Synap vs Tana

Structure should happen for you, not by you.

Tana introduced supertags — a way to add structure to notes with typed fields and live searches. The catch: you learn and maintain the system yourself. Synap gives you the same structured data model, and builds the structure while you focus on capturing.

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Synap and Tana, side by side

Synap compared with Tana
Topic	Tana	Synap
Structure	You tag every node with the right supertag	Record types applied on capture, proposed to you
Learning curve	Steep — schema design up front	Just capture; customize types when you want to
Hosting	SaaS only — no self-hosting	A dedicated PostgreSQL pod you own
Export	Limited	pg_dump, SQL, or the API
Changes	Applied directly	Proposals — reviewable, reversible

Structuring on capture is part of Pod + AI (€100/month). On the Pod plan (€20/month), the agent you connect does the structuring through Synap's tools. Either way, changes arrive as proposals you review.

Where Tana is strong

Supertags — typed, structured nodes
Live search and computed fields
Built-in assistant commands

Where they differ

Supertags vs. profiles

Tana's supertags are genuinely innovative. Tag a node #meeting and it gains fields for date, attendees, and action items. Tag it #person and it gets email, company, and role. The system is deep, but you design the tag hierarchy, define the fields, and apply the right tags to every piece of data.

Synap's profiles do the same job — typed records with property schemas — but the types are applied for you. Drop in a messy note about a meeting and Synap proposes: create an event with these attendees, extract three tasks with due dates, link it to the project. You review and approve. Same quality of structure; none of the effort.

The learning-curve problem

Tana is one of the most capable knowledge tools, and one of the hardest to learn. The outliner, supertag configuration, live searches, and field inheritance reward expertise and punish beginners. Many users never reach its full potential.

Synap's position: you shouldn't have to learn a system. Capture anything — text, a link, a file. Typing, tagging, and relating are handled. Customize profiles or create new types if you want to; the default needs no configuration.

Your data, your server

Tana is SaaS with no self-hosting and limited export. Your supertag system and your carefully structured graph live on Tana's servers. If it changes direction, raises prices, or shuts down, the work you put into that system is at risk.

Synap runs on a dedicated PostgreSQL pod. Self-host it, export it with pg_dump, or build your own applications on the API. Your graph is stored in standard relational tables. The structure you build — by hand or with your agent — belongs to you.

Common questions

How is Synap different from Tana?

Tana and Synap both use typed records for knowledge management. The difference: Tana asks you to tag content with supertags and set up fields by hand. Synap classifies what you capture for you — typing, properties, and relationships. Synap also runs on your own server, while Tana uses shared cloud storage.

Is Synap easier to set up than Tana?

Yes. Tana's supertags, fields, and views require schema design up front. Synap works out of the box: common record types (notes, tasks, contacts, projects, events, articles and more) and views are built in, and your captures fill them. You can add custom types, but you never have to.

Does Synap have an equivalent of Tana's supertags?

Yes. Synap's profiles are the equivalent: typed record definitions with properties, views, and automations. Unlike Tana, Synap assigns profiles based on content, and ships default profiles that cover most workflows without configuration.

All the structure, none of the setup.

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