Standard Notes
End-to-end encrypted notes that sync everywhere; free for plain text, paid plans for rich editors
- Version
- 3.202.11
- Released
- October 2026
- Size
- 118 MB (Windows)
- License
- AGPL-3.0 · Open source
About Standard Notes
Standard Notes is the note app for people who read the privacy policy first. Every note is end-to-end encrypted on your device before it syncs, and it syncs to everything: web, Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS. The whole project is open source under AGPL-3.0, and since 2024 it has been part of Proton, the Swiss company behind Proton Mail, which gives a small team's project a much bigger floor under it.
The free plan is genuinely usable, not a demo: encrypted plain-text notes, unlimited device sync, offline access, tags, password protection on individual notes, two-factor authentication, daily encrypted email backups, and a full data export, encrypted or plaintext, whenever you want out. What the free plan does not include is the fancy editing: the Super note type (markdown, rich text, checklists, code snippets), spreadsheets, Daily Notebooks, and the built-in 2FA authenticator live in the Productivity plan at $90 a year, and encrypted file storage (100 GB) sits in the Professional tier above it. If you are leaving Evernote because it got expensive and nosy, the honest summary is: the encryption and sync are free forever, the word processor is not.
For the cautious, the sync server is open source and self-hostable, so your notes never have to touch Standard Notes' infrastructure at all. The desktop app is Electron, around 118 MB on Windows, currently at version 3.202.11 (October 2026). Verdict: as a free encrypted notebook for text, it is one of the easiest recommendations in this directory; just know that if you want it to replace Evernote's rich formatting, you will be paying Proton-shaped prices for the privilege.
Key Features
End-to-end encryption by default
Notes are encrypted on your device before they sync; not a setting, the design
Sync on every platform
Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS with unlimited devices, even on the free plan
Offline access
Your notes work without a connection and sync when one returns
Tags and note locking
Organize with tags, password-protect individual notes, add 2FA to the account
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Free plan is genuinely useful, not a demo: encryption, sync, offline, backups included
- Encryption covers every note on every plan
- Fully open source (AGPL-3.0) with a self-hostable server
- Full data export means zero lock-in
- Backed by Proton since 2024, so longevity looks solid
Cons
- Free plan is plain text only; markdown and rich editors cost $90/year
- Encrypted file storage is locked to the top Professional tier
- Desktop app is a ~118 MB Electron bundle
- Real-time collaboration is not its strength compared with Notion or Google Docs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Standard Notes free?
The core is free forever: end-to-end encrypted plain-text notes, unlimited sync on all platforms, offline access, tags, 2FA, daily encrypted backups, and full export. Rich editors (Super notes, spreadsheets, Daily Notebooks) need the Productivity plan at $90/year, and encrypted file storage is in the Professional tier.
Who owns Standard Notes?
It joined Proton (the Swiss company behind Proton Mail) in 2024 and remains open source under AGPL-3.0.
Can I self-host it?
Yes. The sync server is open source, so you can run your own infrastructure and keep your notes off Standard Notes servers entirely.