What is Zim?
Zim is an open-source desktop wiki: a graphical text editor for a collection of linked pages kept on your own computer. Pages sit in a folder structure like an outliner, can have attachments, and are saved as plain text files with wiki formatting that other editors can read. Plugins add a task list, an equation editor, calendar pages for journals and version control.
Zim is free to use. See every plan
Good for
- A personal wiki or scratch book kept as files on your own disk
- Daily or weekly journals and meeting or lecture notes
- People who want their notes under Git or another version control system
Worth knowing
- Notebooks have no built-in encryption or password protection; the FAQ points to an outside tool such as encfs.
- Zim is written as a single-user program, so shared notebooks rely on a version control system to merge changes.
- The download page covers Linux, BSD, Windows and macOS only, and syncing means copying the notebook folder with a service such as Dropbox.
- The Windows installer supports 64-bit systems only, and the macOS app supports macOS Big Sur through Sequoia.
Key features
- Plain-text wiki pages
- Every page is a text file with wiki markup and images are ordinary linked files, so the content stays readable in other editors and file managers.
- Links in both directions
- Linking to a page that does not exist creates it. Zim tracks all links and shows, for each page, which other pages link to it.
- Hierarchical notebooks
- Pages nest as sub-pages in a folder structure, much like an outliner, and each page can carry attachments.
- Plugins
- Plugins add a task list dialog, an equation editor, calendar pages for daily or weekly journals, spell checking and a tray icon.
- Version control
- A Version Control plugin works with Git, Mercurial or Bazaar, which also lets several people merge changes to one notebook.
- HTML export
- Notes can be exported to HTML for publishing; the project's own website is written in Zim.
Zim pricing
- Starts at
- Free
- Free plan
- Open-source software under the GPL 2.0 license. The download page offers the source, a Windows installer, a macOS app and Linux packages, and lists no paid edition.
- Free trial
- None listed
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Zim | $0 | The full desktop wiki for Linux, Windows and macOS, with its plugins. |
Read from zim-wiki.org on Oct 9, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with Zim before you buy.
Works with
- Git
- Mercurial
- Bazaar
Zim alternatives
- Zim vs QOwnNotes
Free
- Zim vs Obsidian
Free plan · from $4/mo
Common questions
Is Zim free?
Yes. Zim is free to use. Open-source software under the GPL 2.0 license. The download page offers the source, a Windows installer, a macOS app and Linux packages, and lists no paid edition.
How much does Zim cost?
Zim lists one plan. Zim: $0. Prices were read from zim-wiki.org on Oct 9, 2026.
What platforms does Zim work on?
Zim is available on Windows, macOS and Linux.
Does Zim have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. Zim is listed for Windows, macOS and Linux.
Does Zim have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. Zim is listed for Windows, macOS and Linux.
Is Zim open source?
Yes. Zim is open source, according to its own site.
What does Zim integrate with?
Zim's listing names Git, Mercurial and Bazaar. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Who makes Zim?
Zim is made by Jaap Karssenberg.
What are the alternatives to Zim?
The closest alternatives to Zim in our directory are CherryTree, TiddlyWiki, QOwnNotes, Obsidian and KeyNote NF. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with Zim.
Sources for this page
The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Oct 9, 2026.