ToolFlock

Roam Research

Roam Research is a note-taking app that links notes into a networked graph rather than folders. It is mainly used for daily journaling, research notes and building a long-term personal knowledge base.

#21 in Productivity ToolsNote-Taking AppsNo free plan

Who it's for

Best for

  • Writers and researchers who keep years of linked daily notes in one workspace
  • Thinkers who build a networked knowledge base without rigid folder trees

Not for

  • Teams that need notes to feed into other apps and task managers
  • Students who need a free place to keep course notes

Pricing

Free planNo
Pro$15/mo

Features

  • Networked thought

    Roam Research is a note-taking tool built for networked thought, where notes are linked to one another instead of filed into separate folders.

  • Desktop apps

    Desktop apps are listed for macOS and Windows, and the tool also runs in a web browser.

  • Mobile apps

    Mobile apps for iOS and Android are listed for download, giving access to the same workspace away from a computer.

  • API access and apps

    The Pro plan carries API access and apps, so outside software can connect to a Roam workspace.

  • Browser extension

    A Chrome browser extension is available for capturing material from the web, listed with the desktop and mobile downloads.

What users say

Pros

  • Notes need very little upkeep, and organizing and linking thoughts takes less time than in other knowledge apps.
  • A workspace left untouched for years reopens with notes, layout and custom CSS exactly where they were.
  • A daily note links back to the same calendar date from earlier years, so work from five years ago comes up again.
  • Notes stay end-to-end encrypted and sync block by block, with an encrypted backup saved to the laptop daily.
  • Opening the app and starting to write happens right away, with no waiting on a slow sync.

Cons

  • There is no integration with other apps, and importing a whole personal archive into the workspace is awkward.
  • Notes only work on a paid subscription, with no free tier for long-term use.
  • The web app's heavy front-end feels a decade behind lighter note-taking tools.

A selection of the review sources we used:

Summarized from public user reviews and community discussions. View details

Global Traffic Rank

No data

Alternatives

Roam ResearchApple NotesObsidianBear
Rank#21 in category#1 in category#9 in category#16 in category
Free planNoYesYesYes
ProLow upkeep, encrypted sync, stable for years, fast to write inFree, instant syncing, simple, private, quick capture, smart tagsLocal markdown files, linked notes, daily notes, fast syncMarkdown notes, nested tags, large libraries, fast iPhone capture