For an encrypted self hosted note taking app, the first results are streetwriters/notesnook (Notesnook is a cross-platform, open-source note-taking app with client-side end-to-end encryption and sync, designed for private knowledge management and self-hosting — exactly the privacy-focused, self-hostable note-taking tool you are looking for), anyproto/anytype-ts (Anytype-ts is an open-source, end-to-end encrypted, offline-first note-taking client that syncs privately via peer-to-peer, fitting the need for a self-hostable privacy-focused notes app with markdown support and cross-platform availability) and laurent22/joplin (Joplin is a cross-platform, open-source note-taking app with built-in end-to-end encryption, local-first architecture, markdown support, and flexible sync via Nextcloud, WebDAV, or cloud services — a flagship encrypted note-taking application that fully matches your requirements). cryptpad/cryptpad and standardnotes/app round out the shortlist. Compare the match explanations and check the project documentation against your requirements.
Self-hosted and open-source note-taking platforms that prioritize end-to-end encryption for secure data storage and privacy.
Notesnook is a cross-platform note-taking application designed for private knowledge management. It functions as a secure personal information manager that prioritizes user data confidentiality by employing client-side end-to-end encryption for all stored notes, attachments, and metadata. By utilizing a local-first synchronization model, the application ensures that information remains accessible offline while maintaining a consistent state across desktop and mobile devices. The platform distinguishes itself through a focus on privacy-centric organization and secure information handling. User
Notesnook is a cross-platform, open-source note-taking app with client-side end-to-end encryption and sync, designed for private knowledge management and self-hosting — exactly the privacy-focused, self-hostable note-taking tool you are looking for.
anytype-ts is a TypeScript client library and offline-first knowledge base client designed for managing structured layouts and modular blocks within a private distributed database. It functions as a zero-knowledge data synchronizer and schema-driven API wrapper that enables the secure replication of encrypted data across devices. The library utilizes peer-to-peer connectivity and zero-knowledge encryption to ensure data remains private and unreadable to hosting infrastructure. It employs a schema-driven approach to compile data definitions into typed language bindings, ensuring consistent com
Anytype-ts is an open-source, end-to-end encrypted, offline-first note-taking client that syncs privately via peer-to-peer, fitting the need for a self-hostable privacy-focused notes app with markdown support and cross-platform availability.
Joplin is an open-source, cross-platform note-taking application designed for secure, private knowledge management. It functions as a local-first productivity platform, maintaining a complete relational database on the user's device to ensure offline availability and high-performance data retrieval. The application prioritizes data sovereignty by implementing an end-to-end encryption layer, which secures all information locally with a master key before any synchronization occurs. The platform distinguishes itself through a delta-based synchronization engine that transmits only specific file c
Joplin is a cross-platform, open-source note-taking app with built-in end-to-end encryption, local-first architecture, markdown support, and flexible sync via Nextcloud, WebDAV, or cloud services — a flagship encrypted note-taking application that fully matches your requirements.
CryptPad is a self-hosted, zero-knowledge office suite designed for real-time collaborative editing and content management. It provides a privacy-centric infrastructure where documents, files, and notes are encrypted in the browser before transmission, ensuring that the server administrator cannot access the underlying data. The platform implements zero-knowledge user authentication, utilizing cryptographic keys to verify identities so that plain text passwords are never stored on the server. To further isolate sensitive operations, the system employs a security architecture that separates th
CryptPad is a self-hostable, zero-knowledge office suite where notes and documents are encrypted in the browser before being sent to the server, but it is a broader collaboration platform rather than a dedicated note-taking app and does not explicitly mention markdown support or native cross-platform clients beyond its web interface.
Standard Notes is a premier open-source encrypted note-taking app with end-to-end encryption, self-hosting support, markdown editing, and cross-platform clients—exactly the kind of privacy-focused tool you're looking for.
Signal-Desktop is a cross-platform messaging application that provides end-to-end encrypted communication. It implements the Signal Protocol to secure messages and voice calls, ensuring that only intended recipients can access content. The application manages asynchronous key exchange and session initialization to maintain secure communication channels between parties who are not online simultaneously. The project distinguishes itself through advanced cryptographic protections, including hybrid post-quantum security that combines classical elliptic curve cryptography with lattice-based algori
Signal Desktop is a secure messaging app with end-to-end encryption, but it is built for real-time communication, not for writing and organizing notes — so it is close in privacy but not the note-taking application you are searching for.
libsignal is a cryptographic library that implements the Signal Protocol, providing the core primitives for end-to-end encrypted messaging with forward secrecy and deniable authentication. It includes the Double Ratchet algorithm for iteratively deriving fresh encryption keys per message, and the X3DH key agreement protocol for establishing shared secrets between parties asynchronously. A session state machine maintains cryptographic state across message exchanges, supporting recovery and out-of-order delivery. The library extends beyond basic messaging encryption with capabilities such as ze
This is a cryptographic library implementing the Signal Protocol, not a note-taking application — it provides the encryption primitives you would embed into a secure app, but does not itself offer note-editing, storage, markdown, sync, or any user-facing features.
Linsa.io is an end-to-end encrypted cloud storage service and zero-knowledge data vault. It functions as a private content sharing platform that encrypts files and data on the client side, ensuring only the owner can access the stored content. The project employs a local-first approach, processing data updates and encryption on the local device before syncing encrypted blobs to a remote persistence layer. It uses a zero-knowledge architecture where the service provider cannot access decryption keys or view the plaintext content of stored files. The platform provides capabilities for private
Linsa.io is an end-to-end encrypted file storage and zero-knowledge vault, not a note-taking application—it lacks note-specific features such as markdown editing or note organization, so it fits a neighboring privacy-focused category rather than the intended tool.
Croc is a command-line utility for sending files and folders between computers using end-to-end encrypted peer-to-peer connections. It employs elliptic curve encryption and key agreement to secure data transmission between remote endpoints. The tool allows users to coordinate transfers using a shared code phrase and supports the operation of custom relay servers to facilitate connections without relying on public infrastructure. It also includes a proxy client to route encrypted traffic through SOCKS5 proxies. Additional capabilities include resumable data transmission for unstable connectio
Croc is a peer-to-peer file transfer tool with end-to-end encryption and optional self-hosting, but it is not a note-taking application — it lacks note editing, markdown support, and any note-specific sync or storage features.
Thunderbird for Android is a mobile email application designed to synchronize and organize messages from multiple providers within a single unified interface. It functions as an email client that manages accounts through standard network protocols, allowing users to consolidate personal, professional, and educational inboxes into one central location. The application distinguishes itself through integrated support for end-to-end privacy, utilizing cryptographic standards to encrypt and decrypt email content directly on the device. It maintains a local relational database for message storage,
Thunderbird for Android is an encrypted email client, not a note-taking application—while it provides end-to-end encryption for messages, it does not support note editing, markdown, or self-hosting as required for an encrypted note-taking tool.
OpenKeychain is a mobile OpenPGP key manager and identity provider used for storing, importing, and organizing encryption keys and digital certificates. It serves as an end-to-end encryption client and digital signature tool for encrypting and decrypting text and files. The application functions as a central vault that provides encryption and decryption services to third-party apps, such as email clients and password managers. It enables secure public key exchange through online directory retrieval and QR code scanning. The project covers cryptographic identity verification, including the ab
OpenKeychain is an OpenPGP key manager and encryption client for Android, not a note-taking application—it handles encryption keys and services for other apps, but provides no note-taking features, markdown, cross-platform clients, or self-hosting.
qTox is a decentralized instant messaging application and a Tox protocol chat client. It provides a cross-platform graphical user interface for encrypted text, voice, and video communication. The project enables peer-to-peer encrypted messaging and secure VoIP communication without relying on central servers or third-party intermediaries. It utilizes the Tox protocol to facilitate direct voice and video calling and peer-to-peer file exchange. Identity and network management are handled through decentralized identity mapping and a distributed hash table for peer discovery and routing. All dat
qTox is an encrypted peer-to-peer messaging client, not a note-taking application; it provides end-to-end encryption and cross-platform clients but lacks the note-editing and markdown features essential for note-taking.
| Repository | Stars | Language | License | Last push |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| streetwriters/notesnook | 13.7K | TypeScript | gpl-3.0 | |
| anyproto/anytype-ts | 7.1K | TypeScript | other | |
| laurent22/joplin | 55.2K | TypeScript | NOASSERTION | |
| cryptpad/cryptpad | 7.7K | JavaScript | AGPL-3.0 | |
| standardnotes/app | 6.5K | TypeScript | AGPL-3.0 | |
| signalapp/signal-desktop | 16.4K | TypeScript | AGPL-3.0 | |
| signalapp/libsignal | 5.8K | Rust | AGPL-3.0 | |
| linsa-io/linsa.io | 16.9K | TypeScript | — | |
| schollz/croc | 35.3K | Go | MIT | |
| thunderbird/thunderbird-android | 13.6K | Kotlin | Apache-2.0 |