Memos is a self-hosted note-taking server with a chronological, Twitter-like feed for quick thoughts and longer markdown notes. It runs as a single binary backed by SQLite, making it easy to deploy on a personal server or VPS. Privacy here comes entirely from self-hosting: there is no end-to-end encryption, so the security of your notes depends on how you secure your server.
Memos
usememos.com
Our take
For anyone who wants a fast, zero-friction place to capture thoughts without feeding a cloud service, Memos is hard to beat on simplicity. The Go binary with embedded SQLite means a one-command setup, and the MIT license means you own the stack completely. The catch is worth being clear about: this is not an encrypted notebook. If your server is compromised, your notes are readable in plain text. That makes it a strong pick for self-hosters who already run hardened infrastructure, and a poor fit for anyone who needs confidentiality guarantees without managing their own security perimeter.
GitHub at a glance
usememos/memos
Stars
60,979
Last commit
today
healthy
License
MIT
Latest release
v0.29.1
17d ago
Listed in
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Memos license, in plain English
MIT Permissive
Do almost anything: use, change, and ship it, even inside closed-source products. The only condition is keeping the copyright notice.
Permits
- Commercial use
- Modification
- Distribution
- Private use
Requires
- License and copyright notice
Does not provide
- Liability cover
- Warranty
Why it matters: Permissive licensing lets anyone reuse this, including inside closed products. That is freedom to build on, but no guarantee that downstream copies stay open.
Plain-language summary of the project's license, not legal advice. Read the full text for the exact terms.