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Comparison · Collab

Trilium Notes vs SiYuan

A side-by-side editorial comparison of Trilium Notes and SiYuan — release velocity, themes, recent moves, and the top alternatives to consider.

Shared themes:note-taking

Trilium Notes vs SiYuan: at a glance

FeatureTrilium NotesSiYuan
SectorCollabCollab
Velocity score6.35.0
Sparks · 30d10
Top themesself-hosted, note-taking, block-editor, ai-agentsnote-taking, knowledge base, mind maps, databases
Last editorial update4d ago13h ago
WebsiteVisit →Visit →

What is Trilium Notes?

Trilium 0.107 turns a text note into blocks you can embed, quote and link

Trilium 0.107 rebuilds the text editor around blocks: notes can embed other notes and edit them in place, quote live excerpts that sync back to the source, and link to a single paragraph. Tables gain merged cells and sorting, the AI chat now asks before any tool reads or changes a note, and a ChatGPT Codex subscription can replace an API key. The sync protocol moves from 39 to 41, so server and every client must update together.

Read the full Trilium Notes trajectory →

What is SiYuan?

SiYuan 3.8.11 alphas add freeform mind maps and plugin snapshots right after 3.8.10.

SiYuan pushed 3.8.10 through betas and release candidates between November 7 and 9, carrying workspace AI memory, database sub-items and a built-in Markdown editor. The 3.8.11 alphas followed within days: freeform mind map relationships with per-node connector styles, browsing and restoring plugin snapshots, excluding assets from cleanup, a built-in date picker and rich text in database primary keys. Alpha 4 adds search and replace in the standalone Markdown editor.

Read the full SiYuan trajectory →

Trilium Notes vs SiYuan: editorial side-by-side

T6.3

Trilium 0.107 turns a text note into blocks you can embed, quote and link

◆ Current state

Trilium 0.107 rebuilds the text editor around blocks: notes can embed other notes and edit them in place, quote live excerpts that sync back to the source, and link to a single paragraph. Tables gain merged cells and sorting, the AI chat now asks before any tool reads or changes a note, and a ChatGPT Codex subscription can replace an API key. The sync protocol moves from 39 to 41, so server and every client must update together.

◆ Where it's heading

After 0.105 made backups restorable and 0.106 rebuilt the kanban board, Trilium is now reworking its core unit, the text note, toward a block-based model with cross-note reuse. The AI layer is being made safe for a real database through approval prompts and cheaper through subscriptions rather than per-token keys.

◆ Prediction

Expect 0.107.x patches fixing block-editor and sync regressions, and the web clipper 1.2 release that was waiting on 0.107.

S
SiYuan
COLLAB
5.0

SiYuan 3.8.11 alphas add freeform mind maps and plugin snapshots right after 3.8.10.

◆ Current state

SiYuan pushed 3.8.10 through betas and release candidates between November 7 and 9, carrying workspace AI memory, database sub-items and a built-in Markdown editor. The 3.8.11 alphas followed within days: freeform mind map relationships with per-node connector styles, browsing and restoring plugin snapshots, excluding assets from cleanup, a built-in date picker and rich text in database primary keys. Alpha 4 adds search and replace in the standalone Markdown editor.

◆ Where it's heading

SiYuan works in fast public cycles, with the next version's alphas starting as soon as the last one stabilises. 3.8.11 is about polish and editing depth: mind maps, databases and the new Markdown editor all get more control.

◆ Prediction

Expect more 3.8.11 alphas, then betas and release candidates with the same list, following the 3.8.10 pattern.

Alternatives to Trilium Notes and SiYuan

Other Collab products tracked by Sparkpulse, ranked by recent ship velocity. Each card links to a full editorial trajectory and lets you pivot into a head-to-head comparison with either Trilium Notes or SiYuan.

See all Trilium Notes alternatives → · See all SiYuan alternatives →

Recent activity from Trilium Notes and SiYuan

Latest ship moves from both products, interleaved chronologically. ⚡ = editorial spark.

  1. 18h agoSiYuanSiYuan 3.8.11 alpha 4 adds search and replace to Markdown editor
  2. 1d agoSiYuanSiYuan 3.8.11 alpha: freeform mind maps, plugin snapshots
  3. 4d agoSiYuanSiYuan 3.8.10 RC5: related database views, better LAN sync
  4. 4d agoSiYuanSiYuan 3.8.10 RC3: AI memory, database sub-items near stable
  5. 5d agoSiYuanSiYuan 3.8.10 release candidate 2
  6. 5d agoSiYuanSiYuan 3.8.10 release candidate 1
  7. 5d agoTrilium Notes0.107 turns text notes into editable blocks and gates AI tool calls ⚡
  8. 21d agoTrilium Notes0.106.1 patches a pre-auth Node.js flaw in server images
  9. 1mo agoTrilium NotesWeb clipper 1.2 RC adds a preview card and PDF clipping
  10. 1mo agoTrilium Notes0.106.0 rebuilds the kanban board for project tracking
  11. 2mo agoTrilium NotesBackups become restorable and the database becomes manageable ⚡
  12. 3mo agoTrilium NotesLLM providers become dynamic; OneNote import hardened

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between Trilium Notes and SiYuan?

Both compete on the same themes — note-taking — within Collab. Trilium Notes is currently shipping more aggressively (velocity 6.3 vs 5.0), with 1 editorial sparks in the last 30 days against 0. See the at-a-glance table above for a side-by-side breakdown of velocity, recent sparks, and editorial themes.

Is Trilium Notes better than SiYuan?

Sparkpulse doesn't pick a winner — we score release velocity, not feature parity. Trilium Notes is currently shipping more aggressively (velocity 6.3 vs 5.0), with 1 editorial sparks in the last 30 days against 0. For your specific use case, the alternatives sections above list other Collab products to evaluate alongside.

What are the best alternatives to Trilium Notes?

Top Trilium Notes alternatives in Collab are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "Trilium Notes alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/trilium for the full list with editorial commentary on each.

What are the best alternatives to SiYuan?

Top SiYuan alternatives in Collab are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "SiYuan alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/siyuan for the full list with editorial commentary on each.