Dev tools · alternatives · 2026
24 alternatives to An open source note-taking app that respects your privacy
Janus is an open source note-taking application designed for users who prioritize privacy. Launched in 2013, it allows users to create and organize notes while maintaining control over their data. The application is… Below are 24 products that do a similar job, ranked by how close each is in meaning and then by launch-day votes. Prices are shown for the 1 we have checked on their own sites, 1 of them free or with a free tier. An open source note-taking app that respects your privacy launched in 2013; newer entries below may have overtaken it.
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OpenNotas▲379The best personal note-taking app, fast, secure & free
2024 · opennotas.io · its alternatives →
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Notea▲288Free self-hosted open source note taking app, like Notion
2021 · cinwell.com · its alternatives →
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MinkNote▲157Private macOS notes app built on plain Markdown files. No databases, no lock-in. Native, keyboard-first, and designed for knowledge organization.
Jul 2026 · muse23.com · its alternatives →
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Notilus▲128A super simple note app inspired by Apple Notes
Oct 2025 · apps.apple.com · its alternatives →
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Hey Everyone, been working on a note-taking app called janta (Just Another Note Taking App) the past few months. You can try it out at app.janta.dev (you will be redirected to app.janta.dev/canvas/temporary, which is the locally-stored whiteboard you can access) I felt limited with OneNote, Excalidraw, and other infinite-canvas style apps, so I built an alternative. You have access to code-editors, Desmos graphs, and rich text editors (SlateJS). This is because the canvas is designed in a way that allows web components to exist on the same layer as pen-strokes, so you can annotate…
2025 · app.janta.dev · its alternatives →
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An open source, markdown-based, self-hosted note taking webapp. - batnoter/batnoter
2022 · github.com · its alternatives →
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QuickNote.io▲145📝 Minimalist, 🙈 anonymous and 🆓 free note taking app
2018 · quicknote.io · its alternatives →
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Burner Note▲222In 2021 after getting thoroughly sick of Privnote, i built "Burner Note". Even though i didn't promote it in anyway other than a post here and a post on reddit, it ended up getting about 7000(ish) unique users per month. I kinda let it die about 18 months ago but i've resurrected it with some big upgrades. Most botable the app is now truly end to end encrypted (previously was just server side), and I've added dark mode as well as a few other bells and whistles. Feedback welcomed.
Jan 2026 · burnernote.com · its alternatives →
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MicroPad is a free non-linear note taking app that allows for easy organisation of all of your notes and notebooks.
2018 · getmicropad.com · its alternatives →
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A fast journal app for those spontaneous thoughts and ideas
2017 · jot.webflow.io · its alternatives →
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Smarkup Notes▲191Extremely simple, productivity-focused, collaboration notes
2022 · smarkup.com · its alternatives →
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Oatsfree▲249Free, open-source, and on device meeting notetaker
Sep 2026 · ariso.ai · its alternatives →
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Noteship is a note taking app for Mac that combines notes, todos, and reminders and is based on simple files and folders.
2021 · noteship.com · its alternatives →
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Noteux is a beautifully designed note-taking app that helps you quickly capture and organize your thoughts. Experience a clean UI and UX for productivity.
2025 · noteux.com · its alternatives →
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A privacy-first, open-source platform for knowledge management and collaboration.
2020 · logseq.com · its alternatives →
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Ranked by how close each launch is in meaning, then by votes. Prices were read from each product’s own site when checked and can change. Refine with your own description →