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Joplin vs Microsoft OneNote: catalog facts
Joplin	Microsoft OneNote
Free The applications are free and open source. Joplin Cloud is an optional paid sync service…	Free Free to use on the web.
Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Browser extension	Web
Offline first: all data stays on the device, so notes work without a connection End-to-end encrypted sync through Nextcloud, Dropbox, OneDrive, WebDAV, S3 or Joplin Cloud	Freeform pages with notebooks and sections Web clipping and collaboration on shared notebooks
The editor and interface feel less polished than commercial note apps Setting up sync and encryption takes a few steps the first time	Notes are stored in Microsoft's cloud Closed source and tied to the Microsoft ecosystem
Downloadable app, Browser extension	Web application
Open source	Closed source
License: AGPL-3.0-or-later	License not stated
No account needed	Not stated if an account is needed
Works offline	Not stated if it works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 20, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 23, 2026

Catalog facts only. Anything “not stated” is unconfirmed. Check full listings for details.