The Zim Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Zim 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.
Zim
The Insider’s Guide
Desktop wiki that keeps linked pages as plain text files
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among note-taking apps, read from Zim’s own pages.
Made by Jaap Karssenberg · checked Oct 9, 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 Zim’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Zim’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 9, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
3.0
GPA, above 107 of the 147 other note-taking apps we grade
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.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about Zim, taken from its own pages and our grades.
It's written for one person, has no phone or web app and no sync of its own, and notebooks have no password or encryption.
- 1
Best for a personal wiki kept as text files on your computer
Zim is a free, open-source desktop wiki where every page is a plain text file in a folder on your disk and links are tracked both ways.
- 2
It is free
Zim has no paid plan at all. 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.
- 3
It runs on 3 platforms
Windows, macOS and Linux.
- 4
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.
- 5
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.
- 6
Hierarchical notebooks
Pages nest as sub-pages in a folder structure, much like an outliner, and each page can carry attachments.
- 7
A 3.0 GPA, above 107 of 147
That is against the other note-taking apps we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
Zim is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
Zim at a glance
- Pricing
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- macOS, Windows, Linux
- Made by
- Jaap Karssenberg
- Category
- Note-Taking Apps
- Our grade
- 3.0 GPA, very good
The report card
Best for a personal wiki kept as text files on your computer
Zim is a free, open-source desktop wiki where every page is a plain text file in a folder on your disk and links are tracked both ways. It's written for one person, has no phone or web app and no sync of its own, and notebooks have no password or encryption. The Windows build is 64-bit only, and the Mac app covers Big Sur through Sequoia.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | It's free. Zim is open source under the GPL 2.0 and its download page lists no paid edition, in a category where the middle plan wants $6 a month. |
| Free plan and trial | A | The whole desktop wiki is free on Linux, Windows and macOS, plugins included. There's no paid tier, so nothing is held back. |
| Features | C | As a wiki it's all there: pages nesting like an outline, links tracked both ways, attachments, HTML export, and plugins for a task list, an equation editor and calendar pages. Its own FAQ names the holes, though. No encryption or password on a notebook, no sync but copying the folder, and one person at a time. |
| Ease of use | B | No rating on record, but there's nothing to set up: an installer for Windows, an app for macOS, packages in most Linux distributions. Link to a page that doesn't exist and Zim makes it for you. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | Computers only: Windows, macOS and Linux, with no phone or web version. The version control plugin talks to Git, Mercurial or Bazaar, but syncing is you copying the notebook folder with something like Dropbox. |
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 Zim is for
- Fits if you want a private wiki or scratch book as plain files on your own disk
- Works for a daily journal with a page per date, kept under Git if you like
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you want your notes on your phone or the web, because it's desktop only
- Not for you if your notes need a password, as there's no encryption; the FAQ points to an outside tool
- Too light for a team writing together, since it's single-user and merging goes through version control
- Tight if you want sync, which means copying the notebook folder with something like Dropbox
- Watch out: the Windows installer is 64-bit only, and the Mac app supports Big Sur through Sequoia
Good to know
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.
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
Zim is free to use.
The whole desktop wiki is free on Linux, Windows and macOS, plugins included.
Zim
$0
The full desktop wiki for Linux, Windows and macOS, with its plugins.
The 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.
Read from zim-wiki.org on Oct 9, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
3
Places it runs: macOS, Windows and Linux
Desktop wiki that keeps linked pages as plain text files. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, local-first, notes, linked notes, wiki, daily notes, tasks.
No encryption or password on a notebook, no sync but copying the folder, and one person at a time.
- 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.
Where it runs
- macOS
- Windows
- Linux
What it works with
- Git
- Mercurial
- Bazaar
Zim is made by Jaap Karssenberg.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
107/147
Other note-taking apps it is graded above
Zim's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 107 of the 147 other note-taking apps we grade, and level with 21.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 100 of 147) and worst on features (C, above 2).
Zim has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 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. Zim’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 62 of 147
- AFree plan and trialAbove 100 of 147
- CFeaturesAbove 2 of 147
- BEase of useAbove 47 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. Zim 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
Zim is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 3.0 is higher than 107 of the 147 other note-taking apps we grade.
What you could make
- Notes, wiki, linked notes, daily notes and tasks: 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. Zim’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
CherryTree, TiddlyWiki, QOwnNotes, Obsidian and KeyNote NF
The 5 tools Zim is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.8GPA
CherryTree
Free
Hierarchical desktop notes with rich text and code highlighting.
- Zim also covers linked notes, wiki, daily notes and tasks.
- 2.8GPA
TiddlyWiki
Free
Open-source personal wiki kept in a single HTML file.
- Only TiddlyWiki lists a web app.
- TiddlyWiki is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Zim also covers daily notes and tasks.
- 3.0GPA
QOwnNotes
Free
Open-source Markdown notes app with Nextcloud and ownCloud support.
- Only QOwnNotes lists an Android app.
- Only QOwnNotes lists a browser extension.
- Zim also covers wiki, daily notes and tasks.
- 3.6GPA
Obsidian
Free plan · from $4/mo
Markdown note-taking app that keeps your files on your device.
- Only Obsidian lists iOS and Android apps.
- Only Obsidian lists a browser extension.
- Zim is open source, according to its own site.
- 2.8GPA
KeyNote NF
Free
Open-source tabbed notebook for Windows with tree notes.
- Only Zim lists macOS and Linux apps.
- Zim also covers linked notes, wiki, daily notes and tasks.
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 Zim free?
Yes. Zim is free to use.
How much does Zim cost?
Zim lists one plan. Zim: $0.
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.
How does Zim compare with other note-taking apps?
Zim's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 107 of the 147 other note-taking apps we grade, and level with 21.
Is Zim good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Zim A for value for money. Zim has no paid plan.
Could I make my own version of Zim?
Zim is free, so making your own would save you nothing. It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 3.0 is higher than 107 of the 147 other note-taking apps we grade.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Zim’s own pages on Oct 9, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Zim's own pages on 9 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-08-29.
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 Jaap Karssenberg. Prices change, so check zim-wiki.org 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
- Zim, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/zim
- 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, "Zim: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 9, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/zim
Know someone choosing between note-taking apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/zim/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded note-taking apps after Zim, 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 Zim’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. Zim is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Jaap Karssenberg. Prices and plans change: check zim-wiki.org before you buy.