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Basic Memory compared

Basic Memory or WhyVault: same format, two paths.

Basic Memory and WhyVault want the same thing: AI agents that remember, in plain Markdown that belongs to you. The difference is where the notes live, who takes care of the tech and how much structure you get. Here’s the comparison, without spin in either direction.

Reading time: 8 minutesUpdated:

01

What Basic Memory is

Basic Memory is an open-source MCP server by Basic Machines. It gives Claude, Codex, Cursor, VS Code and any other MCP client tools to write, read, edit and search notes. The notes are Markdown files in a folder on your computer, ~/basic-memory by default, with a SQLite index next to them for search.

What sets it apart is a small grammar inside the Markdown: observations like - [method] … record facts, relations like relates_to [[Another Note]] connect notes. Together they form a knowledge graph the agent can follow link by link. Search is full text and, in recent versions, semantic too.

Locally, you install Basic Memory with Python via uv and add it to each client. If you’d rather not, there’s Basic Memory Cloud: the same software, hosted, with access from the browser and your phone, snapshots and sync with a local folder. Locally and in the cloud, the code is open under AGPL-3.0.

basic-memory/Coffee Brewing Methods.md
---title: Coffee Brewing Methodstype: notepermalink: coffee-brewing-methodstags: [coffee]---# Coffee Brewing Methods## Observations- [method] Pour over brings out subtler flavours than French press- [technique] Water at 96 °C extracts best## Relations- relates_to [[Coffee Bean Origins]]- requires [[Proper Grinding Technique]]

02

What a Basic Memory note looks like

Plain Markdown with frontmatter, plus observations and relations. The example is modelled on the Basic Memory README.

  1. Frontmatter with title, type, permalink and tags, just like you know it from Obsidian.

  2. Observations in square brackets are facts with a category. For people, they’re still a normal list.

  3. Relations are [[wikilinks]] with a type in front. That’s what makes the graph, and that’s what stays readable when you move.

03

Basic Memory and WhyVault compared

As of October 2026, based on the Basic Memory README and the WhyVault docs. For Basic Memory, “local” and “cloud” are often listed separately, because the two versions differ.

–Basic MemoryWhyVault
SetupLocal: Python via uv, then an entry in every client. Cloud: create an account, connect a clientCreate an account, paste one URL, sign in
Where your data livesLocal: Markdown files on your disk plus a SQLite index. Cloud: hosted by the providerEU-hosted (Frankfurt): database, sign-in and files
ClientsLocal: desktop clients like Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, VS Code. Cloud adds browser and phone. ChatGPT via Custom GPT actionsClaude on the web, desktop and phone, Claude Code, Cursor, ChatGPT (developer mode) and any client with remote MCP
Sign-inLocal: none needed. Cloud: OAuth, or an API key that covers the whole accountOAuth 2.1, or an access key per connection, read-only if you like
StructureIts own grammar for observations and relations; folders are up to youA ready-made template with rooms and rules in 9_System that every agent reads first – or start empty
SearchFull text and semantic (vector) search, with optional rerankingFull-text search that understands word forms, plus backlinks
Versioning & undoLocal: up to you, with Git for example. Cloud: snapshots with point-in-time restoreEvery change a version with the agent’s name and a diff; undo one change or everything one agent did
Permissions per connectionHandled by your client: tools are flagged as read-only or destructive, so clients can ask before writingRead, write and delete per connection. Deleting is off and, if allowed, only goes to the trash
ExportLocally, the files are already yours. Cloud: export to local Markdown anytimeA zip of Markdown with folders, frontmatter and wikilinks that opens in Obsidian, even without a subscription
CostLocal is free. Cloud from $15 a month (beta price, per the README), 7-day trialFree up to 20 notes; Pro €9.99 a month or €99 a year
Open sourceYes, AGPL-3.0, locally and in the cloudNo, a hosted service. The WhyVault template is free on GitHub
Setup
Basic MemoryLocal: Python via uv, then an entry in every client. Cloud: create an account, connect a client
WhyVaultCreate an account, paste one URL, sign in
Where your data lives
Basic MemoryLocal: Markdown files on your disk plus a SQLite index. Cloud: hosted by the provider
WhyVaultEU-hosted (Frankfurt): database, sign-in and files
Clients
Basic MemoryLocal: desktop clients like Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, VS Code. Cloud adds browser and phone. ChatGPT via Custom GPT actions
WhyVaultClaude on the web, desktop and phone, Claude Code, Cursor, ChatGPT (developer mode) and any client with remote MCP
Sign-in
Basic MemoryLocal: none needed. Cloud: OAuth, or an API key that covers the whole account
WhyVaultOAuth 2.1, or an access key per connection, read-only if you like
Structure
Basic MemoryIts own grammar for observations and relations; folders are up to you
WhyVaultA ready-made template with rooms and rules in 9_System that every agent reads first – or start empty
Search
Basic MemoryFull text and semantic (vector) search, with optional reranking
WhyVaultFull-text search that understands word forms, plus backlinks
Versioning & undo
Basic MemoryLocal: up to you, with Git for example. Cloud: snapshots with point-in-time restore
WhyVaultEvery change a version with the agent’s name and a diff; undo one change or everything one agent did
Permissions per connection
Basic MemoryHandled by your client: tools are flagged as read-only or destructive, so clients can ask before writing
WhyVaultRead, write and delete per connection. Deleting is off and, if allowed, only goes to the trash
Export
Basic MemoryLocally, the files are already yours. Cloud: export to local Markdown anytime
WhyVaultA zip of Markdown with folders, frontmatter and wikilinks that opens in Obsidian, even without a subscription
Cost
Basic MemoryLocal is free. Cloud from $15 a month (beta price, per the README), 7-day trial
WhyVaultFree up to 20 notes; Pro €9.99 a month or €99 a year
Open source
Basic MemoryYes, AGPL-3.0, locally and in the cloud
WhyVaultNo, a hosted service. The WhyVault template is free on GitHub

Basic Memory’s prices and features change; these details come from the project’s README. Check the current state on basicmemory.com before you decide.

04

When Basic Memory is the better choice

There are good reasons to stay with Basic Memory or start with it. If one of them decides it for you, it’s the right choice.

  • Everything stays on your machine

    Locally, your notes don’t leave your disk until an agent reads them. Basic Memory works without internet, even on air-gapped machines.

  • Open source

    AGPL-3.0: you can read, audit, adapt and run the code yourself. For some companies and projects, that’s a must.

  • Full control for developers

    Multiple projects, your own folders, Git as history, Postgres instead of SQLite, semantic search you tune yourself. If you like to tinker, you get plenty of knobs.

  • Obsidian live alongside

    Locally, Basic Memory and Obsidian write to the same files. Edit a note in Obsidian and the agent sees it right away. WhyVault has no ongoing sync with Obsidian.

05

When WhyVault is the better choice

WhyVault is built for people who use several AI tools but don’t want to install and maintain anything.

  • Zero setup

    No Python, no JSON file in every client. One URL, https://mcp.whyvault.io, sign in once, done. Quick start

  • Every agent, everywhere

    Claude in the browser and the phone app, ChatGPT, Claude Code and Cursor all reach the same memory, even when your laptop is closed.

  • Structure that comes with it

    The template brings rooms for the areas of your life and rules in 9_System that every agent reads first with vault_overview. So your memory stays tidy, even with five agents writing.

  • History and a brake

    Every change with the agent’s name, undo in one click, permissions per connection and a brake on mass changes. History and control

06

Moving from Basic Memory to WhyVault

Both store Markdown, so you simply move the files. Allow about ten minutes.

  1. 1

    Get your notes as a folder

    Locally, they’re in ~/basic-memory or your project folder. If you use the cloud, sync them to a local folder first or export them as Markdown.

  2. 2

    Zip the folder

    Right-click the folder → Compress. Hidden folders and files that aren’t text don’t become notes on import.

  3. 3

    Import into WhyVault

    Create an account, choose an empty vault and upload the zip. Folders and frontmatter arrive unchanged, and WhyVault resolves [[links]] by file name, just like Obsidian.

  4. 4

    Connect your agents

    In Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor, replace Basic Memory with the URL https://mcp.whyvault.io and sign in. All setup guides

07

And the other way round

In WhyVault, observations and relations stay normal lists with links. Your agents keep reading and writing them; only Basic Memory’s graph tools aren’t here. If you want to keep the grammar, write it down as a rule in a note in 9_System, and every agent will follow it.

Going back is just as easy: the WhyVault export is a zip of Markdown with folders, frontmatter and wikilinks. Unzip it, point Basic Memory at the folder, done. Neither side locks you in. For more on local versus hosted servers, read the guide to the MCP memory server.

The better memory is the one your agents can actually reach.

?

Frequently asked questions

Is Basic Memory free?

Locally, yes: the code is AGPL-3.0 and runs for free on your machine. The hosted Basic Memory Cloud costs from $15 a month according to the project’s README, with a seven-day trial. You’ll find the current price on basicmemory.com.

Does Basic Memory work with Claude on the web or on my phone?

The local version doesn’t, because Claude in the browser and the app can’t reach a process on your laptop. With Basic Memory Cloud it does. WhyVault works wherever Claude runs, on every Claude plan, including Free.

Can I import my Basic Memory notes into WhyVault?

Yes. Zip the folder and upload it when you create your vault. Folders, frontmatter and [[links]] are kept, and observations and relations stay normal Markdown lists.

Is WhyVault open source?

No, WhyVault is a hosted service. What’s open is the format and the template: your notes are plain Markdown you can export anytime. If open source or self-hosting is a must, Basic Memory is the better fit.

Where does WhyVault keep my data?

In the EU, in Frankfurt: database, sign-in and files. WhyVault is GDPR-compliant, and businesses get a DPA. What an agent reads, its provider processes too. History, export and privacy

Can I use both side by side?

Technically yes, both are just MCP servers. But then every agent has two memories and doesn’t know which one counts. It’s simpler to have one place as the source of truth.

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