Basic Memory Alternatives: 6 MCP Servers Like Basic Memory

Basic Memory gives AI clients persistent knowledge stored as Markdown that people can also edit. It combines linked notes, semantic search, and optional cloud collaboration.

Basic Memory alternatives compared

Basic Memory turns Markdown notes into shared working knowledge for people and AI assistants. Instead of keeping useful information only inside a conversation, it lets compatible clients read, write, and search files that remain accessible in ordinary editors. Observations and wikilinks connect those notes into a graph, while semantic retrieval complements full-text search. The local setup uses files on disk with a SQLite index, and the README also describes vector search on SQLite or Postgres using FastEmbed embeddings. Obsidian can work directly with the same Markdown, frontmatter, and links.

Ranked by shared tags × quality; ties: quality, non-monorepo stars, slug.

Basic Memory setup notes

Basic Memory's stdio example needs a client that launches local processes.

Why switch from Basic Memory

1. Context Portal MCP (ConPort)

Basic Memory and Context Portal MCP (ConPort) have no exact tool-name overlap in their recorded lists. Context Portal MCP (ConPort) lists 1 name absent from Basic Memory, including get_conport_schema. Moving from Basic Memory to Context Portal MCP (ConPort) would also mean rechecking workflows using edit_note, fetch, schema_diff, which appear only in Basic Memory's list. Basic Memory and Context Portal MCP (ConPort) both list python / stdio. Basic Memory is listed under AGPL-3.0, versus Apache-2.0 for Context Portal MCP (ConPort). Context Portal MCP (ConPort)'s repository has 3,496 fewer stars than Basic Memory (767 versus 4,263). Last pushes: Basic Memory 2026-10-16; Context Portal MCP (ConPort) 2026-01-27.

Context Portal MCP (ConPort) overlaps Basic Memory on: knowledge-graph, semantic-search.

2. Notion MCP Server

Basic Memory and Notion MCP Server have no exact tool-name overlap in their recorded lists. Notion MCP Server lists 9 names absent from Basic Memory, including create-a-data-source, list-data-source-templates, move-page. Moving from Basic Memory to Notion MCP Server would also mean rechecking workflows using edit_note, fetch, schema_diff, which appear only in Basic Memory's list. Basic Memory records python; Notion MCP Server records node. Basic Memory and Notion MCP Server both list stdio. Basic Memory is listed under AGPL-3.0, versus MIT for Notion MCP Server. Notion MCP Server's repository has 409 more stars than Basic Memory (4,672 versus 4,263). Last pushes: Basic Memory 2026-10-16; Notion MCP Server 2026-09-20.

Notion MCP Server overlaps Basic Memory on: markdown.

3. Obsidian MCP Server

Basic Memory and Obsidian MCP Server have no exact tool-name overlap in their recorded lists. Obsidian MCP Server lists 14 names absent from Basic Memory, including obsidian_append_to_note, obsidian_delete_note, obsidian_execute_command. Moving from Basic Memory to Obsidian MCP Server would also mean rechecking workflows using edit_note, fetch, schema_diff, which appear only in Basic Memory's list. Basic Memory records python; Obsidian MCP Server records node. Basic Memory and Obsidian MCP Server both list stdio. Basic Memory is listed under AGPL-3.0, versus Apache-2.0 for Obsidian MCP Server. Obsidian MCP Server's repository has 3,567 fewer stars than Basic Memory (696 versus 4,263). Last pushes: Basic Memory 2026-10-16; Obsidian MCP Server 2026-10-06.

Obsidian MCP Server overlaps Basic Memory on: markdown.

4. MCP Knowledge Graph

Basic Memory and MCP Knowledge Graph have no exact tool-name overlap in their recorded lists. MCP Knowledge Graph lists 10 names absent from Basic Memory, including aim_memory_add_facts, aim_memory_forget, aim_memory_get. Moving from Basic Memory to MCP Knowledge Graph would also mean rechecking workflows using edit_note, fetch, schema_diff, which appear only in Basic Memory's list. Basic Memory records python; MCP Knowledge Graph records node. Basic Memory and MCP Knowledge Graph both list stdio. Basic Memory is listed under AGPL-3.0, versus MIT for MCP Knowledge Graph. MCP Knowledge Graph's repository has 3,378 fewer stars than Basic Memory (885 versus 4,263). Last pushes: Basic Memory 2026-10-16; MCP Knowledge Graph 2026-05-29.

MCP Knowledge Graph overlaps Basic Memory on: knowledge-graph.

5. Grounded Docs MCP Server

Basic Memory and Grounded Docs MCP Server have no exact tool-name overlap in their recorded lists. Grounded Docs MCP Server lists 1 name absent from Basic Memory, including scrape_docs. Moving from Basic Memory to Grounded Docs MCP Server would also mean rechecking workflows using edit_note, fetch, schema_diff, which appear only in Basic Memory's list. Basic Memory records python; Grounded Docs MCP Server records node. Basic Memory and Grounded Docs MCP Server both list stdio. Basic Memory is listed under AGPL-3.0, versus MIT for Grounded Docs MCP Server. Grounded Docs MCP Server's repository has 2,449 fewer stars than Basic Memory (1,814 versus 4,263). Last pushes: Basic Memory 2026-10-16; Grounded Docs MCP Server 2026-10-18.

Grounded Docs MCP Server overlaps Basic Memory on: semantic-search.

6. easy-notion-mcp

Basic Memory and easy-notion-mcp both list stdio. easy-notion-mcp's repository has 4,208 fewer stars than Basic Memory (55 versus 4,263). Last pushes: Basic Memory 2026-10-16; easy-notion-mcp 2026-09-11.

easy-notion-mcp overlaps Basic Memory on: markdown.