Softwr

Software · head to head

Roam Research vs Tana

Roam Research logo

Roam Research

Software

A note-taking tool for networked thought

From
$15/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Tana logo

Tana

Software

The everything app for your personal workspace

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Tana has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Roam Research cloud-dependent: no local-first option, all data stored on Roam servers; Tana the free plan hosts only 5 meetings a month with AI transcripts and summaries
  • They diverge on capability: Roam Research covers Bi-directional linking, Tana covers Outliner interface.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Roam Research and Tana differ
AttributeRoam ResearchTana
Starting price$15/monthFree
Pricing modelUnknownfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, iOS, macOS, WindowsWeb, Desktop
Founded20172020

Identical on both: 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 Roam Research

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

Only in Tana

  • Outliner interface
  • Supertags
  • Live queries
  • AI integration
  • Graph views
  • Email capture
  • API
  • Zapier

Both cover

  • Cloud deployment
  • Web support
  • English language support

What people use each for

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

Roam Research

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

Tana

  • Structured note taking with a graph based supertag data modelnot Roam Research
  • Automatic meeting capture with AI transcripts and summariesnot Roam Research
  • Turning notes into queryable structured databasesnot Roam Research

Where each one falls short

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

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

Tana

  • The free plan hosts only 5 meetings a month with AI transcripts and summaries
  • The free plan connects only 1 calendar and allows 50 AI queries
  • Pro is $30 per user per month at standard price, with $20 shown as an early bird rate
  • Max is $120 per user per month at standard price, with $80 shown as an early bird rate
  • Integrations and full MCP require the Pro plan
  • Dedicated support and onboarding, and unlimited agents, skills and types, require the Max plan
  • The Business plan is custom priced, billed yearly and has no published rate
  • The free trial runs 30 days

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Tana

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Core features
    • Supertags
    • Searches
  • Pro$10/month
    • Advanced AI
    • Priority support
    • Extended history

Which should you pick?

Choose Roam Research if

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

Choose Tana if

  • You need outliner interface.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Desktop.
  • You also want supertags.
Tana review

Questions people ask

Is Roam Research or Tana better?
Neither clearly leads. Roam Research starts at $15/month and Tana at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Roam Research or Tana?
Tana has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $15/month for Roam Research and Free for Tana.
Does Roam Research or Tana run on more platforms?
Roam Research runs on Web, iOS, macOS, Windows. Tana runs on Web, Desktop.
Can I use Tana for free?
Yes. Tana has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Roam Research starts at $15/month.
What is Roam Research best used for?
Roam Research is most often used for research notes, writing projects, personal knowledge management, academic work. Of those, research notes and writing projects are not what Tana is typically brought in for.
What can Roam Research do that Tana cannot?
Roam Research covers Bi-directional linking, Block references, Daily notes, Graph visualization. Tana covers Outliner interface, Supertags, Live queries, AI integration. Both handle Cloud deployment, Web support, English language support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
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
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
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
ShareXLinkedInRedditWhatsAppEmail

Related pages

More on Roam Research

More on Tana

Keep looking

Other head to heads