Free and Open-Source Software (FOSS) is how I describe my favorite app category. Sadly, several apps in this niche have been hit or miss, and you don’t want to get your hopes high if you have not first fully explored a FOSS app. Well, Joplin is one I’ve used extensively, and it should get you excited: it’s been absolutely liberating.
4
I wasn’t expecting this cross-platform consistency
Joplin keeps the same structure everywhere
After using so many note-taking apps, I now expect the experience to change from one device to another. They typically give a very robust and smooth desktop experience, but when you try their mobile apps, they leave a lot to be desired.
For example, OneNote’s desktop app feels too feature-rich, but the mobile app is clunky; basic formatting is hidden behind several taps. Notion’s mobile UX is frustrating, and Evernote’s isn’t any better.
However, Joplin carries the same structure across devices, with notebooks, tags, and note hierarchy acting the same way. It’s also nice that the mobile app allows you to continue writing in plain Markdown even while using the WYSIWYG editor, with a clean output. By contrast, in the Notion mobile app, you get block-based editing that significantly slows down typing.
One Joplin experience I love across devices is syncing. Just like the Joplin desktop app, the mobile app provides a one-click synchronization button in the lower-left. It’s very accessible and often comes in handy. You’ll need to set up your preferred sync option before using this button, but it takes just two taps to find all sync settings on the mobile app. You tap Configuration on the default home screen, then Synchronization. This uniformity gives the same experience across devices.
3
I finally have real cloud sync freedom
File-based syncing and real end-to-end encryption
I typically don’t want to sync to the cloud, and there are many reasons for this, the top being that I cannot vouch for how any third party will handle my data. That said, if I must use cloud storage, I’d prefer having the liberty to choose rather than the ecosystem lock-in of Evernote, OneNote, Notion, and Apple Notes, among many others.
Joplin’s idea of cloud storage is different from most. It offers its own cloud storage plus six storage options: Nextcloud, OneDrive, Dropbox, WebDAV, File System, and S3. This way, you’re not forced to remain in the Joplin ecosystem.
However, the truly novel option is Joplin Server (Beta). It allows you to run your own sync backend. No mainstream note-taking app offers this feature. Although worth it, even Obsidian sync requires a subscription.
Joplin adopts file-based syncing, so all my notes are stored as regular files. I can access them regardless of my location or even if I stop using Joplin. By contrast, if you stop using Evernote, you must export your data to clunky ENEX files. OneNote uses the bloated .onepkg for file export, and I find Notion’s export simply inconsistent, so you may lose databases or relations.
There’s an important note to make: Joplin applies end-to-end encryption to my files. Regardless of where I sync to, I get a decent level of security. This is a huge upgrade over Evernote, which only encrypts text snippets, and OneNote/Notion, which depend on the protection provided by Microsoft’s and Notion’s servers.
2
The perfectly curated set of plugins is liberating
Essential add-ons without the clutter
Plugins are very helpful regardless of the app or service, but it’s not uncommon to search through plugins for an app you use and come out confused or overwhelmed. It’s happened to me countless times.
Joplin tackles this painstakingly. It vets plugins and appends a gold crown to any trusted or recommended ones, showing that the Joplin team trusts the developers. This makes it easy to sift through the numerous options and find what really works. It’s helped me discover some real gems:
- YesYouKan — Turns your regular notes into a kanban.
- KanMug — Gives you mobile-optimized outputs even though there are limited mobile plugins.
- Note Link System — Adds copy anchor, hover previews, and backlinks.
Joplin also ensures all plugins are optional, a huge shift from the many apps that nudge you toward dashboards, templates, or “essential” plugins. Joplin works great out of the box. For example, where Obsidian requires several plugins and setup steps to get a decent PDF output on mobile devices, the Joplin PDF export plugin does it easily.
1
The Joplin Web Clipper respects my sanity
The first time I used the Web Clipper in Joplin, what stuck with me was how seamless it was out of the box. When I use Evernote’s clipper, I find myself deleting ads, sidebars, or broken layouts. However, Joplin has a simplified page mode that produces clean, readable notes that need zero cleanup.
The Web Clipper is also surprisingly flexible. I can grab a page, a selection, or a screenshot, and these are all saved as Markdown. With Pocket’s clipper, I often end up with clips that strip out images or formatting I needed to keep, and Notion’s clipper will sometimes drop half-baked blocks onto a default page.That said, what surprises me most is that the Web Clipper feature is totally free. It’s so useful that it would make sense as a premium feature. Some other apps limit how much your clipper can save unless you upgrade, but not Joplin. Instapaper or the now discontinued Pocket keep the clipper locked down, but not Joplin.
I’ve always loved free and open source, and Joplin reminds me why: seamless, packed with useful functions, and not locking me into an ecosystem. People often call Joplin the Evernote alternative, but it’s actually a viable alternative to every other note app. It’s going to be hard for another note app to beat it, and until someone builds something better and free, I’ll continue enjoying the liberation Joplin offers.
