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Joplin

Note Taking · Free · since 2017 · open source

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Joplin is a open-source note-taking with end-to-end encryption, Markdown support, and sync via any cloud. It handles open source, e2e encryption, markdown, and webclipper, and it's best suited for privacy-focused users wanting open-source note-taking. It has been around since 2017, giving it a 9-year head start in building out integrations and refining the product.

The core product is entirely free. Since it's open-source, you can self-host for free with no user limits. It's aimed at individual users, so it's fast to set up but may lack team-management features if you scale.

pros

  • Open source and transparent
  • Open-source codebase gives you full transparency and community-driven development
  • Fully open-source — you can self-host, audit the code, and avoid vendor lock-in
  • The core product is free with no paywalled essentials

cons

  • May lack some advanced features
  • Self-hosting is free but requires server maintenance and DevOps knowledge
  • Fewer built-in features means you may need additional tools to cover gaps
  • Moving notes out to another platform can be difficult — export options vary

top Joplin alternatives

Logseq Open-source, local-first outliner for knowledge management with bidirectional linking. Free Anytype Local-first, end-to-end encrypted workspace for notes, tasks, and knowledge management. Free Capacities Note-taking app built around objects and types instead of pages and folders. Free Simplenote Minimalist note-taking app with instant sync, tags, and Markdown support. Free Standard Notes End-to-end encrypted note-taking app with extensible editors and self-hosting option. Free

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Joplin compared

Notion vs Joplin · Obsidian vs Joplin · Logseq vs Joplin · Roam Research vs Joplin · Coda vs Joplin · Craft vs Joplin · Mem vs Joplin · Apple Notes vs Joplin

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Notion All-in-one workspace for notes, docs, wikis, project management, and databases. Free Obsidian Local-first markdown note-taking app with bidirectional linking and a plugin ecosystem. Free Logseq Open-source, local-first outliner for knowledge management with bidirectional linking. Free Roam Research Networked note-taking tool with bidirectional links and graph-based knowledge management. $15/mo Coda All-in-one doc platform combining documents, spreadsheets, and app-like functionality. Free Craft Native document editor for Mac and iOS with beautiful formatting and real-time collaboration. Free