What Is Logseq?
Logseq is an outliner: you write notes as nested bullet blocks, link them with page references, and browse backlinks, with journals, tasks and queries on top. It is made by Logseq, Inc., a Delaware corporation according to its privacy policy, and its source code is public.
The project now ships two kinds of graph. File graphs, the older format, keep pages as Markdown or Org-mode files; the newer database ("DB") graphs, introduced with the version reviewed here, keep content in a database. The README calls the DB version a beta and the new mobile app and real-time sync alpha, states that data loss is possible, and recommends automated backups and a dedicated test graph before moving real work.
Get It
Logseq is a free download for macOS, Windows and Linux from the GitHub Releases page, which hosts ready-made installers, so no terminal step is needed.
Desktop
- How to get it:
- Logseq releases on GitHub: .dmg for macOS (Apple silicon and Intel), .exe installer for Windows (x64 and ARM64), AppImage for Linux (x86_64 and ARM64)
Web app
- How to get it:
- app.logseq.com, named in the 2.0.2 release notes
iPhone and iPad
- How to get it:
- The DB-version iOS app is in TestFlight beta per the release notes (join the beta); an older App Store listing, Logseq, shows version 0.10.9 from April 2024
Android
- How to get it:
- An APK, Logseq-android-2.0.2.apk, is attached to the 2.0.2 release on GitHub
Website
- How to get it:
- logseq.com
Privacy policy
- How to get it:
- logseq.com/privacy-policy
Source code
- How to get it:
- github.com/logseq/logseq, AGPL-3.0
Version reviewed: 2.0.2, released on 7 October 2026 and titled "Desktop APP 2.0.2 (Beta Testing)". The release before the 2.0 line was 0.10.15 of 1 December 2025. The README also offers a Linux install script run with curl, and the 2.0.2 notes list a fix for the Windows installer crash on Windows 11 24H2 and newer.
Features Confirmed by the Sources
Every item below comes from the Logseq README, documentation or release notes; none has been tested by PromptQuorum.
- Outliner and database graphs. Blocks and pages are "nodes" that can carry tags and properties, with built-in tags for tasks, journals, queries, flashcards, assets and templates, plus table views.
- MCP server (optional). Once enabled, an MCP client can search nodes, create and list pages, tags and properties, add blocks and edit block titles, with several changes batched in one call.
- Sync and Publish. Logseq Sync, which also supports real-time collaboration, is described as a paid feature included for Open Collective backers at $5 a month and sponsors at $15 a month; Publish shares read-only pages at logseq.io. Both are optional.
- Plugins and themes. A plugin marketplace and a JavaScript plugin SDK extend the app; AI chat plugins are community-made, not part of Logseq.
Data Flow and Privacy
The privacy policy, last updated on 28 July 2023, says Logseq, Inc. collects identity, contact and transaction data that you provide, and technical data collected automatically through the app: device information, operating system, platform (Electron or browser) and release version. It also defines usage data about how the services are used.
The website says you own your data locally, and the policy's data tables do not list note content. Sync, Publish and the web app are the points where data would leave the device, under their own terms. The optional MCP server runs on localhost, but the AI client you connect decides where the data goes: a local one such as LM Studio keeps it on the machine, while a cloud-hosted client such as the Gemini CLI would send graph content to its provider.
📌Note: These are the maker's declarations, not audit results. The policy predates the 2.0 beta and its sync, MCP and mobile features, and PromptQuorum has not inspected the app's network traffic.
Who Should Use It
- Note-takers who want an open-source outliner with backlinks and daily journals and accept a beta.
- People who already run a local model tool such as LM Studio and want it to read or draft notes through MCP.
- Existing file-graph users who want to try the database version on a test graph first.
What We Could Not Verify
- Reliability on large graphs. PromptQuorum did not install or load the app, so speed, crashes and import quality are unknown.
- Mobile status. The docs call the Android app not yet open for alpha testing, yet an APK is attached to the 2.0.2 release; which mobile build is meant for general use is not clear.
- File format. The site advertises "Markdown files" so that you can open notes in other tools, while the DB-version docs describe database graphs backed up as SQLite; whether Markdown stays a primary format is not reconciled.
- Terms of Use. The privacy policy was read but not the full Terms of Use, so the conditions for Sync and Publish accounts are unchecked.
Competitors and Alternatives
SiYuan
- Platforms:
- macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android
- Price / license:
- AGPL-3.0 / free core, paid sync
- Key difference:
- Block-based workspace with AI agent features that call a model provider you configure
Articles about SiYuan (1)
- SiYuan Review: The Privacy-First, Block-Based Knowledge BaseUpdated September 18, 2026
Also mentioned in:
Blinko
- Platforms:
- Self-hosted web app (Docker)
- Price / license:
- GPL-3.0 / free
- Key difference:
- Self-hosted notes with RAG search that calls an external LLM by default
Articles about Blinko (1)
- Blinko Review: Self-Hosted AI Notes with RAG SearchUpdated September 19, 2026
Also mentioned in:
- Local Knowledge & Retrieval Tools Compared (2026): RAG, Document Chat, Vector Databases, Notes and SearchUpdated September 20, 2026
- Surf Review: Deta's Open-Source AI NotebookUpdated September 19, 2026
Only notes apps with a PromptQuorum review are listed; confirm each app's current price, license and platforms on its own site.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I host Sync and Publish myself?
Yes, per the docs: set a Sync Server URL or Publish Server URL under Settings, Advanced. Self-hosting Publish also needs a Cloudflare account.
Can I move an existing file-based graph to the database version?
The docs describe a File to DB graph importer in the three-dots menu under Import. A block with several queries, embeds or quotes imports only the first of each.
What does Sync encrypt?
The docs only say to set an encryption password once under Settings, Encryption before creating a synced graph; they do not describe the cryptography, and PromptQuorum has not checked for an independent audit.
Does Logseq have a command line?
For DB graphs, yes: a logseq CLI runs commands independently of the app, for example in CI, and comes with the nightly desktop build. It can also start the MCP server without the app.
How many plugins work with the database version?
The docs count more than 65 plugins that support DB graphs. AI plugins are community-made, so check each plugin's README for the model it calls; logseq-copilot is reviewed separately.
Verdict
Logseq is an actively updated notes tool, open source and local-first, and its AI role is deliberately small: external clients connect through an optional server. Against that, the release covered here is a beta, mobile availability is uneven and PromptQuorum has not tested it hands-on. It suits note-takers who accept a beta and want to bring their own AI tools; anyone who needs a settled setup should check which release line they are installing before moving real notes.
Sources
- Logseq on GitHub — README, licence and repository activity, checked 24 October 2026.
- Logseq 2.0.2 release — release notes, installer files and publication date.
- Logseq website — product claims and download page, checked 24 October 2026.
- Logseq privacy policy — data collected, last updated 28 July 2023.
- Logseq DB version docs — MCP server, Sync, Publish, plugins, importer and CLI.
- Logseq on the App Store — older iOS listing with its version and release date.