What is the difference between Joplin and Simplenote?

Joplin is best for Privacy-focused users wanting open-source note-taking, while Simplenote is best for Anyone wanting the simplest possible note-taking. Joplin starts at Free and Simplenote starts at Free.

Is Joplin or Simplenote cheaper?

Joplin starts at Free and is free. Simplenote starts at Free and is free.

Is there a free alternative to Simplenote?

Both Joplin and Simplenote offer free tiers.

Joplin vs Simplenote (2026)

At a glance

	Joplin	Simplenote
Best for	Privacy-focused users wanting open-source note-taking	Anyone wanting the simplest possible note-taking
Starting price	Free	Free
Free tier	✓	✓
Open source	✓	✓
Free tier available	✓	✓
Open source	✓	✓
E2E Encryption	✓	—
History	—	✓
Instant Sync	—	✓
Markdown	✓	✓
Open Source	✓	—
Tags	—	✓
Webclipper	✓	—

Joplin

Strengths

Open source and transparent
Open-source codebase gives you full transparency and community-driven development
Fully open-source — you can self-host, audit the code, and avoid vendor lock-in
The core product is free with no paywalled essentials

Weaknesses

May lack some advanced features
Self-hosting is free but requires server maintenance and DevOps knowledge
Fewer built-in features means you may need additional tools to cover gaps
Moving notes out to another platform can be difficult — export options vary

Try Joplin → Full review

Simplenote

Strengths

Open source and transparent
Instant sync keeps every collaborator's view up to date in real time
Fully open-source — you can self-host, audit the code, and avoid vendor lock-in
The core product is free with no paywalled essentials

Weaknesses

May lack some advanced features
Self-hosting is free but requires server maintenance and DevOps knowledge
Fewer built-in features means you may need additional tools to cover gaps
Moving notes out to another platform can be difficult — export options vary

Try Simplenote → Full review

The bottom line

Pricing: Both Joplin and Simplenote are free, so this decision comes down to features and philosophy rather than budget.

Feature gaps: Joplin offers E2E Encryption, Open Source and Webclipper that Simplenote lacks. Simplenote brings History, Instant Sync and Tags that Joplin does not have. Both share Markdown.

Team fit: Both tools target individuals teams, so the decision hinges on features and workflow fit rather than scale.

Open source: Both Joplin and Simplenote are open source, so self-hosting and code audits are on the table with either choice.

Where each tool shines: Joplin's biggest strengths are: open source and transparent. open-source codebase gives you full transparency and community-driven development. Simplenote's biggest strengths are: open source and transparent. instant sync keeps every collaborator's view up to date in real time.

Watch out for: With Joplin, users commonly note that may lack some advanced features. With Simplenote, the main complaint is that may lack some advanced features.

Choose Joplin if...

You need a tool built for privacy-focused users wanting open-source note-taking
You specifically need E2E Encryption and Open Source
You care about open-source codebase gives you full transparency and community-driven development

Choose Simplenote if...

You need a tool built for anyone wanting the simplest possible note-taking
You specifically need History and Instant Sync
You care about instant sync keeps every collaborator's view up to date in real time