If you mainly want to capture and find notes, these open-source note apps do that well. Most offer sync, and some let you run the sync server yourself.
Category: Notes & knowledge bases · GitHub data as of Oct 29, 2026 · FAQ · Cost & self-hosting
| Project | What it is | License | GitHub stars | Last release | Runs as | Hosted plan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Memos Active MIT | Memos is an open-source, self-hosted note-taking app that brings your everyday thoughts together in a personal timeline. Your data stays yours, and you choose what to keep private or share. | MIT | 64.2k | Oct 27, 2026 | Self-hosted web app | Not confirmed |
| Joplin Active Mixed or custom | Joplin - the privacy-focused note taking app with sync capabilities for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS. | Mixed or custom | 56.9k | Oct 28, 2026 | Desktop app | Yes, from the project |
| Logseq Active AGPL-3.0 | A privacy-first, open-source platform for knowledge management and collaboration. | AGPL-3.0 | 45.4k | Oct 25, 2026 | Desktop app | Not confirmed |
| Trilium Notes Active AGPL-3.0 | Build your personal knowledge base with Trilium Notes. | AGPL-3.0 | 38.6k | Oct 23, 2026 | Self-hosted web app | Not confirmed |
| Standard Notes Active AGPL-3.0 | A note-taking app with end-to-end encryption for notes and files across desktop, web and mobile. | AGPL-3.0 | 6.7k | Oct 23, 2026 | Desktop app | Yes, from the project |
5 of 5 Evernote alternatives here had a code push or release in the last 180 days (checked Oct 29, 2026).
See every project in the "Is it still maintained?" tracker →
Evernote: current plans and prices are on Evernote's pricing page.
| Alternative | How you run it | Software cost | What you pay for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Memos | Your server | $0 (MIT) | A server you rent or own, plus your time for updates and backups. |
| Joplin | Desktop app, with an optional self-hosted server | $0 (Mixed or custom, check terms) | Nothing for the app. A server only if you self-host sync or sharing, or the project's paid cloud plan. |
| Logseq | Desktop app | $0 (AGPL-3.0) | Nothing to host. Install it on your own device. |
| Trilium Notes | Your server | $0 (AGPL-3.0) | A server you rent or own, plus your time for updates and backups. |
| Standard Notes | Desktop app, with an optional self-hosted server | $0 (AGPL-3.0) | Nothing for the app. A server only if you self-host sync or sharing, or the project's paid cloud plan. |
Self-hosting basics: Memos and Trilium Notes need a server, which can be a small cloud server or a spare machine at home. For a sense of scale, DigitalOcean's price list shows a 1 GiB server at $6/month and 2 GiB at $12/month (checked Oct 29, 2026). Check each project's documented requirements before choosing a size, and budget time for updates and backups.
Don't want to run a server? Joplin and Standard Notes offer a hosted plan run by the project itself. Prices change, so check each project's site.
Nothing to host: Joplin, Logseq and Standard Notes run on your own computer.
License check: Joplin does not use a single standard open-source license that GitHub can detect. Read the license before using it in a business.
Memos is an open-source, self-hosted note-taking app that brings your everyday thoughts together in a personal timeline. Your data stays yours, and you choose what to keep private or share.
64.2k GitHub stars · MIT · last code push Oct 29, 2026 · GitHub · Website
Joplin - the privacy-focused note taking app with sync capabilities for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS.
56.9k GitHub stars · Mixed or custom · last code push Oct 29, 2026 · GitHub · Website
A privacy-first, open-source platform for knowledge management and collaboration.
45.4k GitHub stars · AGPL-3.0 · last code push Oct 29, 2026 · GitHub · Website
Build your personal knowledge base with Trilium Notes.
38.6k GitHub stars · AGPL-3.0 · last code push Oct 29, 2026 · GitHub · Website
A note-taking app with end-to-end encryption for notes and files across desktop, web and mobile.
6.7k GitHub stars · AGPL-3.0 · last code push Oct 29, 2026 · GitHub · Website
It depends on how you use Evernote. Of the 5 options here, Memos is the most followed on GitHub (64.2k stars) and is actively maintained, with its latest release on Oct 27, 2026. If you want an app on your own computer, look at Joplin, Logseq and Standard Notes. If you need something your whole team can log into, look at Memos and Trilium Notes.
Yes. Memos and Trilium Notes run on a server you control, so your data stays with you. Joplin and Standard Notes are desktop apps that can also sync through a server you host yourself. If you'd rather not run a server, Joplin and Standard Notes also offer a hosted plan from the people who make them.
Yes. Every project on this page can be downloaded and used at no cost from its public repository. Joplin, Logseq and Standard Notes install on your own device, so they cost nothing to run. Server apps are free software, but you pay for the server they run on. Check the license of Joplin before using it in a business.
As of Oct 29, 2026, 5 of 5 had a code push or release in the last 180 days. None are flagged as inactive or archived. We re-check every project weekly.
The software itself is free. Desktop and device apps (Joplin, Logseq and Standard Notes) cost nothing to run. For server apps, the main cost is hosting: as a reference point, DigitalOcean lists a 1 GiB server at $6/month and a 2 GiB server at $12/month (checked Oct 29, 2026). Check each project's documented requirements before choosing a size. The hidden cost is time: moving your data and, for self-hosted apps, keeping up with updates and backups.
Not all under a standard license. Joplin: GitHub could not identify a single standard license for this repository (often a mix of open-source and commercial parts). Read the LICENSE file before using it. The others use OSI-approved open-source licenses.
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