# Zim

> Desktop wiki that keeps linked pages as plain text files

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.

- **Category:** Note-Taking Apps
- **Made by:** Jaap Karssenberg
- **Website:** https://zim-wiki.org
- **Runs on:** Windows, macOS, Linux
- **Facts last checked:** Oct 9, 2026

## Pricing

Zim is free to use.

- **Pricing model:** 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 https://zim-wiki.org/downloads.html on Oct 9, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with Zim before buying.

## 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.

## 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.

## Works with

Git, Mercurial, Bazaar

**Tags:** Open source, Local-first, Notes, Wiki, Linked notes, Daily notes, Tasks

## Alternatives

- [CherryTree](https://toolgpa.com/tools/cherrytree): Hierarchical desktop notes with rich text and code highlighting. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/cherrytree-vs-zim)
- [TiddlyWiki](https://toolgpa.com/tools/tiddlywiki): Open-source personal wiki kept in a single HTML file. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/tiddlywiki-vs-zim)
- [QOwnNotes](https://toolgpa.com/tools/qownnotes): Open-source Markdown notes app with Nextcloud and ownCloud support. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/qownnotes-vs-zim)
- [Obsidian](https://toolgpa.com/tools/obsidian): Markdown note-taking app that keeps your files on your device. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/obsidian-vs-zim)
- [KeyNote NF](https://toolgpa.com/tools/keynote-nf): Open-source tabbed notebook for Windows with tree notes. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/keynote-nf-vs-zim)

## Sources

The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Oct 9, 2026:

- https://zim-wiki.org
- https://zim-wiki.org/downloads.html
- https://zim-wiki.org/manual/About.html
- https://zim-wiki.org/manual/FAQ.html
- https://github.com/zim-desktop-wiki/zim-desktop-wiki

Page: https://toolgpa.com/tools/zim
Listed by ToolGPA (toolgpa.com).