Notesnook
Private, end-to-end encrypted, open-source notes with a free plan.
Web AppFree planWeb, Windows
4.4Visit
Desktop App
Joplin
Free, open-source notes and to-dos with end-to-end encrypted sync and Evernote import.
Built with love by Shushant Lakhyani. Building bestproductivityresources.com
What is Joplin?
Joplin is a free, open-source note-taking and to-do app for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS. Notes are written in Markdown, can be synced through Nextcloud, Dropbox, OneDrive or Joplin Cloud with end-to-end encryption, and notes exported from Evernote can be imported with their formatting, attachments and metadata. It is licensed under the AGPL-3.0.
Pros
- Free and open source (AGPL-3.0)
- Imports Evernote exports with attachments and metadata
- End-to-end encrypted sync with the service you choose
Cons
- Interface is plainer than Evernote's
- Hosted Joplin Cloud sync is a paid option
Who should use Joplin
Evernote users who want a free, private, cross-platform home for their notes.
Who may not need it
People who want a polished all-in-one workspace like Notion.
Compare Joplin
Side-by-side comparisons and lists that include Joplin.
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Simplenote
Completely free, fast notes that sync everywhere, from the makers of WordPress.com.
Web AppFreeWeb, iOS
4.4Visit
Reor
A free, open-source AI note app that runs models locally. No longer maintained.
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Evernote
A long-running notes and web-clipping archive with strong search.
Web AppFree planWeb, iOS
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claude-obsidian
Self-organizing AI second brain for Obsidian and Claude Code — drop any source and Claude reads, links and files it.
AI ToolFreemacOS, Windows
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Local-first markdown notes with a powerful link graph.
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Free alternatives to Joplin
Free resources that cover similar ground.
Logseq
A privacy-first, open-source knowledge base that works on local files.
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The local-first, privacy-focused alternative to Notion.
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Dataview
A data index and query language over the Markdown files in your Obsidian vault.
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4.5Visit
Obsidian Web Clipper
Save any page straight into your notes.
Browser ExtensionFreeChrome, Firefox
4.4Visit
obsidian-mind
A self-organizing Obsidian vault that gives AI coding agents persistent memory.
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Glyph
A private desktop workspace for notes, documents and ideas, with Markdown and built-in AI.
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