Jo
Best for an open-source move with ENEX import
License: Open source
- Windows
- macOS
- Linux
- iOS
- Android
- Command line
Status: Active
- ENEXENEX: opens only, partial fidelity. Imports ENEX with notebooks, tags and attachments; ENEX export is not listed in the docs
- HTMLHTML: opens and saves, partial fidelity. HTML export works; HTML import is the fallback when ENEX loses formatting
Ob
Best for local Markdown notes with plugins
License: Freeware
- Windows
- macOS
- Linux
- iOS
- Android
Status: Verified - ENEXENEX: opens only, partial fidelity. Imports ENEX through the Importer plug-in and converts notes to Markdown; no ENEX export
- HTMLHTML: opens only, partial fidelity. Importer plug-in converts HTML to Markdown; notes are not stored as HTML
- MDMD: opens and saves, full fidelity. Notes are plain Markdown files
- CSVCSV: opens only, partial fidelity. Importer plug-in turns CSV rows into notes; no CSV export
Joplin vs Obsidian: facts| Fact | Joplin | Obsidian |
|---|
| License | License: Open sourceAGPL-3.0-or-later | License: Freeware |
|---|
| Maintenance | Status: Active | Status: Verified |
|---|
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
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| macOS | Yes | Yes |
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| Linux | Yes | Yes |
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| iOS | Yes | Yes |
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| Android | Yes | Yes |
|---|
| Command line | Yes | No |
|---|
| Self-hostable | Yes | No |
|---|
| Works offline | Yes | Yes |
|---|
| No account needed | Yes | Yes |
|---|
| Parity with Evernote | 67% | 50% |
|---|
License classes: Open source and Freeware. Status rules: Active means a commit in the last 90 days. See the methodology.
Feature parity with Evernote
Feature parity with Evernote| Feature | Joplin | Obsidian |
|---|
| Capture |
|---|
| Web clipper | YesNote 1Free Chrome and Firefox clipper | YesNote 2Official Web Clipper browser extension |
|---|
| Search |
|---|
| Search inside images and PDFs | PartialNote 3Optional OCR indexes text in images and PDF attachments | NoNote 4Search covers note text; no built-in OCR |
|---|
| Organization |
|---|
| Notebooks, stacks and tags | YesNote 5Notebooks with sub-notebooks and tags | YesNote 6Folders, tags and links between notes |
|---|
| Tasks |
|---|
| Tasks and reminders | PartialNote 7To-do notes with alerts; no recurring tasks | PartialNote 8Checkbox tasks; reminders come from community plugins |
|---|
| Sync |
|---|
| Sync across devices | YesNote 9Sync through Dropbox, OneDrive, Nextcloud, WebDAV or other targets you set up | PartialNote 10Official Sync is paid; free options are iCloud, Syncthing or Git |
|---|
| Documents |
|---|
| Document scanning and PDF annotation | NoNote 11No document scanner or PDF annotation | NoNote 12PDFs can be viewed but not annotated without a plugin |
|---|
- Joplin, Web clipper: Free Chrome and Firefox clipper
- Obsidian, Web clipper: Official Web Clipper browser extension
- Joplin, Search inside images and PDFs: Optional OCR indexes text in images and PDF attachments
- Obsidian, Search inside images and PDFs: Search covers note text; no built-in OCR
- Joplin, Notebooks, stacks and tags: Notebooks with sub-notebooks and tags
- Obsidian, Notebooks, stacks and tags: Folders, tags and links between notes
- Joplin, Tasks and reminders: To-do notes with alerts; no recurring tasks
- Obsidian, Tasks and reminders: Checkbox tasks; reminders come from community plugins
- Joplin, Sync across devices: Sync through Dropbox, OneDrive, Nextcloud, WebDAV or other targets you set up
- Obsidian, Sync across devices: Official Sync is paid; free options are iCloud, Syncthing or Git
- Joplin, Document scanning and PDF annotation: No document scanner or PDF annotation
- Obsidian, Document scanning and PDF annotation: PDFs can be viewed but not annotated without a plugin
All free alternatives to Evernote
Joplin vs Obsidian: file formats| Format | Joplin | Obsidian |
|---|
| .enex | Opens onlyNote 1Imports ENEX with notebooks, tags and attachments; ENEX export is not listed in the docsPartial fidelity | Opens onlyNote 2Imports ENEX through the Importer plug-in and converts notes to Markdown; no ENEX exportPartial fidelity |
|---|
| .html | Opens and savesNote 3HTML export works; HTML import is the fallback when ENEX loses formattingPartial fidelity | Opens onlyNote 4Importer plug-in converts HTML to Markdown; notes are not stored as HTMLPartial fidelity |
|---|
- Joplin, .enex: Imports ENEX with notebooks, tags and attachments; ENEX export is not listed in the docs
- Obsidian, .enex: Imports ENEX through the Importer plug-in and converts notes to Markdown; no ENEX export
- Joplin, .html: HTML export works; HTML import is the fallback when ENEX loses formatting
- Obsidian, .html: Importer plug-in converts HTML to Markdown; notes are not stored as HTML