Open Source Self-Hosted Microsoft OneNote Alternatives

Microsoft OneNote is not available as a self-hosted solution but there are plenty of alternatives for power users and business that want to host a solution on-premise. The best open source Self-Hosted alternative is Joplin. If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 100 alternatives to Microsoft OneNote and many of them are open source and available as a self-hosted solution so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting open source Self-Hosted alternatives to Microsoft OneNote are Logseq, Standard Notes, Notesnook and AppFlowy.

filter to find the best alternatives

Microsoft OneNote 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 iPhone, Open Source, Linux, Free, Android, Linux + Open Source and EU. 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 Microsoft OneNote.

More about Microsoft OneNote

Get a badge for your siteMicrosoft OneNote alternatives page was last updated Feb 12, 2026

Official Partner
PrivacyNotes
Freemium
Open Source (AGPL-3.0)
Workspace with end-to-end encryption, zero-knowledge security, rich notes, private journal, encrypted file storage, password management, cross-platform browser access, open-source cryptography, optional Pro features, and no recurring subscription fees.
- Mac
- Windows
- Linux
- Online
- Android
- iPhone
- iPad
- Google Chrome
- Software as a Service (SaaS)
- United States
More about PrivacyNotes Visit website
Joplin
945 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.
223 Joplin alternatives
Cost / License
Freemium
Open Source
Application typeApplication types
Note-taking
Todo List Manager
Origin
France
EU
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
France
EU
+7
Good alternative?Is Joplin a good alternative to Microsoft OneNote?

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13comments
Joplin vs Microsoft OneNote Comments
Top Positive Comment by dasonic · Mar 7, 2020
Same structure as Onenote, supports images, looks modern.

Doesn't have all the same features (like drawing on the screen) but also has its own unique features Onenote doesn't have.

Also runs on Linux, which is the biggest plus for me.
Top Negative Comment by Martin Ligabue · Oct 15, 2021
it doesn't have pen input support
Negative comment by Nuncio Bitis · Jul 17, 2024
it doesn't do diagrams, and the plain text files it creates are given obscure names so you can't find them.
3 of 13 comments
Joplin is Freemium and Open SourceMicrosoft OneNote is Freemium and Proprietary
Joplin is Privacy focused, Lightweight, Minimalistic and DecentralizedMicrosoft OneNote is not according to our users
Logseq
358 likes
Local-first, privacy-focused notebook supporting Markdown and Emacs Org mode. Offers offline use, encrypted backups, plugin extensibility, LaTeX support, real-time collaboration, and hierarchical organization for personal knowledge management.
259 Logseq alternatives
Cost / License
Free
Open Source (AGPL-3.0)
Application typeApplication types
Note-taking
Task Management
Origin
United States
Platforms
Mac
Windows
Linux
Android
iPhone
iPad
Self-Hosted
Flathub
F-Droid
United States
Good alternative?Is Logseq a good alternative to Microsoft OneNote?
Standard Notes
709 likes
Secure note-taking app with end-to-end encryption, unlimited syncing across all platforms, offline access, detailed organization through tags, strong passcode and biometric protections, and premium features like encrypted files, themes, web clipper, super note types, and hardware key support.
217 Standard Notes alternatives
Cost / License
Freemium
Open Source (AGPL-3.0)
Application typeApplication types
Note-taking
Todo List Manager
Origin
United States
Platforms
Mac
Windows
Linux
Online
Android
iPhone
Chrome OS
Android Tablet
iPad
Self-Hosted
F-Droid
OpenAPK
United States
+1
Good alternative?Is Standard Notes a good alternative to Microsoft OneNote?

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7comments
Standard Notes vs Microsoft OneNote Comments
Top Positive Comment by Guest · Sep 8, 2017
Encrypted, very lightweight and not owned by Microsoft.
Top Negative Comment by Guest · Aug 18, 2020
The free version is only plain text editing - can't even paste images or use bold and italics. There simply aren't enough features in the free one to determine whether I like it enough to pay for premium.
Comment by k71 · Sep 24, 2022
Good for those options to store online or sync between devices. Devices: Windows app, web-browser, android app...

I prefer this one than SimpleNote, in any case, to share between devices nowadays i recommend telegram or protectedtext. For text, Onenote. I didnt like turtl, joplin or elephant.
3 of 7 comments
Standard Notes is Freemium and Open SourceMicrosoft OneNote is Freemium and Proprietary
Standard Notes is Privacy focused, Minimalistic, Security-focused and CustomizableMicrosoft OneNote is not according to our users
Notesnook
221 likes
Offers open-source, end-to-end encrypted notes with device-based privacy, cross-platform support, private vault, secure sync, offline access, markdown editor, exports to multiple formats, automatic backups, organizational tools, and strong encryption.
393 Notesnook alternatives
Cost / License
Freemium
Open Source (GPL-3.0)
Application typeApplication types
Note-taking
Task Management
Origin
Pakistan
Platforms
Mac
Windows
Linux
Online
Android
iPhone
Android Tablet
iPad
Google Chrome
Flathub
F-Droid
Software as a Service (SaaS)
Flatpak
Self-Hosted
Pakistan
+6
Good alternative?Is Notesnook a good alternative to Microsoft OneNote?
AppFlowy
213 likes
Open-source workspace offering complete data control, deep customization via themes, plugins, and templates, native multi-platform support using Flutter and Rust, offline access, privacy features, collaborative tools, and easy extensibility for all users.
153 AppFlowy alternatives
Cost / License
Freemium
Open Source (AGPL-3.0)
Application typeApplication types
Note-taking
Todo List Manager
Origin
Singapore
Platforms
Mac
Windows
Linux
Android
iPhone
Self-Hosted
Snapcraft
Rust
Flathub
Singapore
+2
Good alternative?Is AppFlowy a good alternative to Microsoft OneNote?
Trilium Notes
129 likes
The original trilium is transfered to this repo by its owner and the app continues to develop here as stated here: https://github.com/TriliumNext/Trilium
431 Trilium Notes alternatives
Cost / License
Free
Open Source (AGPL-3.0)
Application typeApplication types
Note-taking
Todo List Manager
Platforms
Mac
Windows
Linux
Self-Hosted
Google Chrome
Cloudron
Mozilla Firefox
+9
Good alternative?Is Trilium Notes a good alternative to Microsoft OneNote?
Docmost
52 likes
Open-source wiki and documentation solution offering real-time collaborative editing, robust permissions, group management, spaces for organizing content, inline commenting, full-page history, advanced full-text search, nested pages, attachments, and flexible storage.
147 Docmost alternatives
Cost / License
Freemium
Open Source (AGPL-3.0)
Application typeApplication types
Note-taking
Todo List Manager
Origin
United States
Platforms
Software as a Service (SaaS)
Self-Hosted
Docker
Cloudron
United States
+7
Good alternative?Is Docmost a good alternative to Microsoft OneNote?
SiYuan
85 likes
SiYuan is a desktop Markdown Block-Reference and Bidirectional-Link note-taking application. Support fine-grained block-level reference and Markdown WYSIWYG.
124 SiYuan alternatives
Cost / License
Freemium
Open Source (AGPL-3.0)
Application typeApplication types
Note-taking
Todo List Manager
Origin
China
Platforms
Mac
Windows
Linux
Android
iPhone
Android Tablet
iPad
Self-Hosted
Microsoft Edge
Google Chrome
Flathub
Docker
Docker Hub
F-Droid
China
+3
Good alternative?Is SiYuan a good alternative to Microsoft OneNote?
Turtl
180 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.
208 Turtl alternatives
Cost / License
Freemium
Open Source
Application typeApplication types
Note-taking
Todo List Manager
Origin
United States
Alerts
Discontinued
Platforms
Mac
Windows
Linux
Android
Android Tablet
Self-Hosted
Google Chrome
Firefox
United States
+1
Good alternative?Is Turtl a good alternative to Microsoft OneNote?

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2comments
Discontinued
The last update is from 2019.
Turtl vs Microsoft OneNote Comments
Positive comment by Guest · Jun 15, 2017
Encryption, zero-knowledge encryption.
Negative comment by k71 · Sep 24, 2022
Windows app. Visually it´s nice, but its movement between "folders" is not intuitive or i didnt like it. I didnt like it that we have to be online to access to it. I didnt like the option to introduce password everytime to access (i dont know if there is the option to remove it). In this case i´d prefer Standardnotes or Simplenote.
2 of 2 comments
Turtl is Freemium and Open SourceMicrosoft OneNote is Freemium and Proprietary
Turtl is Privacy focusedMicrosoft OneNote is not according to our users
Blinko
32 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.
121 Blinko alternatives
Cost / License
Freemium
Open Source (GPL-3.0)
Application type
Note-taking
Origin
China
Platforms
Mac
Windows
Linux
Android
Self-Hosted
Docker
China
Good alternative?Is Blinko a good alternative to Microsoft OneNote?
jotty·page
17 likes
Lightweight, self-hosted app for managing personal checklists and notes with drag and drop, progress bars, Kanban boards, Markdown WYSIWYG editor, file-based data, user management, sharing options, themes, open source, and API access.
155 jotty·page alternatives
Cost / License
Free
Open Source (AGPL-3.0)
Application typeApplication types
Note-taking
Todo List Manager
Platforms
Self-Hosted
Docker
+2
Good alternative?Is jotty·page a good alternative to Microsoft OneNote?
Lockbook
24 likes
Provides end-to-end encrypted note-taking, file storage, and sketching with syncing across platforms, zero data collection, no personal info or passwords required, open-source code for transparency, and optional premium storage, all via native and CLI tools.
103 Lockbook alternatives
Cost / License
Freemium
Open Source (Unlicense)
Application type
Note-taking
Origin
United States
Platforms
Mac
Windows
Linux
Android
iPhone
Android Tablet
iPad
Flathub
Flatpak
Self-Hosted
United States
+8
Good alternative?Is Lockbook a good alternative to Microsoft OneNote?

12 of 24 Microsoft OneNote alternatives

Open Source Self-Hosted Microsoft OneNote Alternatives

Alternatives list

PrivacyNotes

Joplin

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Joplin vs Microsoft OneNote Comments

Logseq

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Standard Notes

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Standard Notes vs Microsoft OneNote Comments

Notesnook

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AppFlowy

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Trilium Notes

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Docmost

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SiYuan

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Turtl

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Turtl vs Microsoft OneNote Comments

Blinko

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jotty·page

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Lockbook

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