Standard Notes

Note Taking · Free · since 2017 · open source

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Standard Notes is a end-to-end encrypted note-taking app with extensible editors and self-hosting option. It handles e2e encryption, self-hosted, editors, and tags, and it's best suited for privacy-focused users wanting encrypted notes. It has been around since 2017, giving it a 9-year head start in building out integrations and refining the product.

The free plan is free with basic editors — enough for most people to evaluate whether it fits. 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
End-to-end encryption by default — messages are unreadable even to the server operator
Fully open-source — you can self-host, audit the code, and avoid vendor lock-in
Free with basic editors — generous enough for most small teams to get real work done

cons

Free plan exists but key features are locked behind the paid upgrade
Self-hosting requires Linux admin skills and ongoing server maintenance
Moving notes out to another platform can be difficult — export options vary
Community support can be slower than the dedicated support teams at commercial alternatives

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