Joplin
Free / $3.99/mo (cloud sync optional)Free, open-source note-taking app with end-to-end encryption and markdown support.
Why founders use Joplin
The Good
The Bad
The Verdict
Joplin is a lightweight, open-source alternative to Evernote that emphasizes privacy and data ownership. Every note is stored locally on your device and can be encrypted end-to-end during synchronization. With support for Markdown, rich formatting, attachments, and cross-device sync via Dropbox, OneDrive, or Joplin Cloud, it's perfect for indie hackers building personal knowledge bases.\n\nThe platform includes powerful hierarchical notebook organization, tag support, full-text search, and import/export capabilities. It's available on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android—making it truly cross-platform. At 43,000+ GitHub stars, it has an active developer community constantly adding features and plugins.