The Best OpenNote Alternatives for Enhanced Note-Taking

OpenNote was built as an open web-based alternative to Microsoft OneNote and Evernote, offering a full WYSIWYG editor, touch and mouse-friendly UI, and multi-user support. While it provided a solid foundation for note-taking with features like folder management and search, many users might be looking for more robust, feature-rich, or platform-diverse options. Whether you need better cloud synchronization, advanced multimedia capabilities, or enhanced privacy features, there's an excellent OpenNote alternative out there for you.

Top OpenNote Alternatives

If you're seeking to upgrade your note-taking experience or find a tool that perfectly aligns with your workflow, these top OpenNote alternatives offer a range of functionalities from simple sticky notes to comprehensive digital notebooks.

Google Keep

Google Keep

Google Keep is a fantastic free OpenNote alternative for quick notes and reminders, available across Web, Android, iOS, Windows, Mac, and Linux. It's known for its simplicity, color-coding, image insertion, and geo-fencing features, making it ideal for on-the-go note-taking. Key features include shareable notes, offline functionality, and seamless synchronization across devices.

Evernote

Evernote

Evernote is a powerful freemium cross-platform OpenNote alternative for comprehensive note-taking, organizing, and archiving, supported on Mac, Windows, Web, Android, and iOS. It offers robust features like cloud sync, text formatting, OCR for screenshots, Markdown support, and a web clipper, making it a versatile choice for capturing all types of information.

Microsoft OneNote

Microsoft OneNote

Microsoft OneNote is a freemium digital notebook application that serves as an excellent OpenNote alternative, available on Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS. It excels in gathering notes and information in one place with a hierarchical structure, handwritten notes support, audio recording, and a powerful web clipper. Its robust feature set and cross-platform availability make it a strong contender for those needing extensive organization.

Joplin

Joplin

Joplin is a free and open-source OpenNote alternative for note-taking and to-do management, with strong synchronization capabilities across Mac, Windows, Linux, Android, and iOS. It prioritizes privacy with end-to-end encryption, supports Markdown, and can sync with various cloud services like Dropbox and Nextcloud, making it perfect for users who value data control and flexibility.

Zim

Zim

Zim, a free and open-source desktop wiki, is a unique OpenNote alternative available on Windows, Mac, Linux, and BSD. It brings the wiki concept to your desktop, allowing for easy information storage, page linking, and editing with WYSIWYG or lightweight markup. Its offline functionality, hierarchical structure, and plain text file storage make it ideal for personal knowledge management.

Standard Notes

Standard Notes

Standard Notes is a freemium, open-source OpenNote alternative focused on simplicity and privacy, supporting Mac, Windows, Linux, Web, Android, and iOS. It features end-to-end encryption for all notes, Markdown support, and an extensible plugin system. Its commitment to security and a clean, distraction-free writing experience makes it a top choice for privacy-conscious users.

CherryTree

CherryTree

CherryTree is a free and open-source hierarchical note-taking application that can serve as an excellent OpenNote alternative, available for Windows, Linux, and PortableApps.com. It features rich text editing, syntax highlighting, and stores data in a single XML or SQLite file. Its tree-like structure and robust encryption options make it a powerful tool for organizing complex information.

NoteLedge

NoteLedge

NoteLedge Cloud is a commercial multimedia note-taking app that offers a versatile OpenNote alternative experience on Mac, Windows, Android, and iOS. It allows users to take notes, sketch ideas, record audio and video, and organize content with features like drag-and-drop, Apple Pencil support, and live screen recording. Ideal for creatives and visual thinkers.

Paperwork

Paperwork

Paperwork is a free and open-source web-based OpenNote alternative designed for note-taking and archiving, with self-hosted options. It provides real-time collaboration and document sharing, making it a suitable choice for teams or individuals seeking a web-centric, open-source solution similar to Evernote or OneNote but with more control over their data.

Notezilla

Notezilla

Notezilla is a commercial sticky notes app for Windows, Web, Android, and iOS, serving as a vibrant OpenNote alternative for quick information capture. It allows users to create colorful sticky notes, set reminder alarms, attach notes to websites or documents, and organize them with folders and tags. Its robust sync features and various organization tools make it highly efficient for managing scattered information.

Choosing the right note-taking application depends heavily on your specific needs, whether that's enhanced multimedia support, strong encryption, cross-platform availability, or a simple, distraction-free interface. We encourage you to explore these OpenNote alternatives to find the perfect fit for your personal or professional workflow.

Mia Young

Mia Young

A creative writer passionate about digital art, software reviews, and AI-powered design tools.