Joplin vs VNote
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
VNote
Markdown note-taking application built for programmers
| Feature | Joplin | VNote |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 100 · Excellent | 94 · Excellent |
| Category | Notes & Knowledge Base | Notes & Knowledge Base |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Language | TypeScript | C++ |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | bare-metal, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 56,477 | ★ 12,977 |
| First released | 2017 | 2017 |
| Replaces | Evernote, OneNote | Evernote, OneNote |
What are Joplin and VNote?
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
VNote
VNote is a Markdown-based note-taking application focused on developers, offering folder-based notebooks, syntax highlighting, and Vim-style editing. Notes are plain files that can be synced through external tools.
- Folder-based notebooks
- Vim editing mode
- Markdown with diagrams
- Code-friendly themes
Joplin vs VNote: key differences
Joplin is written in TypeScript, while VNote is built with C++. Licensing differs — AGPL-3.0 for Joplin versus MIT for VNote. Joplin has the considerably larger community, at 56,477 GitHub stars versus 12,977. Joplin lists first-class Docker deployment; VNote 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 VNote if…
- Fast native app
- Plain file storage
Watch out for
- Desktop only
- No built-in sync
Frequently asked questions
Is Joplin or VNote 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 VNote free and open-source?
Yes. Joplin is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and VNote under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Joplin and VNote with Docker?
Joplin: yes. VNote: check the project docs for container support.