Joplin vs Standard Notes vs Notesnook 2026
Joplin vs Standard Notes vs Notesnook 2026
TL;DR
All three are open-source note apps with end-to-end encryption — but they prioritize different things. Joplin (53K GitHub stars) is the most mature and self-hosting-friendly, with flexible sync via Nextcloud/WebDAV/Dropbox and a rich plugin ecosystem. Standard Notes pioneered privacy-first notes with zero-knowledge E2EE from day one, but its acquisition by Automattic raised pricing concerns. Notesnook is the newest and most polished — it has a better mobile UX than Joplin, stronger free tier than Standard Notes, and offers self-hosting from v3 onward. For most users escaping Evernote or Notion who want private, encrypted notes, Notesnook is the best starting point in 2026.
Key Takeaways
- Joplin: Free, OSS (MIT), 53K GitHub stars, flexible sync (Nextcloud/WebDAV/Dropbox/S3), rich plugin ecosystem
- Standard Notes: OSS (AGPL), acquired by Automattic, paid Pro plan required for most features; basic free tier
- Notesnook: OSS (GPL-3.0), best free tier, most polished mobile UX, self-hosting from v3; Pro at $4.49/month
- E2EE: All three are zero-knowledge — the server never sees your plaintext notes
- Joplin self-hosting: Full self-hosting with Joplin Server (Docker); sync with any WebDAV server
- Notesnook self-hosting: Available since v3 (2025); requires running the Notesnook Server stack
Why Choose a Private Notes App in 2026?
Mainstream note apps (Notion, Evernote, Apple Notes, Google Keep) store your notes in plaintext on their servers. They can read your notes. They train AI models on your data. They can be subpoenaed.
For journalists, lawyers, therapists, researchers, and privacy-conscious individuals, this is unacceptable. The three apps compared here all encrypt your notes on-device before syncing — meaning even if their servers are breached, your content is unreadable.
Joplin
Overview
Joplin launched in 2017 and has become the most established privacy-first note app. Its key design principle: notes are Markdown files, sync is external (you bring your own cloud storage), and the app is entirely open source.
Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Web (limited), terminal
GitHub stars: 53,455 (March 2026) — dwarfs competitors by 3–10×
Sync Options
Joplin's sync flexibility is its biggest differentiator:
| Sync Method | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Nextcloud | Free (self-hosted) | WebDAV-based; most popular self-host option |
| WebDAV | Free (self-hosted) | Works with any WebDAV server |
| Dropbox | Free (2GB) | Simple setup; popular for non-technical users |
| OneDrive | Free (5GB) | Good for Microsoft ecosystem |
| S3/Backblaze B2 | ~$0.006/GB/mo | Cheapest long-term storage |
| Joplin Cloud | $2.99–7.99/month | Official sync; includes collaboration |
You can run your own WebDAV or Nextcloud server and pay nothing for sync — a unique advantage among privacy-focused note apps.
Self-Hosting with Joplin Server
Joplin Server is a Docker-based server that provides an enhanced sync experience:
- Faster sync than WebDAV (native API)
- Note sharing via public links
- Optional collaboration features
# docker-compose.yml
services:
joplin:
image: joplin/server:latest
environment:
- APP_BASE_URL=https://joplin.yourdomain.com
- DB_CLIENT=pg
- POSTGRES_PASSWORD=yourpassword
ports:
- "22300:22300"
Setup requires a PostgreSQL database and is documented clearly. Most self-hosters run this on a $5/month VPS.
Plugin Ecosystem
Joplin has the most mature plugin ecosystem of the three:
- 200+ community plugins
- Plugins for: Kanban boards, table editing, rich markdown shortcuts, quick notes, daily journal templates
- Plugin manager built into the desktop app
Notable plugins:
- Joplin Enhancement: Rich text editor improvements
- Simple Backup: Automatic encrypted export
- Quick Links: WikiLink-style note linking
- Outline: Document structure sidebar
Limitations
- Mobile apps are functional but dated — UI hasn't received significant redesign in several years
- No collaborative editing — even Joplin Cloud doesn't support real-time co-editing
- Setup complexity — choosing between sync methods confuses non-technical users
- No WYSIWYG — primary editor is Markdown; rich text mode is limited
Standard Notes
Overview
Standard Notes launched in 2017 with a singular focus: encrypted notes that outlast any company. The app was designed to be simple, standards-based (JSON + E2EE), and "one-unyielding promise" of privacy. It was acquired by Automattic (WordPress parent company) in 2022.
Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Web
GitHub stars: ~6,282
Pricing
The Automattic acquisition introduced pricing changes that have frustrated long-time users:
| Plan | Price | Included |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 100MB storage, basic text editor only, limited history |
| Professional | $9.99/month or $95.88/year | Unlimited editors, 25GB storage, 365-day history |
The problem: The free tier is genuinely limited. Rich editors (code syntax, markdown wysiwyg, tables, spreadsheets, task lists) are locked behind the Professional plan. In 2021, these editors were free; the 2022 acquisition changed the tier structure.
For users who switched to Standard Notes to escape paid note apps, paying $9.99/month is frustrating when Notesnook offers similar features at $4.49/month or Joplin at zero cost.
Where Standard Notes Still Wins
- Longest track record of zero-knowledge encryption in production (2017–2026)
- Passphrase-based account recovery — well-designed recovery flow
- File attachments with E2EE on Professional plan
- Self-hosting: Official self-hosted server available; Standard File protocol is documented
- Simplicity: The basic editor is intentionally distraction-free — some users prefer this
The Automattic Question
Automattic's acquisition of Standard Notes raised community concerns about long-term pricing independence. Automattic also owns Tumblr, Pocket Casts, Day One, and WordPress.com — all previously independent tools with pricing changes post-acquisition. The team maintains that the encryption design means Automattic can't read notes even if they wanted to, but pricing direction remains a concern.
Notesnook
Overview
Notesnook launched in 2021 (open-sourced in 2023) as a direct competitor to Evernote and Standard Notes. In 2026, it's the most actively developed of the three, with a fresh UI, strong mobile apps, and a Pro plan priced competitively.
Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Web
GitHub stars: ~13,824
Pricing
| Plan | Price | Included |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | $0 | 5GB storage, all editors, 30-day note history, 3 devices |
| Pro | $4.49/month ($44.99/year) | 15GB storage, unlimited devices, unlimited history, notebook sharing |
| Education | $1.49/month | Same as Pro (student verification required) |
The standout: Notesnook's free tier includes all editors — rich text, Markdown, tables, checklists, code blocks. Unlike Standard Notes, you get full editing functionality without paying.
Editors Available (All Plans)
- Rich text (WYSIWYG)
- Markdown with live preview
- Code blocks with syntax highlighting
- Tables
- Checklists / to-do lists
- Embeds (images, attachments)
Mobile App Quality
Notesnook has the best mobile UX of the three:
- Material Design 3 implementation (Android) / native-feeling iOS app
- Biometric lock
- Quick notes from notification tray
- Swipe gestures for notebook navigation
- Monograph: publish a note as a public web page
Self-Hosting (v3+)
Notesnook added self-hosting support with v3 (released 2025):
git clone https://github.com/streetwriters/notesnook-sync-server
docker-compose up -d
The sync server is the feature-complete server that handles auth, notes, attachments, and sync. It requires Docker, a domain, and SSL. The documentation is good but more complex than Joplin's setup.
Limitations
- Younger than competitors — fewer power-user features like Joplin's plugin ecosystem
- No WikiLinks — can't link notes to other notes by title (Joplin supports this via plugins)
- Import quality — Evernote import works well; Notion import is partial
- Self-hosting is newer — expect rough edges compared to Joplin's self-hosting maturity
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | Joplin | Standard Notes | Notesnook |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open source | ✅ MIT | ✅ AGPL | ✅ GPL-3.0 |
| E2EE | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Self-hosting | ✅ (mature) | ✅ | ✅ (v3+) |
| Free sync | ✅ (Nextcloud/WebDAV) | ❌ (very limited) | ✅ (5GB) |
| Rich text editor | ✅ (limited) | Pro only | ✅ (free) |
| Mobile UX | ⚠️ dated | Good | ✅ excellent |
| Plugin ecosystem | ✅ 200+ | Limited | None |
| GitHub stars | 53K | 6K | 14K |
| Monthly cost (paid) | $2.99+ (optional) | $9.99 | $4.49 |
| Note linking | ✅ (via plugin) | No | No |
| Note sharing | ✅ Joplin Cloud | ✅ Pro | ✅ Monograph |
| Import from Evernote | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Which Should You Choose?
Choose Joplin if:
- You want to self-host on your own Nextcloud/WebDAV/S3 (most storage options)
- You're a power user who wants plugins (Kanban, enhanced editors, backup scripts)
- You use Markdown natively and don't need WYSIWYG
- You want the most established, battle-tested privacy notes app
- Cost is important — Joplin is free when syncing to your own storage
Choose Standard Notes if:
- You've used it for years and trust its track record
- You want the simplest possible notes experience (minimal UI)
- You can justify $9.99/month for the professional plan
- You need the longest history of zero-knowledge encryption in production
Choose Notesnook if:
- You're new to privacy notes and want the best onboarding experience
- Mobile notes quality matters most
- You want all editors on the free plan
- You prefer a modern, actively-developed interface
- You're on a budget ($4.49/month Pro vs $9.99 Standard Notes)
Migration Notes
From Evernote: All three import ENEX files. Joplin's Evernote importer is the most mature (handles embedded images, attachments, formatting).
From Notion: Partial support across all three for Notion's export format. None handles Notion databases. Notesnook has the best Notion import as of 2026.
From Apple Notes: No direct import path for any of the three. Best workaround: export as PDF or text via Apple Notes, then import.
See related: Best Open Source Alternatives to 1Password and How to Self-Host Forgejo.
Methodology
- GitHub stars from GitHub.com (March 2026)
- Pricing verified on official websites (March 2026)
- Self-hosting instructions tested against official documentation
- Date: March 2026
Browse all open source Evernote and Notion alternatives at OSSAlt.