Evernote
Joplin
| Feature | Evernote | Joplin |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $10.83/mo | Free / from $2.99/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 3.8 / 5 | 4.2 / 5 |
| Best For | note-takers, researchers, professionals, knowledge-workers | privacy-advocates, developers, linux-users, evernote-migrants |
| Founded | 2004 | 2017 |
| Notes | ✓ | ✗ |
| Web Clipper | ✓ | ✓ |
| Ocr | ✓ | ✗ |
| Notebooks | ✓ | ✓ |
| Tags | ✓ | ✗ |
| Search | ✓ | ✗ |
| Markdown | ✗ | ✓ |
| Encryption | ✗ | ✓ |
| Sync | ✗ | ✓ |
| Plugins | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ Evernote Pros
- Great web clipper
- OCR for images
- Cross-platform
- Long track record
✗ Evernote Cons
- Expensive
- Feels outdated
- Very limited free plan (50 notes)
- Performance issues
✓ 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
Evernote is built for note takers and researchers, with a focus on notes and web-clipper. 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 $10.83/mo for Evernote. That $7.84/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.
Joplin edges out on user ratings (4.2 vs 3.8). While both are well-regarded, that gap reflects real differences in user satisfaction worth considering.
Bottom line: Joplin has a slight overall edge — but if great web clipper matters most to you, Evernote may still be the right call.
