Joplin vs Standard Notes
Both are alternatives to Evernote. Here's how they stack up — verified facts, no spin.
Joplin
TOP PICKA free, open-source, Markdown-based note app with end-to-end encrypted sync and native Evernote import.
Joplin stores every note as a plain Markdown file (with attachments alongside), so your notes stay readable and portable outside the app itself. It runs on desktop, mobile, and terminal, supports optional end-to-end encryption, and imports Evernote .enex exports natively — notebooks, tags, and attachments included. Sync works over your own Nextcloud/WebDAV/S3/Dropbox, Joplin Cloud (a paid hosted option), or a self-hosted Joplin Server.
Standard Notes
A privacy-first, end-to-end encrypted notes app, open source and self-hostable, now part of Proton.
Standard Notes is built around zero-knowledge end-to-end encryption: notes are encrypted on-device before they ever reach a server, so not even Standard Notes (or Proton, which acquired the company in April 2024) can read them. The app is open source and its sync server can be self-hosted, though the free tier is limited to plain-text notes — rich text, Markdown, spreadsheets, and file attachments require a paid plan or self-hosted setup with community extensions.
Side by side
| Joplin | Standard Notes | |
|---|---|---|
| Sovereignty Score | 88 | 80 |
| Open source | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hostable | Yes | Yes |
| Local-first | Yes | Yes |
| License | AGPL-3.0 (app + CLI); optional Joplin Server sync under a separate personal-use license | AGPL-3.0 |
| Pricing | Core app is free forever with no note/device caps. Sync is free if you bring your own WebDAV/Nextcloud/S3/Dropbox target, or self-host Joplin Server for personal use at no cost; Joplin Cloud (managed hosted sync) starts around $2.99/month. | Free tier: unlimited plain-text notes, unlimited devices, 100MB total storage, no rich text/attachments/history. Paid Productivity tier: $90/year (Markdown, rich text, spreadsheets, unlimited history). Professional tier: $120/year (adds 100GB encrypted file storage, family sharing). Self-hosting the sync server is free. |
Joplin is Macrostack's recommended Evernote alternative, so it's our pick here.
Joplin
Strengths
- +Notes stored as plain local Markdown files — genuinely portable, readable by other tools, and easy to back up outside the app
- +Native .enex importer designed specifically for migrating from Evernote, including notebooks, tags, and attachments
- +No note, notebook, or device caps on the free core app — unlike Evernote's tiered limits
- +Choice of sync backend: your own cloud storage, self-hosted Joplin Server, or paid Joplin Cloud
Trade-offs
- −The official self-hosted Joplin Server component is source-available under a Personal-Use-only license, not a plain OSI license — fine for an individual, but read the license before using it commercially
- −OCR and full-text search across scanned/image attachments is far less capable than Evernote's
- −UI is more utilitarian than Evernote's polish; no built-in Web Clipper-style page capture as refined as Evernote's
Standard Notes
Strengths
- +Audited zero-knowledge end-to-end encryption by default — stronger baseline privacy than Evernote's standard cloud storage
- +AGPL-3.0 open source, with a self-hostable sync server for readers who want full control
- +Unlimited notes and devices even on the free tier — no per-device cap like Evernote's single-device free plan
- +Backed by Proton's long-term privacy-focused funding model since the 2024 acquisition, a signal of stability
Trade-offs
- −Free tier is plain-text only — rich text, Markdown rendering, and file attachments require a paid subscription, a real step down from Evernote's richer free formatting
- −No OCR or document-scanning search comparable to Evernote's
- −100MB storage cap on the free tier is tight for anyone attaching files or images
More Evernote head-to-heads
Facts verified 2026-07-12. Licenses and pricing change — spotted something out of date? That's a correction we want.