> /v1/alternatives/apple-notes
Open source alternatives to Apple Notes[009]
Apple Notes is Apple's built-in note app with folders, checklists, scanning and handwriting, synced across devices through iCloud. Below are 9 self-hostable open source alternatives, ranked by GitHub popularity.
Memos
Open-source, self-hosted note-taking tool built for quick capture. Markdown-native, lightweight, and fully yours.
★ STARS
59.4k
⑂ FORKS
4.3k
Joplin
The privacy-focused note taking app with sync capabilities for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS.
★ STARS
54.7k
⑂ FORKS
6.1k
zen-browser
Welcome to a calmer internet
★ STARS
41.9k
⑂ FORKS
1.5k
Notesnook
A fully open source & end-to-end encrypted note taking alternative to Evernote.
★ STARS
14.0k
⑂ FORKS
945
standard-notes
Think fearlessly with end-to-end encrypted notes and files. For issues, visit or
★ STARS
6.4k
⑂ FORKS
532
beaver-notes
The notes app that respects your privacy. Local-first. Open-source. No tracking.
★ STARS
1.2k
⑂ FORKS
64
Darkwrite
Notes as it should have been. Built for people who just want to write, without nonsense.
★ STARS
278
⑂ FORKS
10
OpenNotas
A Simple, Lightweight, Cross-Platform Personal Note-Taking Application.
★ STARS
172
⑂ FORKS
19
Justnote
A simple, fast, privacy-focused note-taking app that you can use easily, take notes rapidly, and, importantly, truly own your account and data.
★ STARS
66
⑂ FORKS
5
// EDITOR'S TAKE
Joplin is the closest practical replacement: it runs everywhere, does end-to-end encrypted sync to storage you choose, and has the plugin ecosystem to fill gaps. Notesnook is the better-looking option with encryption on by default and a smoother mobile app, while Memos is a different idea altogether, a fast stream of short notes rather than a nested notebook.
// FREQUENTLY ASKED
What is the best open source Apple Notes alternative?
Memos is the most popular open source Apple Notes alternative by GitHub stars (59,440 stars). The other 8 options are ranked above.
Are these Apple Notes alternatives self-hostable?
Yes — every project listed here is open source and runs on your own infrastructure. Click into a project to see its license, stars, language, and current health status.
Are they free?
All projects shown are free and open source. Check each project's license page for the terms — most are MIT, Apache 2.0, or AGPL.
// PART OF THESE COLLECTIONS