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Zim vs QOwnNotes: catalog facts
Zim	QOwnNotes
Free Free and open source.	Free Free and open source under the GPL.
Windows, Linux	macOS, Linux
Notes stored as plain text files you can edit elsewhere Pages created simply by linking to them	Notes are plain Markdown files, so nothing is locked in a proprietary format Works with Nextcloud and ownCloud Notes, or any file sync you already use
Uses its own wiki markup rather than Markdown Desktop only, with no built-in sync or mobile app	Many of the better features assume a Nextcloud or ownCloud server The interface is dense and Qt-flavoured rather than native anywhere
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Open source	Open source
License not stated	License: GPL-2.0
No account needed	No account needed
Works offline	Works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 23, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 21, 2026

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