Notesnook

Most note apps quietly read everything you write; that's how they train features and, sometimes, ads. Notesnook takes the opposite stance — it's a private, open-source note-taking app whose entire pitch is 'privacy for everyone,' with zero-knowledge encryption that means even Notesnook can't read your notes.

Encrypted before it leaves your device

The core promise is technical and serious: Notesnook encrypts all your data on your device before it ever syncs to the cloud, using end-to-end, zero-knowledge encryption. Your notes sync across mobile, desktop and web, but they travel and rest encrypted the whole way, so nobody — not the company, not a hacker who breached a server — can read them. For journals, sensitive work, or anything you'd rather keep truly private, that's peace of mind you can't fake.

A full-featured notebook, not a compromise

Privacy tools often ask you to give up features, but Notesnook doesn't. You get rich text editing with tables, tasks and code blocks, bidirectional note linking to connect ideas, reminders, app-lock protection for an extra layer of security, and a built-in web clipper to save articles. Everything you'd expect from a modern notes app is here — it just happens to be encrypted.

Share securely, or not at all

When you do want to share, Notesnook offers password-protected note sharing, so even collaboration doesn't force you to drop your guard. And because it's open source, the privacy claims aren't a marketing slogan you have to take on faith — the code is out there to be inspected.

Same privacy, free or paid

A refreshing detail: Notesnook gives you the same level of privacy whether you're on the free plan or Pro. Privacy isn't a premium upsell here — it's the baseline for everyone.

Who it's for

Notesnook is for anyone who wants private note-taking — from casual users who simply don't like being data-mined, to professionals, journalists and students handling sensitive information. If you've been looking for an Evernote alternative that respects you, this is it.

Pricing

Notesnook is freemium and open source: the free tier includes full encryption, with a paid Pro subscription for heavier use and extra features. You can self-host as well, thanks to the open-source codebase.

It's worth stressing how rare Notesnook's combination is: plenty of apps offer either strong privacy or a rich feature set, but few deliver both, and fewer still make the encryption verifiable through open source. For anyone who has felt forced to choose between a capable notes app and a truly private one, Notesnook quietly refuses that trade-off — which is exactly why privacy-minded users have rallied around it.

Bottom line: Notesnook is a genuinely private, fully featured, open-source notes app — end-to-end encrypted for free or paid, so your thoughts stay yours alone.