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TriliumNext Notes

triliumnotes.org

Free plan WebWindowsmacOSLinuxAPISelf-hosted
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Spec score 7.7 #35 of 42 in AI Note-Taking Apps

What it is

TriliumNext Notes is a free, open-source application for taking notes and maintaining a personal knowledge base. It uses an outliner structure in which notes can be nested hierarchically and placed in multiple locations. Supported note types include text, Markdown, code, spreadsheets, canvases, Mermaid diagrams, mind maps and files. Collections can present the same material as calendars, tables, Kanban boards, geomaps, presentations or dashboards. Full-text search can inspect image and PDF text through OCR. Notes can be imported from Markdown, HTML and OPML and exported to those formats. Self-hosted or cloud instances synchronize across devices and provide mobile browser access through a PWA; no official mobile app is provided. JavaScript supports widgets and scheduled or event-driven scripts. Optional AI connections use your own provider keys. Protected notes use AES-128 CBC, while metadata remains unencrypted. The software is designed for one user, not simultaneous shared editing.

Spec sheet

Purpose
Trilium is an open-source application for note-taking and organizing a personal knowledge base.Read 30 Sep 2026 · triliumnotes.org
Integrations
The product includes a browser web clipper, a built-in REST API and MCP support for external assistants.Read 30 Sep 2026 · triliumnotes.org
Security
Protected notes are encrypted with AES-128 in CBC mode, while note metadata and structure are not encrypted.Read 30 Sep 2026 · docs.triliumnotes.org
Support
Community support is available through GitHub Discussions, Matrix and GitHub issues, with documentation contributions also invited.Read 30 Sep 2026 · triliumnotes.org
License
Trilium is free and open-source under the AGPL-3.0 license.Read 30 Sep 2026 · triliumnotes.org
AI
AI features are opt-in and disabled by default, and can connect to OpenAI, Anthropic, Google or a self-hosted OpenAI-compatible model using the user's own provider and keys.Read 30 Sep 2026 · triliumnotes.org
Automation
JavaScript can run in the app or on the server, including custom widgets, scheduled scripts and event-driven scripts.Read 30 Sep 2026 · triliumnotes.org
Collaboration limit
Trilium is designed as a single-user application and does not support real-time multi-user editing of the same notes.Read 30 Sep 2026 · triliumnotes.org
Collections
Collections can display the same notes as calendars, tables, Kanban boards, geomaps, presentations or dashboards.Read 30 Sep 2026 · triliumnotes.org
Import/export
Trilium can import Markdown, HTML and OPML and export notes as Markdown, HTML or OPML.Read 30 Sep 2026 · triliumnotes.org
Mobile availability
There is currently no official mobile application; server instances can be accessed in a mobile browser and installed as a PWA.Read 30 Sep 2026 · triliumnotes.org
Note formats
Supported note types include text, Markdown, code, spreadsheets, canvas, Mermaid diagrams, mind maps and files.Read 30 Sep 2026 · triliumnotes.org
Organization
Notes can be arranged hierarchically, with notes allowed in multiple places in the hierarchy.Read 30 Sep 2026 · triliumnotes.org
Scale limit
The application should handle at least 100,000 notes depending on usage, but synchronization can fail with many large files such as 1 GB files.Read 30 Sep 2026 · triliumnotes.org
Search
Full-text search can include text inside images and PDFs through OCR.Read 30 Sep 2026 · triliumnotes.org
Synchronization
A self-hosted or cloud instance can synchronize notes across multiple devices and provide mobile access through a PWA.Read 30 Sep 2026 · triliumnotes.org

Plans and prices

Free Free Open-source software · No paid tiers · No account required Read 21 Sep 2026 · triliumnotes.org
Free and open-source Free No paid tiers · no accounts · no feature paywalls Read 30 Sep 2026 · triliumnotes.org

Every TriliumNext Notes plan and price →

Strong points and limits

Strong points

  • Free and open-source under AGPL-3.0
  • Hierarchical notes can appear in multiple locations
  • OCR search covers images and PDFs
  • Collections offer calendars, boards and dashboards
  • Self-hosted synchronization with PWA mobile access

Limits

  • No official mobile application
  • Designed for single-user editing
  • Metadata and structure are not encrypted
  • Large files can cause synchronization failures

Who it suits

It suits individuals building large, structured knowledge bases across desktop and web platforms. It also fits users who want self-hosting, scripting, imports and exports, or optional provider-based AI.

Verdict

TriliumNext Notes combines deep organization, broad note formats and flexible collection views without a paid tier. Its lack of an official mobile app and collaborative editing makes it primarily a personal knowledge tool.

Where Specifiction places it

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