Yes. Memos is free and open source under the MIT license. You run it yourself, so there are no accounts, subscriptions, or per-seat fees — your only cost is the server you choose to host it on.

Can I self-host Memos?

Yes — self-hosting is the whole idea. Deploy Memos with a single Docker command in a few minutes on your own server, NAS, or homelab. It stores notes in SQLite by default, with MySQL and PostgreSQL supported for larger deployments.

Does Memos support Markdown?

Yes. Memos is Markdown-native: every memo is written and stored as plain Markdown, including headings, lists, code blocks, tags, and task lists, so your notes stay portable and never locked into a proprietary format.

Is Memos a good open-source alternative to Google Keep, Notion, or Evernote?

Memos is a strong fit if you want fast, private capture you fully control rather than a hosted cloud workspace. It is lighter than Notion and self-hosted unlike Google Keep or Evernote, while keeping Markdown notes, tags, and search.

Where is my data stored, and is it private?

On your own infrastructure. Because you self-host Memos, your notes live in your database on your server — there is no third-party cloud, and the project ships with zero telemetry by default.

Latest releasev0.29.1

Capture first.Keep it yours.

A self-hosted timeline for quick notes, daily logs, links, and snippets. Open it, write in Markdown, and move on.

Private timelineMarkdown-nativeSelf-hosted

Install Memos Try Live Demo

memos.example.com

A quiet place for the thoughts worth keeping.

Private

Save

nowNew

“We write to taste life twice, in the moment and in retrospect.”

Kept this for the next essay—the quote matters, but the reason I saved it matters more.#books

9:42 AM

Homelab maintenance

Snapshot /var/opt/memos before upgrading.

Pin the container, then verify the health check.

#self-hosting#server-log

The idea

Not a workspace. Not a second brain.

Just a small, self-hosted timeline for notes you want to capture quickly and keep close.

Open. Write. Done.

No folder decision, no workspace setup, no title required before a thought is worth saving.

Private timeline.

Memos feels closer to posting into your own quiet feed than maintaining a formal notebook.

Yours to run.

Self-host it, keep Markdown-native notes, and choose the database and server you trust.

Product

Small on purpose. Fast by default.

Memos keeps one loop sharp: capture now, organize later, and keep every note on your side of the line.

Explore every feature

Your notes stay with you

Run Memos on your server and keep the entire data path under your control.

Open, type, move on

No folder choice, template step, or title required before a thought is worth saving.

Plain Markdown

Write in a format that stays readable, portable, and easy to back up anywhere.

Small enough to run anywhere

Start on a Raspberry Pi, VPS, NAS, or cloud box with a lightweight Docker deploy.

Open source you can inspect

MIT licensed, public on GitHub, and shaped by contributors who run it themselves.

Free because you host it

No paid unlocks or seat pricing. Bring the infrastructure that already fits your setup.

Deploy

Your server. One command.

Start a private Memos timeline in minutes, then move it whenever your setup changes.

View deployment options

Docker

One command to start your Memos server

docker run -d --name memos \
  -p 5230:5230 \
  -v ~/.memos/:/var/opt/memos \
  neosmemo/memos:stable

Use cases

Small notes, many kinds of work.

Memos fits wherever context arrives in fragments and needs somewhere private to stay.

Self-hosters

Infrastructure notes, configuration history, and the fixes you will need again.

Developers

Code snippets, debugging trails, and the small decisions behind a shipped change.

Writers

Lines worth keeping, early drafts, and research captured before the idea disappears.

Journals

Daily observations and private idea trails without turning life into a database.

Makers

Build logs, measurements, parts, and the next thing to try when you return.

Students

Lecture notes, sources, and questions that connect one study session to the next.

Families

A private stream for updates, shared memories, and the people closest to you.

Privacy-conscious teams

Sensitive working notes kept on infrastructure your organization controls.

Browse all workflows

Next steps

Go deeper when you need to.

Start with the product, then reach for the guide or tool that matches your next question.

Documentation

Run Memos yourself

Install, configure, back up, and keep an instance healthy.

Releases

See what changed

Review fixes and new behavior before you upgrade.

Product notes

Read the thinking

Technical context, project decisions, and practical guides.

Web Clipper

Save from the browser

Turn pages, selections, and images into source-linked memos.

Before you install

A few useful answers.

What Memos costs, where your data lives, and what makes it different from a hosted workspace.

Compare Memos with other apps

Is Memos free?: Yes. Memos is free and open source under the MIT license. You run it yourself, so there are no accounts, subscriptions, or per-seat fees — your only cost is the server you choose to host it on.
Can I self-host Memos?: Yes — self-hosting is the whole idea. Deploy Memos with a single Docker command in a few minutes on your own server, NAS, or homelab. It stores notes in SQLite by default, with MySQL and PostgreSQL supported for larger deployments.
Does Memos support Markdown?: Yes. Memos is Markdown-native: every memo is written and stored as plain Markdown, including headings, lists, code blocks, tags, and task lists, so your notes stay portable and never locked into a proprietary format.
Is Memos a good open-source alternative to Google Keep, Notion, or Evernote?: Memos is a strong fit if you want fast, private capture you fully control rather than a hosted cloud workspace. It is lighter than Notion and self-hosted unlike Google Keep or Evernote, while keeping Markdown notes, tags, and search.
Where is my data stored, and is it private?: On your own infrastructure. Because you self-host Memos, your notes live in your database on your server — there is no third-party cloud, and the project ships with zero telemetry by default.

Start here

Start with one memo.

Run it yourself or try the public demo before choosing where your timeline will live.

Install Memos Try Live Demo