Joplin and Evernote are both popular note-taking applications used by individuals and professionals alike. With the increasing demand for digital organization and productivity tools, selecting the right app for personal or work-related needs has become essential. The comparison between Joplin and Evernote helps users understand their features, strengths, and potential drawbacks.
Joplin is an open-source, free application that allows users to manage notes, tasks and to-do lists in a user-friendly interface. With support for Markdown editing, sync support, and end-to-end encryption, Joplin offers a secure and customizable space for users who value privacy and versatility. This has made Joplin a popular alternative to commercial services like Evernote, which has been around for longer and has an established presence in the market.
Evernote, on the other hand, is a comprehensive note-taking service that has built a strong reputation over the years for its rich features and seamless integration with other applications. It offers a variety of advanced functionalities, such as web clipping, OCR support for images, and collaboration features. However, some users may be turned off by its subscription-based pricing model and potential privacy concerns. The choice between Joplin and Evernote depends on an individual’s preferences, requirements, and commitment to either a free or paid service.
Joplin vs Evernote
Joplin and Evernote are popular note-taking applications used by many people to organize their ideas, tasks, and important information. In this brief comparison, we will discuss the key differences between the two platforms.
Starting with platform compatibility, both Joplin and Evernote are available on multiple devices. Joplin is an open-source application, which can be installed on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS. Evernote, on the other hand, is a proprietary application available on Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS. Both apps offer synchronization across devices, allowing users to access their notes and files anywhere.
In terms of features, Joplin offers Markdown support for note formatting, while Evernote uses a rich-text editor. Markdown is a plain-text formatting syntax that makes it easy to create well-structured documents. Evernote’s rich-text editor is more akin to a word processor, allowing users to format text directly.
Organizational features in both apps include support for notebooks, tags, and search functionality. Joplin also supports to-do lists, while Evernote offers a range of advanced features like scanning and OCR on images, along with integrations with other popular productivity tools such as Google Drive and Microsoft Office.
Pricing also differs between the two applications. Joplin is entirely free and open-source, meaning that users have full access to the app’s features without any restrictions or costs. Evernote, however, offers a freemium model with a free basic version that has limitations on features and storage. For more advanced features and larger upload limits, users need to subscribe to one of the paid plans.
When it comes to data privacy, Joplin stores notes and files directly on the user’s device or in their chosen cloud storage, and provides end-to-end encryption for synchronization. Evernote stores data on its own servers, and although it offers encryption at rest, it does not provide end-to-end encryption for synchronization by default.
In summary, Joplin and Evernote cater to different user needs. Joplin is a free, open-source, and privacy-focused option with Markdown support and to-do lists, while Evernote offers more advanced features and integrations at the cost of a subscription for its premium plans.
Features and Functionality
When comparing Joplin and Evernote, it is essential to look at the features and functionality of both applications to determine which best suits your needs. This section will focus on note-taking and editing in both applications.
Note-Taking
Joplin and Evernote both offer powerful and flexible note-taking capabilities. While Evernote provides a more streamlined and user-friendly interface, Joplin stands out with its support for Markdown, which enables you to write notes with formatting, lists, and clickable links easily.
Evernote, on the other hand, focuses on a rich text editor, which allows you to format your text, add images, and even include attachments. One unique feature of Evernote is the ability to create templates for your notes, which can be useful for recurring tasks or standardizing the structure of your notes.
Both applications enable you to organize your notes into folders or notebooks, but Joplin also offers support for tags, which can help you filter your notes more effectively.
Editing
When it comes to editing your notes, both Joplin and Evernote provide necessary text formatting options, such as bold, italics, and bullet points. However, the way they handle these options differs slightly.
In Joplin, you can format your text using Markdown syntax, which is a straightforward and clean method for applying basic formatting to your content without the need for a toolbar. For example, you can create a bold text by surrounding the text with double asterisks (**).
Evernote, as mentioned earlier, uses a rich text editor, which means you can apply formatting using buttons within the application or by using keyboard shortcuts. This approach is more suitable for individuals who may not be accustomed to Markdown syntax and prefer a visual interface for formatting.
Both applications allow users to add images to their notes, but Evernote has the upper hand when it comes to handling these images. Evernote enables users to resize and annotate images directly within the note, while Joplin does not provide this feature.
In summary, Joplin and Evernote differ in their approach to note-taking and editing functionalities. Joplin focuses on providing Markdown support for a clean and efficient writing experience, while Evernote offers a richer set of editing tools and a more visually appealing interface. Ultimately, the best choice will depend on your personal preferences and how you prioritize the organization, formatting, and functionality when using a note-taking application.
Synchronization and Storage
Syncing Options
Joplin offers a variety of syncing options, including support for Nextcloud, Dropbox, OneDrive, and WebDAV. This flexibility allows users to choose their preferred cloud-storage provider, ensuring seamless access across various devices, including Windows, Android, and iOS.
On the other hand, Evernote syncs data through its proprietary cloud infrastructure. While this ensures a consistent and integrated syncing experience, its downside is the lack of support for alternative storage providers, potentially limiting the app’s adaptability to users’ specific needs.
One key difference between the two apps is their individual file formats. Joplin uses Markdown, making it easy to export and import files in a variety of formats. Evernote, however, uses a proprietary ENEX format, which may create compatibility issues with other note-taking apps.
Storage Solutions
For storage, Joplin allows users to create notebooks, tag notes, and organize content using a hierarchical tree structure. This format provides greater flexibility and organization than Evernote’s more rigid notebook and tag-only system.
Both apps provide search functionality that allows users to easily find and retrieve information. Joplin, however, offers enhanced search capabilities, such as searching within code blocks and using regular expressions. While Evernote does offer OCR capabilities, it may not be as proficient when searching through more complex content in notes.
| Feature | Joplin | Evernote |
|---|---|---|
| Sync Options | Nextcloud, Dropbox, OneDrive, WebDAV | Proprietary Cloud Infrastructure |
| File Formats | Markdown (Multiple Formats) | ENEX (Proprietary Format) |
| Storage System | Notebooks, Tags, Hierarchical Structure | Notebooks, Tags |
| Search | Extended capabilities, regex, code block search | Standard search, OCR capabilities |
Overall, both Joplin and Evernote have their unique advantages and drawbacks in terms of synchronization and storage. The choice between the two apps ultimately depends on personal preferences, device compatibility, and desired functionality.
Cross-Platform Compatibility
Desktop Platforms
Joplin and Evernote both offer desktop applications for various platforms. Joplin is an open-source application built using the Electron framework, which enables it to run on macOS, Windows, and Linux.
Evernote, on the other hand, provides native applications for macOS and Windows. While Evernote does not provide an official Linux desktop application, there are third-party clients available that can access Evernote accounts on Linux, such as Turtl and NixNote.
| Platform | Joplin | Evernote |
|---|---|---|
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | No (third-party clients available) |
Mobile Platforms
Both Joplin and Evernote offer mobile apps for iOS and Android devices, allowing users to access their notes and sync them across devices seamlessly. The mobile apps provide similar functionality to their desktop counterparts, including text formatting, tagging, and attachment support.
In summary, Joplin and Evernote show strong cross-platform compatibility for popular desktop and mobile platforms. However, Joplin offers an advantage for Linux users with its official support for the platform, whereas Evernote relies on third-party solutions.
Web Clipper and Organizing Notes
Web Clipper
Joplin and Evernote both offer a Web Clipper feature, allowing users to quickly save content from the internet directly into their notes. The web clipper is available as a browser extension for major browsers like Chrome and Firefox. By clicking the extension icon, users can seamlessly add portions of webpages or entire articles to their note-taking app, complete with original formatting and images.
Joplin’s web clipper provides options to save the content in various formats, such as simplified article, complete page, or just the selected text. In contrast, Evernote’s web clipper boasts advanced features like annotations, highlighting, and the ability to add tags or remarks before saving a clip.
Organizing
When it comes to organizing notes, both Joplin and Evernote have their own set of features and functionality.
Joplin uses a folder-based structure for organizing notes. Users can create notebooks and sub-notebooks to arrange their notes hierarchically. They can also add tags to their notes for easy filtering and searching. Markdown support is built-in, allowing users to easily format text, add tables, or generate headings. Additionally, Joplin allows users to link notes together, making it easier to navigate between related pieces of information.
| Feature | Joplin | Evernote |
|---|---|---|
| Notebooks | Yes | Yes |
| Sub-Notebooks | Yes | No (uses stacks) |
| Tags | Yes | Yes |
| Markdown Support | Yes | No |
| Note Linking | Yes | Yes |
On the other hand, Evernote utilizes a notebook structure with stacks as the primary method for organizing notes. Users create notebooks and can group them into stacks for better organization. Evernote also supports tags, which users can assign to notes and use for filtering and searching purposes. While Evernote does not natively support Markdown, it offers a robust text editor with extensive formatting options. Like Joplin, Evernote also allows users to link notes together.
In summary, both Joplin and Evernote offer essential features for web clipping and organizing notes. Users can choose between the two based on their preferences for specific functionalities, such as Markdown support in Joplin or advanced web clipping features in Evernote.
Collaboration and Business Features
When comparing Joplin and Evernote, it’s essential to consider their collaboration and business features to determine which tool best suits team workflows and organizational goals.
Team Collaboration
Joplin, primarily a note-taking app, offers limited collaboration features. It focuses on personal use with its open-source framework. However, you can share notes via email or third-party platforms, which allows for some level of collaboration, albeit not seamlessly integrated.
On the other hand, Evernote is a great tool for team collaboration. You can easily share notes and notebooks with others by simply adding their email addresses. Evernote also offers real-time editing, allowing multiple team members to work on the same note simultaneously. This real-time collaboration eliminates the need to send separate files to coworkers, streamlining the communication process.
Business Plans
Joplin does not have specific business plans; it is a free, open-source app with no premium or enterprise tiers available. Users can opt for external sync services like Dropbox or OneDrive to access additional storage and sharing functionalities.
In contrast, Evernote offers various plans catering to individual and business users. Its premium plan includes enhanced features like advanced search, external integrations, and more storage space. Evernote Business plan, targeting organizations, boasts collaborative features such as shared spaces, team administration, and dedicated customer support. The table below summarizes the key differences between the Joplin and Evernote plans.
| Feature | Joplin | Evernote | Evernote Business |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Premium | Business |
| Collaboration | Limited sharing | Advanced sharing | Team collaboration |
| Storage | via External Sync | 10 GB/month | 20 GB + 2 GB/user |
| Integration | Limited | Multiple integrations | Multiple integrations |
In summary, Joplin stands out as a free, open-source note-taking app with limited collaboration and no specific business plans, while Evernote offers a more comprehensive solution for team collaboration and business features with its premium and business plans.
Additional Features and Customization
Extras
Both Joplin and Evernote offer a variety of additional features to enhance the note-taking experience. Evernote stands out with its audio recording capabilities, allowing users to attach voice memos to notes. On the other hand, Joplin supports plugins which can extend its functionality, making it a more customizable option.
| Feature | Joplin | Evernote |
|---|---|---|
| Audio Recording | – | Yes |
| Plugins | Yes | – |
| OCR | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Scanning | Yes | Yes, with Evernote Premium |
Customization
In terms of customization, Joplin stands out as it is an open-source application. This means users can modify its source code to better fit their needs. On the other hand, Evernote is a closed-source application, limiting the customization possibilities.
Joplin allows customizing the text editor with themes, while Evernote offers notebook customization like cover color and notebook stack organization. Users can also import notes from services like OneNote into both Joplin and Evernote.
| Customization | Joplin | Evernote |
|---|---|---|
| Open Source | Yes | No |
| Text Editor | Yes | No |
| Notebook Customization | No | Yes |
| Import from Other Services | Yes | Yes |
Both Joplin and Evernote offer unique features and degrees of customization. Users will need to consider their specific requirements when selecting between these note-taking applications.
Pricing and Plans
Free and Premium Plans
When comparing Joplin and Evernote, it’s essential to understand the differences between their free and premium plans. Both applications offer free versions, giving users access to essential note-taking features.
Joplin is an open-source option, providing all features at no cost. This includes end-to-end encryption, syncing with popular cloud storage providers, note-taking, attaching files, and geo-location tagging. Users can self-host their data, giving them complete control over their information.
On the flip side, Evernote offers a free plan, Evernote Basic, which covers note-taking, syncing, and limited uploads with a user interface designed for multiple devices. For more advanced features, Evernote provides paid plans like Evernote Premium and Evernote Business. The Premium plan caters to power users, offering larger storage capacity, version history, and enhanced productivity tools.
Comparison
| Feature | Joplin | Evernote Basic | Evernote Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free (Open Source) | Free | Paid |
| Note-taking | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Syncing | Yes (with external cloud storage providers) | Yes | Yes |
| File attachments | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Geo-location tagging | Yes | No | Yes |
| End-to-end encryption | Yes | No | No |
| Version history | No | No | Yes |
| Storage capacity | Unlimited (depends on cloud storage provider) | 60 MB/month | 10 GB/month |
| Desktop apps | Yes (Windows, macOS, Linux) | Yes (Windows, macOS) | Yes (Windows, macOS) |
| External text editor support | Yes | No | Yes |
While both Joplin and Evernote have a lot to offer, users’ needs will dictate which note-taking app is the best fit. Those looking for a completely free and open-source option with robust features, end-to-end encryption, and self-hosting capabilities may find Joplin better aligned with their priorities. On the other hand, Evernote’s free plan could be more suitable for straightforward note-taking, with users who require advanced features likely finding the premium plan worth the investment.
Conclusion
Joplin and Evernote are both excellent note-taking tools, offering unique features to cater to different user needs. Joplin, being an open-source application, gains an edge in terms of cost, customizability, and privacy while lacking some features when compared to Evernote. On the other hand, Evernote’s robust feature set, user-friendly interface, and seamless cross-platform sync make it a popular choice for many.
When it comes to organizing notes, both applications offer tagging and notebook systems, with Evernote providing a more polished experience. In terms of search functionality, Evernote boasts a powerful search engine, allowing users to search within images and documents while Joplin has a more basic search capability.
Integration with other apps is another factor where Evernote outshines Joplin. Evernote has numerous integrations with popular applications like Slack, Google Drive, and Microsoft Office, which can be crucial for some users. However, Joplin has a growing community working on enhancing its features and integrations.
In the end, the choice between Joplin and Evernote depends on the user’s primary needs and preferences. Those who prioritize cost, privacy, and open-source software may find Joplin more suitable. In contrast, those who value a feature-rich, more integrated experience with a user-friendly interface may opt for Evernote.
Remember to consider your personal needs, workflow, and priorities when selecting between these two tools for an optimal note-taking experience tailored to your specific requirements.