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Alternatives · Note-Taking

Standard Notes alternatives

Standard Notes compared with 9 alternatives: Notesnook, Joplin, Obsidian, Simplenote, Evernote and 4 more.

Standard Notes has a free plan. Paid plans start at $90 per year (Productivity). 8 of the 9 alternatives are free or have a free plan. One more offers a free trial.

9 tools · Listings checked up to Oct 9, 2026 · Where the facts come from

At a glance

ToolPriceFree planRuns on
Standard NotesThis toolFree plan · from $90/yrYesWeb, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android, Browser extension
NotesnookFree plan · from $1.99/moYesWeb, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android, Browser extension
JoplinFree plan · from €2.40/moYesWeb, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android, Browser extension
ObsidianFree plan · from $4/moYesmacOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android, Browser extension
SimplenoteFreeFreeWeb, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android
EvernoteFree plan · from $99/yrYesWeb, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android, Browser extension
CrypteeFree plan · from €3/moYesWeb
InkdropFree trial · from $8.31/moTrial onlymacOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android, Browser extension
LockbookFree plan · from $2.99/moYesmacOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android
Mimiri NotesFree plan · from $1.20/moYesWeb, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android

How each one differs from Standard Notes

  1. Notesnook

    Open source, end-to-end encrypted notes on every platform

    • Notesnook starts at $1.99 per month, or $19.99 per year (Essential). Standard Notes starts at $90 per year (Productivity).
    • Notesnook also covers linked notes.

    Suits: People who want notes the provider cannot read

    Notesnook vs Standard NotesNotesnook pricing and details

  2. 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). Standard Notes starts at $90 per year (Productivity).

    Suits: People who want open source notes synced through their own storage

    Joplin vs Standard NotesJoplin pricing and details

  3. 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). Standard Notes starts at $90 per year (Productivity).
    • Only Standard Notes lists a web app.
    • Standard Notes is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
    • Obsidian also covers linked notes and whiteboard.
    • Standard Notes also covers web clipper.

    Suits: People who want their notes as plain Markdown files they control

    Obsidian vs Standard NotesObsidian pricing and details

  4. Simplenote

    Free plain-text notes that sync across every major platform

    • Simplenote is free. Standard Notes starts at $90 per year (Productivity).
    • Only Standard Notes lists a browser extension.
    • Standard Notes is self-hostable and end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
    • Simplenote also covers linked notes.
    • Standard Notes also covers web clipper.

    Suits: Plain-text notes synced across phone, desktop and browser at no cost

    Simplenote vs Standard NotesSimplenote pricing and details

  5. Evernote

    Note-taking app with web clipping, tasks, calendar and AI search

    • Evernote starts at $99 per year (about $8.25 a month), or $14.99 billed monthly. Standard Notes starts at $90 per year (Productivity).
    • Only Standard Notes lists a Linux app.
    • Standard Notes is open source, self-hostable and end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
    • Evernote also covers templates, tasks and calendar.
    • Standard Notes also covers Markdown.

    Suits: People who save web pages, scans and documents and need to search across them

    Evernote vs Standard NotesEvernote pricing and details

  6. Cryptee

    Encrypted documents, notes and photo storage from Estonia

    • Cryptee starts at €3 per month (10 GB). Standard Notes starts at $90 per year (Productivity).
    • Only Standard Notes lists macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android apps.
    • Only Standard Notes lists a browser extension.
    • Standard Notes is self-hostable, according to its own site.
    • Cryptee also covers linked notes and documents.

    Suits: Private journals and notes that the provider cannot read

    Cryptee vs Standard NotesCryptee pricing and details

  7. Inkdrop

    Markdown note app for developers with encrypted sync

    • Inkdrop starts at $8.31 per month, billed annually ($99.80 per year). Standard Notes starts at $90 per year (Productivity).
    • Standard Notes has a free plan. Inkdrop does not, though it has a free trial.
    • Only Standard Notes lists a web app.
    • Standard Notes is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.

    Suits: Developers keeping technical notes in Markdown

    Inkdrop vs Standard NotesInkdrop pricing and details

  8. Lockbook

    Open-source encrypted notes app with Markdown and drawing

    • Lockbook starts at $2.99 per month. Standard Notes starts at $90 per year (Productivity).
    • Only Standard Notes lists a web app.
    • Only Standard Notes lists a browser extension.
    • Standard Notes also covers web clipper.

    Suits: People who want notes and files the provider cannot read

    Lockbook vs Standard NotesLockbook pricing and details

  9. Mimiri Notes

    End-to-end encrypted notes in a tree, with encrypted sharing

    • Mimiri Notes starts at $1.20 per month, or $12 per year (Tier 1). Standard Notes starts at $90 per year (Productivity).
    • Only Standard Notes lists a browser extension.
    • Standard Notes also covers Markdown and web clipper.

    Suits: Confidential notes and credentials the provider cannot read

    Mimiri Notes vs Standard NotesMimiri Notes pricing and details

Limits worth knowing in Standard Notes

  • The free plan is limited to plain-text notes; Markdown, rich text, spreadsheets and folders need Productivity at $90 per year.
  • The pricing page lists yearly prices only, and there is no free trial; refunds are offered within 14 days (Productivity) or 90 days (Professional).
  • Encrypted file storage comes only with Professional, and files cannot be viewed or downloaded after a subscription expires.
  • When a subscription lapses, notes in the paid editors become read-only until switched back to plain text.
Standard Notes pricing and details

Common questions

What are the alternatives to Standard Notes?

The alternatives to Standard Notes in this directory are Notesnook, Joplin, Obsidian, Simplenote, Evernote, Cryptee, Inkdrop, Lockbook and Mimiri Notes. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with Standard Notes.

Is there a free alternative to Standard Notes?

Yes. Simplenote is free to use. Notesnook, Joplin, Obsidian, Evernote, Cryptee, Lockbook and Mimiri Notes have a free plan alongside paid ones.

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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