AppBreakup
Submit an app

SilverBullet alternatives: 5 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave SilverBullet: self-hosting takes some technical skill, and no native mobile apps. We ranked 5 alternatives by how directly each one replaces SilverBullet, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Obsidian currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1Obsidian logoObsidianFree plan + paidNoWindows, macOS, Linux +22 of 380.3
2Logseq logoLogseqOpen sourceYesWindows, macOS, Linux +21 of 369.8
3Joplin logoJoplinOpen sourceYesWindows, macOS, Linux +31 of 365.5
4Trilium Notes logoTrilium NotesOpen sourceYesWindows, macOS, Linux +24 of 462.6
5Memos logoMemosOpen sourceYesWeb, Self-hosted4 of 457.2
  1. Obsidian logo

    1. ObsidianTop pick

    Best for: People who want to own their notes as local Markdown files

    Free plan + paidWindows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android

    80.3

    score / 100

    Why switch from SilverBullet

    Local Markdown with polished native apps and thousands of plugins.

    Pros

    • Notes are plain Markdown files you own
    • Works fully offline
    • Huge plugin ecosystem

    Cons

    • Official sync is a paid add-on
    • Real-time collaboration is limited
    Visit Obsidian Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.3100
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.15100
    Freshness ×0.1577
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Obsidian a good SilverBullet alternative?

    Verified facts

    2 of 3 verified
    Price
    Free, no sign-up required
    Checked Oct 24, 2026obsidian.md(opens source in a new tab)
    Storage
    Local Markdown files
    Checked Oct 24, 2026obsidian.md(opens source in a new tab)
    Sync
    Paid add-on
    Not checked yetobsidian.md(opens source in a new tab)
  2. Logseq logo

    2. Logseq

    Best for: Outliner thinkers who want local, open-source notes with backlinks

    Open sourceWindows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android

    69.8

    score / 100

    Why switch from SilverBullet

    Open-source outliner with queries over local Markdown files.

    Pros

    • Free and open source
    • Local Markdown or Org files
    • Strong backlinks and block references

    Cons

    • Outliner-only structure isn't for everyone
    • Mobile apps feel less polished
    Visit Logseq Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.377
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.15100
    Freshness ×0.1553
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Logseq a good SilverBullet alternative?

    Verified facts

    1 of 3 verified
    Open source
    Yes
    Checked Oct 24, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Storage
    Local Markdown/Org files
    Not checked yetlogseq.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Price
    Free
    Not checked yetlogseq.com(opens source in a new tab)
  3. Joplin logo

    3. Joplin

    Best for: Leaving Evernote for an open-source app with encrypted sync

    Open sourceSelf-hostableWindows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Self-hosted

    65.5

    score / 100

    Why switch from SilverBullet

    Open-source notes with native mobile apps and many sync options.

    Pros

    • Open source with end-to-end encryption
    • Sync with your own storage
    • Imports Evernote exports

    Cons

    • Interface is plainer than commercial apps
    • Collaboration features are basic
    Visit Joplin Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.363
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.15100
    Freshness ×0.1553
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Joplin a good SilverBullet alternative?

    Verified facts

    1 of 3 verified
    Open source
    Yes
    Not checked yetgithub.com(opens source in a new tab)
    End-to-end encryption
    Yes
    Checked Oct 24, 2026joplinapp.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Evernote import
    Yes (ENEX files)
    Not checked yetjoplinapp.org(opens source in a new tab)
  4. Trilium Notes logo

    4. Trilium Notes

    Best for: Tinkerers who want a large, scriptable knowledge base on their own server

    Open sourceSelf-hostableWindows, macOS, Linux, Web, Self-hosted

    62.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from SilverBullet

    Another self-hosted knowledge base, with scripting and a note tree.

    Pros

    • Free and open source with no paid tiers
    • Handles very large hierarchical note trees
    • Scripting, templates and relations
    • Works offline with no account

    Cons

    • No official mobile app
    • You host your own sync server
    • Interface feels dated
    Visit Trilium Notes Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.387
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Trilium Notes a good SilverBullet alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    License
    AGPL-3.0
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Price
    Free, no paid tiers
    Checked Oct 25, 2026triliumnotes.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Self-hosting
    Yes
    Checked Oct 25, 2026triliumnotes.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Official mobile app
    No
    Checked Oct 25, 2026triliumnotes.org(opens source in a new tab)
  5. Memos logo

    5. Memos

    Best for: Self-hosters who want a private timeline for quick notes and thoughts

    Open sourceSelf-hostableWeb, Self-hosted

    57.2

    score / 100

    Why switch from SilverBullet

    Lighter self-hosted notes for quick thoughts.

    Pros

    • Free, MIT licensed and self-hosted
    • Very light to run
    • No telemetry
    • API for integrations

    Cons

    • You must host it yourself
    • No official native apps
    • Not for long documents
    Visit Memos Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.369
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Memos a good SilverBullet alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    License
    MIT
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Price
    Free, no licence fee
    Checked Oct 25, 2026usememos.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Databases
    SQLite, MySQL, PostgreSQL
    Checked Oct 25, 2026usememos.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Telemetry
    None
    Checked Oct 25, 2026usememos.com(opens source in a new tab)

The best SilverBullet alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

Obsidian logo

Best SilverBullet alternative for most people

Obsidian

Local Markdown with polished native apps and thousands of plugins.

Logseq logo

Best SilverBullet alternative for a free option

Logseq

Open-source outliner with queries over local Markdown files.

Obsidian logo

Best SilverBullet alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

Obsidian

Local Markdown with polished native apps and thousands of plugins.

Joplin logo

Best SilverBullet alternative for open source

Joplin

Open-source notes with native mobile apps and many sync options.

Trilium Notes logo

Best SilverBullet alternative for self-hosting

Trilium Notes

Another self-hosted knowledge base, with scripting and a note tree.

Obsidian logo

Best SilverBullet alternative for Mac

Obsidian

Local Markdown with polished native apps and thousands of plugins.

Obsidian logo

Best SilverBullet alternative for Windows

Obsidian

Local Markdown with polished native apps and thousands of plugins.

Obsidian logo

Best SilverBullet alternative for Linux

Obsidian

Local Markdown with polished native apps and thousands of plugins.

Obsidian logo

Best SilverBullet alternative for iPhone and Android

Obsidian

Local Markdown with polished native apps and thousands of plugins.

Memos logo

Best SilverBullet alternative for working in the browser

Memos

Lighter self-hosted notes for quick thoughts.

SilverBullet alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to SilverBullet?

Obsidian ranks first right now. Local Markdown with polished native apps and thousands of plugins. Logseq and Joplin follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to SilverBullet?

Yes. Obsidian (free plan + paid), Logseq (open source), Joplin (open source) and Trilium Notes (open source) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to SilverBullet?

Yes: Logseq, Joplin, Trilium Notes and Memos. Joplin, Trilium Notes and Memos can also be self-hosted.

Which SilverBullet alternatives work on Linux?

Obsidian, Logseq, Joplin and Trilium Notes run on Linux.

Why do people switch from SilverBullet?

The complaints we hear most: self-hosting takes some technical skill; no native mobile apps; smaller community than Obsidian.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces SilverBullet, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.