Head-to-Head Comparison · Alternative to Tana · 🧠 notes & knowledge
Tana vs Trilium Notes
Templates, relations and attributes turn notes into records, though the outline is a tree. Here is how Trilium Notes ($0/mo open source) stacks up against Tana ($30/mo) across cost, hosting, data privacy, and real-world trade-offs.
Trilium Notes
$0.00/mo · AGPL-3.0+
Tana vs Trilium Notes Specification Matrix
facts verified 2026-08-10
| Dimension | Tana (Paid) | Trilium Notes (Replacement) |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly Price | $30 / mo | $0 / mo |
| 1-Year Cost (1 seat) | $360 / yr | $0 / yr (Save $360) |
| 1-Year Cost (5 seats) | $1,800 / yr | $0 / yr (Save $1,800) |
| 1-Year Cost (10 seats) | $3,600 / yr | $0 / yr (Save $3,600) |
| 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 Tana to Trilium Notes
Trade-offs, installation & data architecture
What you trade away
Trilium's one-primary-parent tree is much more rigid than Tana's block outliner and supertag-driven views for reusing the same structured information.
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 Tana clone?
The visible structured networked notes loop is buildable, but a credible replacement needs more than the first screen. Tana earns its keep through polish, sync, importers, so expect a weekend or multi-day build and a narrower personal scope.
Tana vs Trilium Notes FAQ
Is Trilium Notes a good free alternative to Tana?+
Yes. Trilium Notes is a verified open-source (AGPL-3.0+) replacement for Tana. Templates, relations and attributes turn notes into records, though the outline is a tree.
What is the catch when switching from Tana to Trilium Notes?+
Trilium's one-primary-parent tree is much more rigid than Tana's block outliner and supertag-driven views for reusing the same structured information.
How much do you save switching from Tana to Trilium Notes?+
Tana costs $30/mo ($360/yr) per seat, whereas Trilium Notes is $0/mo. Switching saves $360/yr for a solo user, $1,800/yr for a 5-person team, and $3,600/yr for a 10-person team.
How do I install or self-host Trilium Notes instead of Tana?+
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
