Tana vs SiYuan
Tana is an AI-native outliner where “supertags” turn notes into structured, queryable objects; SiYuan is a free, open-source, block-based knowledge base with Notion-style databases and local storage — two different takes on personal knowledge management. Here’s how they compare on pricing, platforms, linking, search, capture and collaboration — and how to decide between them.
What is Tana?
Tana’s big idea is the supertag: slap #meeting or #person on any outline node and it gains fields, views and behavior — your notes become a queryable database without leaving the outline. Live queries collect matching nodes anywhere in your workspace, which makes Tana feel like Roam and Notion fused together.
Since 2025 Tana has pivoted hard into AI: a meeting agent that transcribes calls without a bot, voice capture that structures itself, semantic search, and a local MCP server so AI assistants can work with your workspace. In March 2026 the company split in two — the notes tool became Tana Outliner (outliner.tana.inc, the product compared here), while the plain “Tana” name moved to a separate agentic meeting platform. Outliner pricing as of September 2026: Free with 500 AI credits a month, Plus at $8/month and Pro at $14/month (22% off billed yearly; students, academics and NGOs get 50% off). It’s cloud-based with web, desktop and capture-focused mobile apps.
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.
Tana vs SiYuan at a glance
| Tana | SiYuan | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Plus $8/mo; Pro $14/mo (22% off yearly) — Tana Outliner, Sep 2026 | Free; PRO one-time $64 (S3/WebDAV sync); official cloud $148/yr |
| Free plan | Yes — 500 AI credits/mo, 3 workspaces, 0.5 GB | Yes — full core app, commercial use included |
| Platforms | Web, macOS, Windows; iOS/Android capture apps | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Docker (self-host) |
| Storage model | Cloud | Local-first; encrypted sync via official cloud or your own S3/WebDAV |
| Editing model | Outliner with supertags (typed nodes, fields, live queries) | Block-based WYSIWYG Markdown with database views |
| Backlinks & wiki links | Yes — references and backlinks | Yes — block-level bidirectional links |
| Graph view | No traditional graph view | Yes — graph view |
| Search | Full-text, structured queries, semantic AI search | Full-text, including SQL-style queries |
| Web capture | Mobile capture apps, voice capture | Browser clipping extension |
| Email-in capture | No | No |
| RSS / feeds | No | No |
| Team collaboration | Yes — real-time shared workspaces | No |
| Publishing & sharing | Shared/published nodes | Export or self-hosted sharing |
| AI assistant access | Deep native AI (credit-metered) + local MCP server in the desktop app | Configurable OpenAI-compatible integration |
| Offline access | Partial — desktop app, personal workspaces | Yes — fully offline |
| Open source | No | Yes — AGPL-3.0 |
| End-to-end encryption | No | Yes — encrypted sync |
| Data export | Markdown or JSON workspace export (supertags flatten) | Markdown, PDF, and more |
Pricing and features as of mid-2026 — check each product’s site for current details.
New to personal knowledge management? Start here: choosing a second brain app — every tool on this page, with a pick for each kind of thinker.
Where Tana shines
- Supertags are the most elegant structure system in the category — schema, views and queries grow naturally out of plain outlining.
- The AI feature set is the deepest here: botless meeting transcription, voice capture, agents, and semantic search.
- A local MCP server inside the desktop app makes it one of the few tools built for AI-assistant workflows.
- Real-time multiplayer workspaces work well for teams.
Worth knowing: AI usage is credit-metered on every plan and the free tier is thin (500 AI credits, 3 workspaces, 0.5 GB); serious use means Plus at $8/month or Pro at $14/month. Cloud-only and proprietary: no local files, no end-to-end encryption; export is Markdown or JSON, and supertags and fields flatten on the way out. The structure-first approach has a real learning curve; casual note-takers may find it over-engineered.
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 Tana if:
- You want notes with fields, views and queries — a database that emerges from writing.
- Meeting transcription and voice capture are core to your workflow.
- You’ll actually use enough AI to justify the price.
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 Tana and SiYuan?
Tana is an AI-native outliner where “supertags” turn notes into structured, queryable objects, while SiYuan is a free, open-source, block-based knowledge base with Notion-style databases and local storage. In practice, Tana is best for structured-thinking power users who want their notes to behave like a database, with AI doing the heavy lifting; SiYuan is best for self-hosters and open-source enthusiasts who want Notion-grade blocks and databases on their own disk.
Which is cheaper, Tana or SiYuan?
Tana: Plus $8/mo; Pro $14/mo (22% off yearly) — Tana Outliner, Sep 2026 (free plan: yes — 500 ai credits/mo, 3 workspaces, 0.5 gb). SiYuan: Free; PRO one-time $64 (S3/WebDAV sync); official cloud $148/yr (free plan: yes — full core app, commercial use included). Prices as of mid-2026 — check each product's site for current rates.
Is Tana or SiYuan better for teams?
Tana — team collaboration: yes — real-time shared workspaces. SiYuan — team collaboration: no. If neither fits, Dexi's Team plan ($10/member/month) offers per-note sharing with team-wide search.
Which is better for personal knowledge management, Tana or SiYuan?
It depends on how you work rather than on feature count. Tana is the stronger personal knowledge management tool for structured-thinking power users who want their notes to behave like a database, with AI doing the heavy lifting; SiYuan for self-hosters and open-source enthusiasts who want Notion-grade blocks and databases on their own disk. Start with whichever matches your habits — both let you export if you change your mind.
Can I switch between Tana and SiYuan?
Both tools let you get your data out — Tana exports via markdown or json workspace export (supertags flatten), 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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