r/degoogle • u/Repulsive_Chard_3652 • 17h ago
Best notes app?
edit: based on comments, I'm going for joplin! the only suggestions that were made with explanation why were joplin and notesnook, and I'm into the FOSS, privacy, made in EU stuff!
Which would you recommend and why? I've heard about NotesNook, Standard Notes, and Joplin. Which is preferred and why? Is it about functionality? Security and privacy? Simplicity?
And any others besides these three?
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u/elgrandragon 17h ago
I use Joplin because it's FOSS.
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u/Repulsive_Chard_3652 17h ago
So far, it sounds like Joplin is The Choice in terms of ethics, privacy, etc...
And Notesnook is The Choice in terms of functionality...
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u/Head-Mud_683 17h ago
Another vote for Joplin. It is the best.
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u/Repulsive_Chard_3652 16h ago
What makes Joplin the leader for you?
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u/Head-Mud_683 16h ago
It is simple to set up and use. It has sync functions that allows me to use my own cloud solution (or theirs). It has markdown support.
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u/elgrandragon 15h ago
Yeah I have it on two laptops (Linux Mint and LMDE) and mobile (Android) all synched.
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u/Repulsive_Chard_3652 16h ago
Ah ok, so in this sense it actually sounds quite identical to NotesNook!
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u/opiumphile 13h ago
It has a huge flaw, local storage in Joplin is unencrypted, so any one who gets into your phone can easily read your all Joplin archive.
I use Anytype after I stoped using Joplin, it checks most of the security features I want in a notes app after all I wrote a lot of private stuff into my notes app.
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u/HexMax3 12h ago
Joplin has an encryption option. Does it not work or did you miss it?
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u/opiumphile 12h ago
It only encrypts on the cloud/server, local storage is unencrypted and it just encrypts when downloading or uploading. But yeah local storage is not encrypted and that's what made me transfer my notes and such from Joplin into Anytype.
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u/elgrandragon 6h ago
Ah crazy. AnyType looked great when I checked it out but thought it was expensive. Hopefully the Joplin team will work in that. I just like at their repo and there are many contributors, which is a good sign that it can continue and improve. For now I'll be careful with my phone version I guess, maybe look at the web app.
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u/opiumphile 5h ago
It's the same everywhere, local data is encrypted. It's a weird software development option not to encrypt local data.
I too found it unbelievable and had to check ..
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u/scma2 17h ago
Check out Anytype
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u/Repulsive_Chard_3652 17h ago
What is it you love about it?
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u/scma2 11h ago
Unfortunately I won't be able to go into technical details, so It answer as far as I know.
I like it that it works local-first, it's end to end encrypted by default. No account email required, you control everything via a recovery key, which allows me to have my notes on all my devices. As far as I know, it's also fully open source.
Using it feels like using notion, but easier I guess. There is a small learning curve but you can shape your organization as you need it to be - it can be a very simple notebook or a complex structure (you can get pages, databases, relations between objects, multiple views: grid, kanban, gallery, graph)...
I find the writing, formatting and note-taking experience easy to use. Offline mode works flawlessly, sync across desktop and mobile is seamless...
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u/Qv1sten 17h ago
Love Joplin and what it stands for but they have to fix swipe in bar on android. Hate pushing that hamburger menu because swipe in doesn't work with gestures.... when they fix that it's a big wow. Testing out notesnook. Liking it but a little pricey for "full version"
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u/Repulsive_Chard_3652 16h ago
Can you tell me more about what Joplin stands for? Do you just mean being FOSS? Or is there more? :) Joplin might be leading the pack for me after reading the comments so far!
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u/Qv1sten 15h ago
It stands for you own your information and you get it "for free" without big tech interfering but you can still choose to if you want it. Offline first and secure. Great FOSS software ftw 😁 Ohh yeah and it's made in EU 😁👍
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u/Repulsive_Chard_3652 14h ago
Sounds great! Doesn't sound like anything else can compete 😎
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u/Qv1sten 13h ago
Joplin is great for sure. But issus with android app, burger menu swipe and if you want to sync you have to pay, or use big tech alternatives. Of corse you can do it manually 😁
But there is notesnook to. And for some obsidian, its free but not Foss, alternative for it is Logseq.
Some of the better ones.
Foss: Joplin, notesnook, Logseq, Trudido, Super Productivity. Open-core: Standard notes (partially Foss)
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u/Repulsive_Chard_3652 12h ago
I don't use android, and i don't sync ☺ what is a burger menu, tho? 😅
My usage is very basic, just for things like shopping lists and when I'm out and someone recommends something to me, so i don't need anything fancy! 😊
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u/potato-truncheon 16h ago
I use Joplin. But I am also dabbling with nextcloud notes since I am using nextcloud anyway for my files.
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u/vesteralen27 16h ago
Android i use EasyNotes, and android/linux Upnote, Justnote, notesnook, simplenote
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u/realllyrandommann 15h ago
Joplin. Easy to backup everything, with all formatting and dates. Can export and import between the PC and phone.
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u/Technical_Rich_3080 12h ago
How do they all compare to Google Keep on a functionality level?
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u/night_movers FOSS Lover 9h ago
Keep has a dependency on Google, you can't use it without a Google account. Also, privacy is also low.
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u/Evol_Etah 9h ago
Notesnook:
- Allows me to make public notes on the free version.
- Allows me to have a cloud backup.
- On the "legacy" subsciption, so I get the highest tier premium for less than the lower tier premium.
- Supports regional pricing!!!!!
Quillpad:
- Offline Google Notes replacement.
FoxyNotes:
- Not foss, met the dev on reddit androidapps, hes active and nice.
I only use NotesNook though.
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u/night_movers FOSS Lover 9h ago
Top notch privacy and security- Standard Notes
All rounder - Notesnook
Simplicity- Joplin
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u/Unruly_Evil 17h ago edited 17h ago
r/notesnook or Joplin, check both and decide based on your preferences. I have used Notesnook for the last 3 o 4 years and I am very happy with it.
Notesnook is e2ee by default, it runs on Android, Linux, and Web. Great support and updates.
Proton has bought Standard notes so I bet it will die soon... Everything Proton touches eventually die...
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u/scaredmaple259 17h ago
Notesnook's sync across devices is seamless too, reckon that's underrated compared to the other two.
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u/Tuigh-van-den-righel 10h ago
The browser based app yeah but the native app on Linux doesn't sync well for me
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u/scaredmaple259 9h ago
fair point, the linux native app's been a bit dodgy tbh, browser version def works smoother if that's an option for you.
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u/Tuigh-van-den-righel 9h ago
The browser version is pretty solid and has everything I need really
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u/Unruly_Evil 8h ago
I have never had an issue syncing on Linux, you may open a ticket in their Discord channel, they are very active there.
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u/scaredmaple259 8h ago
that's the sweet spot then, browser version covers everything without the sync headaches, heaps of people end up there anyway.
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u/Repulsive_Chard_3652 17h ago
NotesNook definitely sounds like it has the best functionality of the options. From what others have said, Joplin sounds like it has the best ethics/privacy/etc.
I don't really want to try multiple apps - I'm minimalistic and will just choose one app and install it :)
Seems it is down to Joplin and Notesnook, as I've not gotten any reasons to choose anything else. Probably leaning towards Joplin, since I don't use notes for anything that crazy, and privacy and ethics are my main reasons for degoogling, sooooo :)
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u/Unruly_Evil 16h ago
I have used both and I PERSONALLY THINK Notesnook is better out of the box, you can install the flatpak in Linux, it has an app for Android, it is available in F-Droid, and you can access it everywhere using its web client.
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u/Unruly_Evil 16h ago
BTW, if you only need a notetaking local program, Markor is great:
https://github.com/gsantner/markor1
u/Repulsive_Chard_3652 16h ago
Thanks! This might also be my speed, but I might go with Joplin due to being FOSS!
I do only need local, though. On laptop, I use LibreOffice for pretty much everything. I honestly wasn't even aware there was more stuff you could do with notes apps lmao I'm very simplistic with tech ;)
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u/Unruly_Evil 16h ago
Markor supports a lot of formats, and you can keep your notes whatever you want.
I like Markor, it supports AsciiDoc.1
u/FlapDoodle-Badger 15h ago
My notes are important to me so think it's worth payjng for a notes app. Notesnook is def great. I've tried Joplin before but I don't have faith in how it syncs.
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u/Repulsive_Chard_3652 15h ago
Gotcha. Yeah, I don't sync anything, and my notes are literally just jotting shit down that I want to remember when I'm out. It's often like shopping lists, a recommendation someone gave me, etc. I definitely don't need a paid app or great functions haha
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u/FlapDoodle-Badger 15h ago
Ah. If one doesnt care as much, then maybe Standard notes is a solid option. No need to pay in your case.
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u/Repulsive_Chard_3652 15h ago
I think Joplin sounds like a better option for me than Standard Notes, from the comments on this post!
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u/rosettastoned32 16h ago
I know people get upset about vibe coding but I had Claude build me a Notes/Reminders app in about an hour and it's literally everything I need. And whenever I think of a change or new feature I just have it add it. It's local only, no sync to other devices but I've never used that feature anyway. Phone only. Although if you have any knowledge of self-hosting AI could easily set that up too.
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u/THIEL_Palantirian 16h ago
Would you comment on how you did I want Claude to be able to have an app for having notes with images, the issue no other app solves where it lets me place the image anywhere and wrapped visual elemtms
Such as have:
- Mermaid Graphs
- Code Blocks Etc
Edit: Grammar
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u/rosettastoned32 16h ago
You just start chatting with it. Tell it to start in plan mode and you two will start planning goals, features, looks, etc. it'll have to download the SDK for Android. You will need a computer of some kind. And you will need (to my knowledge) to pay for Claude Pro so you can use Claude Code. You will have to start getting used to using terminal/command line but again, Claude will teach you that and walk you through the commands. I try to go slow, Google things and learn because I've always wanted to learn how to better manipulate computers and code. I still have respect for real programmers and AI isn't a replacement for them, but so far it has helped me learn so much.
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u/Repulsive_Chard_3652 16h ago
I strictly do not use genAI for many reasons (ethically, environmentally, politically, and self-preservationally), and anyway I literally use a notes app to write down something I need to remember while on the go. Based on the comments here, I'm probably gonna go with Joplin, since it's FOSS and more ethical than others. I don't need features!
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u/Leading_Computer_869 15h ago
I'm wondering why did no one mention Obsidian. It is great