Joplin: An Offline-First Open-Source Notes App with Sync and Encryption

Sat, 30 May 2026 14:39:48 +0800

Joplin is an open-source notes and to-do app for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS. It is not just a lightweight memo app, but a knowledge management tool designed for storing many notes over the long term, syncing them across devices, and keeping as much control as possible in the user’s hands.

Joplin notes use Markdown and support notebooks, tags, full-text search, attachments, to-dos, plugins, themes, and a browser Web Clipper. For people who want to move away from Evernote, or manage personal information in a more open format, it is a very common choice.

What Problem Does Joplin Solve?

Many note apps are convenient, but their data can easily become locked into a specific account, cloud service, or private format. Joplin takes a more open approach: it keeps complete data locally, stores note content in Markdown, and then syncs between devices through a sync target chosen by the user.

It is suitable for several needs:

You want to keep notes as Markdown over the long term.
You want to sync notes between a computer and a phone.
You want to import old Evernote notes and attachments.
You want to use end-to-end encrypted sync.
You want to extend the notes app with plugins and themes.
You want to quickly clip web content into your own note library.

Core Features at a Glance

Feature	Description
Open source	Public repository, long-term maintenance, licensed under the AGPL-3.0 license
Cross-platform	Supports Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS
Markdown	Note bodies use Markdown, which helps with reading, migration, and long-term preservation
Offline-first	Data is always stored locally, so notes can be viewed and edited without a network connection
Sync	Supports multiple sync targets, including Joplin Cloud, Nextcloud, Dropbox, OneDrive, and others
End-to-end encryption	E2EE can be enabled during sync to reduce the risk of exposing content in cloud storage
Import	Supports importing from Evernote and from normal Markdown files
Extensions	Supports plugins, themes, and Web Clipper

What Does Offline-First Mean?

The official Joplin README emphasizes that it is “offline first”. This means notes are not stored only in the cloud; they are saved on the local computer or phone. Even without a network connection, you can still open, search, and edit existing notes.

This design matters a lot for a notes app. When the network is unstable, a sync service is temporarily unavailable, or an account service has problems, the complete data still exists locally. Sync keeps multiple devices consistent, but it does not make the entire experience depend on the cloud.

Markdown and Import Capability

Joplin uses Markdown for notes, which makes it easier to migrate and back up than a fully proprietary format. Users can import normal Markdown files directly, and they can also import notes from Evernote.

When importing from Evernote, Joplin tries to convert formatted content and preserve resources such as images and attachments. It also keeps metadata such as creation time, update time, and location when possible. For people with years of Evernote data, this matters much more than simply copying text.

Still, no cross-app migration should be trusted as a one-click perfect process. Complex layouts, tables, attachments, internal links, and tag structures should be tested with a small sample first before migrating the full library.

Sync and Encryption

Joplin supports several sync methods. Common choices include:

Sync Target	Suitable Scenario
Joplin Cloud	You want the simplest official service
Nextcloud	You already have a self-hosted cloud or team collaboration environment
Dropbox	You are already used to Dropbox
OneDrive	You use the Microsoft ecosystem
File system / WebDAV, etc.	You want more control over the sync location

Sync can be used together with end-to-end encryption. After it is enabled, note content is encrypted before being synced to the cloud, so the cloud service mostly stores encrypted data. This reduces the risk that a third-party cloud drive or sync service can expose note content.

Encryption also adds management cost. Users need to keep passwords and recovery information properly; otherwise, old notes may become impossible to decrypt after changing devices or reinstalling the app.

Web Clipper and Plugins

Joplin also provides a browser Web Clipper for saving web pages and screenshots from browsers such as Chrome and Firefox. For people who collect reference material, clip web pages, or build research notes, this is a practical entry point.

Plugins and themes make Joplin closer to an extensible platform than a fixed-function notes app. Users can expand editing, display, search, import, and export capabilities according to their own workflows.

Differences from Obsidian

Joplin and Obsidian are often compared by Markdown users, but they emphasize different things.

Dimension	Joplin	Obsidian
Main positioning	Open-source notes and to-do app with built-in sync options and encryption	Local Markdown knowledge base focused on backlinks, plugins, and graphs
Data organization	The app manages notebooks, tags, attachments, and database indexes	Works directly around folders and Markdown files
Sync	Built-in sync targets and E2EE	Official sync is paid; third-party sync can also be configured manually
Best suited for	People who want ready-to-use cross-device sync with privacy features	People who want a highly customized local file-based knowledge workflow

If you want an “open-source Evernote + Markdown + encrypted sync” experience, Joplin is closer to that need. If you want to build a highly customized knowledge system around local Markdown files, Obsidian may feel smoother.

Who Is Joplin For?

Joplin is suitable for several types of users:

People who want to migrate away from Evernote.
Users who want to keep notes in Markdown.
People who need sync across Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS.
People who care about privacy and want end-to-end encryption.
People who want note software that is open source, self-hostable, and easy to migrate away from over the long term.
People who need web clipping and attachment management.

It is not necessarily ideal for people who only want the simplest sticky-note tool. Joplin is fairly complete, and setting up sync, encryption, plugins, and imports still requires some time to understand.

Usage Suggestions

If you plan to try Joplin, start in this order:

Create a test notebook on the desktop app first.
Import a small Markdown or Evernote sample.
Check whether images, attachments, tags, creation time, and formatting are normal.
Then set up a sync target, such as Joplin Cloud, Nextcloud, Dropbox, or OneDrive.
If you want to enable end-to-end encryption, first confirm that every device can sync and decrypt correctly.
Finally, migrate the full note library.

This is safer than importing years of notes in one go, and it makes it easier to discover formatting or sync problems before the formal migration.

My Take

Joplin’s strength is that it combines several important directions: Markdown, open source, cross-platform support, offline-first storage, sync, and end-to-end encryption. It is not just a Markdown editor, but more like a personal note system designed for long-term use.

If you want note data to stay as open as possible, but do not want to assemble sync, encryption, and mobile apps entirely by yourself, Joplin is worth trying. It is especially suitable for users migrating from Evernote, caring about privacy, using multiple devices, and hoping their data can still be moved elsewhere in the future.

Project link: laurent22/joplin
Official documentation: Joplin documentation

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