# Trilium Notes

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

Trilium Notes is a free, open-source app for building a personal knowledge base out of notes arranged in a tree. It runs as a desktop app on Windows, macOS and Linux without an account, and an optional self-hosted server adds sync between devices and access from a browser. Notes can be rich text, Markdown, code, spreadsheets, diagrams or mind maps, and the app can be scripted in JavaScript.

- **Category:** Note-Taking Apps
- **Made by:** Elian Doran and the community
- **Website:** https://triliumnotes.org
- **Runs on:** Windows, macOS, Linux, Web, Browser extension
- **Facts last checked:** Oct 5, 2026

## Pricing

Trilium Notes is free to use.

- **Pricing model:** Free
- **Free plan:** Entirely free and open source under the AGPL-3.0 license, with no paid tiers, accounts or feature paywalls. The project accepts donations.
- **Free trial:** None listed.

| Plan | Price | What you get |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Free | $0 | Every feature of the desktop apps and the self-hosted server, including sync, scripting and the REST API. |

Read from https://triliumnotes.org on Oct 5, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with Trilium Notes before buying.

## Key features

- **Hierarchical notes:** Notes nest inside other notes instead of folders, and a single note can appear in several places in the tree. Labels and relations add structure.
- **Many note types:** Rich text, Markdown, code, spreadsheet, canvas, Mermaid diagram, mind map and file notes can be mixed freely in the same tree.
- **Collections:** Display a group of notes as a calendar, table, kanban board, map, presentation or dashboard, and switch between layouts at any time.
- **Sync through your own server:** A self-hosted server syncs notes across devices, gives access from a browser and can publish a subtree of notes as a read-only website.
- **Scripting and REST API:** JavaScript runs in the app or on the server to add widgets and automate work, and a built-in REST API reads, creates and updates notes over HTTP.
- **Protected notes and revisions:** Selected notes can be encrypted behind a password-protected session, and periodic background revisions let you review or undo changes.

## Good for

- People building a large personal knowledge base on a desktop computer
- Self-hosters who want sync on a server they control
- Tinkerers who want to script and extend their notes app

## Worth knowing

- There is no official mobile app; phones reach a self-hosted server through the browser or an installed PWA.
- There is no official hosted version, so syncing devices means running your own server or paying a third-party host such as PikaPods.
- It is designed for a single user: real-time editing of the same notes by several people is not supported.
- Notes are kept in an SQLite database rather than plain-text files, and are not encrypted unless marked as protected.

## Works with

OpenAI, Anthropic

**Tags:** Open source, Self-hostable, Works offline, Notes, Markdown, Web clipper, Public API

## Alternatives

- [Obsidian](https://toolgpa.com/tools/obsidian): Markdown note-taking app that keeps your files on your device. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/obsidian-vs-trilium-notes)
- [Joplin](https://toolgpa.com/tools/joplin): Open source Markdown notes with sync through a service you choose. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/joplin-vs-trilium-notes)
- [Logseq](https://toolgpa.com/tools/logseq): Open-source outliner for linked notes stored as local files. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/logseq-vs-trilium-notes)
- [SiYuan](https://toolgpa.com/tools/siyuan): Open-source, local-first notes built on linked content blocks. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/siyuan-vs-trilium-notes)
- [TiddlyWiki](https://toolgpa.com/tools/tiddlywiki): Open-source personal wiki kept in a single HTML file. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/tiddlywiki-vs-trilium-notes)

## Sources

The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Oct 5, 2026:

- https://triliumnotes.org
- https://triliumnotes.org/en/get-started/
- https://triliumnotes.org/en/support-us

Page: https://toolgpa.com/tools/trilium-notes
Listed by ToolGPA (toolgpa.com).