Can I import my Evernote notes into Joplin?

Yes, Joplin imports Evernote exports (.enex files), converting formatted content to Markdown and preserving attachments and metadata like geolocation and timestamps.

What sync backends does Joplin support?

Nextcloud, Dropbox, OneDrive, WebDAV, and Joplin Cloud, all with end-to-end encryption.

Does Joplin work offline?

Yes, Joplin is offline-first, so all notes are always available locally regardless of internet connectivity.

What format are notes stored in?

Notes are stored as Markdown files, making them portable and editable outside of Joplin.

Is there a mobile app?

Yes, Joplin has native apps for Android and iOS in addition to Windows, Linux, and macOS.

Can I clip web pages into Joplin?

Yes, the Joplin Web Clipper browser extension for Firefox and Chrome saves pages and screenshots directly into Joplin.

Joplin: Open source Evernote alternative

Joplin is a free, open source note-taking and to-do application built to hold a large number of notes organized into notebooks. Notes are written in Markdown, can be tagged and searched, and are editable from the app or from an external text editor. Joplin is a common open source alternative to Evernote: it can import notes exported from Evernote, including formatted content converted to Markdown, attachments, and metadata such as geolocation and timestamps. Plain Markdown files can also be imported directly, so migrating from other note-taking tools doesn't require Evernote as an intermediate step.

Key features

Markdown-based notes: All notes are stored as plain Markdown, so they remain readable and portable outside of Joplin.
End-to-end encrypted sync: Notes sync across devices with E2E encryption via Nextcloud, Dropbox, OneDrive, WebDAV, or Joplin Cloud.
Evernote import: Notes exported from Evernote import directly, including formatted content, attachments, and metadata like geolocation and creation dates.
Full text search: Every platform includes full text search to find notes quickly.
Plugins and themes: The app can be extended with community plugins and custom themes, or you can build your own.
Web Clipper: Browser extensions for Firefox and Chrome save web pages and screenshots straight into Joplin.
Offline-first: All data is stored locally, so notes stay accessible without an internet connection.

Self-hosting and deployment

Joplin itself is a client application for Windows, Linux, macOS, Android, and iOS; it does not require a dedicated server. For sync, it can be pointed at a self-hosted Nextcloud instance, a WebDAV-compatible server, or Dropbox/OneDrive, giving teams that don't want to depend on Joplin Cloud a self-hosted sync option. All synced data is end-to-end encrypted before it leaves the device, so a self-hosted Nextcloud or WebDAV target never sees note content in plaintext.

Ideal use cases

Joplin suits anyone moving away from a proprietary note-taking service who wants notes stored in an open, portable format rather than a vendor's database. It works well for people who already keep an Evernote archive and want to migrate without losing formatting or metadata, and for privacy-conscious users who want encrypted sync without trusting a single vendor with plaintext notes. The plugin and theming system also makes it a base for people who want to customize their note-taking workflow instead of accepting a fixed feature set.

The project runs a dedicated support forum for user questions and software development discussion, where beta versions are also announced, and stays active on Bluesky, Mastodon, Discord, and YouTube. Development funding comes largely from GitHub Sponsors, Patreon, and direct donations rather than a commercial edition of the app, and the project publishes a warrant canary to signal it hasn't received certain types of secret government requests.