can i fork it?

Head-to-Head Comparison · Alternative to Aurelius · 🔬 user research

Aurelius vs Taguette

Code interview excerpts and export themes without recreating an enterprise research repository. Here is how Taguette ($0/mo open source) stacks up against Aurelius ($49/mo) across cost, hosting, data privacy, and real-world trade-offs.

Open-Source Alternative

Taguette

$0.00/mo · BSD-3-Clause

Aurelius vs Taguette Specification Matrix

facts verified 2026-08-14

DimensionAurelius (Paid)Taguette (Replacement)
Monthly Price$49 / mo$0 / mo
1-Year Cost (1 seat)$588 / yr$0 / yr (Save $588)
1-Year Cost (5 seats)$2,940 / yr$0 / yr (Save $2,940)
1-Year Cost (10 seats)$5,880 / yr$0 / yr (Save $5,880)
Source & LicenseProprietary SaaSopen source BSD-3-Clause
Where It RunsVendor CloudLocal or hosted (your machine or their cloud)
PlatformsWeb / Cloud
desktopwebself-hostedone-click install
GitHub Stars—★ 88 (active jan 2026)

Deep Dive: Switching from Aurelius to Taguette

Trade-offs, installation & data architecture

The Catch vs Aurelius

What you trade away

It handles highlights and themes well, but its text-focused scope lacks Aurelius's richer research repository, synthesis aids, and polished findings workflow.

Installation

How to deploy Taguette

Free hosted signup, Windows EXE or macOS DMG, Linux pip install, or Docker for a self-hosted multi-user server

Day-2 Operations & Setup

What it takes to run

Windows and macOS packages install cleanly but are unsigned; Linux needs Python plus Calibre, and collaboration requires a configured server or the hosted service

Data Ownership

Where your data lives

Desktop projects and documents live in one local taguette.sqlite3 database; self-hosting can use SQLite or another SQLAlchemy database, while the free hosted service stores data on its server and encrypted off-site backups

Build vs Fork Verdict: KINDA (the core, yes. the polish, no)

Why fork Taguette instead of vibe-coding a Aurelius clone?

The core loop is buildable, but a dependable replacement becomes a real weekend or multi-day project. For Aurelius, organize interview notes, code excerpts, and synthesize themes into findings. The hard boundary is research-specific tagging, collaboration, reporting, and import workflows, plus participant network, synthesis workflow, and collaboration.

Aurelius vs Taguette FAQ

Is Taguette a good free alternative to Aurelius?+

Yes. Taguette is a verified open-source (BSD-3-Clause) replacement for Aurelius. Code interview excerpts and export themes without recreating an enterprise research repository.

What is the catch when switching from Aurelius to Taguette?+

It handles highlights and themes well, but its text-focused scope lacks Aurelius's richer research repository, synthesis aids, and polished findings workflow.

How much do you save switching from Aurelius to Taguette?+

Aurelius costs $49/mo ($588/yr) per seat, whereas Taguette is $0/mo. Switching saves $588/yr for a solo user, $2,940/yr for a 5-person team, and $5,880/yr for a 10-person team.

How do I install or self-host Taguette instead of Aurelius?+

Install: Free hosted signup, Windows EXE or macOS DMG, Linux pip install, or Docker for a self-hosted multi-user server. Setup: Windows and macOS packages install cleanly but are unsigned; Linux needs Python plus Calibre, and collaboration requires a configured server or the hosted service

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