Evernote Alternatives in 2026: Better Free Note Apps
Evernote's free plan keeps tightening? Here's my hands-on take on Notion, Obsidian and Joplin — free tiers and data ownership compared, and which is best for all-in-one organising, local speed or open-source privacy.
Evernote was once the byword for note apps, but its free tier has tightened over the years (device count, note limits), pushing longtime users to look around. The good news: note tools are now plentiful and strong — and they're the same good tools as in my Notion alternatives guide. Here's my hands-on take.
What's your leaning?
- Organise everything, look good, collaborate → Notion
- Fast, offline, own your data → Obsidian
- Open-source, free, encrypted sync → Joplin
The alternatives at a glance (2026)
| Tool | Free | Best at | Data lives |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notion | Generous | All-in-one, databases, collaboration | Cloud |
| Obsidian | Free for personal use | Speed, plain Markdown | Local |
| Joplin | Fully free (open-source) | Open-source, encrypted sync | Local / chosen sync |
My take
Notion: when you want to organise everything
Notion ties together notes, databases, to-dos and wiki, with a generous free tier — ideal for "organise everything in one place," and it collaborates. For polish and structure, it's the most all-in-one.
Obsidian: fast, and you own the data
Obsidian is free for personal use, storing notes as plain Markdown files on your computer — instant to open and search, fully offline, and portable: the day you leave, you take the files as-is, no lock-in. For speed and data ownership, it's the pick.
Joplin: open-source, free, encrypted
Joplin is an open-source, free note app supporting Markdown, end-to-end encryption and your choice of sync (your own cloud drive, etc.). For "free + open-source + privacy," it's one of the few that delivers all three.
Before you migrate
- Back up Evernote fully first. Export all notes (ENEX/HTML) before moving.
- Test a portion. Import a small batch, check attachments, tags and formatting, then migrate fully.
- For ownership, pick local-first. If "my notes are mine forever" matters, choose Obsidian or Joplin.
The bottom line
Evernote's shrinking free tier makes now a good time to switch: all-in-one organising use Notion, speed and data ownership use Obsidian, open-source privacy use Joplin. All three free tiers cover everyday use. Back up fully and test a portion before moving — and for deeper comparison, see our Notion alternatives.
FAQ
Is there a free, good Evernote alternative?
Yes. Notion's free plan is generous, combining notes, databases and to-dos — great if you organise everything in one place. Obsidian is free for personal use, storing notes as plain Markdown on your own machine, so it's fast and your data is always portable. Joplin is open-source and free with end-to-end encryption and sync — good for privacy on a budget. All three beat Evernote's tightened free tier.
Notion, Obsidian or Joplin — which should I pick?
By leaning. For 'organise everything, look good, collaborate,' choose Notion. For 'fast, offline, own your data (plain files),' choose Obsidian. For 'open-source, free, encrypted sync,' choose Joplin. In short: all-in-one Notion, local control Obsidian, open-source privacy Joplin — all three free tiers handle everyday use.
Is moving notes from Evernote a hassle?
Not too bad. Most tools have an Evernote import or support its export formats (ENEX, HTML, Markdown). Joplin and Notion can both import Evernote content. The advice: export all your Evernote notes as a backup first, import a portion into one app to check attachments, formatting and tags survive, then migrate fully. Always have a complete backup before moving.
I want my notes to be 'mine forever' — which one?
Pick a tool that stores notes as local plain-text files — top choice Obsidian, where your notes are a folder of Markdown (.md) files on your disk, so the day you leave you take them as-is, with no fear of price hikes or shutdowns. Joplin is also open-source with data you control. Notion is great but stores data in its cloud, with less migration flexibility. For data ownership, lean Obsidian or Joplin.