The closest free replacement for classic Evernote: notebooks, tags, a web clipper and a full ENEX import, open source and encrypted, with a plainer interface and no handwriting.
What it is
Joplin is an open-source (AGPL-3.0) app for notes and to-dos organized in notebooks with tags and full-text search. Notes are Markdown, with a rich-text editor option, OCR for images and PDFs, a web clipper for Chrome and Firefox, and plugins. It imports Evernote ENEX files with formatting, attachments and metadata, works offline first, and syncs with optional end-to-end encryption through Joplin Cloud, Dropbox, OneDrive, Nextcloud, WebDAV or S3. The apps are free; Joplin Cloud is the paid sync service: Basic 2.99 euros a month (2.40 billed yearly, 2 GB, 10 MB per note), Pro 5.99 euros (4.79 yearly, 30 GB, notebook sharing and email to note), Pro 100 GB 9.99 euros, Teams 7.99 euros per user (2-user minimum), each with a 14-day trial. Self-hosted Joplin Server uses a separate personal-use license. Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android and a terminal app. Checked on joplinapp.org/plans November 13, 2026.
Best for
- Evernote users who want notebooks and tags without the note caps
- People who want open-source, encrypted notes
- Syncing through storage you already pay for
What we like
- Free and open source, no note or device limits
- Imports Evernote ENEX with attachments and metadata
- End-to-end encrypted sync through Dropbox, OneDrive, Nextcloud or Joplin Cloud
- Web clipper, OCR and plugins
What to watch
- Plainer, more technical interface than Evernote or Notion
- No handwriting or freeform canvas
- Web app and notebook sharing need Joplin Cloud, priced in euros
- Self-hosted Joplin Server is not open source and is for personal use
Where Joplin ranks
Alternatives and head-to-heads
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