Open Source Zettlr AlternativesTop Note-taking Tools & Text Editors like Zettlr

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

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Zettlr alternatives are mainly Note-taking Tools, but if you're looking for Todo List Managers or Text Editors you can filter on that. Other popular filters include Open Source. These are just examples - use the filter bar below to find more specific alternatives to Zettlr.
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Alternatives list

  1. Joplin icon

    Joplin

     900 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.

    143 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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    2
    Joplin vs Zettlr Comments
    Dyewall
    0

    For me, it's more pleasant to write in Zettlr, but other than that Joplin has it's own pros.

    Rand Natret
    Positive
    1

    Incredible app well polished, though with some slight flaws.

    • Joplin is Freemium and Open SourceZettlr is Free and Open Source
    • Joplin is Minimalistic and DecentralizedZettlr is not according to our users
  2. Logseq icon

    Logseq

     336 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. Notesnook icon

    Notesnook

     189 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.

    340 Notesnook alternatives

    Cost / License

    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
     
  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. AppFlowy icon

    AppFlowy

     200 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
     
  7. Zim icon

    Zim

     514 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"...

    337 Zim alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • Flathub
    • Flatpak
    Zim screenshot 1
     
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    2
    Zim vs Zettlr Comments
    Marco Bartoli
    Positive
    1

    Zim is not an electron app. So it's a lot faster and arguably easier to use. I'd use it any day over Zettlr - IF it would support markdown natively. Instead, your notes are stored as "Zim text files" (containing wiki markup not supported by other editors). So, with a heavy heart, I ditched it in favor of a more portable option in Zettlr (and markdown in general).

    elzinus
    Positive
    0

    BIG PLUS: speed. Zim is very lightweight, simple but highly customizable. Writing is not in markdown, but can be exported in this format. (Zimwiki syntax is also compatible with pandoc, this makes life easy.)

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    • Zim is Free and Open SourceZettlr is also Free and Open Source
  8. CherryTree icon

    CherryTree

     324 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.

    122 CherryTree alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Flathub
    • PortableApps.com
    • Flatpak
    CherryTree screenshot 1
     
  11. 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
     
  12. Manuskript icon

    Manuskript

     171 likes

    Open-source software offering a hierarchical outliner, distraction-free editor, character management, plot tools, Snowflake method support, section multi-organization, customizable writing workflows, cross-platform availability, and export to standard formats.

    129 Manuskript alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Snapcraft
    • Flathub
    • Flatpak
    Manuskript screenshot 1
     
  14. ghostwriter icon

    ghostwriter

     113 likes

    ghostwriter is a feature-rich text editor using Markdown syntax which makes it suitable for note-taking, document redaction, simple HTML website creation and much more.

    143 ghostwriter alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Snapcraft
    • Flathub
    • Haiku
    ghostwriter screenshot 1
     
  15. QOwnNotes icon

    QOwnNotes

     99 likes

    Plain text notepad with markdown support and todo list manager for Linux, Mac OS X and Windows, that works together with the notes application of ownCloud.

    289 QOwnNotes alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Flathub
    • PortableApps.com
    • Qt
    QOwnNotes main screen
     
12 of 100 Zettlr alternatives