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Memos vs Evernote
Evernote is a mature cloud notebook app with clipping and search on a freemium plan. Memos is a free, open-source, self-hosted alternative focused on lightweight Markdown capture without subscriptions or note limits.
Choose Memos for a free, self-hosted tool you own outright. Choose Evernote for web clipping, OCR, and polished apps if you are comfortable in the cloud.
Side by side
Memos vs Evernote
| Dimension | Memos | Evernote |
|---|---|---|
| License | Open source (MIT) | Proprietary |
| Hosting | Self-hosted web server | Cloud SaaS (hosted by Evernote) |
| Data ownership | Your database, zero telemetry | Stored on Evernote's servers |
| Format | Markdown-native | Rich-text notebooks |
| Best for | Lightweight private capture | Web clipping & cross-notebook search |
| Cost | Free (you host) | Freemium; paid plans for full use |
Choose Memos when
- You want a free, self-hosted tool with no subscription or note limits.
- You prefer Markdown and a lightweight capture flow.
- You want full ownership of your data.
Choose Evernote when
- You rely on web clipping, OCR, and document search.
- You want polished native apps across every platform.
- You do not want to self-host.
Related features
What Memos brings.
Own your notes.
Install Memos and keep quick capture on your own server — open source, self-hosted, and free.