Joplin
Markdown notes with end to end encrypted sync on every device
Alternative toEvernoteOneNote
Joplin is a note taking app for desktop and mobile that stores notes as Markdown, clips web pages and syncs with end to end encryption. It is the open source alternative to Evernote, and you choose where the sync lives: your own cloud storage, a server you host, or the paid Joplin Cloud.
Best for when
- you want to leave Evernote without losing your notebooks
- you want encrypted notes synced through storage you already own
- you like Markdown but want a friendly editor on mobile too
Watch out for
- rich formatting from Evernote often imports as messy Markdown or HTML
- sharing and collaboration need Joplin Server or the paid Joplin Cloud
- the first sync of a large library is slow, especially on mobile
Notebooks, tags and Markdown
Joplin organises notes into notebooks and tags, like Evernote, but the notes themselves are Markdown, with a rich text editor for people who do not want to see the syntax. It has to-dos with reminders, attachments, full text search and a web clipper for Chrome and Firefox.
Sync is where it differs most. You can sync through Dropbox, OneDrive, a WebDAV server such as Nextcloud, an S3 bucket, Joplin Server on your own machine, or Joplin Cloud. End to end encryption is optional and works with all of them, so the storage provider only sees encrypted data.
What switching really costs
Joplin imports Evernote's ENEX export, including notebooks, tags and attachments, but rich formatting can turn into messy Markdown or HTML, and Evernote's AI search and handwriting recognition do not come along. Plan an afternoon to clean up the notes you actually use.
Collaboration is limited compared with Evernote or Notion. Sharing notebooks needs Joplin Server or Joplin Cloud, and there is no real time co-editing. The mobile apps are capable but slower to sync large libraries, and the first sync of thousands of notes takes patience.
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