# Best PKM for researchers 2026

> For researchers who save more than they file. Compare Obsidian, Roam, Tana, and Dewey.

Source: Dewey · https://trydewey.ai/blog/best-pkm-for-researchers-2026

- [Researchers who save more than they file](#researchers-who-save-more-than-they-file)
- [Alternatives in 2026](#alternatives-in-2026)
- [Side by side](#side-by-side)
- [When Dewey fits](#when-dewey-fits)
- [FAQs](#faqs)

Your Zotero folder is fine. Your Obsidian graph is aspirational. The real corpus lives in open tabs, PDF downloads, arXiv alerts, and Slack links you meant to process.

Researchers who **save more than they file** need a different PKM shape.

## Researchers who save more than they file

Classic PKM — Obsidian, Roam, Tana — rewards consistent linking and daily note hygiene. That works for lab notebooks and theory building.

It breaks when the input rate is 50 papers, threads, and preprints a week and filing lag is permanent. The graph stays empty while the pile grows.

## Alternatives in 2026

**Obsidian** — local markdown vault, plugins, graph view. Gold standard when you maintain it.

**Roam Research** — block-based networked thought. Strong for dense interlinked research notes.

**Tana** — supertags and structured nodes. Powerful for teams that commit to the model.

**Dewey** — chat-native research companion. Follow sources (including arXiv, PubMed, GitHub, PDFs), Send links, Ask in iMessage or Telegram. Not a replacement for LaTeX or citation managers. 7-day trial, then about 50¢/day.

## Side by side

| | Obsidian | Roam | Tana | Dewey |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Primary job** | Local PKM vault | Networked notes | Structured nodes | Follow + Ask in chat |
| **You file everything?** | Expected | Expected | Expected | No — vault from ingest |
| **Graph / links** | Manual + plugins | Block references | Supertags | Ask across vault |
| **Surface** | Desktop + sync | Web | Web | iMessage, Telegram |
| **Live sources** | Via plugins/RSS | Manual | Manual | Follow + Send |
| **Best when** | You maintain the graph | Block-level theory work | Structured team PKM | Save >> file; need Ask |

## When Dewey fits

Keep Obsidian or Roam for papers you actually deep-read and link.

Add Dewey for the firehose — Follow feeds, Send PDFs and threads, Ask "what changed in X this month?" without building nodes first.

## FAQs

**Is Dewey a citation manager?**

No. Use Zotero or similar for citations. Dewey for Follow + Ask on the stream.

**Does Dewey ingest arXiv and PubMed?**

Yes, among other source types. Every ingest goes through the real scan flow.

**How much does Dewey cost?**

7-day trial, then about 50¢/day.

**Can I export to Obsidian?**

Not the core job. Many researchers use both: Dewey for intake and Ask; Obsidian for curated notes.

[Start Dewey's 7-day trial](https://trydewey.ai)