Notesnook

Notesnook is a note-taking app for web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android, with note sharing and offline capabilities. Notes are encrypted end-to-end before leaving the device, and the apps and sync server are open source under GPLv3. App access can be locked with a fingerprint, PIN, or password; selected private notes can also have a separate password. A note can be published as a web page, with an optional password. Zapier, IFTTT, or a custom script can send notes through the Inbox API. The free plan includes unlimited notes on unlimited devices, but provides 50 MB of attachment storage per month and limits individual files to 10 MB; it also includes 50 notebooks and 50 tags. Free users can read web-clipped content offline, while paid plans include full offline mode and offer 1 GB to 25 GB of attachment storage per month. Monthly prices are listed at $1.99 for Essential, $6.99 for Pro, and $8.99 for Believer. Subscriptions can be cancelled without fees, and notes remain readable and exportable.

Notesnook pairs end-to-end encryption and open-source apps with sharing, publishing, and inbox integrations. The free tier is generous for note counts, but limits attachment storage and file size.

Notesnook suits people who want encrypted notes across desktop, mobile, and web, including those who need note sharing or inbox integrations. Its free plan supports unlimited notes, while paid plans add full offline mode and more attachment storage.

Overview

Notesnook is a cross-platform note-taking app for people who want private notes without giving up sharing and publishing tools. It is strongest for users who value end-to-end encryption and open-source software; attachment caps make the free plan less suitable for storing lots of files.

Key features

Notes are encrypted on the device before they leave it, and Notesnook publishes every app and its sync server under GPLv3. That combination makes privacy central rather than an optional extra. A fingerprint, PIN, or password can lock the app, while a separate password can protect selected notes for another layer of control.

Notesnook supports offline access, note sharing, and publishing a single note as a web page, with an optional password. Web-clipped content can be read offline; full offline mode is included with paid plans. Zapier, IFTTT, and a custom script can send notes into the Inbox API, with Gmail also named as an integration. Those connections suit users who want to route material into their notes, though full offline access is reserved for subscribers.

The free account has unlimited notes on unlimited devices, but organization and attachments have tighter boundaries: 50 notebooks, 50 tags, 50 MB of attachment storage per month, and a 10 MB maximum file size. That is ample room for text notes, but a meaningful constraint for people who regularly save large documents or media.

Pricing

The free plan costs nothing, lasts indefinitely, and requires no card. Its unlimited notes and devices are the clearest reason to try Notesnook, while the notebook, tag, storage, and file-size limits set the practical ceiling.

Essential costs $1.99 a month, including tax. It raises the monthly attachment allowance to 1 GB and the maximum file size to 100 MB, with 500 notebooks and 500 tags. It is the sensible step up for users who have outgrown the free attachment cap but do not need unlimited organization.

Pro costs $6.99 a month, including tax, and provides 10 GB of attachment storage per month, a 1 GB file-size limit, and unlimited notebooks and tags. Believer costs $8.99 a month, including tax, and expands those attachment limits to 25 GB per month and 5 GB per file, while keeping notebooks and tags unlimited. Believer fits heavier attachment use; for users who mostly write text, the extra storage may not justify the higher price.

Annual and five-year options are also offered. Pro Yearly is billed annually at ₹3,961.57 including tax, with a 14-day free trial; Pro 5-Year is billed every 5 years at ₹33,964.82 including tax, prepaid, with no trial. Believer Yearly is billed annually at ₹10,188.65 including tax, with a 14-day free trial; Believer 5-Year is billed every 5 years at ₹45,286.82 including tax, prepaid, with no trial. Essential Yearly is billed annually at ₹2,263.26 including tax, with a 14-day free trial. Essential Monthly, Pro Monthly, and Believer Monthly include 14-day free trials; a payment method is required for the Essential Monthly trial. Subscriptions can be cancelled at any time without a fee, and notes remain readable and exportable after cancellation. A refund can be requested from support within 14 days of purchase.

Platforms

Notesnook is available on Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, Windows, and the web. Offline access and broad platform coverage make it viable across desktop and mobile, while full offline mode requires a paid plan.

Who it's for

Choose Notesnook if you want encrypted notes across devices, inspectable open-source apps and sync, and the option to share or publish selected notes. Its free tier is particularly attractive to people whose notes are mostly text. If your workflow depends on large attachments or complete offline use, budget for a paid plan.

Pros and cons

• Pro: End-to-end encryption and GPLv3-licensed apps and sync server give privacy-conscious users both device-side protection and inspectable software.
• Pro: Unlimited notes on unlimited devices are free forever, making the basic note-taking capacity unusually unconstrained.
• Pro: Password-protected web publishing and Inbox API integrations extend Notesnook beyond private storage.
• Con: Free attachment storage is 50 MB per month and files top out at 10 MB, limiting use as a document or media repository.
• Con: Full offline mode is paid, so free users do not get offline access to all content.

Alternatives

PrivacyNotes is another freemium option for readers comparing platforms and open-source encryption code; its web, desktop, and mobile apps and encryption code are published on GitHub under AGPL.

Cryptee is worth considering if its 100 MB free forever plan better suits your storage needs; it says its software and cryptography are open source and independently reviewable.

Turtl may suit people who prioritize collaboration: its Basic plan has three collaborators per Space and 50 MB storage, while Premium costs $3 a month and includes 10 GB note storage.

Dash is an option for readers seeking a free web PWA or iPhone app that works offline without an account.

Joplin is another freemium note-taking choice; its Basic plan costs €2.99 a month and includes a 14-day free trial.

SilentNotes is a free alternative limited to Windows and Android.

Anytype is another freemium option for readers whose preferred platform is among Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, Windows, or its browser extension.

Notyra is a free option that lets users begin without an account and says every line of code is auditable.

Verdict

Notesnook is a strong choice for privacy-minded note takers who want encrypted, open-source software and generous free note capacity across devices. Its main trade-off is clear: attachment-heavy users and anyone who needs full offline access must move to a paid plan, while text-first users can get substantial use from the free tier.