Mark Text 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?
Mark Text
Real-time preview Markdown editor for the desktop
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Standard Notes
Encrypted notes app focused on longevity
| Feature | Mark Text | Standard Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Notes & Knowledge Base | Notes & Knowledge Base |
| License | MIT | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | source | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 59,781 | ★ 469 |
| First released | 2017 | 2017 |
| Replaces | Typora | Evernote |
Why pick each one
Choose Mark Text if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Mature project with 59.8k GitHub stars
- Written in TypeScript
Choose Standard Notes if…
- Strong privacy focus
- Simple and durable
- Apps everywhere
Frequently asked questions
Is Mark Text or Standard Notes better?
Mark Text 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 Mark Text and Standard Notes free and open-source?
Yes. Mark Text is licensed under MIT and Standard Notes under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Mark Text and Standard Notes with Docker?
Mark Text: check the project docs for container support. Standard Notes: yes.