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Org-roam vs Roam Research: catalog facts
Org-roam	Roam Research
Free Free and open source under the GPL version 3 or later.	Paid Paid subscription; current plans are listed on the Roam Research site.
Windows, macOS, Linux	Web
Plain-text notes that stay fully under your control Backlinks and a graph view for connecting ideas	Linked notes for building a graph of ideas Outline-style writing that feels like a bulleted list
Requires Emacs and familiarity with Org mode No mobile app of its own	Little detail is published on the homepage Proprietary with no open-source version
Downloadable app	Web application, Hosted service
Open source	Closed source
License: GPL-3.0-or-later	License not stated
No account needed	Not stated if an account is needed
Works offline	Not stated if it 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.