Compare software

Foam vs Denote: catalog facts
Foam	Denote
Free Free and open source with no subscription.	Free Free and available from GNU ELPA.
Windows, macOS, Linux	Windows, macOS, Linux
Notes stored as standard Markdown files Wikilinks, backlinks, embeds and graph view	Plain-text notes with predictable file names No database or lock-in
Requires Visual Studio Code No dedicated mobile app	Requires Emacs and some familiarity with it No mobile app
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Open source	Open source
License not stated	License not stated
Not stated if an account is needed	No account needed
Not stated if it works offline	Works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 23, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 23, 2026

Catalog facts only. Anything “not stated” is unconfirmed. Check full listings for details.