Apple Notes
Joplin
| Feature | Apple Notes | Joplin |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free only | Free / from $2.99/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 4.2 / 5 | 4.2 / 5 |
| Best For | apple-users, casual-note-takers, students, families | privacy-advocates, developers, linux-users, evernote-migrants |
| Founded | 2012 | 2017 |
| Rich Text | ✓ | ✗ |
| Scanning | ✓ | ✗ |
| Shared Folders | ✓ | ✗ |
| Tags | ✓ | ✗ |
| Quick Notes | ✓ | ✗ |
| Icloud Sync | ✓ | ✗ |
| Markdown | ✗ | ✓ |
| Encryption | ✗ | ✓ |
| Sync | ✗ | ✓ |
| Web Clipper | ✗ | ✓ |
| Plugins | ✗ | ✓ |
| Notebooks | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ Apple Notes Pros
- Free with Apple devices
- Fast and reliable
- Good scanning
- Shared folders
✗ Apple Notes Cons
- Apple ecosystem only
- Limited organization
- No markdown
✓ Joplin Pros
- Free and open-source
- End-to-end encryption
- Self-host option
- Import from Evernote
✗ Joplin Cons
- Less polished UI
- Sync requires setup
- Limited collaboration
The Verdict
Apple Notes is built for apple users and casual note takers, with a focus on rich-text and scanning. Joplin targets privacy advocates and developers and leads with markdown and encryption.
Apple Notes uses custom enterprise pricing, while Joplin starts at $2.99/mo — a tangible advantage for teams with a fixed budget.
Both offer free plans, so you can test each with your real workflow before committing to a subscription.
This is a genuinely close comparison. If you can, sign up for both free trials (where available) and run a one-week test with your actual team tasks before deciding.