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Simplenote alternatives: 6 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave Simplenote: no images, attachments or rich text, and no folders or backlinks, only tags. We ranked 6 alternatives by how directly each one replaces Simplenote, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Bear currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1Standard Notes logoStandard NotesFree plan + paidYesWeb, Windows, macOS +45 of 566.5
2Notesnook logoNotesnookFree plan + paidYesWeb, Windows, macOS +45 of 562.6
  1. Standard Notes logo

    1. Standard NotesTop pick

    Best for: Privacy-focused users who want every note end-to-end encrypted

    Free plan + paidOpen sourceSelf-hostableWeb, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Self-hosted

    66.5

    score / 100

    Why switch from Simplenote

    Same minimal spirit but with end-to-end encryption of every note.

    Pros

    • End-to-end encryption on every plan
    • Open-source, independently audited code
    • Free plan works on unlimited devices
    • Self-hostable sync server

    Cons

    • Free plan is limited to plain-text notes
    • Paid plans cost more than many rivals
    • Editors feel less polished than mainstream apps
    Visit Standard Notes Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.3100
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Standard Notes a good Simplenote alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    End-to-end encryption
    Yes, on all plans
    Checked Oct 25, 2026standardnotes.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Productivity plan
    $90 per year
    Checked Oct 25, 2026standardnotes.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Professional plan
    $120 per year
    Checked Oct 25, 2026standardnotes.com(opens source in a new tab)
    License
    AGPL-3.0
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Venture capital
    None
    Checked Oct 25, 2026standardnotes.com(opens source in a new tab)
  2. Notesnook logo

    2. Notesnook

    Best for: Privacy-conscious users who want an encrypted, Evernote-style notes app

    Free plan + paidOpen sourceSelf-hostableWeb, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Self-hosted

    62.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Simplenote

    Free, encrypted notes with rich text and attachments that Simplenote lacks.

    Pros

    • End-to-end encrypted by default
    • Apps and sync server are open source
    • Free plan with unlimited notes and devices
    • Rich editor with attachments

    Cons

    • Limited real-time collaboration
    • Storage and notebooks capped on lower plans
    • Fewer integrations than mainstream apps
    Visit Notesnook Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.387
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Notesnook a good Simplenote alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    License
    GPL-3.0
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Free plan
    Unlimited notes
    Checked Oct 25, 2026notesnook.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Free trial
    14 days on paid plans
    Checked Oct 25, 2026notesnook.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Platforms
    Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, web
    Checked Oct 25, 2026notesnook.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Open-source server
    Yes
    Checked Oct 25, 2026notesnook.com(opens source in a new tab)

The best Simplenote alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

Bear logo

Best Simplenote alternative for most people

Bear

A nicer Markdown writing experience for Apple users, with tags and attachments.

Joplin logo

Best Simplenote alternative for a free option

Joplin

Open-source Markdown notes with notebooks and your choice of sync service.

Standard Notes logo

Best Simplenote alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

Standard Notes

Same minimal spirit but with end-to-end encryption of every note.

Notesnook logo

Best Simplenote alternative for open source

Notesnook

Free, encrypted notes with rich text and attachments that Simplenote lacks.

Joplin logo

Best Simplenote alternative for self-hosting

Joplin

Open-source Markdown notes with notebooks and your choice of sync service.

UpNote logo

Best Simplenote alternative for Mac

UpNote

Clean rich-text notes with notebooks and a cheap lifetime licence.

Joplin logo

Best Simplenote alternative for Windows

Joplin

Open-source Markdown notes with notebooks and your choice of sync service.

Joplin logo

Best Simplenote alternative for Linux

Joplin

Open-source Markdown notes with notebooks and your choice of sync service.

Google Keep logo

Best Simplenote alternative for iPhone and Android

Google Keep

Free quick notes and lists with reminders, photos and voice notes.

Standard Notes logo

Best Simplenote alternative for working in the browser

Standard Notes

Same minimal spirit but with end-to-end encryption of every note.

Simplenote alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to Simplenote?

Bear ranks first right now. A nicer Markdown writing experience for Apple users, with tags and attachments. Joplin and Standard Notes follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to Simplenote?

Yes. Bear (free plan + paid), Joplin (open source), Standard Notes (free plan + paid) and Notesnook (free plan + paid) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to Simplenote?

Yes: Joplin, Standard Notes and Notesnook. Joplin, Standard Notes and Notesnook can also be self-hosted.

Which Simplenote alternatives work on Linux?

Joplin, Standard Notes, Notesnook and UpNote run on Linux.

Why do people switch from Simplenote?

The complaints we hear most: no images, attachments or rich text; no folders or backlinks, only tags; slow pace of new features.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces Simplenote, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.