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Simplenote

Note Taking · Free · since 2008 · open source

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Simplenote is a minimalist note-taking app with instant sync, tags, and Markdown support. It handles instant sync, tags, markdown, and history, and it's best suited for anyone wanting the simplest possible note-taking. It has been around since 2008, giving it a 18-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
  • Instant sync keeps every collaborator's view up to date in real time
  • 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 Simplenote 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 Joplin Open-source note-taking with end-to-end encryption, Markdown support, and sync via any cloud. Free Capacities Note-taking app built around objects and types instead of pages and folders. Free Standard Notes End-to-end encrypted note-taking app with extensible editors and self-hosting option. Free

All Simplenote alternatives →

Simplenote compared

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

more note taking tools

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