Soft Ferret

Note-taking apps

Joplin

per month on a yearly plan, checked November 1, 2026

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Free open-source notes with encryption

Free, open source and end-to-end encrypted on 5 platforms. Joplin Cloud Basic caps notes and attachments at 10 MB each.

In the list: Best offline note-taking apps that keep plain files

Specs
Free tierApp is free; Joplin Cloud sync is paid, free sync via Dropbox/OneDrive etc.
PlatformsWindows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS

Close in price

ProductBest forPer month, yearly planCheckedLink
ZettlrMarkdown for academic writingFreeNovember 1, 2026Visit
SimplenoteFast free plain notesFreeNovember 1, 2026Visit
BearApple-only Markdown notes$2.50November 1, 2026Visit
ObsidianLocal-first Markdown knowledge base$4November 1, 2026Visit