# Tana vs SiYuan (2026): Free Alternative to Tana

Canonical: https://caniforkit.com/vs/tana-vs-siyuan
Last updated: 2026-08-10

Compare Tana ($30/mo) vs SiYuan ($0/mo open source AGPL-3.0 alternative to Tana). Side-by-side breakdown of pricing, self-hosting setup, data storage, and practical trade-offs.

## Side-by-Side Comparison Matrix

| Feature / Metric | Tana | SiYuan |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $30/mo | $0.00 / month |
| 1-Seat Annual Cost | $360/yr | $0.00 / year |
| 5-Person Team Annual Cost | $1,800/yr | $0.00 / year |
| 10-Person Team Annual Cost | $3,600/yr | $0.00 / year |
| License Model | Proprietary Commercial SaaS | AGPL-3.0 |
| Hosting / Runtime | Vendor Cloud | Local or hosted |
| Data Ownership | Stored on vendor servers | A workspace stores block documents as structured .sy JSON files plus assets on disk; SQLite files hold indexes and auxiliary state; documents can export to Markdown, HTML, PDF, and Word |
| GitHub Stars | Closed Source | ★ 46k |
| Code Repository | None | https://github.com/siyuan-note/siyuan |
| The Catch / Trade-off | Recurring subscription cost | SiYuan can structure blocks and show database views, but it lacks Tana's fast command-driven supertags and fluid live-search-node workflow. |

## About SiYuan
Structured blocks, attributes and database views, with less magic and more switches.

- **Installation**: Desktop/mobile package, or Docker image for browser-based self-hosting
- **Setup Notes**: The desktop app installs cleanly, but free cross-device sync is not a turnkey feature: official cloud sync is a paid membership feature and Docker hosting does not transparently become desktop/mobile sync
- **Data Storage**: A workspace stores block documents as structured .sy JSON files plus assets on disk; SQLite files hold indexes and auxiliary state; documents can export to Markdown, HTML, PDF, and Word
- **Supported Platforms**: desktop, mobile, self-hosted, extension, one-click install
- **The Catch vs Tana**: SiYuan can structure blocks and show database views, but it lacks Tana's fast command-driven supertags and fluid live-search-node workflow.

## Cost Savings Breakdown
Switching from Tana to SiYuan eliminates ongoing per-seat subscriptions:
- **Solo / 1-seat**: Save **$360/year**
- **5-person team**: Save **$1,800/year**
- **10-person team**: Save **$3,600/year**

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Is SiYuan a good free alternative to Tana?
Yes. SiYuan is a verified open source (AGPL-3.0) replacement for Tana. Structured blocks, attributes and database views, with less magic and more switches.

### What is the catch when switching from Tana to SiYuan?
SiYuan can structure blocks and show database views, but it lacks Tana's fast command-driven supertags and fluid live-search-node workflow.

## Related

- [All Tana Alternatives](https://caniforkit.com/tana)
- [SiYuan Full Profile](https://caniforkit.com/fork/siyuan)
- [notes & knowledge Category Hub](https://caniforkit.com/category/notes-knowledge)
- [All Paid SaaS Alternatives Index](https://caniforkit.com/alternatives)