlers tagged with it.
WikiText and filters
WikiText covers formatting, links, transclusions and macros, and filters build lists of tiddlers by tag or field, such as a glossary.
Plugins
Optional plugins install from the official library or from community sites. The official set includes Markdown, KaTeX, CodeMirror and Highlight plugins.
Built-in encryption
A single-file wiki can be given a password and saved with AES 256-bit encryption, so the file asks for the password before showing any content.
Node.js server edition
Running on Node.js stores each tiddler as a separate file and lets any modern browser, including those on phones and tablets, edit the wiki.

Where it runs

  • Web
  • macOS
  • Windows
  • Linux

What it works with

Its own pages name no integrations.

TiddlyWiki is made by Jeremy Ruston and the TiddlyWiki community, and has been around since 2004.

Part 04 · Standing

Where it stands

Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own

72/147

Other note-taking apps it is graded above

TiddlyWiki's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 72 of the 147 other note-taking apps we grade, and level with 34.

It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 100 of 147) and worst on features (C, above 2).

TiddlyWiki has no paid plan.

On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.0 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.

Each grade against the category

Every bar is all 148 note-taking apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. TiddlyWiki’s own letter is outlined.

  • AValue for moneyAbove 62 of 147
  • AFree plan and trialAbove 100 of 147
  • CFeaturesAbove 2 of 147
  • CEase of useAbove 5 of 147
  • CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 31 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. TiddlyWiki is the marked dot.

D1.0C2.0B3.0A4.0Free$0.5$1$2$5$10$20More for lessCosts more, scores moreCosts less, scores lessCosts more, scores lessTiddlyWikiGoodnotesSimplenoteApple NotesNotionObsidian

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

TiddlyWiki is free, so making your own would save you nothing.

What you could make

  • Notes, wiki and linked notes: an app builder makes these well.

What you could not

  • Apps for macOS, Windows and Linux that stay in step with each other.

What this rests on. TiddlyWiki’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

Zim, Trilium Notes, SilverBullet, Obsidian and DokuWiki

The 5 tools TiddlyWiki is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.

  • 3.0GPA

    Zim

    Free

    Desktop wiki that keeps linked pages as plain text files.

    • Only TiddlyWiki lists a web app.
    • TiddlyWiki is self-hostable, according to its own site.
    • Zim also covers daily notes and tasks.
    TiddlyWiki and Zim compared in full
  • 3.0GPA

    Trilium Notes

    Free

    Free, open-source hierarchical notes for a personal knowledge base.

    • Only Trilium Notes lists a browser extension.
    • TiddlyWiki also covers linked notes and wiki.
    • Trilium Notes also covers Markdown and web clipper.
    TiddlyWiki and Trilium Notes compared in full
  • 2.8GPA

    SilverBullet

    Free plan · from $50/yr

    Scriptable Markdown knowledge base, self-hosted or on desktop.

    • SilverBullet also covers Markdown.
    TiddlyWiki and SilverBullet compared in full
  • 3.6GPA

    Obsidian

    Free plan · from $4/mo

    Markdown note-taking app that keeps your files on your device.

    • Only TiddlyWiki lists a web app.
    • Only Obsidian lists iOS and Android apps.
    • Only Obsidian lists a browser extension.
    TiddlyWiki and Obsidian compared in full
  • 2.6GPA

    DokuWiki

    Free

    Open-source wiki software that needs no database.

    • Only TiddlyWiki lists macOS, Windows and Linux apps.
    • TiddlyWiki also covers notes and linked notes.
    TiddlyWiki and DokuWiki compared in full

Part 06 · Questions

Quick answers

The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two

12

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 TiddlyWiki free?

Yes. TiddlyWiki is free to use.

How much does TiddlyWiki cost?

TiddlyWiki lists one plan. TiddlyWiki: $0.

What platforms does TiddlyWiki work on?

TiddlyWiki is available on Web, macOS, Windows and Linux.

Does TiddlyWiki have an Android app?

No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 6, 2026. TiddlyWiki is listed for Web, macOS, Windows and Linux.

Does TiddlyWiki have an iPhone app?

No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 6, 2026. TiddlyWiki is listed for Web, macOS, Windows and Linux.

Is TiddlyWiki open source?

Yes. TiddlyWiki is open source, according to its own site.

Does TiddlyWiki work offline?

Yes, according to its own site. What works without a connection differs by plan and platform, so check the vendor's page for the detail.

Who makes TiddlyWiki?

TiddlyWiki is made by Jeremy Ruston and the TiddlyWiki community. It dates from 2004.

What are the alternatives to TiddlyWiki?

The closest alternatives to TiddlyWiki in our directory are Zim, Trilium Notes, SilverBullet, Obsidian and DokuWiki.

How does TiddlyWiki compare with other note-taking apps?

TiddlyWiki's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 72 of the 147 other note-taking apps we grade, and level with 34.

Is TiddlyWiki good value for money?

ToolGPA grades TiddlyWiki A for value for money. TiddlyWiki has no paid plan.

Could I make my own version of TiddlyWiki?

TiddlyWiki is free, so making your own would save you nothing. What you could not make: Apps for macOS, Windows and Linux that stay in step with each other.

Where this guide comes from

The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from TiddlyWiki’s own pages on Oct 6, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from TiddlyWiki's own pages on 6 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-07-13.

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 Jeremy Ruston and the TiddlyWiki community. Prices change, so check tiddlywiki.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

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, "TiddlyWiki: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 6, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/tiddlywiki

Know someone choosing between note-taking apps?

Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/tiddlywiki/guide

ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa

See our other guides

The best-graded note-taking apps after TiddlyWiki, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.

ToolGPA

Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.

Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›

Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what TiddlyWiki’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. TiddlyWiki is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Jeremy Ruston and the TiddlyWiki community. Prices and plans change: check tiddlywiki.com before you buy.