Notesnook
Evernote with the server blindfolded and the free tier still usable.
Technical Profile & Specs
verified 2026-08-10
- Cost
- $0 / forever (Open Source)
- License
- GPL-3.0 (client); AGPL-3.0 (sync server)
- Hosting Model
- Local or hosted (your machine or their cloud)
- Platforms
- desktopmobilewebextensionthey host it
- Installation
- Hosted web/desktop/mobile app, or an experimental Docker self-hosted sync stack
- Operational Setup
- Hosted use installs cleanly; self-hosting is explicitly experimental and requires Docker plus MongoDB, MinIO/S3-compatible storage, secrets, backups, and client endpoint configuration
- Where Your Data Lives
- Notes are encrypted on the device and the hosted or self-hosted sync service stores encrypted per-item data; local app data remains on-device and encrypted .nnbackupz backups can be exported
- The Catch / Trade-off
- Notesnook prioritizes encrypted notes but has a less mature task, calendar, scanning, web-clipping, and integration ecosystem than Evernote.
Replaces 1 paid app
up to $14.99/mo ($180/yr) in subscriptions
Notesnook FAQ
Common questions
Is Notesnook free and open source?+
Notesnook is an open-source tool licensed under GPL-3.0 (client); AGPL-3.0 (sync server) that runs on local or hosted. Evernote with the server blindfolded and the free tier still usable.
What paid software does Notesnook replace?+
Notesnook serves as a free replacement for 1 paid SaaS application: Evernote, saving up to $14.99/month ($180/year) in subscription bills.
How do you install and set up Notesnook?+
Installation: Hosted web/desktop/mobile app, or an experimental Docker self-hosted sync stack. Setup notes: Hosted use installs cleanly; self-hosting is explicitly experimental and requires Docker plus MongoDB, MinIO/S3-compatible storage, secrets, backups, and client endpoint configuration
What is the catch or trade-off with Notesnook?+
Notesnook prioritizes encrypted notes but has a less mature task, calendar, scanning, web-clipping, and integration ecosystem than Evernote.