Joplin vs nb Notes
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted notes & knowledge base options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Joplin
Open-source note-taking and to-do app with sync
VS
nb Notes
Command-line note-taking, bookmarking, and archiving tool
| Feature | Joplin | nb Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 100 · Excellent | 92 · Excellent |
| Category | Notes & Knowledge Base | Notes & Knowledge Base |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | Shell |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 32 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | bare-metal, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 56,477 | ★ 8,410 |
| First released | 2017 | 2019 |
| Replaces | Evernote, OneNote | Evernote, Notion |
What are Joplin and nb Notes?
Joplin
Joplin is an open-source note-taking and to-do application with Markdown editing, web clipper, and end-to-end encrypted sync. It targets individuals who want private, portable notes across devices. It can sync via a self-hosted Joplin Server, Nextcloud, or WebDAV.
- Markdown notes and to-dos
- End-to-end encrypted sync
- Web clipper extension
- Apps on every platform
nb Notes
nb is a command-line and local web tool for plain-text note-taking, bookmarking, and archiving with Git-backed versioning and syncing. It works entirely in the terminal and supports encryption.
- Plain-text notes and bookmarks
- Git-backed sync
- Optional encryption
- Tagging and search
Joplin vs nb Notes: key differences
Joplin is written in TypeScript, while nb Notes is built with Shell. Nb Notes is the lighter option, starting around 32 MB of RAM against 256 MB for Joplin. Joplin is the more established project (first released 2017), while nb Notes arrived in 2019. Joplin has the considerably larger community, at 56,477 GitHub stars versus 8,410. Joplin lists first-class Docker deployment; nb Notes does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Joplin if…
- Strong privacy with E2EE
- Flexible sync options
- Active development
Watch out for
- Sync server setup optional but extra
- Editor less polished than rivals
Choose nb Notes if…
- Powerful for terminal users
- Versioned with Git
Watch out for
- Command-line only
- No graphical client
Frequently asked questions
Is Joplin or nb Notes better?
Neither is universally better. Joplin has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Joplin and nb Notes free and open-source?
Yes. Joplin is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and nb Notes under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Joplin and nb Notes with Docker?
Joplin: yes. nb Notes: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Joplin or nb Notes?
nb Notes has the smaller minimum footprint at 32 MB of RAM, compared to about 256 MB for Joplin. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.