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Evernote vs Trilium Notes
Evernote vs Trilium Notes
A side-by-side look at Evernote (the paid SaaS) and Trilium Notes (the open source alternative). Use this page to decide if the switch fits your team and workflow.
| Evernote | Trilium Notes | |
|---|---|---|
| Tagline | Classic note-taking and web-clipper. | Hierarchical personal notes with scripting. |
| License | Proprietary SaaS | AGPL-3.0 |
| Pricing | Free tier (now limited to 50 notes); Personal from $14.99/month. | Free to self-host |
| Self-host option | No | Yes — difficulty 2/5 |
| Hosted cloud available | Yes (only option) | No |
| Desktop apps | Varies by product | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Mobile apps | Official apps typically available | None official |
Ad slot — between tables
Best for
Power users with decades of notes and complex hierarchies.
Trilium Notes strengths
- Deep hierarchical notes with relations.
- Scripting support for automation inside notes.
- Strong for large personal knowledge bases.
Trilium Notes weaknesses
- No official mobile apps.
- UI feels dense for new users.
- Original maintainer stepped back; Trilium Next fork is active.
What's the catch with Evernote?
- Free tier has become heavily restricted.
- Price increases have frustrated long-time users.
- Syncing and search performance complaints.
Still unsure?
Check the full list of alternatives to Evernote: see Evernote alternatives, or learn more about Trilium Notes on its project page.