Joplin vs Standard Notes
Both are alternatives to Evernote. Here's how they stack up — verified facts, no spin.
Also searched as Standard Notes vs Joplin — same comparison, one verdict.
Both are notes & knowledge tools with the same broad shape, but Joplin scores 88 against Standard Notes's 80 on data ownership and exit cost — the gap is in how easily you could leave.
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
10 points of comparison, every one read from a verified field. Green marks the side that wins a row outright. A dash means we do not hold that fact — never that it is zero.
| Joplin | Standard Notes | |
|---|---|---|
| Sovereignty ScoreOur transparent 0–100 composite for data ownership and exit cost. | 88 | 80 |
| Open source | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hostable | Yes | Yes |
| Local-first data | 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. |
| RAM to run it wellThe figure that actually matters, not the vendor's minimum. | 1–2 GB for Joplin Server plus PostgreSQL for a household or small group. The desktop and mobile apps run on your own devices. | — |
| Realistic running costWhat the box costs each month if you run it yourself. | $0 for the desktop and mobile apps. Joplin Server costs $6–12/mo on a 1–2 GB VPS, or $0 on a home server. A business must also buy Joplin Server Business at €30–40 per user per year. | — |
| Setup timeHonest first-install estimate, not the marketing quickstart. | 1 hour with Docker Compose and a reverse proxy you already have | — |
| Ongoing maintenanceThe part nobody budgets for. | Pull the joplin/server image now and then (3.7.2 on Docker Hub, 7 Sep 2026), back up PostgreSQL, and change the default admin@localhost / admin login on the first day. | — |
Joplin is Macrostack's recommended Evernote alternative, so it's our pick here.
Weighing both against staying on Evernote? Is Evernote free? What it actually costs →
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
Which one fits you
The trade-offs above, turned into a decision. Find the line that describes your team.
Choose Joplin
if a lower exit cost matters more to you than any single feature, and notes stored as plain local Markdown files — genuinely portable, readable by other tools, and easy to back up outside the app.
Choose Standard Notes
if audited zero-knowledge end-to-end encryption by default — stronger baseline privacy than Evernote's standard cloud storage.
Neither, yet
if both carry a real cost you should weigh first — 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, and 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. If either of those is a dealbreaker for your team, the shortlist is wrong rather than the choice.
What it takes to run these yourself
Real requirements and honest running costs, not the vendor quickstart.
Joplin vs Standard Notes — common questions
Is Joplin a better fit than Standard Notes for notes & knowledge?
It depends on what you are optimising for, and the honest split is this: Joplin scores 88 to Standard Notes's 80 on data ownership and exit cost, so it is the safer choice if you care about being able to leave. Standard Notes earns its place on a different axis — audited zero-knowledge end-to-end encryption by default — stronger baseline privacy than Evernote's standard cloud storage. Neither is a wrong answer for every team; the table above is the actual comparison.
What happens if we want to switch later?
Joplin keeps its data local or in open formats, so leaving is an export rather than a negotiation. Standard Notes is still self-hostable, so the files stay on your server either way — but it is not local-first by design, so check what its export produces before you rely on it.
Can I self-host Joplin or Standard Notes?
Both can be self-hosted. The difference is what it costs you in time rather than whether it is possible — see the setup and maintenance rows above.
Are Joplin and Standard Notes both alternatives to Evernote?
Yes — both appear in our Evernote comparison, which is why they are worth putting side by side. People usually arrive here already having decided to move off Evernote and now choosing between the two replacements, which is a narrower and much easier question.
More Evernote head-to-heads
More notes & knowledge comparisons
Related alternative guides
Facts verified 2026-07-12. Licenses and pricing change — spotted something out of date? That's a correction we want.