The Best Ciphernote Alternatives for Secure Note-Taking
Ciphernote has been a popular choice for users seeking a full-featured, cross-platform note-taking application with strong emphasis on security through zero-knowledge, client-side encryption and cloud synchronization. However, no single app fits everyone's needs. Whether you're looking for different features, specific platform support, or simply exploring other options, finding a reliable Ciphernote alternative is essential. This guide dives into some of the top applications that offer similar or enhanced functionalities for your note-taking security and organization.
Top Ciphernote Alternatives
Looking for a new secure note-taking solution? Here's a curated list of excellent alternatives to Ciphernote, each offering unique strengths to cater to diverse user preferences and requirements.
Google Keep
Google Keep is a free, versatile note-taking service available across Mac, Windows, Linux, Web, Android, and iPhone. While it doesn't offer the same level of client-side encryption as Ciphernote, it excels in quick capture and organization. Its features like photo notes, voice notes, and location-based reminders make it a great alternative for users prioritizing ease of use and seamless synchronization across devices.
Evernote
Evernote is a freemium, cross-platform app for note-taking, organizing, and archiving, available on Mac, Windows, Web, Android, and iPhone. It's a powerful Ciphernote alternative for those who need rich text formatting, web clipping, OCR capabilities, and robust organization with notebooks and tags. While it offers cloud sync, it doesn't boast Ciphernote's zero-knowledge encryption, but it's a feature-rich choice for comprehensive note management.
Microsoft OneNote
Microsoft OneNote is a freemium digital notebook application, part of the Microsoft Office Suite, available on Mac, Windows, Android, and iPhone. It's an excellent Ciphernote alternative for users who prefer a flexible, canvas-like interface for note-taking, including handwritten notes and drawings. OneNote provides hierarchical organization, OCR, and robust sync options, making it a strong contender for visual thinkers and Office users, though its encryption capabilities differ from Ciphernote's client-side approach.
Simplenote
Simplenote, by the creators of WordPress, is a free, open-source application available on Mac, Windows, Linux, Web, Android, and iPhone. It’s an ideal Ciphernote alternative for users who prioritize speed and minimalism. While it offers cloud sync and password protection, its primary focus is on fast, simple text-based note-taking and markdown support, making it less feature-rich but incredibly efficient for quick notes and lists.
Joplin
Joplin is a free, open-source note-taking and to-do application available on Mac, Windows, Linux, Android, and iPhone. It stands out as a strong Ciphernote alternative due to its robust End-to-End Encryption, Markdown support, and flexible synchronization options including Nextcloud and Dropbox. For users deeply concerned about privacy and seeking an open-source solution that mirrors Ciphernote's encryption focus, Joplin is an excellent choice, capable of handling a large number of notes with a web clipper and offline access.
Zim
Zim is a free, open-source desktop wiki application available on Mac, Windows, Linux, and BSD. It's a unique Ciphernote alternative for those who prefer a local, wiki-like structure for their notes. While it doesn't offer cloud sync or encryption out-of-the-box like Ciphernote, its offline functionality, WYSIWYG markup, and hierarchical note organization make it a powerful tool for personal knowledge management, especially when combined with version control like Git.
Standard Notes
Standard Notes is a freemium, open-source, and privacy-focused note-taking app available on Mac, Windows, Linux, Web, Android, and iPhone, and can be self-hosted. It's arguably the closest Ciphernote alternative for users prioritizing end-to-end encryption. Its strong security focus, clean design, Markdown support, and extensibility through plugins make it an ideal choice for sensitive information, ensuring only you can read your notes. It offers seamless sync across all devices while maintaining robust privacy.
CherryTree
CherryTree is a free, open-source hierarchical note-taking application for Windows and Linux. It stores data in a single XML or SQLite file, offering rich text and syntax highlighting. As a Ciphernote alternative, CherryTree provides a highly organized tree structure for notes, password encryption, and portability. While it's primarily a local application without built-in cloud sync like Ciphernote, its robust organizational features and security make it excellent for managing large volumes of structured information.
Turtl
Turtl is a freemium, open-source application available on Mac, Windows, Linux, and Android, with self-hosting options. It's a strong Ciphernote alternative due to its core focus on end-to-end encryption for all your data, including notes, bookmarks, and files. Turtl uses high-end cryptography to ensure privacy while allowing sync across devices and real-time collaboration. For users who value robust security and open-source principles, Turtl offers a compelling private note-taking experience.
NoteLedge
NoteLedge is a commercial note-taking application available on Mac, Windows, Android, and iPhone. As a Ciphernote alternative, it excels in providing a creative workspace for multimedia notes, including audio recording, video import, and drawing tools with Apple Pencil support. While it offers cloud sync, its strength lies in visual and interactive note-taking, making it ideal for creative thinkers, designers, and students who need more than just text-based notes.
Each of these Ciphernote alternatives offers a unique blend of features, platforms, and security approaches. We encourage you to explore the options and find the perfect fit that aligns with your specific note-taking habits, privacy concerns, and device ecosystem.