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Standard Notes

End-to-end encrypted notes app with open source clients

Free plan · from $90/yrNote-TakingChecked Oct 5, 20264.7 on the App Store
Visit standardnotes.com

What is Standard Notes?

Standard Notes is a note-taking app that encrypts notes and files on your device before they sync, so only you hold the keys. The free plan covers plain-text notes with sync across unlimited devices on web, desktop and mobile. Paid plans add richer note types such as Markdown, rich text and spreadsheets, longer revision history and, on Professional, 100 GB of encrypted file storage. The application and server source code are public.

Standard Notes has a free plan. Paid plans start at $90 per year (Productivity). See every plan

Good for

  • Private notes that the provider cannot read
  • Keeping sensitive records and documents alongside notes
  • People who want open source apps and the option to self-host
  • Small groups: Professional can be shared with up to 5 accounts

Worth knowing

  • 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.

Key features

End-to-end encryption
Notes, tags and other data are encrypted on the device with XChaCha20-Poly1305 before syncing, so the server stores only data it cannot read.
Note types
A note is plain text on the free plan. A subscription adds Super notes for Markdown, rich text, checklists and code, plus spreadsheets and an authenticator for 2FA codes.
Sync and offline access
Notes sync across unlimited devices on the web, desktop and mobile, and an offline copy stays available without an internet connection.
Revision history and backups
Daily encrypted email backups come with every plan. Note history covers the current session on the free plan, 1 year on Productivity and is unlimited on Professional.
Encrypted file storage
Professional includes 100 GB of encrypted storage for photos, videos and documents, with no file size limit (tested up to 2 GB) and offline file access.
Web Clipper and folders
Paid plans add a Chrome and Firefox extension that clips a full page, an article or a selection into a note, and nested folders built from tags.

Standard Notes pricing

Starts at
$90 per year (Productivity)
Free plan
Standard plan: end-to-end encrypted plain-text notes, unlimited device sync, offline access, tags, password-protected notes, two-factor authentication and daily encrypted email backups.
Free trial
None listed
StandardFreePlain-text notes with end-to-end encryption, unlimited device sync, offline access, tags and daily encrypted email backups.
Productivity$90per yearAdds the Super note type for Markdown and rich text, spreadsheets, Daily Notebooks, folders, the Web Clipper, an authenticator and 1-year revision history.
Professional$120per yearAdds 100 GB of encrypted file storage, subscription sharing with up to 5 accounts, maximum revision history and hardware security key support.

Read from standardnotes.com on Oct 5, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with Standard Notes before you buy.

Pricing in detail

Ways to pay less

  • Education30% student discount

    Students get 30% off any plan, except offline subscriptions, by emailing the support team from a student email address.

    Stated on standardnotes.com
  • Other savingsHelp for people who cannot afford a plan

    Standard Notes invites anyone facing economic difficulty to email support with their circumstances so a plan that works for them can be arranged.

    Stated on standardnotes.com
  • Other savingsDiscounted offline subscription for self-hosting

    Offline subscriptions, which unlock the paid features on a self-hosted server, are sold at what the vendor calls a steep discount from the hosted plans.

    Stated on standardnotes.com

How people rate the Standard Notes app

4.7

out of 5 for the iPhone and iPad app

  1. 5 stars84%
  2. 4 stars8%
  3. 3 stars2%
  4. 2 stars1%
  5. 1 star4%

3,737 ratings on the App Store in the United States, read Oct 5, 2026. It rates the app, not everything the product does. See the listing

Standard Notes reviews, and where to read more

Standard Notes alternatives

All Standard Notes alternatives comparedAll note-taking apps

Common questions

Is Standard Notes free?

Standard Notes has a free plan. Standard plan: end-to-end encrypted plain-text notes, unlimited device sync, offline access, tags, password-protected notes, two-factor authentication and daily encrypted email backups. Paid plans start at $90 per year (Productivity).

How much does Standard Notes cost?

Standard Notes lists 3 plans. Standard: Free. Productivity: $90 per year. Professional: $120 per year. Prices were read from standardnotes.com on Oct 5, 2026.

What platforms does Standard Notes work on?

Standard Notes is available on Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android. It also has a browser extension.

Does Standard Notes offer any discounts?

Standard Notes publicly lists the following: 30% student discount; Help for people who cannot afford a plan; Discounted offline subscription for self-hosting.

How is Standard Notes rated?

Standard Notes's iPhone and iPad app averages 4.7 out of 5 from 3,737 ratings on the App Store in the United States, as read on Oct 5, 2026. That is the store's rating of the app, not a score from us.

Is Standard Notes open source?

Yes. Standard Notes is open source, according to its own site. It can also be run on a server of your own.

Is Standard Notes end-to-end encrypted?

Standard Notes describes itself as end-to-end encrypted on its own site. Nobody here has audited that.

Does Standard Notes work offline?

Yes, according to its own site. What works without a connection differs by plan and platform, so check the vendor's page for the detail.

Does Standard Notes have a student discount?

30% student discount. Students get 30% off any plan, except offline subscriptions, by emailing the support team from a student email address.

Who makes Standard Notes?

Standard Notes is made by Standard Notes. It dates from 2016.

What are the alternatives to Standard Notes?

The closest alternatives to Standard Notes in our directory are Notesnook, Joplin, Obsidian, Simplenote and Evernote. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with Standard Notes.

Sources for this page

The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Oct 5, 2026. What people say is linked where it appears.