Alternatives · Note-Taking
QOwnNotes alternatives
QOwnNotes compared with 7 alternatives: Joplin, Obsidian, Zim, VNote, CherryTree and 2 more.
QOwnNotes is free to use. All 7 alternatives are free or have a free plan.
7 tools · Listings checked up to Oct 9, 2026 · Where the facts come from
At a glance
| Tool | Price | Free plan | Runs on |
|---|---|---|---|
| QOwnNotesThis tool | Free | Free | macOS, Windows, Linux, Android, Browser extension |
| Joplin | Free plan · from €2.40/mo | Yes | Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android, Browser extension |
| Obsidian | Free plan · from $4/mo | Yes | macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android, Browser extension |
| Zim | Free | Free | macOS, Windows, Linux |
| VNote | Free | Free | macOS, Windows, Linux |
| CherryTree | Free | Free | macOS, Windows, Linux |
| Marknote | Free | Free | macOS, Windows, Linux |
| MindForger | Free | Free | macOS, Windows, Linux |
How each one differs from QOwnNotes
- Free plan · from €2.40/mo
Joplin
Open source Markdown notes with sync through a service you choose
- Joplin starts at 2.40€ per month, billed yearly at 28.69€ (Joplin Cloud Basic). QOwnNotes is free.
- Only Joplin lists a web app.
- Only Joplin lists an iOS app.
- Joplin is self-hostable and end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- QOwnNotes also covers linked notes.
Suits: People who want open source notes synced through their own storage
- Free plan · from $4/mo
Obsidian
Markdown note-taking app that keeps your files on your device
- Obsidian starts at $4 per user / month, billed annually (Sync Standard add-on). QOwnNotes is free.
- Only Obsidian lists an iOS app.
- Obsidian is end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- QOwnNotes is open source, according to its own site.
- Obsidian also covers whiteboard.
Suits: People who want their notes as plain Markdown files they control
- Free
Zim
Desktop wiki that keeps linked pages as plain text files
- Zim is free. QOwnNotes is free.
- Only QOwnNotes lists an Android app.
- Only QOwnNotes lists a browser extension.
- Zim also covers wiki, daily notes and tasks.
- QOwnNotes also covers Markdown and web clipper.
Suits: A personal wiki or scratch book kept as files on your own disk
- Free
VNote
Free desktop Markdown note-taking app with plain-file notebooks
- VNote is free. QOwnNotes is free.
- Only QOwnNotes lists an Android app.
- Only QOwnNotes lists a browser extension.
- VNote also covers templates and mind mapping.
- QOwnNotes also covers linked notes and web clipper.
Suits: People who want Markdown notes as plain files with no account
- Free
CherryTree
Hierarchical desktop notes with rich text and code highlighting
- CherryTree is free. QOwnNotes is free.
- Only QOwnNotes lists an Android app.
- Only QOwnNotes lists a browser extension.
- QOwnNotes also covers Markdown, linked notes and web clipper.
Suits: Keeping structured notes and code snippets in one local file
- Free
Marknote
KDE's rich text note-taking app that saves notes as Markdown files
- Marknote is free. QOwnNotes is free.
- Only QOwnNotes lists an Android app.
- Only QOwnNotes lists a browser extension.
- QOwnNotes also covers web clipper.
Suits: Linux and KDE Plasma users who want a simple notes app
- Free
MindForger
Open-source Markdown notebook that links related notes for you
- MindForger is free. QOwnNotes is free.
- Only QOwnNotes lists an Android app.
- Only QOwnNotes lists a browser extension.
- QOwnNotes also covers web clipper.
Suits: People who keep private notes as Markdown files on their own disk
Limits worth knowing in QOwnNotes
- The app does not sync notes or attachments itself; syncing across devices depends on a Nextcloud or ownCloud sync client or another file-sync tool.
- The Android app is installed as an APK from its GitHub release page and needs a Nextcloud server running the Notes app. The site lists no iOS app.
- The browser extension works only while the desktop app is running.
- Current builds need Windows 10 or macOS 13 or later; the older Qt5 builds cannot use the built-in updater.
Common questions
What are the alternatives to QOwnNotes?
The alternatives to QOwnNotes in this directory are Joplin, Obsidian, Zim, VNote, CherryTree, Marknote and MindForger. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with QOwnNotes.
Is there a free alternative to QOwnNotes?
Yes. Zim, VNote, CherryTree, Marknote and MindForger are free to use. Joplin and Obsidian have a free plan alongside paid ones.
Which QOwnNotes alternatives work on iOS?
The QOwnNotes listing does not include an iOS app. Joplin and Obsidian list one.
When were these prices checked?
Each listing shows its own date. On this page they run from Oct 4, 2026 to Oct 9, 2026. Vendors change prices without notice, so confirm on their site before you buy.
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