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Software · head to head

Reflect vs Roam Research

Reflect logo

Reflect

Software

Fast networked note-taking with AI

From
$10/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Roam Research logo

Roam Research

Software

A note-taking tool for networked thought

From
$15/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Reflect no free tier or free plan option; Roam Research cloud-dependent: no local-first option, all data stored on Roam servers
  • They diverge on capability: Reflect covers Bidirectional links, Roam Research covers Bi-directional linking.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Reflect and Roam Research actually diverge.

Attributes where Reflect and Roam Research differ
AttributeReflectRoam Research
Starting price$10/month$15/month
PlatformsWeb, macOS, Windows, iOSWeb, iOS, macOS, Windows
Founded20202017

Identical on both: pricing model (Unknown), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Reflect

  • Bidirectional links
  • End-to-end encryption
  • AI assistant
  • Instant sync
  • Chrome extension
  • Calendar sync
  • Kindle highlights
  • E2E encryption

Only in Roam Research

  • Bi-directional linking
  • Block references
  • Graph visualization
  • Sidebar navigation
  • Version history
  • Markdown support
  • TODO management
  • Readwise

Both cover

  • Daily notes
  • Cloud deployment
  • Web support
  • English language support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Reflect

  • Productivitynot Roam Research
  • Collaborationnot Roam Research
  • Task managementnot Roam Research
  • Organizationnot Roam Research

Roam Research

  • Research notesnot Reflect
  • Writing projectsnot Reflect
  • Personal knowledge managementnot Reflect
  • Academic worknot Reflect
  • Creative thinkingnot Reflect

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Reflect

  • No free tier or free plan option
  • Losing your password means permanent data loss with no recovery option
  • Shared notes are not end-to-end encrypted despite platform marketing encryption
  • AI features send your content to OpenAI servers (30-day retention)
  • Mobile apps have limited offline functionality compared to desktop

Roam Research

  • Cloud-dependent: no local-first option, all data stored on Roam servers
  • Offline sync issues: offline databases experience slow startup and synchronization problems
  • No native Android app
  • Requires internet connection for most functionality

Pricing, plan by plan

Reflect

$10/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Reflect review.

Roam Research

$15/month
  • Pro$15/month
    • Unlimited graphs
    • Unlimited blocks
    • Daily notes
  • Believer$500/5 years
    • All Pro features
    • Cost effective long-term subscription

Which should you pick?

Choose Reflect if

  • You need bidirectional links.
  • You work on Web, macOS, Windows, iOS.
  • You also want end-to-end encryption.
Reflect review

Choose Roam Research if

  • You need bi-directional linking.
  • You work on Web, iOS, macOS, Windows.
  • You also want block references.
Roam Research review

Questions people ask

Is Reflect or Roam Research better?
Neither clearly leads. Reflect starts at $10/month and Roam Research at $15/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Reflect or Roam Research?
Reflect starts at $10/month and Roam Research at $15/month.
Does Reflect or Roam Research run on more platforms?
Reflect runs on Web, macOS, Windows, iOS. Roam Research runs on Web, iOS, macOS, Windows.
What is Reflect best used for?
Reflect is most often used for productivity, collaboration, task management, organization. Of those, productivity and collaboration are not what Roam Research is typically brought in for.
What can Reflect do that Roam Research cannot?
Reflect covers Bidirectional links, End-to-end encryption, AI assistant, Instant sync. Roam Research covers Bi-directional linking, Block references, Graph visualization, Sidebar navigation. Both handle Daily notes, Cloud deployment, Web support, English language support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Reflect: Is there a free tier?

No. Reflect offers only a 14-day free trial before requiring $10/month (billed annually). There is no free plan.

Source
Roam Research: Does Roam Research have a free plan?

No, Roam Research does not offer a free plan. However, it includes a 31-day free trial before requiring a subscription to either the Pro plan ($15/month) or Believer plan ($500 for five years).

Source
Reflect: Does Reflect work offline?

Yes, editing and note-taking work offline on desktop. Mobile apps have offline limitations compared to the desktop experience.

Source
Roam Research: Can I use Roam Research offline?

Roam Research has limited offline support. Offline databases have significant performance issues, including slow startup times and sync problems. The platform is cloud-dependent and requires internet connectivity for most functionality.

Source
Reflect: How secure is my data?

Reflect uses end-to-end encryption with XChaCha20-Poly1305. An independent audit by Doyensec found no vulnerabilities. However, audio for transcription and text sent to AI features are processed by OpenAI servers (retained 30 days per OpenAI policy).

Source
Roam Research: What platforms does Roam Research support?

Roam Research is available as a web app and native mobile apps for iOS and macOS. Windows users access it through the web app or Electron desktop wrapper. Android support is limited.

Source
Reflect: Can I export my notes?

Yes. Reflect allows export of your notes, though the primary export method involves using their web and iOS apps with standard export capabilities.

Source
Roam Research: Can I export my data from Roam Research?

Yes, you can export your entire database or individual pages as JSON or Markdown format by clicking the three-dot menu. However, block references do not translate perfectly, and migration to other tools may require manual cleanup.

Source
Roam Research: Does Roam Research integrate with Slack?

Roam Research integrates with Slack through Zapier, allowing you to send Slack messages to Roam or add Slack messages to your Roam daily notes. No native Slack integration is available.

Source
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