Compare
Memos vs Apple Notes
Choose Memos if you use devices outside Apple's ecosystem or want your notes on your own server. Choose Apple Notes if you live on Apple hardware and want zero setup with offline native apps.
Apple Notes is free, fast, and already installed on every iPhone and Mac, synced through iCloud. Memos trades that convenience for control: an open-source timeline of Markdown memos on your own server, reachable from any device with a browser, including Android, Windows, and Linux.
| At a glance | Memos | Apple Notes |
|---|---|---|
| License | Open source (MIT) | Proprietary, bundled with Apple devices |
| Hosting | Self-hosted web server | iCloud |
| Platforms | Any browser; PWA | iPhone, iPad, Mac, iCloud.com |
| Format | Markdown with tags | Rich text with Markdown export |
| Best for | Short memos across any device | Notes that stay inside Apple's ecosystem |
| Cost | No license fee (you host) | Free; iCloud storage plans |
The decision
Choose for the work in front of you.
Choose Memos when
You switch between Apple, Android, Windows, or Linux devices and want one place for notes.
You want notes on a server you run, not in iCloud.
You write in Markdown and want tags, a timeline, and public sharing by link.
Choose Apple Notes when
Every device you own is made by Apple.
You want offline native apps with handwriting, scanning, and Apple Pencil support.
You want zero setup and sync you never think about.
Feature by feature
What each one actually does.
Memos answers honestly, including the rows where it says no.
| Feature | Memos | Apple Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Ownership | ||
| Open source | Yes.MIT license, developed in public on GitHub | No.Proprietary |
| Self-hosting | Yes.Docker image or a single binary on your server | No.iCloud or on-device only |
| Official hosted service | No.No official hosted plan; you run the instance | Yes.iCloud |
| Where notes live | SQLite, MySQL, or PostgreSQL on your server | iCloud, or an on-device account |
| Price | No license fee; you pay for hosting | Free with Apple devices; paid iCloud storage |
| Writing | ||
| Markdown | Yes.Write in Markdown with live rendering, code blocks, and math | Partial.Rich text; Markdown import and export added in 2025 |
| Tags | Yes.Inline #tags, nested with a slash | Yes.#tags and Smart Folders |
| Links between notes | Yes.Relations link memos to each other | Yes.Links between notes |
| Attachments | Yes.Images and files, stored on disk or in S3 | Yes.Photos, scans, sketches, files |
| Full-text search | Yes.Full-text search with tag, date, and visibility filters | Yes.Full-text including handwriting and scanned text |
| Reach | ||
| Works offline | No.Browser app; reading and writing need a reachable server | Yes.Local on every Apple device |
| Desktop app | Partial.Install the web app as a PWA; no official native app | Partial.macOS; iCloud.com in a browser elsewhere |
| Mobile app | Partial.PWA on iOS and Android, plus community-built apps | Partial.iPhone and iPad only; no Android app |
| Cross-device sync | Yes.The server is the source of truth, so every device sees the same memos | Yes.iCloud, or IMAP accounts |
| Public sharing | Yes.Per-memo visibility: private, workspace, or public link | Partial.Share with other iCloud users; no public link |
| Data | ||
| API and webhooks | Yes.REST and gRPC APIs, signed webhooks | No.No public API; Shortcuts and AppleScript automation |
| Import and export | Partial.ZIP export of Markdown and JSON; import from Memos exports only | Partial.Per-note Markdown or PDF export; no bulk export |
| End-to-end encryption | No.The server you run can read your memos; protect it with TLS and disk encryption | Partial.Locked notes, or all notes with Advanced Data Protection |
Questions
Questions people ask.
Can I use Memos on Android or Windows like Apple Notes on an iPhone?
Yes. Memos runs in any browser and installs as a PWA on Android, Windows, Linux, and Apple devices. That is the main reason people leave Apple Notes for it.
How do I move Apple Notes into Memos?
Export notes as Markdown from Apple Notes, then create memos through the Memos API or by pasting. There is no bulk Apple Notes importer in Memos.
Does Memos work offline on my phone?
No. Memos needs a reachable server. Apple Notes stores notes on the device and syncs later.
Keep exploring
Related comparisons and features.
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Memos in detail
Start here
Start with one memo.
Install Memos on a server you choose and write your first memo. Open source under MIT, with no license fee.