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Standard Notes

Productivity & Notes
3.8(28 ratings)

A secure, open-source note-taking app that prioritizes privacy.

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About Standard Notes

Best for privacy-conscious individuals who need encrypted note-taking.

Standard Notes is an open-source, end-to-end encrypted note-taking application built for people who take privacy seriously. It provides a clean, distraction-free writing environment that syncs across all major platforms including web, desktop, and mobile. Unlike many competitors, Standard Notes doesn't track users or serve ads, and its encryption model means even the company itself cannot read your notes. The app supports extensibility through editors and themes, allowing users to customize their experience from plain text to markdown, code editing, and more. It's well-suited for journalists, researchers, developers, and anyone who wants a reliable, long-lasting notes solution they can trust.

Pros

  • End-to-end encryption enabled by default
  • Open-source and independently audited for security
  • Clean, distraction-free minimalist interface
  • Cross-platform sync across all major devices
  • Strong longevity focus with 100-year company vision

Cons

  • Advanced editors require a paid subscription
  • No real-time collaboration or shared notes
  • Limited organizational features compared to Notion or Evernote
  • Fewer integrations with third-party tools

Use Cases

Best for journalists and activists needing secure, private note storage
Best for developers who want markdown and code editing in notes
Best for personal journaling with strong privacy and encryption guarantees
Best for researchers organizing long-term knowledge in a reliable platform

Key Features

6 features
End-to-end encryption for notes
Cross-platform synchronization
Markdown support for formatting
Customizable themes and styles
Offline access to notes
Rich media embedding options

Pick Standard Notes if privacy is your top priority and you need robust features at a low monthly cost.

Ease of Use
7.0
Features
8.0
Pricing
8.0
Support
7.0
Integrations
6.0

Best For

Freelancers 8Small Business 7Agencies 6Startups 6Enterprise 5

Integrations

Dropbox (via file backups)Google Drive (via file backups)OneDrive (via file backups)Listed (blogging platform by Standard Notes)FileSafe (encrypted file attachments)Clipper (browser extension)

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Standard Notes?

Standard Notes is an open-source, end-to-end encrypted note-taking app that prioritizes privacy, security, and longevity. It works across web, desktop (Windows, Mac, Linux), and mobile (iOS, Android) with seamless sync.

How much does Standard Notes cost?

Standard Notes offers a free plan with core features including encryption and sync. The paid Productivity plan costs around $90 per year and unlocks advanced editors, themes, encrypted file attachments, and other premium features.

What are the main features of Standard Notes?

Key features include end-to-end encryption, cross-platform sync, tagging and organization, multiple editor types (markdown, rich text, code), themes, encrypted backups, and two-factor authentication. The app is also fully open-source.

Who should use Standard Notes?

Standard Notes is ideal for privacy-focused individuals such as journalists, activists, developers, and anyone who wants a secure, simple, and reliable place to store their notes long-term without worrying about data mining or surveillance.

Is there a free plan for Standard Notes?

Yes, Standard Notes has a generous free plan that includes end-to-end encryption, cross-device sync, and the plain text editor. Paid plans add advanced editors, themes, file attachments, and other productivity features.

Quick Info

Pricing

Free — From $8/mo for extended features

Features

6 key features

Founded

2016

Integrations

6+ apps

Try Standard Notes Free

No credit card required

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3.8

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