Basic Memory vs Supermemory
A side-by-side comparison of Basic Memory and Supermemory, two Memory tools, drawn from Ignaite's continuously-verified listings.
Compared from listings verified as of
Basic Memory
MemoryPersistent, local knowledge graph for AI tools — stored as plain Markdown.
View Basic MemoryAt a glance
| Attribute | Basic Memory | Supermemory |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Memory | Memory |
| Pricing | FREEMIUM | FREEMIUM |
| License | Open core | Open core |
| Deployment | Hybrid | Hybrid |
| Platforms (differs) | CLI, macOS, Windows, Linux | API, Web |
| Model support | Model-agnostic | Model-agnostic |
| Vendor (differs) | Basic Machines | Supermemory |
| Capabilities (differs) |
|
|
The honest brief
Basic Memory
Unlike cloud memory stores, your graph stays in editable local Markdown you can open in Obsidian — portable and inspectable, not locked in a DB.
- Plain-Markdown, local-first storage
- Obsidian-compatible knowledge graph
- Works across Claude, Cursor, VS Code via MCP
- Open-source, no vendor lock-in
- AGPL-3.0 may not suit every team
- Cross-device sync is a paid cloud add-on
- Setup needs a local CLI install
Supermemory
MIT-licensed memory engine you self-host or call as a managed API — one recall endpoint across any model.
- MIT-licensed, self-host or managed
- Single recall API across any model
- Connectors: Drive, Gmail, Notion
- Ships MCP server and SDKs
- Younger project, evolving API
- Smaller track record than peers
- Self-hosting needs infra work
When to pick which
Both cover MCP server and Agent memory.
Pick Basic Memory if you need Knowledge graph and Note-taking / PKM.
- Knowledge graph (secondary capability)
- Note-taking / PKM (secondary capability)
Pick Supermemory if you need Vector search, RAG pipeline, and Document parsing (structured).
- Vector search (secondary capability)
- RAG pipeline (secondary capability)
- Document parsing (structured) (secondary capability)
Basic Memory leans on MCP server as a headline capability; Supermemory treats it as secondary.
- MCP server (primary capability)
They also differ on:
- Platforms
- CLI, macOS, Windows, Linux · API, Web