Loam vs Anytype
Both apps are local-first and keep your data on your devices. Anytype stores objects, types and relations in its own database, with end-to-end encrypted sync and apps on desktop and mobile. Loam stores plain Markdown files in a folder. Pick Anytype if you want a structured, encrypted workspace on every device. Pick Loam if you want files you can open in any editor.
Last updated November 3, 2026
Loam vs Anytype at a glance
Published capabilities, checked on official sites in November 2026.
| Dimension | Loam | Anytype |
|---|---|---|
| Where notes live | Plain Markdown files in a folder you choose, called a vault | In a local object database in the app's data folder |
| Data model | Markdown notes with properties in frontmatter | Objects with types and relations |
| Platforms | macOS 26 or later, on Apple silicon | Mac, Windows, Linux, iPhone and Android |
| Account | None. Free and open source | A key made of a recovery phrase, with no email; local-only use is possible |
| Source | Open source | Source available, under its own license |
| Sync | Git sync, with an optional encrypted remote | Peer-to-peer with a backup node, or self-hosted, end-to-end encrypted |
| Markdown | Every note is a Markdown file | Export to Markdown; import from Markdown, Notion and Obsidian |
| Command line and agents | Yes: the loam command runs every action of the app | A local API, an MCP server and a command line for a headless server |
| Price | Free | Free for local and peer-to-peer use; paid memberships for more storage and shared spaces |
Sources: Anytype docs ↗ · Anytype source ↗ · Anytype MCP ↗
Objects or files
Anytype models your data as objects: a page, a task, a person or a book is an object with a type and relations to other objects. That gives you structure and powerful views, in a private, encrypted workspace.
Loam models your data as files. A note is a Markdown file, its properties live in frontmatter, and collections show notes as a table, a kanban board or a gallery. It is less structured, and every byte stays readable with a text editor.
Privacy and sync
Anytype encrypts your data end to end and syncs it between your devices through its network, a backup node or a server you host. Your access is a key made of a recovery phrase, and Anytype states that a lost key cannot be recovered.
Loam has no server and no account. If you want sync, Git sync pushes the vault to a private repository, and the remote can be encrypted so that it only holds ciphertext.
AI agents
Both apps work with agents. Anytype has a local API, an MCP server and a command line for a headless server. In Loam the loam command runs every action of the app, so an agent uses the same commands as you. See Agents.
Which one to pick
Choose Loam if
- You want notes as plain Markdown files you can open anywhere
- You want no account and no recovery phrase to keep safe
- You prefer an open source app, plugins and Git
Choose Anytype if
- You want a structured workspace with types, relations and shared spaces
- You want end-to-end encrypted sync between phones and computers, out of the box
- You need Windows, Linux, iPhone or Android
Switching from Anytype to Loam
- In Anytype, export your objects as Markdown.
- Open an empty folder as a vault in Loam, as described in Your first vault, and copy the exported files into it. Loam has no Anytype importer.
- Relations and types do not exist as such in Markdown. Check which properties you want to keep as frontmatter. See Import notes.
Loam vs Anytype: questions
Is Loam an alternative to Anytype?
If you prefer plain Markdown files over an object database, yes. Both are local-first. Loam is simpler and files-based; Anytype is more structured and runs on more platforms.
Can I export Anytype to Markdown and use it in Loam?
Yes. Anytype exports to Markdown. Copy the files into a folder and open it as a vault in Loam. Types and relations are not kept as such.
Is Anytype open source?
Its source is available under its own license, which is not an open source license in the usual sense. Loam is open source.
Does Loam encrypt my notes?
Your notes are plain files on your disk. With Git sync you can encrypt the remote, so that it only holds ciphertext.