6 best notes apps for Zettelkasten method

Comparing the 6 best applications for implementing the Zettelkasten method

🏷️ Categories: Zettelkasten, Software

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Hello! This is the second chapter of the Zettelkasten guide. If you haven't read the first one yet, run and read it before continuing:

Introduction to the Zettelkasten method

When it comes time to decide which tool to use for your Zettelkasten, there can be a lot of questions. There are too many options and it is overwhelming to decide on one. For this reason I present here a simple analysis of the 6 best applications to help you choose the one that best suits your needs. Let's get started!

Index

1. Zettlr

2. Room Research

3. Obsidian

4. Notion

5. Logseq

6. Reflect

7. Conclusion

8. My personal choice

1. Zettler

Zetler is an open source application, i.e. you can fully customize it. It is free and designed specifically for the Zettelkasten method. It has a clean design and allows you to visualize the notes graphically.

It is oriented to academic writing: it has integration with Zotero (to cite bibliography), allows you to write mathematical formulas and other elements comfortably. In addition, it allows exporting files in numerous formats.

The data is saved on your computer, it does not have synchronization with the cloud and does not allow you to work online.

2. Roam Research

Roam Research is very popular for its performance, but it is paid. It has a medium level of customization, and it has bidirectional linking, i.e., you can link Note A to go to Note B, but Note B does not go to the note if you don't want it to. That's interesting for creating cause-consequence relationships and the like.

It has graphical view of the notes, just like Zettlr, which is great for looking at where there are knowledge gaps and exploring new idea relationships.

The information is stored in the cloud and can be synchronized with your phone. It also allows you to work online with others, ideal for collaborative projects. It has other functionalities for to-do lists and calendars but does not have many extensions, just like Zettlr.

3. Obsidian

Obsidian has become very popular recently. It is free, like Zettlr and has a minimalist interface similar to the rest of the list. It is highly customizable but is not open source like Zettlr.

It has graphical view and bidirectional links, the information is stored on your computer (local), just like Zettlr. It allows you to make to-do lists and has a huge amount of extensions made by community users that add much more functionality to the base application.

Although it is free, there is a paid plan that allows you to synchronize files with the cloud and have them linked to your phone, as in Roam Research, although Obsidian does not have the ability to work with other people.

4. Notion

Notion is a very popular application, simple to use and can be used for the Zettelkasten method. It is free and there are paid plans with more capabilities.

It does not have a graphical view, unlike the rest, nor does it allow bidirectional links, unlike most others, and it does not allow working offline.

The information is stored in the cloud and allows you to collaborate with up to 10 people for free. It has multiple functions such as calendar, task lists, project management and more, however it is less customizable than the previous ones.

5. Logseq

It is an open source application, so in addition to being free it is fully customizable, like Zettlr. It is free like Obsidian, Zettlr and Notion.

It is similar to Obsidian. It has graphical view, allows bidirectional links and the information is stored locally although it can be synchronized with the cloud in its paid version.

It has fewer extensions than Obsidian but its main advantage is that it has a spaced repetition system that allows you to remember the information you have stored and allows you to work with other people, unlike Obsidian. It also has options for to-do lists, calendars and projects in a simpler way than Obsidian.

6. Reflect

Reflect is the least known but no less powerful. It is paid, like Roam Research, and can work both online and offline, unlike Notion.

It has a medium level of customization and has a graphical view and bidirectional links. It also allows collaboration with others like Roam Research, Logseq and Notion.

The main advantage is that it is synchronizable with numerous applications: Google Calendar, email, Readwise (book notes application), Kindle, the internet browser, etc. All this makes it a central point of information. The other applications have some of these options although they are more limited.

Conclusion

Okay, that's a lot of data, how about a summary?

With the data on the table, the best are Logseq, Obsidian or Zettlr.

Roam Research or Reflect are excellent, but they are pay monthly and the additional features they provide are not necessary for the Zettelkasten method. It is not worth paying for expendable elements.

Notion, honestly, is not adequate. It is excellent for collaboration and although it has many functions, the ones we really need for a Zettelkasten either do not exist (graphical view) or are worse (no bidirectional links).

Which one do you choose? Ask me your questions, I'll be happy to help you 😄.

My personal choice

Which one do I use? I use Obsidian for 2 reasons:

It is free and has everything you need for a Zettelkasten.

The files are on my computer, so there are internet connection problems. It doesn't allow teamwork, but that's irrelevant for a Zettelkasten: the goal is to learn, boost productivity and creativity. If necessary, it has a calendar and to-do lists, which are not the most comfortable, but they work.

If I had to choose another one, I would go to Logseq or Zettlr, which are its sisters.

PS: In the next chapter we will discover how to incorporate the Zettelkasten into a complete productivity system. You'll see how to organize everything around your Zettelkasten to go from having inspiration to finishing a great creative project.

See you soon! 👋