Roam Research vs SiYuan
Roam Research is the pioneering outliner that made bidirectional links and daily notes famous; SiYuan is a free, open-source, block-based knowledge base with Notion-style databases and local storage. Here’s how they compare on pricing, platforms, linking, search, capture and collaboration — and how to decide between them.
What is Roam Research?
Roam Research kicked off the modern “tools for thought” wave in 2020. Every note is an outline of blocks; any block can be referenced, embedded and linked from anywhere else, and the daily-notes page makes capture frictionless. Bidirectional links — see every place a page is mentioned — were its signature idea, since adopted by nearly every tool in this list.
Roam runs as a cloud-hosted graph with web, desktop and mobile apps, and supports multiplayer shared graphs. It costs $15/month or $165/year (no free plan beyond a 31-day trial), with a $500 five-year “Believer” plan. Development has visibly slowed since its heyday — recent years brought mostly backend work rather than new features — which is worth weighing against its still-excellent core outlining model.
What is SiYuan?
SiYuan packs a remarkable amount into an open-source (AGPL) package: block-level bidirectional links, WYSIWYG Markdown, Notion-like database and attribute views, spaced-repetition flashcards, a graph, PDF annotation and a plugin marketplace — all stored locally, with the option to self-host the whole thing in Docker. It’s free for personal and commercial use.
Sync is where money changes hands, modestly: a one-time PRO license (~$64) unlocks third-party S3/WebDAV sync, or you can subscribe to the official encrypted cloud service. The developer is China-based with a very active GitHub, and the app is fully usable in English. It’s single-player — no real-time collaboration — but as a personal all-in-one it rivals tools costing $100+/year.
Roam Research vs SiYuan at a glance
| Roam Research | SiYuan | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $15/mo or $165/yr; Believer $500/5 years | Free; PRO one-time ~$64; optional paid official cloud sync |
| Free plan | No — 31-day trial | Yes — full core app, commercial use included |
| Platforms | Web, desktop apps, mobile apps | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Docker (self-host) |
| Storage model | Cloud-hosted graph database | Local-first; encrypted sync via official cloud or your own S3/WebDAV |
| Editing model | Outliner — blocks with references and transclusion | Block-based WYSIWYG Markdown with database views |
| Backlinks & wiki links | Yes — the original bidirectional links, block-level | Yes — block-level bidirectional links |
| Graph view | Yes — graph overview | Yes — graph view |
| Search | Full-text and structured queries | Full-text, including SQL-style queries |
| Web capture | Quick capture on mobile; browser extension | Browser clipping extension |
| Email-in capture | No | No |
| RSS / feeds | No | No |
| Team collaboration | Yes — multiplayer shared graphs | No |
| Publishing & sharing | Public graphs | Export or self-hosted sharing |
| AI assistant access | No official AI-assistant integration | Configurable OpenAI-compatible integration |
| Offline access | Partial — desktop app with sync | Yes — fully offline |
| Open source | No | Yes — AGPL-3.0 |
| End-to-end encryption | Optional encrypted graphs | Yes — encrypted sync |
| Data export | Markdown, JSON, EDN | Markdown, PDF, and more |
Pricing and features as of mid-2026 — check each product’s site for current details.
Where Roam Research shines
- The block-reference model remains best-in-class: reference, embed and remix any bullet anywhere, with transclusion that keeps everything in sync.
- Daily notes as the default entry point suits journaling and interstitial note-taking.
- Powerful queries and roam/js customization for advanced users.
- Multiplayer graphs allow real shared workspaces.
Worth knowing: At $15/month with no free plan, it’s among the priciest tools here. Development pace has slowed markedly, and the mobile experience lags competitors. It’s cloud-hosted and proprietary, with no local-first storage for standard graphs.
Where SiYuan shines
- An unusually complete free feature set: block refs, databases, flashcards, PDF annotation, graph — no plugins required.
- Open source (AGPL) with local-first storage and Docker self-hosting.
- Sync your own way — one-time license for S3/WebDAV, or the official encrypted cloud.
- Very active development with a plugin bazaar on top.
Worth knowing: No collaboration and no first-party hosted sharing beyond exports and self-hosting. The interface is denser and less polished than Western commercial rivals, and documentation can be rough in translation. Capture from the web, email or feeds isn’t a focus.
Which should you choose?
Choose Roam Research if:
- Your thinking is outline-shaped and block references are central to how you write.
- You live in daily notes and build structure bottom-up.
- You’re already invested in a Roam graph and its query workflows.
Choose SiYuan if:
- You want maximum capability for minimum (or zero) money, as open source.
- Self-hosting on your own infrastructure appeals to you.
- You want Notion-style databases and flashcards in a local-first app.
A third option: Dexi
If what you actually want is one searchable place for notes, bookmarks, newsletters and RSS — with tags, @mentions and [[wiki links]] that organize themselves as you write, semantic search that finds ideas even when the words don’t match, and an MCP server so Claude and other AI assistants can work with your notes directly — take a look at Dexi. It’s free for up to 1,000 notes, with no app to install.
Frequently asked questions
What is the main difference between Roam Research and SiYuan?
Roam Research is the pioneering outliner that made bidirectional links and daily notes famous, while SiYuan is a free, open-source, block-based knowledge base with Notion-style databases and local storage. In practice, Roam Research is best for outline-first thinkers invested in block references and networked daily notes; SiYuan is best for self-hosters and open-source enthusiasts who want Notion-grade blocks and databases on their own disk.
Which is cheaper, Roam Research or SiYuan?
Roam Research: $15/mo or $165/yr; Believer $500/5 years (free plan: no — 31-day trial). SiYuan: Free; PRO one-time ~$64; optional paid official cloud sync (free plan: yes — full core app, commercial use included). Prices as of mid-2026 — check each product's site for current rates.
Is Roam Research or SiYuan better for teams?
Roam Research — team collaboration: yes — multiplayer shared graphs. SiYuan — team collaboration: no. If neither fits, Dexi's Team plan ($10/member/month) offers per-note sharing with team-wide search.
Can I switch between Roam Research and SiYuan?
Both tools let you get your data out — Roam Research exports via markdown, json, edn, and SiYuan via markdown, pdf, and more. Markdown is the common ground for most migrations, though block references, properties and other tool-specific structure typically need manual cleanup after import.
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