Linux note taking apps

Best 6 Open source Note-taking Apps for Linux, Windows, and Mac OSX

Note taking, is a daily requirement for most of us, however, finding a good solution that can compete with commercial ones is hard. There is free software with a set of features that can compete and win with a commercial solution.

We choose the notes with advanced and usable features as powerful encryption, cloud backup and synchronization, private note support, and multi-platform as it can run on Windows, Linux, and Mac OSX.

We have covered special note-taking styles and note-taking editors in this article: 12 Open source Free Note-taking Desktop Apps with Unique Features.

1- Turtle

Turtle is an open source note-taking application, built to organize notes, passwords, bookmarks, and images. It works fine with Linux, Mac OSX, and Windows. It has Google Chrome and Firefox browsers extensions.

Turtle has powerful features as client-side encryption, markdown support, tagging, powerful search, sharing, browser extensions with clipboard support, TeX math support, file attachment, and RTL (Right-to-Left) support.

2- Laverna

Laverna is a note-taking application offers many features despite it’s simple user-interface as note synchronization and backup to Dropbox and remote services, markdown editing, distraction-free mode, todo notes, code highlighting, importing and exporting notes, and powerful encryption for notes.

Laverna is an open source project released under MPL 2.0 license. It works fine on Windows, Mac OSX and Linux. It also provides a self-hosted web version.

3- Zim

Zim is an open-source desktop wiki application, Its perfect to take notes and organize them together as connect them to each other. It works the same as Wiki but on your desktop which makes it great to draft emails, articles, blog entries, take notes of lectures and meetings.

Zim is supported by many Linux distros, and it has a Windows installation package, but unfortunately, it does not work on Mac OSX easily.

4- TiddlyWiki

TiddlyWiki is a single-file mode wiki application, It’s tiny but very powerful, I had been using it over the years, and I can’t yet find other alternatives like it. using it is very simple to download the HTML file, write and save the file. That’s it.

TiddlyWiki is very rich in options, features, supported tools and environments, and its even developer’s friendly. with few tweaks, you can use it as a todo list, effective project management tool and of course writing drafts and notes.

TiddlyWiki has extensions for all the major browsers but more importantly, it works well with Beaker browser over Dat protocol. which means it works for teams.

TiddlyWiki supports encryption using Stanford JavaScript Crypto Library.

5- Joplin

Joplin is a free open-source note program that supports end-to-end encryption, note synchronization to online services and cloud-like NextCloud, WebDAV and OneDrive, importing Evernote notes and file formats, offline mode support, file attachment.

Joplin has been released as a desktop application for Windows, Linux and Mac OSX. Joplin’s developers also released Android and iOS apps and command-line application as well. Joplin also has accessories like Google Chrome and Firefox extension as Web Clipper to take notes of web pages with simple few clicks.

6- QOwnNotes

QOwnNotes is a desktop free open-source note application, with the support of OwnCloud and NextCloud. It supports markdown, customizable shortcuts, vim mode, Evernote imports.

QOwnNotes supports note encryption. to keep the notes private, Which is very useful combining with its feature as portable software as it works directly from the USB stick.

QOwnNotes has been released for Linux, Mac OSX and Windows.

Recommended (Free/ Commercial)

Milanote: Notes for creative people

Milanote is a tool for organizing creative projects into beautiful visual boards.
By design, it feels a lot like working on the wall in a creative studio — visual, tactile and sometimes a bit messy — Milanote is a great fit for designers who work in teams remotely.

Key Features:
— Write notes & to-do lists, upload images & files and save things you find on the web
— Organize visually using the flexible drag and drop interface.
— Boards by default are a private place to think, but with a single click you can create a shared workspace for collaboration with your team
— Milanote is filled with hundreds of built-in templates to help you get started with a variety of different projects, from creating a mood board to writing that perfect creative brief.

Pricing:
— Free version available with no time limit. — PRO version $9.99 per month (monthly and annual plans)

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22 Best Open Source Linux Note Takers

It has often been said that information confers power, and that the most important currency in our culture today is information. Keeping track of bits and pieces of information is a minefield.

In part, this is because of passable short term memory, coupled with what can only be described as ‘brain fog’. To combat this, we arm myself with open source software that helps us efficiently capture a lot of information. We generally prefer to keep our information local and cloud-free, primarily for security reasons. And we primarily advance software which doesn’t tie itself to any specific company or service, whether it’s Evernote, Google, or Microsoft.

Note-taking apps are the online equivalent of notebooks, and because they’re digital, they can do more for you than paper can. Note-taking apps also include text search, so in a matter of seconds, you can find whatever notes you need.

There is a wide range of competent note taking software for Linux, and this article seeks to cover the finest open source solutions.

We have compiled this roundup of our pick of 22 high quality note applications for organizing, sharing, and taking notes. Besides the basic note-taking functionality, the software featured here provides a good array of advanced features. We strongly believe in open source software; all of the applications listed here are released under a freely distributable license.

There are lots of other note-taking applications. This has necessitated we make a lot of difficult choices. For example, we’ve limited the selection to a couple of programs designed to simulate sticky notes. We’ll be covering additional sticky note applications in a future Group Test. Almost all the programs sport an attractive graphical user interface. We acknowledge that command-line tools are underrepresented in this instance.

Let’s explore the 22 apps to take notes at hand. For each application we have compiled its own portal page, a full description with an in-depth analysis of its features, a screenshot, together with links to relevant resources.

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Best Note Taking Apps for Linux

Bijiben / GNOME Notes

Bijiben or GNOME Notes is a note taking app included in the official GNOME-3 apps stack. Rather than focusing on tons of features, Bijiben only provides a handful of features keeping everything minimal and clutter free. You can take and edit notes using a rich text editor and organize them in separate categories.

To install Bijiben in ubuntu, run the command below:

You can install Bijiben in other Linux distributions using its official flatpak repository.

Gnote

Gnote can create new notes neatly categorized into different notebooks. A port of Tomboy note taking app, Gnote includes all features of Bijiben, plus a few additional goodies like cloud synchronization, spell-check, internal linking to other notes, plugins, and importing / exporting of notes to various file formats.

To install Gnote in Ubuntu, run the command below:

You can install Gnote in other Linux distributions by following instructions available here.

Notes-Up

Notes-up is a free and open source note taking app written in Vala and GTK3. Its main features include a markdown editor with syntax highlighting, notebook categories, user tags, spell-check, and a PDF export option.

To install Notes-Up in Ubuntu, run the following commands in succession:

To install Notes-up in other Linux distributions, visit its flathub page (scroll down).

Notejot

Notejot is a sticky note taking app for Linux. Each instance of the app is treated as a separate sticky note and all notes are saved automatically. You can create a new sticky note by clicking on plus sign located at bottom left corner of the app.

To install Notejot in Ubuntu, run the command below:

To install Notejot in other Linux distributions, visit its flathub page (scroll down).

Quentier

Quentier is a free, open source, and cross-platform note taking app compatible with Evernote API. You can use the app to sync your notes through an Evernote account. It also supports local synchronization, you can store everything on your hard drive and use the app without an Evernote account.

You can download the Quentier AppImage file from here. AppImage files are self-contained portable executable binaries that work on most Linux distributions (similar to “.exe” files in Windows). You may need to mark the file executable. To do so, right click on the file and grant it executable permissions.

VNote

VNote is a note taking app specially tailored for programmers. Written in Qt, it includes a markdown editor with syntax highlighting for a number of different programming languages. Its other features include a keyboard driven vim mode, tabbed notes, live preview, dark mode and exporting of notes to many file formats.

You can download an AppImage file for VNote from here. Make sure to grant it executable permissions.

Xournal

Xournal is a free and open source note taking app that allows you to write handwritten notes using a stylus or touch screen taps. You can also use your mouse to create notes. Xournal’s tool set includes all major drawing and annotation tools you typically see in a paint app.

To install Xournal in Ubuntu, run the command below:

Xournal is available in repositories of all major Linux distributions. Search for the term “xournal” in the package manager of your distribution to install it.

Electron Based Apps

Electron is an app development framework that allows you to develop apps using web technologies. Every Electron based app comes with a bundled Chromium browser. While Electron apps are very capable, they can be resource heavy and do not respect native look and feel of the OS. Many people prefer native apps to Electron apps. However, if you don’t care about Electron, these note taking apps are really good, packed with many useful features.

Conclusion

Most of the apps listed above have been in development for a long time and they are quite stable. If you are looking for desktop note taking apps with local or cloud synchronization, these are some really solid choices.

About the author

Nitesh Kumar

I am a freelancer software developer and content writer who loves Linux, open source software and the free software community.

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Looking for Some Good Note Taking Apps on Linux? Here are the Best Notes Apps we Found for You

Last updated January 12, 2021 By Ankush Das 100 Comments

No matter what you do — taking notes is always a good habit. Yes, there are a lot of note taking apps to help you achieve that. But, what about some open-source note taking apps for Linux?

Fret not, you don’t need to endlessly search the Internet to find the best note taking app for Linux. Here, I’ve picked some of the most impressive open-source note taking apps available.

Best Note Taking Apps for Linux

Do note that this list is in no particular order of ranking.

1. Joplin

Key Features:

• Markdown support
• Support for attachments
• Encryption support
• Cross-platform including Android app

Joplin is an impressive free open-source note taking app that supports encryption. With the features offered, it’s also one of the best Evernote alternatives out there. In fact, I moved from Evernote to Joplin just because of the features offered.

You can choose to add to-do lists, plain notes, or use it as a markdown editor to write something. It’s available for Linux, Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS. You can also choose to sync your notes using Dropbox, OneDrive, NextCloud or WebDAV.

If you’re curious, you can read our detailed article on Joplin to know more about it.

How to install it?

You get an AppImage file to install Joplin. I’ve tried it on Ubuntu 20.04 LTS and it works as expected. To look for the file, you can head to its official website or explore their GitHub page.

In case you don’t know how to install it, follow our guide on using AppImage files to get started.

In either case, if you want to use the terminal, you can type the command below to install it through a script (which also adds a desktop icon in the process):

2. Simplenote

Key Features:

• Markdown support
• Simple user interface
• Easily sync using your Simplenote account
• 32-bit package available
• Cross-platform including mobile apps

As the name suggests, it is a simple free and open-source note taking app.

Developed by Automattic (the company behind WordPress), Simplenote lets you seamlessly sync your notes across multiple devices. It supports Android, iOS, Windows, Linux, and macOS as well.

Unlike some others, you will notice that the interface is dead simple and may not offer a bunch of features. However, you get the ability to add tags to your notes.

How to install it?

It offers .deb / .rpm packages along with an AppImage file. You can find the files in its GitHub releases section.

3. Laverna

Note: This isn’t actively developed anymore — but it still works as expected.

Key Features:

• Markdown support
• Encryption support
• Sync support

Laverna is an interesting open-source note taking application that also offers encryption (which is optional).

You can use it as a web-based note taking app or as something on your computer. It’s available for Linux, Mac, and Windows as well.

While it features all the basic functionalities for a note taking app in addition to the encryption support, you don’t get a mobile app to use. So, this is something that you can use only if you’re a desktop user and get most of the things done on a web browser.

How to install it?

It provides a zip file which is available on its official website. Once you download it, you need to extract it and launch the executable file to get started.

4. Standard Notes

Key Features:

• Markdown support
• Encryption support
• Sync support
• Version history of notes (paid plan)
• Cross-platform including mobile apps
• 32-bit package offered
• Offers premium options

Yet another open-source note taking app that offers encryption for your notes and attachments.

Unlike Laverna, Standard Notes is being actively developed. While it offers a great deal of features, some of them are limited to paid subscribers as “extended features” or extensions which is on the expensive side (for monthly subscription). You can also refer to our separate article on Standard Notes to learn more about it.

Overall, you get the markdown support, ability to encrypt attachments and notes, version history, backup support (to OneDrive, Google Drive, etc.) and more such useful features.

How to install it?

It offers an AppImage file to install it on your Linux distro. You just need to head to its official website to download it. In case you don’t know how to use the file, refer to our AppImage guide.

For other available packages or source, you can refer to their GitHub page.

5. Boost Note

Key Features:

• Markdown support
• Suitable for developers as well
• Cross-platform

Boost Note is a useful note taking app for programmers using Linux. You can write your codes and also use it to write notes, documentations, and much more.

It offers a clean and intuitive user interface and offers all the basic features for a note taking app on Linux.

How to install it?

You can opt for the .deb file available for Ubuntu on its official website. If you want to try it on other Linux distributions, you will also find an AppImage file to get started.

If you’re curious, you can also check out their GitHub page to explore more about it or fork it.

6. Tomboy Notes (Next Generation)

Key Features:

• Lightweight note taking app
• Sync support
• Cross-platform

How about a lightweight and dead simple note-taking app?

Well, you might be aware of the old Tomboy note taking app which is no longer developed. Fortunately, there’s a next-generation version of the Tomboy notes. You can configure the path to store notes and get started taking notes quickly.

The app is merely

2 MB to download. So, if you were looking for a lightweight solution — this is it. It may not be available for smartphones — but you can surely use it on Windows, Linux, and macOS.

How to install it?

You can find .deb / .rpm and other packages in their GitHub releases section. For other Linux distros, you can follow documentations in their GitHub page to know more about it.

7. RedNoteBook

• Traditional Journal-style note taking app
• Templates available
• Offline-use

RedNoteBook should be a good choice for users who wanted an offline note taking app on Linux.

Yes, it does not support synchronization and if you’re someone who doesn’t want the sync feature, RedNoteBook should be a traditional-style note taking app with a sidebar for calendar.

It’s mostly tailored for users who like to have an offline journal. It also provides a couple of templates for you to make it easy creating certain notes.

How to install it?

If you’re using Ubuntu (or any other Ubuntu-based distro), you can install it via PPA. Here’s what you have to type in your terminal to install it:

For all other Linux distributions, you can get the Flatpak package.

8. TagSpaces

Key Features:

• Rich user interface
• Supports managing documents
• Sync support
• Offers premium options

TagSpaces is a beautiful note taking app available for Linux. Not just limited to creating notes, but you can manage photos and other documents as well.

Unlike some other note taking apps available, it doesn’t offer encryption. So, you can try tools like Syncthing to sync your data safely along with the support Dropbox and Nextcloud.

You can also opt for its premium plans if you want special features and support.

How to install it?

You can find the .deb file and an AppImage file in their GitHub releases section to install it. In either case, you can build it as well.

9. Trilium Notes

Key Features:

• Hierarchical note taking app
• Encryption supported
• Sync support

Trilium Notes is not just another note taking app, it’s a hierarchical note taking application with focus on building personal knowledge bases.

Yes, you can use it for common use as well — but it’s tailored for specific users who want the ability to manage the notes in a hierarchical fashion.

I haven’t used this personally — except for testing it. Feel free to try it out and explore more.

How to install it?

Simply head to its GitHub releases section and grab the .deb file to install it on Ubuntu. If you’re looking for other Linux distros, you can build it from source or download and extract the zip file as well.

10. Notable

Note:This is no longer open-source for newer versions but works perfectly fine on Linux.

Key Features:

• Mardown-based
• Supports KaTeX expressions
• Store notes offline or sync with cloud directories if you want
• Focus mode for distraction-free note-taking experience
• Cross-platform

If you were looking for a simple note taking app with a good UI while offering a GitHub-like Markdown experience, Notable will be a good pick.

It does not support any specific cloud-integration but it lets you choose a folder to store your notes. So, you can choose to select a cloud directory if you want.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t offer encryption for the notes if you want to opt for a cloud storage path. You can get it for Linux, Windows, and Mac. For more details, you can explore its GitHub page or the official website.

How to install it?

Notable offers both .deb and .rpm files to get it installed. In addition to that, you also get an AppImage file, a snap package, and a pacman package.

In case you’re wondering how to install it, you can refer to our tutorials on installing Deb files and using an AppImage file as well for any Linux distribution.

11. QOwnNotes

Key Features:

• Supports Markdown
• Supports Nextcloud/ownCloud integration
• To-do list support
• Supports scripting
• Cross-platform

QOwnNotes is yet another open-source note-taking application that supports Markdown. In addition to that, it provides you a lot of advanced options to organize your notes easily.

To start with, it doesn’t rely on any cloud storage service. But, it supports Nextcloud/ownCloud integration, which is a good addition for a lot of users.

You can take a look around in their GitHub page or the official site to know more about it.

How to install it?

For starters, you may find it listed in your software center. But, if you don’t find the latest version, you should check the detailed steps on their official installation instructions page to get the latest version for your Linux system.

Overall, you will find DEB packages, Flatpak, Snap, and AppImage files on their download page.

12. Zettlr

Key Features:

• Custom CSS support
• Manage tags easily
• Full-fledged text editor with every essential feature for a writer
• Supports exporting to PDF
• Supports Zotero integration

Zettlr is an impressive Markdown editor that can be used as a note-taking application. It features all the essential features needed in a note app even though there’s no cloud integration.

You can choose to store your files offline or sync the note folder with any of your cloud storage services. Personally, I like the user experience and focused view of writing and managing something on Zettlr. In fact, we also have an article on Zettlr, if you’d like to get more details.

In either case, you can explore more about it in their GitHub page.

How to install it?

It offers packages for Debian, Fedora, and an AppImage file for any Linux distribution.

I’ve tested it using the AppImage file and it worked great. You can head to its official website to download the file you need and get started installing it.

13. cherrytree

Key Features:

• Hierarchical note taking app
• Cross-platform

cherrytree is a quite popular hierarchical note taking application for power users. If you have a lot of notes to manage or just want to store a wealth of knowledge you gain every day, a hierarchical note-taking application like cherrytree should be the perfect choice.

If you’re someone who occasionally adds a note to keep it safe and secure, cherrytree might be too overwhelming for that. But, for power users, this is a great option to try similar to Trilium Notes.

You can head to its GitHub page to explore more about it.

How to install it?

cherrytree should be available through the software center of your Linux distribution. But, you can also find DEB/RPM packages, Flatpak package, Snap package, and the source code to get started using cherrytree on Linux.

Simply head to its official website and download the file you need and get it installed.

14. Zim Wiki

Key Features:

• A concept of wiki pages on your desktop
• Export your notes to HTML to create a webpage
• Cross-platform

Zim is an interesting note taking application in the form of a desktop wiki.

You can manage your notes or blog entries in the form of a collection of wiki pages – which is super efficient for a lot of users. Not just limited to that, but you can export your notes to HTML if you need to publish it as a web page.

On some Linux distributions like Linux Lite, you might find it pre-installed.

How to install it?

You can easily get it from the software center. However, you may not find the latest version available.

So, in that case, you can try using the Flatpak package, DEB package, and the source code on its official download page to get started.

Wrapping Up

That concludes my recommendation for note taking apps on Linux. I have used plenty of them and currently settled for Simplenote for quick notes and Joplin for collection of notes in chapters.

Do you know some other notes apps available for Linux that you think should be included in this list? Why not let us know in the comment section?

Which note taking application do you prefer? I am curious to know what you normally look for in the best note taking application on Linux.

Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below.

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