Head-to-Head Comparison · Alternative to Capacities · 🧠 notes & knowledge
Capacities vs Trilium Notes
Notes become objects through attributes, relations and reusable templates. Here is how Trilium Notes ($0/mo open source) stacks up against Capacities ($11.99/mo) across cost, hosting, data privacy, and real-world trade-offs.
Trilium Notes
$0.00/mo · AGPL-3.0+
Capacities vs Trilium Notes Specification Matrix
facts verified 2026-08-10
| Dimension | Capacities (Paid) | Trilium Notes (Replacement) |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly Price | $11.99 / mo | $0 / mo |
| 1-Year Cost (1 seat) | $144 / yr | $0 / yr (Save $144) |
| 1-Year Cost (5 seats) | $719 / yr | $0 / yr (Save $719) |
| 1-Year Cost (10 seats) | $1,439 / yr | $0 / yr (Save $1,439) |
| Source & License | Proprietary SaaS | open source AGPL-3.0+ |
| Where It Runs | Vendor Cloud | Local or hosted (your machine or their cloud) |
| Platforms | Web / Cloud | desktopwebself-hostedextensionone-click install |
| GitHub Stars | — | ★ 37k (active aug 2026) |
Deep Dive: Switching from Capacities to Trilium Notes
Trade-offs, installation & data architecture
What you trade away
Trilium remains fundamentally tree-first, making typed objects and cross-cutting collections feel bolted on compared with Capacities' object-native design.
How to deploy Trilium Notes
Desktop release package, or Docker Compose/image for a server and browser client
What it takes to run
The desktop app is straightforward, but cross-device sync and browser access require operating a Trilium server, persisting document.db, and handling backups and upgrades
Where your data lives
Notes, hierarchy, attributes, revisions, and most attachments live in a local or server-side SQLite database named document.db; notes can be exported to HTML, Markdown, or OPML
Why fork Trilium Notes instead of vibe-coding a Capacities clone?
The core loop is small enough for a capable coding agent to produce a useful local version in one sitting. For Capacities, organize linked notes as typed objects such as people, books, meetings, and ideas. The hard boundary is object-model polish, mobile capture, sync, calendar integration, and ai features, plus sync, collaboration, and capture polish.
Capacities vs Trilium Notes FAQ
Is Trilium Notes a good free alternative to Capacities?+
Yes. Trilium Notes is a verified open-source (AGPL-3.0+) replacement for Capacities. Notes become objects through attributes, relations and reusable templates.
What is the catch when switching from Capacities to Trilium Notes?+
Trilium remains fundamentally tree-first, making typed objects and cross-cutting collections feel bolted on compared with Capacities' object-native design.
How much do you save switching from Capacities to Trilium Notes?+
Capacities costs $11.99/mo ($144/yr) per seat, whereas Trilium Notes is $0/mo. Switching saves $144/yr for a solo user, $719/yr for a 5-person team, and $1,439/yr for a 10-person team.
How do I install or self-host Trilium Notes instead of Capacities?+
Install: Desktop release package, or Docker Compose/image for a server and browser client. Setup: The desktop app is straightforward, but cross-device sync and browser access require operating a Trilium server, persisting document.db, and handling backups and upgrades
