Memos Review

Memos lets you write notes in Markdown with images and files, search them, filter by tag, browse by date, pin important memos, and save reusable filters as views. Visibility is private by default and you can share with signed-in users or publicly. A web clipper is available for Chrome and Firefox. OpenAlternative describes timeline-based notes instead of folders, inline tasks, links, and full-text search, and says it is light enough for a Raspberry Pi. The README describes self-hosting with zero telemetry, and the repository is tagged with SQLite. The documentation lists a REST and gRPC API reference, integrations for API access, MCP, webhooks, and community tools, an Admin section for instance settings and user management, and an Operations section covering backup planning, safe upgrades, and production performance tuning.

Run the Docker image neosmemo/memos:stable, map port 5230, and mount a data volume at ~/.memos, or use the checked-in Compose file for repeatable deployments. The docs list Docker, Compose, source builds, and Kubernetes under Deploy, and the Configuration section covers runtime flags, database, storage, authentication, and security. The documentation index we read does not itself list the supported databases, storage backends, SSO options, or resource requirements, so check the Configuration and Operations pages, and the README only tags SQLite. Version numbering is worth noting: the README says releases use a YY.MM scheme such as 26.09.1 while older installs referenced v0.31.0, and the documentation index says the current stable release for its usage and configuration guides is 0.31.0, so confirm which scheme your version follows before upgrading.

The home screen is a feed: type a note, hit save, and it joins the timeline, where tags and search help you find it later. Because it is deliberately simple, it avoids the complexity of block-based workspaces. This section reflects the README, documentation index, and OpenAlternative; we did not run Memos ourselves.

• Timeline of Markdown notes with images and files
• Tags, full-text search, date browsing, and saved views
• Private-by-default visibility with sharing options
• Inline tasks and links
• REST and gRPC APIs, webhooks, and MCP integration
• Web clipper for Chrome and Firefox, and zero telemetry

• Extremely simple to install and run, with about 64,000 stars
• MIT license and no paid tiers or seat pricing
• Private by default, with your notes stored on your own server
• A real API and webhook surface for automating capture

• Not a structured workspace: no databases, nested wikis, or block layouts like Notion
• The documentation index does not list databases, storage backends, SSO, or resource usage, so verify them in the Configuration pages
• Sharing and collaboration features are basic
• A single data volume means you must handle backups yourself, and the docs have a dedicated backup and restore page for this reason
• Version numbering changed to YY.MM while some docs still refer to 0.31.0, which can confuse upgrades

Memos is free and open source under the MIT license, with no paid tiers. Your only cost is hosting, and the OpenAlternative page lists an affiliate VPS offer, which is not Memos pricing.

Google Keep is a quick-capture notes app tied to a Google account, and Notion, Obsidian, and OneNote are richer workspaces and note systems. Memos fits the Keep use case with a private, self-hosted, Markdown-based timeline, and it complements heavier tools rather than replacing them. If you want bi-directional links and a vault of files, Obsidian is closer; for fast capture on your own server, Memos is excellent.

• People who want a private, self-hosted place for quick notes and journaling
• Homelab users running Docker on a Raspberry Pi or small VPS
• Anyone leaving Google Keep who wants Markdown

• Teams that need structured databases and wikis
• Users who want rich collaboration and permissions
• Anyone who does not want to run a server