SiYuan is the block-based note app that quietly ate Notion, Evernote, and Anki for one Docker container. It is fast, it is local-first, and it has real spaced repetition built in. It is also opinionated in ways not every reader loves: the UI is dense, the paid cloud sync is optional but visible, and the plugin system is younger than Obsidian’s. These are our SiYuan alternatives for desktop in 2026, tested on Windows, macOS, and Linux with a mid-sized notes vault (about 3,000 notes) and a real spaced-repetition deck.
We ran each against three tests: how it opens a vault of 3,000 notes on cold start; how it handles daily notes plus a linked knowledge graph; and whether the tool has a real spaced-repetition or flashcard workflow that could replace Anki.
Quick comparison
| App | Best for | Free plan | Starting price | Standout feature |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SiYuan | Baseline: block notes + flashcards + wiki | Fully free desktop; paid cloud | ~$4.99/mo cloud | All-in-one Notion+Evernote+Anki |
| Obsidian | Plugin ecosystem champion | Free for personal use | ~$4/mo Sync add-on | Community plugin marketplace |
| Logseq | Outliner + spaced repetition | Fully free | ~$5/mo Sync | Daily journal by design |
| AppFlowy | Truly open-source Notion clone | Free desktop | Cloud tiers coming | Databases and boards like Notion |
| Anytype | Encrypted local-first notes | Fully free | ~$8.99/mo Any Team | End-to-end encrypted sync |
| Trilium Next | Self-hosted power notes | Free self-host | Free | Scriptable notes with attributes |
| Joplin | Simple notes + web clipper | Fully free | ~$2.99/mo Cloud | Best-in-class web clipper |
| Zettlr | Markdown-first zettelkasten | Fully free | Free | Academic writing focus |
Why people leave SiYuan
Users on Reddit and Hacker News tend to raise the same handful of concerns.
- UI density. The block editor exposes a lot up front. New users bounce.
- Chinese-first project ergonomics. Documentation and community threads still lean toward the Chinese-speaking user base; English support has improved but is not native.
- Cloud sync is paid. Local-first is fine, but syncing between devices means paying for SiYuan Cloud or setting up a WebDAV endpoint yourself.
- Plugin ecosystem is younger. Fewer plugins than Obsidian and less polish per plugin.
- Flashcard workflow is not full Anki parity. Great for lightweight spaced repetition, but hardcore Anki users want features SiYuan does not have.
The alternatives
Obsidian — Best plugin ecosystem
Obsidian is the most popular local-first notes app for a reason: a vault is a folder of Markdown files, and the plugin marketplace covers spaced repetition (Obsidian Spaced Repetition), databases (Dataview), Kanban boards, and everything else. On desktop it is fast and stable on 3,000-note vaults, and Sync-through-third-parties (iCloud, Dropbox, Syncthing) works well.
Where it falls short: Not open source; Sync add-on is a subscription; blocks are less powerful than SiYuan’s.
Pricing:
- Free: Full app for personal use.
- Paid: About $4/mo Sync, ~$8/mo Publish; ~$50/user/year for commercial license.
- vs SiYuan: More plugins, less block-editor depth; both are free for a single-machine setup.
Migrating from SiYuan: Export SiYuan notes as Markdown; drop them into an Obsidian vault. Block references convert to backlinks with a plugin.
Download: Obsidian for Windows, macOS, Linux
Bottom line: The default answer if you want a huge plugin community and you can live without native flashcards.
Logseq — Best outliner with spaced repetition
Logseq is the outliner alternative that ships spaced repetition and daily journaling as first-class citizens. Each block is addressable, the graph view is fluid, and the flashcard system is closer to Anki than SiYuan’s out of the box. Local-first with optional Sync.
Where it falls short: Outliner-only structure irritates readers who prefer prose notes; some heavy vaults slow the UI down.
Pricing:
- Free: Fully free.
- Paid: About $5/mo Sync (optional).
- vs SiYuan: Outliner vs block editor. Free vs freemium.
Migrating from SiYuan: Export Markdown; Logseq imports Markdown folders cleanly. Backlinks translate one-to-one.
Download: Logseq for Windows, macOS, Linux
Bottom line: The best pick for outline-thinkers who want to stop paying for Anki.
AppFlowy — Best truly open-source Notion clone
AppFlowy is the open-source alternative that comes closest to feeling like Notion. Databases, boards, calendars, and grids all work. It runs as a desktop app, has a cloud option, and now has an AI mode you can enable for local models. Rust-based and fast.
Where it falls short: Newer than Notion; some advanced database features (formulas, rollups) are still catching up.
Pricing:
- Free: Free desktop app.
- Paid: Cloud tiers billed per workspace.
- vs SiYuan: More database features, less spaced-repetition depth.
Migrating from SiYuan: Export as Markdown, import into AppFlowy pages. Databases need to be recreated.
Download: AppFlowy for Windows, macOS, Linux
Bottom line: Pick AppFlowy if the Notion-style database view is what you loved about SiYuan.
Anytype — Best encrypted local-first alternative
Anytype is a local-first, end-to-end encrypted notes app that models everything as an object with relations. It has offline-first sync between your own devices, is fully free for personal use, and the encryption model is closer to Apple Notes with iCloud than to any competitor here.
Where it falls short: Object model has a learning curve; smaller plugin story.
Pricing:
- Free: Fully free personal tier.
- Paid: About $8.99/mo Any Team for shared spaces.
- vs SiYuan: Encrypted by default; simpler mental model; no built-in spaced repetition.
Migrating from SiYuan: Export Markdown, import into Anytype pages; relations need to be re-created.
Download: Anytype for Windows, macOS, Linux
Bottom line: Pick Anytype if privacy is the reason you left Notion or Evernote in the first place.
Trilium Next — Best self-hosted power notes
Trilium Next (the community continuation of Trilium Notes) is the notes app for people who like scripting. Notes have attributes, hierarchical relations, and scripts that can execute against the vault. Self-hosted only, and its web interface is decent enough to use as a daily driver.
Where it falls short: Rougher UI; self-host or nothing.
Pricing:
- Free: Fully free, self-hosted.
- Paid: N/A.
- vs SiYuan: More flexible for power users; less approachable to newcomers.
Migrating from SiYuan: Import Markdown notes, then use Trilium’s promote-attributes step to add structure.
Download: Trilium Next on GitHub
Bottom line: Pick Trilium Next if you want to script your notes and self-host every byte.
Joplin — Best simple notes with web clipper
Joplin is the boring, reliable notes app. Markdown files, folders, tags, and one of the best web clippers of any note tool. Encrypted sync to Nextcloud, WebDAV, Dropbox, or Joplin Cloud. Runs on every desktop OS.
Where it falls short: No block editor, no databases, no spaced repetition.
Pricing:
- Free: Fully free with self-host.
- Paid: About $2.99/mo Joplin Cloud.
- vs SiYuan: Simpler; smaller feature set; better clipper.
Migrating from SiYuan: Import Markdown files directly.
Download: Joplin for Windows, macOS, Linux
Bottom line: Pick Joplin if the SiYuan feature set was overkill and you mostly wanted a good notes app with a clipper.
Zettlr — Best Markdown-first zettelkasten
Zettlr is the academic writer’s notes app. Markdown-first, citations via Zotero, and a Zettelkasten workflow built in. Great for research notes that end up as papers.
Where it falls short: No spaced repetition, no databases, no fancy blocks.
Pricing:
- Free: Fully free.
- Paid: N/A.
- vs SiYuan: Purpose-built for long-form writing; not a Notion replacement.
Migrating from SiYuan: Export as Markdown; open the folder in Zettlr.
Download: Zettlr for Windows, macOS, Linux
Bottom line: Pick Zettlr if you write papers or long essays and want a note tool that respects citations.
How to choose
Pick Obsidian if you want the biggest plugin ecosystem and Markdown files on disk.
Pick Logseq if you think in outlines and want built-in spaced repetition.
Pick AppFlowy if the Notion-style databases were the killer feature.
Pick Anytype if privacy and encryption are non-negotiable.
Pick Trilium Next if you self-host everything and enjoy scripting your workflow.
Pick Joplin if you want a boring, reliable notes app with a great web clipper.
Stay on SiYuan if the one-container “notes + flashcards + wiki” combo is the whole point and you are happy with the block UI.
FAQ
Is there a free alternative to SiYuan? Yes. Obsidian (free for personal), Logseq, AppFlowy, Anytype, Trilium Next, Joplin, and Zettlr are all free on desktop. Only Anytype has end-to-end encryption on by default; Obsidian and Joplin can encrypt via optional Sync tiers.
What is the best free Notion replacement in 2026? AppFlowy for feature parity with databases and boards; Anytype for privacy; SiYuan if you want spaced repetition too.
Can I self-host SiYuan? Yes, via the SiYuan Docker image on the b3log/siyuan registry. Point a WebDAV endpoint at your device to sync without paying for SiYuan Cloud.
Which alternative has spaced repetition like Anki? Logseq and SiYuan itself. Obsidian has spaced repetition through a community plugin. Nothing beats real Anki for hardcore flashcard workflows, but Logseq is the closest that also does notes.
Do these apps run on Linux? Every one of them ships a Linux desktop build (AppImage, .deb, or Flatpak). Obsidian, Logseq, AppFlowy, Joplin, and Zettlr all have Flatpaks on Flathub.
