The Standard Notes Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Standard Notes in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Standard Notes
The Insider’s Guide
End-to-end encrypted notes app with open source clients
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among note-taking apps, read from Standard Notes’s own pages.
Made by Standard Notes · checked Oct 5, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Standard Notes’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Standard Notes’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 5, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.8
GPA, above 72 of the 147 other note-taking apps we grade
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.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Standard Notes, taken from its own pages and our grades.
The free plan is plain text and tags, so there's not much to learn.
- 1
Best for private notes nobody else can read
Files can't be opened after a plan lapses, and paid note types go read-only.
- 2
Paid plans start at $7.50 a month when paid by the year
As its pricing page puts it: $90 per year (Productivity).
- 3
There is 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.
- 4
It runs on 6 platforms
Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android, with a browser extension too.
- 5
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.
- 6
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.
- 7
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.
- 8
A 2.8 GPA, above 72 of 147
That is against the other note-taking apps we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
The plain part of Standard Notes you could make: notes, Markdown and web clipper. What surrounds it you could not. The 3 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
Standard Notes at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $90 per year (Productivity)
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android, Browser extension
- Made by
- Standard Notes, since 2016
- Category
- Note-Taking Apps
- Our grade
- 2.8 GPA, good
- Store rating
- 4.7 on the App Store, 3,737 ratings
The report card
Best for private notes nobody else can read
Standard Notes encrypts every note on your device before it syncs, with open-source apps on every platform and free sync across unlimited devices. Free means plain text only: Markdown, rich text and folders start at $90 a year, file storage needs $120, and there's no monthly price or trial. Files can't be opened after a plan lapses, and paid note types go read-only.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | Productivity is $90 a year, which is $7.50 a month against a $6 middle here, and only yearly prices are listed. That buys Markdown, rich text and folders but no file storage, which needs Professional at $120. Notesnook does the same encryption for $19.99 a year. |
| Free plan and trial | B | Free forever with encryption, sync on unlimited devices, offline access, tags and daily email backups, and no cap on notes, so a plain-text note-taker could live here. Not an A, because that's all you get: plain text, no folders, and history only for the current session. |
| Features | B | It covers the job privately: end-to-end encryption on everything, Super notes for Markdown and rich text, spreadsheets, a 2FA authenticator, a web clipper, note history and 100 GB of encrypted storage on Professional. Notesnook does much the same, though, and files go unreadable if a subscription lapses. |
| Ease of use | B | 4.67 from about 3,700 App Store ratings, which is a whisker under the 4.7 an A needs. The free plan is plain text and tags, so there's not much to learn. The catch is knowing which note types go read-only if a paid plan lapses. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web, Mac, Windows, Linux, iPhone and Android, plus a clipper for Chrome and Firefox on paid plans, and you can host the server yourself. But the listing shows no integrations and no API, so it keeps to itself. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Standard Notes is for
- Fits if you want notes that even the company storing them can't read
- Works for plain-text notes, since that part is free on every device
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you want Markdown or folders without paying, as both need the $90 plan
- Pricey if you'd rather pay month by month, because only yearly prices are listed
- Not for you if you want a trial first, as there's none, only a refund within 14 or 90 days
- Watch out: files stored on Professional can't be viewed or downloaded once the subscription ends
- Watch out: when a plan lapses, notes in the paid editors go read-only until switched back to plain text
Good to know
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.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$7.50
A month to start, paid by the year. There is a free plan too
Standard Notes has a free plan. Paid plans start at $90 per year (Productivity).
Not an A, because that's all you get: plain text, no folders, and history only for the current session.
Standard
Free
Plain-text notes with end-to-end encryption, unlimited device sync, offline access, tags and daily encrypted email backups.
Productivity
$90
per year
Adds the Super note type for Markdown and rich text, spreadsheets, Daily Notebooks, folders, the Web Clipper, an authenticator and 1-year revision history.
Professional
$120
per year
Adds 100 GB of encrypted file storage, subscription sharing with up to 5 accounts, maximum revision history and hardware security key support.
The 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.
Read from standardnotes.com on Oct 5, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Education
30% student discount
Students get 30% off any plan, except offline subscriptions, by emailing the support team from a student email address.
Stated on standardnotes.comOther savings
Help 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.comOther savings
Discounted 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 its prices have moved
- Jan 3, 2023Productivity: $59 per year → $90 per yearThe archived copy of 3 January 2023 shows Productivity at $90 a year; the copy before it that we read, of 7 October 2022, shows $59. The price changed between the two.
- Jan 3, 2023Professional: $119 per year → $120 per yearThe archived copy of 3 January 2023 shows Professional at $120 a year; the copy before it that we read, of 7 October 2022, shows $119. The price changed between the two.
- Jul 6, 2022Productivity: Plus → ProductivityThe archived copy of 6 July 2022 calls the middle plan Productivity, at the same $59 a year; the copy before it that we read, of 19 May 2022, calls it Plus.
- Jul 6, 2022Professional: Pro → ProfessionalThe archived copy of 6 July 2022 calls the top plan Professional and the free plan Standard; the copy before it that we read, of 19 May 2022, calls them Pro and Core.
- May 19, 2022Plus: $79 per year → $59 per yearThe archived copy of 19 May 2022 shows the Plus plan at $59 a year; the copy before it that we read, of 11 March 2022, shows $79. The price changed between the two.
- May 19, 2022Core: $29 per year → $0, as the name of the free planThe archived copy of 19 May 2022 shows Core as the free plan; the copy before it that we read, of 11 March 2022, has a separate free plan and sells Core at $29 a year.
What the app costs elsewhere
Each country’s App Store price for “Professional Plan”, against $119.99 in the United States, in dollars at the day’s rate. The four cheapest and the four dearest of 11.
| Country | Price there | In dollars | Against the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turkey | ₺2.999,99 | $61.01 | 49% less |
| Canada | $149.99 | $105.43 | 12% less |
| Philippines | ₱ 6,990.00 | $111.27 | 7% less |
| Indonesia | Rp 1,999juta | $111.80 | 7% less |
| Australia | $199.99 | $139.61 | 16% more |
| Germany | 129,99 € | $145.67 | 21% more |
| South Africa | R2,499.99 | $151.21 | 26% more |
| United Kingdom | £119.99 | $158.63 | 32% more |
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
7
Places it runs: Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android and Browser extension
End-to-end encrypted notes app with open source clients. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, self-hostable, works offline, end-to-end encrypted, notes, Markdown, web clipper.
Notesnook does much the same, though, and files go unreadable if a subscription lapses.
- 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.
Where it runs
- Web
- macOS
- Windows
- Linux
- iOS
- Android
- Browser extension
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
Standard Notes is made by Standard Notes, and has been around since 2016.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
72/147
Other note-taking apps it is graded above
Standard Notes's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 72 of the 147 other note-taking apps we grade, and level with 34.
It stands best on features (B, above 100 of 147) and worst on value for money (C, above 16).
Its paid plans start at $7.50 a month when paid by the year, against a middle price of $5.83 for the category: 43 of the 66 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 3.0 out of 4. 8 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 148 note-taking apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. Standard Notes’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 16 of 147
- BFree plan and trialAbove 71 of 147
- BFeaturesAbove 100 of 147
- BEase of useAbove 47 of 147
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 86 of 147
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 103 note-taking apps. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Standard Notes is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
The plain part of Standard Notes you could make: notes, Markdown and web clipper. What surrounds it you could not. The 3 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
It costs $90 a year. Standard Notes is open source, so there is a third way: take its code and run it yourself.
What you could make
- Notes, Markdown and web clipper: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- Apps for macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android that stay in step with each other.
- End-to-end encryption done properly.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. Standard Notes’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Notesnook, Joplin, Obsidian, Simplenote and Evernote
The 5 tools Standard Notes is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 3.2GPA
Notesnook
Free plan · from $1.99/mo
Open source, end-to-end encrypted notes on every platform.
- Notesnook also covers linked notes.
- 3.6GPA
Joplin
Free plan · from €2.40/mo
Open source Markdown notes with sync through a service you choose.
- 3.6GPA
Obsidian
Free plan · from $4/mo
Markdown note-taking app that keeps your files on your device.
- Only Standard Notes lists a web app.
- Standard Notes is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Standard Notes also covers web clipper.
- 3.4GPA
Simplenote
Free
Free plain-text notes that sync across every major platform.
- Only Standard Notes lists a browser extension.
- Standard Notes is self-hostable and end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- Standard Notes also covers web clipper.
- 2.6GPA
Evernote
Free plan · from $99/yr
Note-taking app with web clipping, tasks, calendar and AI search.
- Only Standard Notes lists a Linux app.
- Standard Notes is open source, self-hostable and end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- Standard Notes also covers Markdown.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
14
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
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.
How much does Standard Notes cost?
Standard Notes lists 3 plans. Standard: Free.
What platforms does Standard Notes work on?
Standard Notes is available on Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android.
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.
Is Standard Notes open source?
Yes. Standard Notes is open source, according to its own site.
Is Standard Notes end-to-end encrypted?
Standard Notes describes itself as end-to-end encrypted on its own site.
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 a company of the same name. 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.
How does Standard Notes compare with other note-taking apps?
Standard Notes's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 72 of the 147 other note-taking apps we grade, and level with 34.
Is Standard Notes good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Standard Notes C for value for money. Its paid plans start at $7.50 a month when paid by the year, against a middle price of $5.83 for the category: 43 of the 66 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Standard Notes?
The plain part of Standard Notes you could make: notes, Markdown and web clipper.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Standard Notes’s own pages on Oct 5, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Standard Notes' own pages on 5 October 2026, and its App Store rating. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-04-25.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Standard Notes. Prices change, so check standardnotes.com before you buy.
- standardnotes.com
- standardnotes.com/plans
- standardnotes.com/features
- standardnotes.com/help/38/does-standard-notes-offer-a-student-discount
- standardnotes.com/help/56/what-if-i-can-t-afford-the-price-of-extended
- standardnotes.com/help/48/can-i-use-extensions-with-a-self-hosted-server
- standardnotes.com/help/46/is-the-standard-notes-source-code-public
- standardnotes.com/help/39/what-country-is-standard-notes-located-in
- standardnotes.com/help/20/what-happens-to-my-data-when-my-subscription-expires
- standardnotes.com/help/51/what-is-the-refund-policy-on-standard-notes-extended
- standardnotes.com/help/usage/how-do-i-clip-web-pages
- apps.apple.com/us/app/standard-notes/id1285392450
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
3,189
Tools graded, in 94 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
3,189
tools graded
94
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Standard Notes, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/standard-notes
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Standard Notes: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 5, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/standard-notes
Know someone choosing between note-taking apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/standard-notes/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded note-taking apps after Standard Notes, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Note-Taking Apps Insider's GuideEvery one of the 148 note-taking apps we grade, compared
- Microsoft OneNote Insider's GuideMicrosoft's free digital notebook for typed, inked and audio notes3.8 GPA
- Goodnotes Insider's GuideHandwritten notes, PDF markup and whiteboards with an AI assistant3.6 GPA
- Joplin Insider's GuideOpen source Markdown notes with sync through a service you choose3.6 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Standard Notes’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Standard Notes is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Standard Notes. Prices and plans change: check standardnotes.com before you buy.