The Trilium alternative with no server to run
If you love Trilium’s hierarchical, local-first knowledge base but don’t want to run and maintain your own sync server, NoteBrain gives you the same local-first feel with zero-setup managed sync, managed AI that needs no API key, native audio transcription, and an install-free web app.
The trade-off, straight. Trilium is free and self-hosted - but multi-device means running and maintaining your own sync server (Docker, reverse proxy, certificates). NoteBrain Cloud is 4€/mo for fully managed sync + AI with nothing to host. Prefer to self-host for free? Trilium is excellent at that - see below.
Trilium gives you a local SQLite database and free self-hosted sync - if you’ll run a server. NoteBrain Desktop needs no server: the free Desktop app (macOS, Windows, Linux) stores notes as plain files and runs Ollama locally. The free Web app at app.notebrain.ai needs nothing installed. An optional Cloud subscription (sync + AI from 4€/mo) gives managed cross-device access with zero Docker, reverse-proxy or certificate admin.
Why people move from Trilium to NoteBrain
- No server to run. Trilium needs a self-hosted sync server for multi-device. NoteBrain runs as a desktop app, a hosted web app, or optional managed cloud - no Docker, no reverse proxy, no certificates.
- Managed AI, no setup. NoteBrain Cloud gives you AI with no API key and no Ollama install, plus a free 100K-token AI trial (no card). Trilium’s native AI is bring-your-own-provider only - you wire up Ollama or an API key yourself.
- Native audio recording + transcription. Record and transcribe locally with Whisper / Parakeet on desktop. Trilium has none.
- Native Gantt. NoteBrain ships a native Gantt timeline editor; Trilium has no native Gantt.
- Always-on local hybrid RAG. Full-text + local vector search runs continuously on desktop, independent of any chat feature.
- An install-free web app. Open app.notebrain.ai and start - Trilium’s web access requires running a server.
NoteBrain vs Trilium compared
| Feature | NoteBrain DesktopFree app · local files · plans optional | NoteBrain Web / CloudFree web · Cloud from 4€/mo | Trilium (TriliumNext) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price & plans | |||
| Free plan (no account) | Yes - no account | Web: yes Cloud: account needed | Yes - 100% free, donation-funded |
| Paid entry - what it unlocks | Free | Cloud from 4€/mo - managed sync + AI, zero admin | No paid tier; sync = self-host (free) or 3rd-party host |
| AI included in the price | Yes - local / own-key | 100K-token AI trial; managed AI from 3€/mo (no key needed) | Bring-your-own key / Ollama only - no managed AI, no token cost from Trilium |
| AI | |||
| Built-in managed AI (no key) | Via AI / Cloud plan; or local Ollama / key | Cloud: yes - managed, no API key | No managed AI (BYO-provider only) |
| Local AI via Ollama (offline) | Yes - unlimited, offline | No - browser CORS blocks it | Yes - native LLM chat supports Ollama (v0.103.0) |
| Bring-your-own API key | Yes | Web: yes (Gemini/OpenAI) | Yes - OpenAI / Anthropic / Ollama |
| Audio recording + transcription | Yes - local (Whisper / Parakeet) | Yes - cloud transcription | No |
| Editors & content types | |||
| Text / markdown | Yes | Yes | Yes (rich text + markdown) |
| Canvas / whiteboard | Yes (Excalidraw) | Yes | Yes - native Excalidraw |
| Kanban / board | Yes | Yes | Yes - native Board view |
| Gantt / timeline | Yes | Yes | No native Gantt |
| Mindmap | Yes | Yes | Yes - native (same engine) |
| Table / database | Yes | Yes | Yes - native Table + spreadsheet (beta) |
| Todo / checklist | Yes | Yes | Markdown checkboxes / to-do |
| Search | |||
| Full-text keyword search | Yes (Lunr) | Yes | Yes (+ OCR over images/PDF/Office) |
| Semantic / vector RAG search | Yes - always-on local hybrid, offline | Web: keyword only Cloud: server hybrid | Note-aware RAG inside LLM chat (the index serves the chat, not a standalone always-on search) |
| Data ownership & privacy | |||
| Notes as local plain files on disk | Yes - plain files | No (Web: IndexedDB / Cloud: managed) | Local, but a single SQLite DB (not loose files) |
| Open source | No | No | Yes - AGPL-3.0 (client + server)stronger than NoteBrain |
| End-to-end encryption | Local - your disk | Cloud: optional E2E (disables share/collab) | Per-note “Protected notes” (AES); self-host = you control all infra |
| Operator / jurisdiction | Your machine | StarObject S.A., Luxembourg (EU) | Community-run open-source project, no vendor - you self-host |
| Sync & devices | |||
| Multi-device sync | DIY or Cloud plan | Cloud from 4€/mo - managed, zero admin | Self-hosted sync server - free & unlimited, but you run it (Docker) |
| Mobile access | - | Responsive web app, nothing to host | Responsive web + community native apps (TriliumDroid, iOS) - needs a server |
| Collaboration | |||
| Real-time multi-user co-editing | Via Cloud plan (flag-gated) | Cloud: optional real-time (flag-gated) | No - single-user design |
| Import / export | |||
| Import | Trilium (via Markdown), Notion, Obsidian, folder | Trilium (via Markdown), Notion, Obsidian, folder | Evernote (ENEX), OneNote, Markdown, HTML |
| Export / portability | Markdown + ZIP (full) | Markdown + ZIP | Markdown or HTML (zip, preserves hierarchy + attachments) |
| Setup | |||
| Setup time | Seconds (installer) | Seconds (open URL, nothing to host) | Seconds for single-device; Docker / server / cert config for sync |
When Trilium is the better choice
Trilium is the stronger choice if you want full openness and free self-hosting. It’s fully open source (AGPL-3.0) - you can audit, fork and self-host the entire stack, including the AI. Self-hosted sync is free and unlimited (no per-GB fee, where NoteBrain Cloud caps storage at 2–25 GB), storage is bounded only by your own disk, and there’s no subscription ever. It also has powerful JavaScript scripting and a deep attribute / relation system, native mobile clients (TriliumDroid, iOS), and mature power-user features NoteBrain lacks - geo maps, relation maps, note cloning and hoisting, per-note revision history, and built-in OCR. If you’re happy running a server and value openness above managed convenience, Trilium is the better fit.
Coming from Trilium?
Export your Trilium tree as Markdown, then import the folder into NoteBrain - the hierarchy, wiki links and attachments come with you. You trade self-hosting admin for an app that works the same on every machine, with managed AI and sync included.
FAQ
Do I need to run a server like with Trilium?
No. NoteBrain Desktop runs entirely on your machine, and the web app needs nothing installed. If you want cross-device sync, you can opt into NoteBrain’s managed cloud (from 4€/mo) - no Docker, reverse proxy or certificates.
Can I import my Trilium notes?
Yes. Export your Trilium tree as Markdown, then import the folder into NoteBrain - the hierarchy, links and attachments are preserved.
Does Trilium have AI and modern editors?
Yes - as of 2026 Trilium has a native LLM chat (bring your own Ollama / OpenAI / Anthropic) and native canvas, mindmap, board and table editors. NoteBrain’s edge isn’t that those features exist - it’s managed AI with no key or server to set up, native audio transcription, a native Gantt, and an install-free hosted web app.
Is either app open source?
Trilium is fully open source (AGPL-3.0, client and server); NoteBrain is not. If auditing or self-hosting the whole stack matters most, Trilium wins there - NoteBrain trades that for managed, zero-admin convenience.