Joplin vs Standard Notes
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted notes & knowledge base options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Joplin
Open-source note-taking and to-do app with sync
VS
Standard Notes
Encrypted notes app focused on longevity
| Feature | Joplin | Standard Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Notes & Knowledge Base | Notes & Knowledge Base |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 55,856 | ★ 469 |
| First released | 2017 | 2017 |
| Replaces | Evernote, OneNote | Evernote |
Why pick each one
Choose Standard Notes if…
- Strong privacy focus
- Simple and durable
- Apps everywhere
Frequently asked questions
Is Joplin or Standard Notes better?
Joplin is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Standard Notes if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Joplin and Standard Notes free and open-source?
Yes. Joplin is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Standard Notes under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Joplin and Standard Notes with Docker?
Joplin: yes. Standard Notes: yes.