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 Self-Hosted alternative is Joplin, which is both free and Open Source. If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 100 alternatives to Microsoft OneNote and many of them are available as a self-hosted solution so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting Self-Hosted alternatives to Microsoft OneNote are Logseq, Standard Notes, AppFlowy and Trilium Notes.

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 Open Source, Linux, iPhone, Free, Android, Self-Hosted 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.
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Alternatives list

  1. Joplin icon

    Joplin

     899 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.

    142 Joplin alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • 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
    Joplin screenshot 1
     
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    13
    Joplin vs Microsoft OneNote Comments
    Top Positive Comment
    dasonic
    13

    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
    Martin Ligabue
    7

    it doesn't have pen input support

    Nuncio Bitis
    Negative
    1

    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 and MinimalisticMicrosoft OneNote is not according to our users
  2. Logseq icon

    Logseq

     333 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.

    199 Logseq alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • F-Droid
    • Flathub
    Logseq screenshot 1
     
  4. Standard Notes icon

    Standard Notes

     696 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.

    158 Standard Notes alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Chrome OS
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • F-Droid
    Standard Notes homepage.
     
    |
    7
    Standard Notes vs Microsoft OneNote Comments
    Top Positive Comment
    Guest
    2

    Encrypted, very lightweight and not owned by Microsoft.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Top Negative Comment
    Guest
    6

    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.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    k71
    0

    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
  5. AppFlowy icon

    AppFlowy

     199 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.

    116 AppFlowy alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Self-Hosted
    • Snapcraft
    • Rust
    • Flathub
    AppFlowy screenshot 1
     
  6. Trilium Notes icon

    Trilium Notes

     115 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

    400 Trilium Notes alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Self-Hosted
    • Google Chrome
    • Cloudron
    • Mozilla Firefox
    Trilium Notes screenshot 1
     
  7. Docmost icon

    Docmost

     47 likes

    Docmost is an open-source collaborative wiki and documentation software. It is an open-source alternative to Confluence and Notion.

    115 Docmost alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Self-Hosted
    • Software as a Service (SaaS)
    • Docker
    Docmost screenshot 1
     
  9. Turtl icon

    Turtl

     179 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.

    196 Turtl alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Alerts

    • Discontinued

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • Android Tablet
    • Self-Hosted
    • Google Chrome
    • Firefox
    Turtl screenshot 1
     
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    2
    Turtl vs Microsoft OneNote Comments
    Guest
    Positive
    2

    Encryption, zero-knowledge encryption.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    k71
    Negative
    0

    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.

    • Turtl is Freemium and Open SourceMicrosoft OneNote is Freemium and Proprietary
    • Turtl is Privacy focusedMicrosoft OneNote is not according to our users
  10. SiYuan icon

    SiYuan

     80 likes

    SiYuan is a desktop Markdown Block-Reference and Bidirectional-Link note-taking application. Support fine-grained block-level reference and Markdown WYSIWYG.

    95 SiYuan alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • Microsoft Edge
    • Google Chrome
    • Flathub
    • Docker
    • Docker Hub
    • F-Droid
    SiYuan screenshot 1
     
  11. Blinko icon

    Blinko

     26 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.

    100 Blinko alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Self-Hosted
    • Docker
    • Windows
    • Android
    • Linux
    • Mac
    Blinko screenshot 1
     
  12. jotty·page icon

    jotty·page

     13 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.

    124 jotty·page alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Self-Hosted
    • Docker
    jotty·page screenshot 1
     
  13. La Suite Docs icon

    La Suite Docs

     22 likes

    Collaborative platform for real-time note-taking, documentation, and wikis, featuring offline editing, granular permissions, AI-assisted writing, multiple export formats, user-friendly formatting, scalable team support, customizable templates, and open-source licensing.

    90 La Suite Docs alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source (MIT)

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Online
    • Self-Hosted
    • Docker
    La Suite Docs screenshot 1
     
  14. Lockbook icon

    Lockbook

     20 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.

    74 Lockbook alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Flathub
    • Flatpak
    • Self-Hosted
    Lockbook screenshot 1
     
12 of 22 Microsoft OneNote alternatives