Logseq

A journal-first outliner with flashcards baked in, over local files.

By Logseq · since 2020 · logseq.com · Open source

7.4

B · out of 10

Logseq starts every day with a journal page and expects you to write in bullets that link to each other. Blocks are the unit, not pages, so anything can be referenced and embedded anywhere. It is open source, works on local markdown files, and includes spaced-repetition flashcards without a plugin.

How it scores

  • Features25% of score

    8.2

    Depth and breadth of what the app can do.

  • Ease of use20% of score

    6.8

    Speed, polish and how long it takes to feel at home.

  • AI15% of score

    5.4

    Quality and usefulness of the built-in AI, not just its presence.

  • Sync & reliability15% of score

    6.2

    How dependably notes move between devices.

  • Value15% of score

    9.2

    What you get for what you pay.

  • Platform coverage10% of score

    8.4

    How many places you can actually use it.

Pricing

No paid plan

Free tier: The whole app, free and open source, over your own files.

Optional paid sync has been in beta a long while; most people use iCloud, Dropbox or git instead.

Platforms

  • Windows
  • macOS
  • iOS
  • Android
  • Linux
  • Web

57 tracked features supported

What it does well

  • Block references make it easy to reuse a single idea everywhere
  • Built-in spaced repetition, no plugin required
  • PDF highlights land in your notes as linked blocks
  • Open source, local markdown, no lock-in

Where it falls short

  • Official sync is still not properly finished
  • Everything is an outline, whether that fits your writing or not
  • Performance drops on very large graphs
  • Development pace has been unpredictable

Our take

The free outliner to try before paying anyone. Sync is the part you have to solve yourself.

Best for: Daily journalers and students who want linked notes plus revision.

Linked thinking / PKMPrivacy & ownershipStudents & studyGenuinely free

Feature by feature

YesPartlyVia pluginNo

Capture & input

How notes get into the app in the first place.

  • Voice recordingVia plugin
  • Audio transcription
  • Speaker identification
  • Meeting recording
  • Handwriting / stylusPartly
  • Drawing canvas
  • OCR / handwriting search
  • Web clipperPartly
  • Share extension
  • Quick capture
  • Images
  • PDF & documents
  • Document scanning

Organization

How notes are structured, linked and found again.

  • Tags
  • Folders / notebooksPartly
  • Multi-level folders
  • Internal links
  • Backlinks
  • Graph view
  • Databases / boardsPartly
  • Daily notes / journal
  • Note templates
  • Saved searches
  • Pins / favorites
  • Merge notes

AI

Assistants, generators and meaning-based search.

  • AI chat / writing assistantVia plugin
  • AI agent with tools
  • Custom AI agents
  • Semantic searchVia plugin
  • AI web search
  • Connected apps for AI
  • Prompt templates
  • Custom AI instructionsVia plugin
  • AI memory
  • Scheduled AI tasks
  • Flashcard generator
  • Spaced repetition
  • Quiz generatorPartly
  • Fill in the blank
  • Mind mapsPartly
  • AI image generationVia plugin
  • Infographic generator
  • Slide deck generator
  • AI mini apps
  • Brainrot video generator
  • AI audio overview
  • Bring your own modelVia plugin
  • AI job notifications

Writing & editing

What the editor itself can actually do.

  • Markdown
  • Rich textPartly
  • Code blocks
  • Math / LaTeX
  • TablesPartly
  • Find and replaceVia plugin
  • Version historyPartly
  • Note infoPartly

Sync & data ownership

Where your notes live and how easily they leave.

  • Cloud syncPartly
  • Sync through your own cloud
  • Offline support
  • Offline-first / own your data
  • Self-hosting
  • End-to-end encryptionPartly
  • Locked notesVia plugin
  • Daily backupPartly
  • Import
  • Export
  • Public API
  • Command line tool
  • Remote MCP server
  • Plugins / extensions

Sharing & collaboration

Working with other people inside your notes.

  • Share with peoplePartly
  • Real-time collaboration
  • Comments
  • Public sharing

Experience

The everyday polish around the writing surface.

  • Dark mode
  • Custom themes
  • Multi-language
  • Command palette
  • Split view
  • Focus modeVia plugin
  • Home screen widgets
  • Apple Shortcuts

Compare with

All Logseq alternatives

Logseq vs Grape

Adds: AI agent with tools, AI memory

9.0

Logseq vs Obsidian

Plain markdown files on your disk, with a plugin ecosystem bolted on top.

8.4

Logseq vs Apple Notes

Already on your phone, and better than it has any right to be.

8.1

Logseq vs GoodNotes

Handwriting on a tablet, done better than anyone else.

8.0