Memos vs Trilium: Quick Capture vs Knowledge Base
Quick Verdict
Memos and Trilium solve different note-taking problems. Memos is for quick capture — short thoughts, links, snippets, and daily logs in a Twitter-like feed. Trilium is for deep knowledge management — hierarchical note trees, relation maps, note cloning, and interconnected concepts. Use Memos as your “quick inbox” for capturing ideas on the go. Use Trilium as your “second brain” for organizing and connecting knowledge. Many people run both.
Overview
Memos is a lightweight, self-hosted microblogging and note-taking app. Notes appear in a reverse-chronological feed (like Twitter). You type, hit enter, and it’s captured. Built with Go and React, it starts instantly and uses minimal resources. It replaces Google Keep, Apple Notes, or the “quick capture” feature of Notion.
TriliumNext Notes is a hierarchical personal knowledge base. Notes live in a tree structure, can be cloned across multiple locations, linked with relation maps, and automated with custom scripts. It’s built for long-form knowledge building over months and years. The community fork of the original Trilium.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Memos | Trilium |
|---|---|---|
| Primary purpose | Quick capture / microblog | Personal knowledge base |
| Note format | Short-form (tweet-like) | Long-form (documents, code, maps) |
| Organization | Tags, filters, archive | Hierarchical tree + cloning |
| Editor | Simple Markdown input | Rich text + Markdown + code |
| Relation maps | No | Yes (visual note connections) |
| Note cloning | No | Yes |
| Search | Tag-based + full-text | Advanced full-text with filters |
| Scripting | No | Yes (JavaScript automation) |
| API | REST API | REST API |
| Sharing | Public/private per memo | Shared notes via public links |
| Mobile experience | Excellent (responsive web) | Functional (web + desktop) |
| Encryption | No | Optional E2EE for sync |
| Database | Embedded SQLite | Embedded SQLite |
| Docker complexity | 1 service | 1 service |
| Resource usage | 50-100 MB RAM | 200-500 MB RAM |
| Multi-user | Yes (built-in) | Limited (sync, not collaboration) |
Installation Complexity
Both are simple. Each runs as a single Docker container with embedded SQLite — no external database needed. Map a volume, start the container, done.
Memos is arguably the simplest note-taking app to deploy. One container, one volume, one port. No environment variables required for a basic setup.
Trilium is similarly simple for deployment, but initial setup takes longer. The note tree structure, relation maps, and scripting features have a learning curve. You’ll spend time understanding the organizational model before it pays off.
Performance and Resource Usage
Memos is extremely lightweight — 50-100 MB RAM, near-instant startup. It’s built with Go and optimized for minimal footprint. Even on a Raspberry Pi Zero, it runs comfortably.
Trilium uses more resources — 200-500 MB RAM — because of the rich editor, relation map rendering, and scripting engine. Still lightweight by any standard, but heavier than Memos.
Community and Support
Memos has a rapidly growing community (30,000+ GitHub stars) and frequent releases. It’s one of the fastest-growing self-hosted note apps. Documentation is good, and the simple feature set means there’s less to document.
TriliumNext inherited the original Trilium’s established community. The scripting engine has a dedicated following of power users sharing recipes. Development is active, with the fork maintaining all original features and adding new ones.
Use Cases
Choose Memos If…
- You want quick capture — thoughts, links, snippets, daily logs
- Mobile-first note-taking matters (fast, responsive web UI)
- You prefer a timeline/feed view over hierarchical organization
- You want the lightest possible deployment
- Multiple users need their own memo streams
- You’re replacing Google Keep, Apple Notes, or Notion “quick capture”
Choose Trilium If…
- You’re building a long-term personal knowledge base
- You need to connect ideas with relation maps and links
- Note hierarchy and organization are critical
- You want to clone notes across multiple categories
- Custom scripting and automation are valuable
- You’re replacing Evernote, OneNote, or a Zettelkasten tool
Run Both If…
- Memos for daily quick capture → periodically move refined ideas into Trilium for permanent storage
- This “inbox to archive” workflow is common among knowledge management enthusiasts
Final Verdict
Memos is the better tool for capturing information quickly. Trilium is the better tool for organizing and connecting information deeply. They complement rather than compete. If you only pick one: choose Memos if your biggest problem is “I have ideas and nowhere to put them fast.” Choose Trilium if your biggest problem is “I have lots of notes and can’t find or connect them.”
FAQ
Can Memos handle long-form notes?
Technically yes — there’s no length limit. But the UI is optimized for short-form entries. Long documents feel awkward in the feed layout. For long-form writing, use Trilium, BookStack, or Outline.
Can Trilium do quick capture from mobile?
Yes, via the web interface. But it’s slower than Memos — you need to navigate the note tree, create a new note, choose a location. Memos’s “type and enter” flow is faster for on-the-go capture.
Do either support collaboration?
Memos supports multiple users, each with their own memo feed. Trilium supports syncing between desktop and server, but not real-time collaboration between users.
Related
Get self-hosting tips in your inbox
New guides, comparisons, and setup tutorials — delivered weekly. No spam.