Dify
Joplin
| Feature | Dify | Joplin |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $59/mo | Free / from $2.99/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 4.5 / 5 | 4.2 / 5 |
| Best For | ai-builders, non-technical-teams, enterprises, developers | privacy-advocates, developers, linux-users, evernote-migrants |
| Founded | 2023 | 2017 |
| Visual Orchestration | ✓ | ✗ |
| Rag Pipeline | ✓ | ✗ |
| Agent Mode | ✓ | ✗ |
| Multi Model | ✓ | ✗ |
| Knowledge Base | ✓ | ✗ |
| Api Access | ✓ | ✗ |
| Markdown | ✗ | ✓ |
| Encryption | ✗ | ✓ |
| Sync | ✗ | ✓ |
| Web Clipper | ✗ | ✓ |
| Plugins | ✗ | ✓ |
| Notebooks | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ Dify Pros
- Open-source and self-hostable
- Visual workflow builder
- Built-in RAG pipeline
- Multi-model support
✗ Dify Cons
- Complex for simple chatbots
- Self-hosting requires resources
- Documentation improving
✓ 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
Dify is built for ai builders and non technical teams, with a focus on visual-orchestration and rag-pipeline. Joplin targets privacy advocates and developers and leads with markdown and encryption.
On pricing, Joplin is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $2.99/mo compared to $59/mo for Dify. That $56.01/mo difference adds up quickly for growing teams.
Both offer free plans, so you can test each with your real workflow before committing to a subscription.
Both tools are a solid fit for developers — in those cases, the decision often comes down to workflow style and how your team prefers to organize work.
Bottom line: Dify has a slight overall edge — but if free and open-source matters most to you, Joplin may still be the right call.