Alternatives to Simplenote
Minimal free plain-text notes with sync
Simplenote ranks #11 of 13 in Note-taking, with an Alt Score of 51. It is licensed under GPL-2.0, free and available on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android and Web. 8 of 12 checklist rows are verified against a public source.
People who want a fast, distraction-free place to jot and find plain-text notes across all their devices, without dealing with formatting or folder structures.
A free note-taking app with automatic real-time sync across iOS, Android, Mac, Windows, Linux, and the web. Notes are organized with tags and instant search instead of folders, support Markdown for writing and publishing, and keep a full version history so past edits can be reviewed or restored. Notes can also be shared with collaborators or published as public web pages.
Create an account and write notes in a simple text editor; changes sync automatically to every device you're signed into. Use tags and search to organize and find notes, and optionally share a note's link or publish it to the web.
Why people leave Simplenote
Dashed reasons are sourced facts; the rest are opinions. Vendors can dispute.
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Ranked alternatives
Ordered by Alt Score. Click any score to see the breakdown.
Feature comparison
How Simplenote compares with its alternatives, feature by feature.
| Note-taking checklist | Simplenote | Amplenote | Joplin | Evernote | Standard Notes | UpNote |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | ||||||
| Starts at | ||||||
| License | ||||||
| Platforms | ||||||
| Markdown support | ||||||
| Sync between devices (native) | ||||||
| Local-first storage | ||||||
| End-to-end encryption | ||||||
| Web clipper | ||||||
| Templates | ||||||
| Tags & notebooks | ||||||
| Handwriting & stylus | ||||||
| OCR of images | ||||||
| Version history | ||||||
| Data export formats | ||||||
| Offline access |
Every fact and feature listed for Simplenote is verified against its own pages. Each alternative is sourced on its own page.
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Platforms Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Web verified 2026-07-11
Download for Windows
https://simplenote.com/apps/ -
Status active verified 2026-07-11
2.27.1 Latest Jul 1, 2026
https://github.com/Automattic/simplenote-electron/releases -
License GPL-2.0 verified 2026-07-11
The GNU General Public License, Version 2, June 1991 (GPLv2)
https://github.com/Automattic/simplenote-electron/blob/master/LICENSE.md -
Pricing model Free verified 2026-07-11
Simplenote is a free service provided by your friends at Automattic.
https://simplenote.com/help/#cost -
Markdown support Yes verified 2026-07-11
Yes! Markdown is supported on our web, Android, Electron (Linux, Windows), and iOS apps.
https://simplenote.com/help/#markdown -
Sync between devices (native) Yes verified 2026-07-11
All notes are synced between your device, the web app, and any desktop apps that you might have downloaded.
https://simplenote.com/help/#syncing -
Local-first storage No verified 2026-07-11
All Simplenote apps are designed to be used offline. You can access and edit your notes without an internet connection, provided you have signed in and downloaded all your notes while online.
https://simplenote.com/help/#offline -
End-to-end encryption No verified 2026-07-11
Notes are not encrypted at rest due to server side constraints. For this reason we recommend not using Simplenote to store anything particularly sensitive.
https://simplenote.com/help/#encryption -
Tags & notebooks Partial verified 2026-07-11
You can organize your notes by adding tags to a note at the bottom of the note editing screen.
https://simplenote.com/help/#organize -
Version history Yes verified 2026-07-11
In both cases, an easy-to-use slider will appear, letting you navigate through your note's different versions.
https://simplenote.com/2014/02/24/syncing-improvements-features/ -
Data export formats Yes verified 2026-07-11
You will also be able to edit the file name, which is simplenote.json by default.
https://simplenote.com/help/#export -
Offline access Yes verified 2026-07-11
All Simplenote apps are designed to be used offline. You can access and edit your notes without an internet connection, provided you have signed in and downloaded all your notes while online.
https://simplenote.com/help/#offline
FAQ
Yes. Amplenote, Joplin and Evernote have a free tier or are fully free. Free-tier limits in the comparison table are verified and dated.
Joplin, Standard Notes and Notesnook — every license claim links its source.