6 Best Standard Notes Alternatives for Android (2026)
Standard Notes earned its name by doing one thing well: notes that stay private because they are encrypted on your device before they ever reach a server. But lately, more people are shopping for a replacement. The free plan only covers plain-text notes with a basic editor — rich editors, themes, and the nicer features sit behind a paid plan. If you write in Markdown, want tables, or just hate paywalls around basic editing, it makes sense to look around.
I read five guides about Standard Notes replacements from start to finish, then checked six alternatives live on the Google Play Store: real ratings, review counts, install numbers, developers, and what is actually free. What follows is what I found — including one factual error a competitor guide makes that I want to correct first.
The one thing a competitor gets wrong: who owns Standard Notes
A popular comparison guide claims Automattic — the company behind WordPress — bought Standard Notes in 2022 and changed its pricing. That is wrong. Proton announced it had acquired Standard Notes on April 10, 2024. Multiple outlets reported it at the time, and Proton's own announcement said the app would stay open source, keep its free plan, and honor existing subscriptions. Standard Notes was founded in 2017 and had over 300,000 users when Proton bought it.
Why does this matter for you? Because the company behind your notes app shapes its future. Proton's whole business is privacy tools — Proton Mail, Proton VPN, Proton Drive — so the acquisition fits. And the technical guarantee never depended on the owner anyway: end-to-end encryption means the company cannot read your notes even if it wanted to. The math does not care who signs the paychecks.
Quick comparison: the 6 alternatives at a glance
| App | Play rating | Free tier | Encryption | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Notesnook | 4.58 (6.8K reviews) | 5GB, all editors | On by default | Most Standard Notes users |
| Joplin | 4.0 (6.7K reviews) | Full app free | You must turn it on | Power users, self-hosters |
| Obsidian | 4.3 (18.4K reviews) | Full app free | Local files; paid Sync is encrypted | Linked notes, research |
| Anytype | 4.0 (1.1K reviews) | Free, 1GB network space | On by default | Notion-style workspace |
| Simplenote | 3.5 (18.2K reviews) | Everything free | Not end-to-end encrypted | Speed, plain-text notes |
| Standard Notes (baseline) | 4.61 (7.9K reviews) | Plain text only | On by default | Staying put |
Ratings and review counts checked on the Play Store in October 2026.
1. Notesnook — the closest switch
If you like Standard Notes but not its paywall, Notesnook is the most natural move. It is open source, end-to-end encrypted by default, and its free plan is genuinely generous: 5GB of storage with every editor included — rich text, Markdown with live preview, tables, checklists, code blocks. Standard Notes locks most of that behind its paid plan; Notesnook gives it away.
On the Play Store, Notesnook (by Streetwriters Private Limited) holds 4.58 stars from about 6,800 reviews with over 100,000 installs, and it is free with no ads. Users praise the clean design and the quiet, tracker-free feel. The honest complaints in recent reviews: a few features are locked behind the Pro plan (~$4.49/month) without the app always saying so clearly, and some Markdown shortcuts need the subscription.
Notesnook added self-hosting in 2025 if you ever want to run the server yourself. For a straight Standard Notes replacement with a better free tier, start here. I also compared the two head to head in Notesnook vs Standard Notes.
2. Joplin — for tinkerers and self-hosters
Joplin is the veteran of this list: free, open source since 2017, with the biggest community behind it. Your notes are Markdown files, and you choose where they sync — Nextcloud, any WebDAV server, Dropbox, OneDrive, or S3. Run your own server and sync costs you nothing. There are over 200 community plugins, from kanban boards to automatic encrypted backups.
On the Play Store, Joplin (by Laurent Cozic) sits at about 4.0 stars from 6,700 reviews with 500,000+ installs. That lower rating is honest feedback: the Android app works but looks dated, and sync can be fiddly — reviewers warn not to close the app mid-sync.
Now the warning no competitor states clearly enough: Joplin's encryption is opt-in, not default. If you set up sync without turning on end-to-end encryption, your notes sit as plain text on whatever server you chose. That is fine if you understand the trade, but it is a trap for anyone migrating from Standard Notes, where encryption was always on. Turn it on during setup, then open an encrypted note on every device before you trust the setup.
3. Obsidian — for linked thinking, not quick capture
Obsidian is a different animal. Your notes live as plain Markdown files in a folder on your device — no account needed for basic use, no server in the loop at all. You link notes together into a personal wiki with a graph view, and community plugins add calendars, kanban boards, and daily journals.
On the Play Store, Obsidian (by Dynalist Inc.) has 4.3 stars from about 18,400 reviews and over 5,000,000 installs — by far the biggest audience here. The privacy story is simple: files on your device are as private as your device. The paid Sync add-on encrypts your vault end to end if you want your notes on multiple devices without thinking about it.
The catch: Obsidian is a knowledge base, not a quick-capture app. If you want to jot a fast note the way you did in Standard Notes, it feels heavy. Tables are clunky on phones, and the mobile app trails the desktop version in polish. Pick it for research and connected notes, not for grocery lists. See also Joplin vs Obsidian and Obsidian vs Anytype for deeper comparisons.
4. Anytype — a private Notion
Anytype is what you get if you like Notion's connected workspace but want your data local and encrypted. It is local-first and open source, with peer-to-peer sync and end-to-end encryption. You build notes, tasks, wikis, and habit trackers out of connected "objects," and it works fully offline.
On the Play Store, Anytype (by Any Association) has about 4.0 stars from 1,100 reviews with 100,000+ installs. The free plan covers most personal use, including 1GB of network space; paid plans start around $4/month. Recent reviews are mixed in a useful way: people love the concept and the desktop app, but several note the Android app lags behind desktop — missing conveniences like indenting bullet points on mobile.
There is no web version by design: local-first storage means your data lives on your device, not in a browser. If that trade sounds good and you want databases with your notes, Anytype is worth the learning curve.
5. Simplenote — fast and free, but read this first
Simplenote does exactly what the name says. Open it, type, done. Notes sync across Android, iOS, desktop, and web for free, with tags, pins, instant search, Markdown preview, and public sharing links. On the Play Store, Simplenote (by Automattic) has 3.5 stars from about 18,200 reviews and over 1,000,000 installs.
Here is the part that matters: Simplenote is not end-to-end encrypted. It is a wonderful scratchpad, and several guides list it next to encrypted apps without spelling that out. Use it for drafts, lists, and ideas — not for journals, passwords, or anything sensitive. If privacy is why you chose Standard Notes in the first place, Simplenote is not a like-for-like replacement.
6. Staying with Standard Notes — the honest baseline
Sometimes the best alternative is no switch. Standard Notes on the Play Store holds 4.61 stars from about 7,900 reviews with 500,000+ installs, updated as recently as August 2026 — it is actively maintained under Proton. Its encryption has the longest audited track record in this group, going back to 2017.
Stay if you value simplicity and a proven record over features, and the plain-text free tier is enough for you. Leave if you keep bumping into the paywall for rich editing — that frustration is exactly what Notesnook and Joplin solve.
Get Standard Notes on Google Play
What about Cryptee and PrivacyNotes?
You will see both names on competitor lists, so here is the honest footnote: neither has a native Android app on the Play Store. Cryptee is a web app you install from its own site — the developers deliberately avoid app stores, citing the 30% payment cut and the download-history trail stores create. It is a serious tool (zero-knowledge, based in Estonia, free accounts with 100MB), but if you want a Play Store app, it is not one. PrivacyNotes is in a similar web-first position. I list them here so you know why they have no download button above — not to pretend they are equal Android options.
How to switch without losing anything
Moving is less scary than it looks if you do it in order. First, export from Standard Notes — plain text or Markdown keeps the most compatibility. Joplin has the most mature Evernote importer (ENEX files, with images and attachments), and Notesnook handles Markdown and text imports well. What does not move cleanly: Notion databases, and Apple Notes has no direct import path anywhere — export those as text or PDF and rebuild by hand.
Second, treat your password like the key to a safe, because it is. On every truly encrypted app here, the company holds no spare key. If you forget your password or lose your recovery phrase, your notes are gone — by design. Save the recovery details somewhere safe before you move a single important note, and keep the old app in read-only mode for a few weeks as a safety net.
Which one should you pick?
- Want the easiest switch from Standard Notes? Notesnook — same idea, better free plan.
- Want full control and zero cost? Joplin — but turn on encryption during setup.
- Building a research wiki? Obsidian — keep it local, pay for Sync only if you need it.
- Want a private Notion? Anytype — accept that mobile trails desktop for now.
- Just want fast plain-text notes? Simplenote — and keep sensitive stuff elsewhere.
- Happy where you are? Standard Notes under Proton remains a solid, audited choice.
Whichever you choose, the pattern is the same: encryption on your device first, open-source code you could audit, and an export format that is not a trap. Get those three right and the app almost does not matter.
Frequently asked questions
Is Standard Notes still safe after the Proton acquisition?
Yes. Proton announced the acquisition on April 10, 2024, and promised Standard Notes stays open source with its free plan intact. Because notes are end-to-end encrypted, Proton cannot read them — the encryption is in the app design, not a company promise.
Which Standard Notes alternative has the best free plan?
Notesnook. Its free tier includes 5GB of storage and all editors — rich text, Markdown, tables, and checklists. Standard Notes free is limited to plain-text notes with a basic editor.
Is Joplin really free?
The app is free and open source. You must turn on end-to-end encryption yourself — it is opt-in, not default. Syncing to your own Nextcloud, WebDAV, Dropbox, or S3 storage costs nothing; the official Joplin Cloud sync is a paid subscription.
Can I move my notes from Standard Notes to another app?
Yes for plain notes. Export as plain text or Markdown and import into Joplin, Notesnook, or Obsidian. Evernote ENEX files import well into Joplin. Notion databases and Apple Notes do not transfer cleanly — expect to rebuild those by hand.
What happens if I forget my password in an encrypted notes app?
You usually lose the notes. True end-to-end encryption means the company holds no key to reset, so your password or recovery phrase is the only way in. Save it somewhere safe before you rely on the app.
Does Simplenote encrypt my notes end-to-end?
No. Simplenote is fast, free, and simple, but it is not end-to-end encrypted. Use it for everyday notes, not for anything sensitive.