Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Trilium Notes VS Zettlr

Compare Trilium Notes VS Zettlr and see what are their differences

Trilium Notes logo Trilium Notes

Trilium Notes is a hierarchical note taking application.

Zettlr logo Zettlr

Write Markdown documents with a comprehensive GUI and many workflow/time management tools.
  • Trilium Notes Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-14
  • Zettlr Landing page
    Landing page //
    2024-08-23

Trilium Notes features and specs

  • Hierarchical Note Organization
    Trilium Notes allows complex, hierarchical organization of notes, helping users manage and navigate their information more efficiently.
  • Rich Text Editing
    It supports rich text formatting, which enables users to create well-structured and visually appealing notes, including tables, images, and code snippets.
  • Dynamic Note Linking
    Notes can be dynamically linked, which helps in creating a web of knowledge and improving information retrieval.
  • Cross-Platform
    Trilium Notes is available on multiple platforms, including Windows, macOS, and Linux, ensuring users can access their notes from any system.
  • Version Control
    The application provides version control for notes, allowing users to track changes and revert to previous versions if necessary.
  • Encryption
    Trilium supports encryption for sensitive notes, ensuring that users’ confidential information remains secure.
  • Extensive Scripting and Automation
    Users can extend and automate functionalities through JavaScript-based scripts, making the system highly customizable and efficient.

Possible disadvantages of Trilium Notes

  • Complex Setup
    Initial setup can be complex for non-technical users, as it might require knowledge of server hosting and configuring local instances.
  • Steeper Learning Curve
    The rich feature set and flexibility can result in a steeper learning curve, making it intimidating for new users.
  • Lack of Mobile Application
    Trilium Notes does not have a dedicated mobile application, which can limit accessibility and usability for users who rely on mobile devices.
  • Performance Issues with Large Databases
    Users with very large databases may experience performance issues, impacting usability and speed.
  • Limited Online Collaboration
    Trilium Notes does not offer robust online collaboration features, which can be a drawback for users who need real-time collaborative editing capabilities.
  • Community Support
    Being an open-source application, it primarily relies on community support, which might not be as responsive or comprehensive as dedicated technical support.

Zettlr features and specs

  • Markdown Support
    Zettlr supports Markdown, enabling easy formatting and readability of documents.
  • Zettelkasten Methodology
    The software is tailored for the Zettelkasten note-taking method, which helps in organizing and linking notes efficiently.
  • Cross-Platform Compatibility
    Zettlr is available for Windows, macOS, and Linux, making it accessible for users on different operating systems.
  • Open Source
    As an open-source tool, Zettlr allows users to contribute to its development and customize it to their needs.
  • Citation Management
    The application includes built-in citation management, which is beneficial for academic writing and research.
  • Multiple Export Formats
    Zettlr allows exporting documents to various formats such as PDF, Word, and LaTeX.
  • Tagging and Metadata
    Users can categorize notes using tags and metadata, enhancing searchability and organization.

Possible disadvantages of Zettlr

  • Learning Curve
    New users, especially those unfamiliar with Markdown or the Zettelkasten method, might face a steep learning curve.
  • Resource-Intensive
    Zettlr can be resource-intensive, which may affect performance on older or lower-end systems.
  • Lack of Mobile App
    There is no official mobile app, which limits the ability to access and edit notes on mobile devices.
  • Limited WYSIWYG Editing
    The software lacks full WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) editing capabilities, which might be a drawback for users preferring a more visual approach to editing.
  • UI Complexity
    The user interface can be overwhelming due to the wide array of features and options available.
  • Occasional Bugs
    As with many open-source projects, users might encounter occasional bugs or instability.
  • Dependency on External Tools
    Some features, like citation management, depend on external tools (e.g., Zotero), adding setup complexity.

Analysis of Trilium Notes

Overall verdict

  • Trilium Notes is a solid choice for users who need a highly customizable and organized note-taking solution, particularly those comfortable with open-source software. Its rich features and flexibility make it ideal for power users and those looking to organize large volumes of notes.

Why this product is good

  • Trilium Notes is considered good because it offers a powerful note-taking environment with hierarchical structure, which allows for advanced organization of notes. It also supports rich text formatting, scripting, note versioning, and has encryption features to secure sensitive information. Additionally, Trilium is open-source, which means its development and feature set are guided by a community of users committed to improving the software.

Recommended for

    Trilium Notes is recommended for users who need detailed organization tools, enjoy customization, or have programming skills to leverage its scripting features. It is also suitable for privacy-conscious users who require encryption and for those who appreciate open-source platforms where they can contribute to the software's development.

Analysis of Zettlr

Overall verdict

  • Overall, Zettlr is a strong option for those involved in academic writing or anyone who needs a powerful markdown editor with extensive features.

Why this product is good

  • Zettlr is considered good by many users due to its versatility and feature-rich environment for writers and researchers. It supports multiple file formats, integrates well with reference management tools, and provides a distraction-free writing experience. Additionally, it is an open-source platform, which allows for community-driven improvements and customizability.

Recommended for

  • Academics and researchers who need citation management
  • Writers looking for a clean and distraction-free interface
  • Users who prefer open-source software with regular updates
  • Anyone in need of a versatile markdown editor

Trilium Notes videos

Steam Play for Linux, Ubuntu Touch, Flatpak 1.0, Kali, Trilium Notes & more | This Week in Linux 35

Zettlr videos

Meet Zettlr, your all-in-one companion for writing #Markdown

More videos:

  • Review - Zettlr Introduction: Getting Started
  • Review - Citing with Zettlr

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Trilium Notes and Zettlr)
Note Taking
74 74%
26% 26
Todos
100 100%
0% 0
Markdown Editor
0 0%
100% 100
Notes
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Trilium Notes and Zettlr

Trilium Notes Reviews

10 Best Open Source Note-Taking Apps for Linux
Trilium Notes features fast and easy navigation between notes with full-text search and note hoisting, relation maps, link maps for visualizing notes and their relations, and a touch-optimized user interface for mobile and tablets. Also, it comes with powerful single-note encryption.
Source: www.tecmint.com

Zettlr Reviews

Best Next-Level Note Apps for 2021
Zettlr is simply an open-source Markdown editor. The system authorizes various citation formats, includes theme customization and writing statistics, as well as supporting the Zettelkasten method. File and tag management permits user-friendly note organization. Noteworthy of Mem is that the app is available in 14 languages and notes can be exported in 40 different formats.
Source: zenkit.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Trilium Notes seems to be a lot more popular than Zettlr. While we know about 116 links to Trilium Notes, we've tracked only 10 mentions of Zettlr. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Trilium Notes mentions (116)

View more

Zettlr mentions (10)

  • Zettlr in the fediverse and on matrix?
    Oh! That's nice. :D Is this mentioned on zettlr.com? Seems as if I've missed it... Source: about 2 years ago
  • Suggestion for open source note taking app
    I'd strongly recommend trying out Zettlr (https://zettlr.com), which in many ways is close to Obsidian (except Zettlr is open source). A new Zettlr release is close to arriving and implements lots of improvements. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Scrivener alternatives for academic writing and research?
    You might give Zettlr a spin. It's another Markdown-based tool like Obsidian, but it is really focussed on Zettelkasten, and of interest to you, with a stronger focus on long-form academic writing. It supports citations, footnotes and uses Pandoc for document production—so there are lots of ways to get your work out. Source: almost 3 years ago
  • Any open source markdown editor having live preview like Typora?
    Is https://zettlr.com an option for you? Source: about 3 years ago
  • Typora alternative? (or any desktop Markdown editor with export to PDF?)
    Zettlr is open source and has export-to-PDF. Source: over 3 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Trilium Notes and Zettlr, you can also consider the following products

Joplin - Joplin is a free, open source note taking and to-do application, which can handle a large number of notes organised into notebooks. The notes are searchable, tagged and modified either from the applications directly or from your own text editor.

Obsidian.md - A second brain, for you, forever. Obsidian is a powerful knowledge base that works on top of a local folder of plain text Markdown files.

CherryTree - A hierarchical note taking application, featuring rich text and syntax highlighting, storing data in a single xml or sqlite file.

Logseq - Logseq is a local-first, non-linear, outliner notebook for organizing and sharing your personal knowledge base.

Standard Notes - A safe place for your notes, thoughts, and life's work

Typora - A minimal Markdown reading & writing app.

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