SiYuan vs TiddlyWiki
SiYuan
b3log.orgTiddlyWiki
tiddlywiki.comSide by side
| Figure | SiYuan | TiddlyWiki |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $148/mo | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 4 | 1 |
| Spec score · Note-taking apps | 9.1 (#12) | 8.7 (#41) |
| Spec score · Personal Knowledge Management Software | 8.5 (#12) | 8.3 (#18) |
| Data format | The download FAQ says notebook documents use .sy files and the data format is JSON. | In its single-file configuration, TiddlyWiki stores its data and code in one HTML file that runs in a web browser without installation or external dependencies. |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Supported platforms | Windows,macOS,Linux,iOS,Android,web interface,Chrome/Edge extension,API,Docker self-hosting | The official quick-start page lists desktop downloads for macOS, Windows and Linux, and its getting-started filters include Windows, Mac, Linux, Android and iOS. |
| Purpose | SiYuan describes itself as a privacy-first personal knowledge management system supporting Markdown, block-level references, and bidirectional links. | TiddlyWiki is a non-linear personal web notebook and interactive wiki. |
| Self-hosting | SiYuan can be deployed on a server using its Docker image, with access rights controlled through an authorization code. | TiddlyWiki can run as a Node.js application with a web server; the guide says this configuration is more powerful but requires more technical knowledge to set up and maintain. |
Plans
SiYuan
- FreeFree
- Subscription$148 a month
- PRO Features$64, paid once
- Subscription$148, paid once
In their own words
SiYuan
SiYuan is a personal knowledge management system for building a linked collection of notes. It supports Markdown, block-level references and bidirectional links, and organizes content into blocks with more than 20 block-level and more than 10 span-level element types. Backlinks can be filtered and searched; relationship graphs are available across a notebook and at block level. Databases support relations, rollups and templates, while flashcards use the FSRS spaced-repetition algorithm. Its AI feature connects to OpenAI for writing continuation, translation, summaries, brainstorming and grammar or spelling corrections. SiYuan supports offline access, and the maker describes multi-device synchronization as incremental and end-to-end encrypted. It is available on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android and the web, with a Chrome/Edge extension, API and Docker self-hosting. The maker says data stays under the user's control on their device. Free access is free; PRO Features is listed at $64 a month with lifetime-use wording, and Subscription at $148 a month with 8GB cloud storage.
TiddlyWiki
TiddlyWiki is a free, non-linear notebook and interactive wiki for organizing and sharing notes, to-do lists, projects, and websites. It stores information in small units called tiddlers, which can be linked and grouped with tags, lists, and macros. Search spans tiddlers and supports filtering system and shadow tiddlers. In its single-file form, the data and code are held in one HTML file that runs in a browser without installation or external dependencies. Users can import material from files or other TiddlyWiki windows, and extend a wiki with plugins, themes, colour palettes, widgets, and macros. It can also run as a Node.js application; that setup offers more capability but takes more technical knowledge to set up and maintain. Saving choices vary, including storage and sync options such as Google Drive, iCloud, Dropbox, and Syncthing. The built-in encryption for single-file wikis has not undergone rigorous third-party testing. TiddlyWiki is available across web, mobile, desktop, and self-hosted setups.