Joplin
Open source notes and to-do lists that sync through Dropbox, OneDrive or your own storage.
Our verdict
Joplin is the closest free replacement for Evernote. It reads Evernote export files, keeps notes in notebooks with tags, handles to-do lists and attachments, and clips web pages through a browser add-on.
Sync is the part worth understanding before you start. Joplin does not run its own service unless you pay for Joplin Cloud. Instead you point it at Dropbox, OneDrive, Nextcloud or a folder on your own computer, and it keeps everything matched across your devices.
Compared with OneNote the writing area is simpler and less free-form, because notes are Markdown text rather than an infinite canvas you can drop things anywhere on. In exchange the files are open, the program is free, and nothing is trapped if you stop using it.
What's good
- Imports an Evernote export directly, so old notebooks come across
- Syncs through storage you already pay for, such as Dropbox or OneDrive, at no extra cost
- End-to-end encryption is built in and can be switched on yourself
What to know first
- Looks plainer than OneNote and the editor is less forgiving
- First-time sync setup asks questions a beginner will not know the answer to
- Web clipper needs a browser extension installed separately
The details
- Cost
- Free with paid extras
- Open source
- Yes (MIT)
- How you install it
- App store (Flatpak), AppImage download
Windows apps it can replace
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