Best Standard Notes Alternatives: For Encrypted notes in 2025
In today’s digital age, keeping our notes safe and private is more important than ever, especially with sensitive information and personal thoughts finding their way into our note-taking apps. While Standard Notes is well-respected for its security and simplicity, it’s natural to look for other options that might suit your preferences or offer additional features. If you’re searching for the best Standard Notes Alternatives and best for Encrypted notes, you’re in the right place. We’ve rounded up more than ten of the best secure note-taking apps for 2025, focusing on those with powerful encryption and privacy at their core.
Top 10+ Alternatives for Standard Notes in 2025
1. Joplin
Joplin is an open-source note-taking app that allows you to keep your notes private and secure. Its active community, impressive syncing options, and support for Markdown make it a favorite among privacy-conscious users.
- End-to-end encryption for all notes
- Markdown support
- Sync across multiple devices with various cloud services
- Web clipper for saving web pages
2. Turtl
Turtl prides itself on being your secure, encrypted digital notebook. Its user-friendly interface and robust cryptography make it a popular alternative for encrypted notes.
- Strong end-to-end encryption
- Support for notes, bookmarks, and tasks
- Open-source and free
- Tag and organize notes easily
3. Cryptee
Cryptee is designed for those who want full control of their personal data. This app uses modern encryption technologies to keep photos, documents, and notes truly private.
- Zero-knowledge, end-to-end encrypted notes
- Cross-platform access (web, mobile)
- Supports notes and photo storage
- Clean, minimalist interface
4. Laverna
Laverna offers a simple, open-source alternative for encrypted note-taking straight from your browser, with local encryption and cloud sync options.
- No registration required
- Client-side encryption (your data never leaves your device unencrypted)
- Markdown editor and task management
- Sync with Dropbox or RemoteStorage
5. Obsidian
Obsidian is a powerful tool for those who love linking ideas. While it focuses on knowledge bases, it can be combined with third-party encryption plugins for privacy-focused workflows.
- Markdown and backlink support
- Local-first storage (your notes are saved on your computer)
- Optional end-to-end encryption via plugins
- Highly customizable with community plugins
6. Notesnook
Notesnook is built from the ground up with privacy and encryption in mind. All your notes are encrypted by default, and it’s easy to use on any device.
- Zero-knowledge, end-to-end encryption by default
- Beautiful, distraction-free interface
- Sync across all devices
- Rich text, markdown, and attachments supported
7. Zoho Notebook
Zoho Notebook balances style and functionality, offering encryption for your notes while making organization visually appealing with different card types.
- Notes are encrypted in transit and at rest
- User-friendly, customizable note cards
- Sync across devices and platforms
- Supports checklists, audio, photos, and files
8. Milanote
Milanote is perfect for creative minds wanting to organize ideas visually. It keeps your boards private with optional password protection and secure storage.
- Supports file attachments, images, and rich media
- Password-protect individual boards for extra privacy
- Intuitive drag-and-drop interface
- Collaboration on shared boards
9. Saferoom
Saferoom is an encryption layer that works with your favorite note apps. It encrypts notes before they’re uploaded to services like Evernote or OneNote, keeping your data secure.
- End-to-end encryption for notes synced to popular services
- Works with both text and attachments
- No access to your passwords or notes
- Easy integration with existing note workflows
10. ProtectedText
ProtectedText offers a no-frills, web-based solution for writing and saving encrypted notes or lists. It’s simple and anonymous, requiring no registration.
- Free, anonymous usage (no email or registration needed)
- Strong AES encryption in your browser
- Easy to use for quick private notes
- No ads, tracking, or data mining
11. Trilium Notes
Trilium Notes is great for structured information and complex note networks, with built-in encryption and strong organization tools.
- Optional encrypted notes and workspaces
- Rich note linking and hierarchical organization
- Multiple export and synch options
- Extensive tagging and search capabilities
12. Inkdrop
Inkdrop is targeted towards developers and markdown fans who need encrypted note syncing across all devices.
- End-to-end encryption for all notes
- Markdown-based editor with syntax highlighting
- Available for desktop and mobile
- Robust plugins and extensions
13. QOwnNotes
If you love open-source solutions and want your notes to stay in your own cloud, QOwnNotes is for you. It’s especially powerful when paired with Nextcloud for self-hosted sync and storage.
- Open-source and free
- End-to-end encryption via Nextcloud integration
- Markdown support
- Scriptable and highly customizable
Conclusion
The world of encrypted note-taking apps is growing faster than ever, giving users more options to protect their privacy and work securely. Whether you need something as simple as ProtectedText, as powerful as Joplin, or as visually creative as Milanote, there’s a perfect fit waiting among these Standard Notes Alternatives and best for Encrypted notes. No matter which app you choose, your personal data can remain personal in 2025 and beyond.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Which app is the most similar to Standard Notes in terms of privacy?
Notesnook and Turtl both offer strong zero-knowledge encryption, similar to Standard Notes, making them closest in privacy and philosophy.
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Are these encrypted note apps free?
Many options like Joplin, Laverna