Open Source Notes AlternativesNote-taking Tools & Todo List Managers like Notes

The best open source alternative to Notes is Joplin. If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 100 alternatives to Notes and loads of them is open source so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting open source alternatives to Notes are Notesnook, Zim, CherryTree and Cryptee.

filter to find the best alternatives

Notes alternatives are mainly Note-taking Tools, but if you're looking for Todo List Managers or Task Management Tools you can filter on that. Other popular filters include Android and Open Source. You can also filter by region, for example EU-based alternatives if you prefer software developed in the European Union. These are just examples - use the filter bar below to find more specific alternatives to Notes.
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Alternatives list

  1. Joplin icon

    Joplin

     873 likes

    Open source app for managing notes and to-dos with Markdown support. Syncs seamlessly across devices using services like Dropbox and OneDrive. Offers end-to-end encrypted synchronicity, offline access, rich import/export options, and a Web Clipper for browsers.

    108 Joplin alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium (Subscription)
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • AppImageHub
    • Snapcraft
    • Google Chrome
    • Flathub
    • PortableApps.com
    • F-Droid
    • Cloudron
    • Homebrew
    • Chocolatey
    • Termux
    • Mozilla Firefox
    Desktop and mobile apps
     
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    2
    Comments about Joplin as an Alternative to Notes
    RemovedUser
    Positive
    1

    Effective open source privacy respecting note-taking solution solution. Provides end-to-end encrypted(E2EE) auto-syncing capabilities and built-in support for popular solutions like Dropbox, Microsoft OneDrive or the provided Joplin Cloud. The E2EE safeguards your data against misuse by Joplin or any other service provider you choose for your notes.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    ecxod
    Positive
    0

    The most important feature, for alternatives to Apple Notes is the capability to sync with the Imap Notes Folder of the email. Everything else is secondary.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Notes Icon
    Joplin icon

    • Joplin is the most popular Web-based, Windows, Android & Mac alternative to Notes.

    • Joplin is the most popular Open Source & free alternative to Notes.

    • Joplin is Freemium and Open SourceNotes is Free and Proprietary
    • Joplin is Privacy focused and MinimalisticNotes is not according to our users
  2. Notesnook icon

    Notesnook

     174 likes

    Notesnook is a simple and cross-platform private notes app that keeps your notes organized and synced on your phone, tablet and computer. Take notes, capture ideas, create to-do lists, keep a journal, write your assignments and manage projects, we have got you covered.

    295 Notesnook alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium (Subscription)
    • Open Source (GPL-3.0)

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Google Chrome
    • Flathub
    • F-Droid
    • Software as a Service (SaaS)
    • Flatpak
    Notesnook screenshot 1
     

    • Notesnook is the most popular SaaS alternative to Notes.

    • Notesnook is Freemium and Open SourceNotes is Free and Proprietary
    • Notesnook is Privacy focusedNotes is not according to our users
  4. Zim icon

    Zim

     511 likes

    Zim brings the concept of a wiki to your desktop. Store information, link pages and edit with WYSISYG markup or directly typing some lightweight markup syntax and see it previewed as-you-type. Creating a new page is easy by either clicking on the "Create new note"...

    316 Zim alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • Flathub
    • Flatpak
    Zim screenshot 1
     
  5. Ad
    Screenshot
    Daino Notes icon
    Daino Notes

    Offers fast, distraction-free note-taking via a high-performance editor with real-time Markdown, local-first storage, image support, Kanban task boards, intuitive drag-and-drop, keyboard shortcuts, configurable themes, fast searc...

    https://www.get-notes.com
    Learn More
  6. CherryTree icon

    CherryTree

     321 likes

    Hierarchical note-taking software that is free, open-source, cross-platform. Features include rich text, syntax highlighting, multi-level lists, embedded files, customizable interface, code execution, PDF export, spell check, images & tables, and comprehensive project management support.

    99 CherryTree alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Flathub
    • PortableApps.com
    • Flatpak
    CherryTree screenshot 1
     
  7. Cryptee icon

    Cryptee

     103 likes

    Cryptee is a safety and privacy focused, encrypted and cross-platform personal data storage service. You can write personal documents, notes, journals, store photos (including raw photos from DSLR cameras) and all sorts of other files.

    71 Cryptee alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium (Subscription)
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Online
    • Software as a Service (SaaS)
    Cryptee screenshot 1
     
  10. Turtl icon

    Turtl

     178 likes

    Whether it's bookmarks or passwords, files or shopping lists...Turtl organizes it all and makes it easy to find later. Sync across your devices. Leave nothing behind.

    186 Turtl alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium (Subscription)
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Alerts

    • Discontinued

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • Android Tablet
    • Self-Hosted
    • Google Chrome
    • Firefox
    Turtl screenshot 1
     
  11. Blinko icon

    Blinko

     21 likes

    Open-source note-taking tool offering AI-enhanced retrieval with RAG technology, secure self-hosted data storage, Markdown support, and transparent community collaboration on GitHub for efficient, private, and effortless note management.

    79 Blinko alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Self-Hosted
    • Docker
    Blinko screenshot 1
     
  12. Dendron icon

    Dendron

     71 likes

    Dendron is an open-source, local-first, markdown-based, note-taking tool built on top of VSCode. It supports all the usual features you would expect like tagging, backlinks, a graph view, split panes, and so forth.

    204 Dendron alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application type

    Alerts

    • Discontinued

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Visual Studio Code
    Dendron screenshot 1
     
  13. Rnote icon

    Rnote

     37 likes

    Rnote aims to be a simple but functional note taking application for freehand drawing or annotating pictures or documents. It eventually should be able to import / export various media file formats.

    22 Rnote alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Flathub
    • Flatpak
    Rnote screenshot 1
     
  14. Notefox icon

    Notefox

     14 likes

    Take notes on every website in a smart and simple way.

    Cost / License

    Platforms

    • Microsoft Edge
    • Google Chrome
    • Mozilla Firefox
    Notefox screenshot 1
     
  15. Notally icon

    Notally

     29 likes

    A minimalistic notes app. Notally it's extremely light, minimalistic and elegant. There are minimal dependencies and lines of code. (All without compromising on readability).

    66 Notally alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Android
    • Android Tablet
    • F-Droid
    Notally screenshot 1
    Notally screenshot 2
    Notally screenshot 3
     
12 of 51 Notes alternatives