Craft vs Roam Research — Which One Wins?
Pick Craft if: Apple users who want the most visually polished note-taking experience on Mac, iPad, and iPhone
Pick Roam Research if: Researchers and writers who think in connected ideas and want block-level linking
Our take: Craft is easier to pick up, but Roam Research is more powerful long-term.
| Craft | Roam Research | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free with limited blocks | Pro $5/mo | No free plan | Pro $15/mo |
| Features | Beautiful native Apple design, Nested documents and folders, Real-time collaboration, Markdown export, AI assistant built-in | Bidirectional linking, Block-level references, Daily notes workflow, Graph overview, Custom CSS and JavaScript |
| Best for | Apple users who want the most visually polished note-taking experience on Mac, iPad, and iPhone | Researchers and writers who think in connected ideas and want block-level linking |
| Learning Curve | Easy | Hard |
The Real Difference
Both offer free tiers, so the real question is what you get when you start paying.
Craft stands out with Beautiful native Apple design and Nested documents and folders. Roam Research counters with Bidirectional linking and Block-level references.
Craft's Achilles heel: apple ecosystem only — windows and android users are second-class citizens at best. Roam Research's: no free plan, web-only (no native desktop), and the community has shrunk as obsidian and logseq grew. Pick whichever weakness you can live with.
Bottom Line
If you value beautiful native apple design and apple users who want, go with Craft. If researchers and writers who matters more, Roam Research is your pick. Neither is a bad choice — but one will fit your workflow better.