Loam vs Roam Research
Roam Research is a cloud outliner built around bidirectional links and daily notes, sold as a subscription. Loam is a free notebook for Mac that keeps regular Markdown notes as files, with backlinks too. Pick Roam if you think in blocks and outlines and want it on every platform. Pick Loam if you want plain files, no subscription and an open source app.
Last updated November 3, 2026
Loam vs Roam Research at a glance
Published capabilities, checked on official sites in November 2026.
| Dimension | Loam | Roam Research |
|---|---|---|
| Where notes live | Plain Markdown files in a folder you choose, called a vault | In graphs hosted in Roam's cloud; desktop can open offline graphs |
| Writing model | Regular Markdown notes, with an optional daily note | Outlines of blocks, with block references |
| Backlinks | Backlinks and tags between notes | Bidirectional links between pages and blocks |
| Platforms | macOS 26 or later, on Apple silicon | Mac, Windows, Linux, iPhone, Android and the web |
| Account | None. Free and open source | Roam account required |
| Plugins | Every feature is a plugin. Install from the catalog or a Git URL; an agent can write one | Roam Depot extensions, and custom scripts and styles |
| Command line and agents | Yes: the loam command runs every action of the app | APIs, an MCP server and a command line, in alpha, that need the desktop app |
| Collaboration | Single user; share a vault through Git | Collaborators on a graph |
| Price | Free | A subscription after a 31-day trial; no free plan |
Sources: Roam Research ↗ · Roam tools ↗
Blocks or documents
In Roam every line is a block you can reference, embed and link from anywhere. That makes it very good for thinking in small units and connecting ideas.
In Loam a note is a Markdown document. You link notes with standard Markdown links, see backlinks, and keep a daily note if you like. There are no block references.
Where your graph lives
Roam hosts your graph in its cloud and charges a subscription. You can export it, and the Markdown export is a snapshot of text.
Loam keeps your notes as files in a folder, free of charge. They open in any editor, and nothing depends on a service staying in business.
Extending and automating
Roam has Roam Depot, an extension marketplace, plus APIs and an alpha command line and MCP server for the desktop app. In Loam every feature is a plugin, and the loam command runs every action of the app. See Plugins and Agents.
Which one to pick
Choose Loam if
- You want notes as Markdown files in a folder you own
- You want a free, open source app with no subscription
- You think in documents more than in blocks
Choose Roam Research if
- You think in outlines and want block references and embeds
- You need Windows, Linux, the web or mobile apps
- You work with collaborators on one graph
Switching from Roam Research to Loam
- In Roam, export your graph 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 Roam importer.
- Block references and embeds do not exist in Markdown files. Check the links after the copy, because only standard Markdown links feed backlinks. See Import notes.
Loam vs Roam Research: questions
Is Loam an alternative to Roam Research?
For personal notes with backlinks, yes. Loam is free, open source and file-based. It has no block references, outlines or web app.
Can I move from Roam to Loam?
Export your graph as Markdown, copy the files into a folder and open it as a vault in Loam. Block references and embeds will not carry over.
Does Roam have a free plan?
Roam offers a 31-day trial, then a subscription. Loam is free and open source.
Does Loam have daily notes like Roam?
Yes. Daily notes are a plugin: one note per day in a folder you choose, started from a template.