In this blog post, I’m going to compare Logseq with Tana. Both applications are outliners. When I tried Tana for the first time, it reminded me of Logseq, as it appeared to share many ideas similar to Logseq. However, some differences will impact which application is best for you.
Why do we start our comparison by taking a look at Logseq?
Logseq
Logseq is an open-source Personal Knowledge Management system application that stores your notes locally on your computer in text files using the industry-standard markdown file format.
When you open Logseq, you are taken to Daily Note, which can be used as a launch pad for creating notes. It lets you keep a chronological log of when new notes were made. You can also create tasks for that day by typing TODO before the task.
Logseq supports backlinks and tags, making it a suitable application for hosting your Personal Knowledge Management system.
The core Logseq application is free and still in beta development. A Logseq mobile application and a syncing tool are also in development, but access is currently limited to those paying a monthly donation. A subscription model for Logseq sync is planned for the future, but the core application will always be free.
You can read my thoughts on Logseq in my first thoughts on Logseq post.
Tana
Tana is currently in beta release and is currently available for free, but the developers are looking to make it a paid product. Tana saves your notes in the cloud.
Like Logseq, Tana is designed around the concept of daily notes, which can be used as a launchpad. The task tag allows you to create a task.
Tana supports both backlinks and tags, making it a suitable application for hosting your Personal Knowledge Management system.
You can read my thoughts on Tana in my first thoughts on Tana post.
Conclusion
The core difference between the two applications is that Logseq is open source and stores the data locally in Markdown, a text-based file format. You can learn more about Markdown in our introductory guide. Logseq is also an open-source application, and the base application is free.
Tana is a cloud-based application, and while it is currently free, that might not always be the case, as the developer behind Tana expects to start charging for the application in the future. I have linked to the Tana pricing page. (Add link)
In my experience, Tana is slower to use than Logseq. I don’t think this lag makes the application unusable. But it does make me wonder if this would be the case if I moved my knowledge management application across to Tana.
Tana and Logseq could host a Personal Knowledge Management system like a Zettelkasten. Another plus for both applications is that ReadWise can directly export to both applications. I have yet to test this functionality.
I prefer Logseq. It is more flexible, is further along in its development, works locally, and is quicker.
Last updated 05/05/2024