Should I use Joplin or Notion?

Use Joplin if you want open-source, end-to-end encrypted notes on your own storage backend; use Notion if you want a flexible team workspace with real-time collaboration and databases.

Is Joplin cheaper than Notion?

Yes — Joplin's paid cloud tier starts at $2.99/month versus Notion's $10/month Plus plan, and Joplin can run entirely free when self-hosted.

Is there a free version of Joplin?

Yes — Joplin is free and open source when self-hosted to a backend of your choice, with paid Joplin Cloud plans starting at $2.99/month as an optional convenience.

Does Notion have offline support like Joplin?

Not reliably — reviewers describe Notion's offline mode as unreliable, while Joplin is built around full offline access with sync only when reconnected.

Joplin vs Notion (2026)

By Noahlast updated September 14, 2026

Verdict: Choose Joplin if you want fully open-source, end-to-end encrypted notes synced to a storage backend you control. Choose Notion if you want a flexible, block-based workspace combining docs, wikis, and lightweight project tracking for a team. The deciding factor is privacy and ownership versus collaborative flexibility: Joplin's MIT-licensed, self-hostable-sync model means no company can read your notes, but its interface lags Notion's polish, while Notion's relational databases and real-time collaboration come from a closed-source, freemium platform that gets sluggish on large workspaces.

Joplin

Open-source, end-to-end encrypted note-taking app for people who want to own their notes.

Pricing: Free tier · paid from $3.23/mo
License: Open core
Best for: People who want an offline-first, end-to-end encrypted Markdown note app with a free self-hosted sync option and no vendor lock-in.

Details joplinapp.org

Notion

An all-in-one workspace for docs, wikis, projects, and databases, with built-in AI search and agents.

Pricing: Free tier · paid from $10/mo
License: Freemium
Best for: Teams that want to consolidate scattered docs, wikis, and lightweight project trackers into one linked workspace, and are willing to spend time designing their own database structure.

Details notion.com

Choose Joplin if…

You want your notes end-to-end encrypted, syncing to a backend you choose (Dropbox, OneDrive, WebDAV, S3)
You value fully open-source software (MIT license) over a polished UI
You're migrating from Evernote and want a tool with good Evernote import support
You want the lowest-cost paid tier, starting at $2.99/month for Joplin Cloud Basic

Choose Notion if…

You need real-time collaboration with a team on shared docs, wikis, and databases
You want relational databases with rollups and multiple views embedded directly in pages
You want a generous free tier for personal use without needing to self-manage a sync backend
You're building a company knowledge base or lightweight project tracker, not just personal notes
You want a more polished, modern interface even at the cost of closed-source software

Joplin vs Notion: feature comparison

Feature	Joplin	Notion
Starting price	Yesfree, self-hosted	Yesfree plan
Free tier	Yesself-hosted, unlimited duration	YesFree plan, unlimited duration
Cheapest paid tier	Yesfrom $2.99/mo (Joplin Cloud Basic)	Yesfrom $10/mo (Plus)
Platforms	YesWindows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android	Yesweb, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android
Hosting / license	Yesfully open source (MIT), self-hostable to any backend	Noclosed-source, cloud-only
End-to-end encryption	YesE2E-encrypted sync to your own backend	Nonot named in the data
Relational databases	Noflat Markdown notes and notebooks	Yesdatabases with relations, rollups, and multiple views
Real-time collaboration	Nono built-in real-time collaboration	Yescore to Notion's workspace model
Project tracking / lightweight PM	Nonote-and-to-do focused, not a project tracker	Yeslight project boards built on databases
Self-hosted sync backend choice	YesJoplin Cloud, Dropbox, OneDrive, WebDAV, S3	NoNotion's own cloud only
UI polish	Noreviewers describe interface as dated	Yesmodern, flexible block editor
Offline reliability	Yesfull offline access, syncs when reconnected	Noreviewers describe offline mode as unreliable
Learning curve	Yeslow	Partialmoderate
External rating	Yes4.5/5 from 90 reviews (Capterra)	Yes4.7/5 from 6,100 reviews (G2)
GitHub stars	Yes46,000 stars (laurent22/joplin)	Unknownnot open source

Which is easier to use, Joplin or Notion?

Joplin is easier to use for straightforward note-taking, with a low learning curve, versus Notion's moderate learning curve for its more flexible block-based system.

Joplin's Markdown notebook model is close to traditional note apps and requires little setup beyond choosing a sync backend, earning it a low learning-curve rating. Notion's block editor and relational databases are more powerful but take longer to structure well, and reviewers note it's easy to over-engineer a workspace, which is reflected in its moderate learning-curve rating.

Joplin vs Notion pricing: which costs less?

Joplin costs less at every comparable tier, starting at $2.99/month for Joplin Cloud Basic against Notion's $10/month Plus plan, and Joplin can run entirely free if self-hosted.

Joplin's self-hosted option costs nothing beyond the storage backend a user already owns (Dropbox, OneDrive, WebDAV, S3), and its own cloud sync starts at $2.99/month for Basic and $5.99/month for Pro. Notion's Free plan covers personal use, but its Plus plan is $10/month and Business is $20/month for team features. Both offer usable free tiers, but Joplin's lower paid pricing and self-hosting option make it the cheaper choice for cost-sensitive users.

Which offers better team collaboration, Joplin or Notion?

Notion offers better team collaboration, with real-time editing and relational databases built into its workspace model, while Joplin has no built-in real-time collaboration.

Can Notion replace Joplin?

Yes for most note-taking needs plus added collaboration and databases, but Notion has no equivalent to Joplin's end-to-end encryption or choice of self-hosted sync backend.

Notion's block editor covers everything from simple notes to structured databases, and its free tier and real-time collaboration exceed what Joplin offers a team. Users who specifically need Joplin's privacy model — encrypted notes synced to a backend the user controls, with fully open-source (MIT) code — will not find that in Notion, which is closed-source and stores data only on Notion's own servers.

Strengths and weaknesses

Joplin

Pros

Fully open-source core app under a permissive license, with source code on GitHub
Notes stored as local Markdown files with attachments, avoiding proprietary lock-in
End-to-end encryption supported on all sync backends, including free ones like Dropbox and WebDAV
Extensible via a plugin API, custom themes, and both Markdown and Rich Text editors
Available on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, and as a terminal app

Cons

No free tier for the official Joplin Cloud sync service; cheapest paid plan is 2.99 EUR/month billed monthly
Basic Joplin Cloud plan caps attachments at 10 MB and storage at 2 GB, well below Pro's 30 GB
Notebook sharing and email-to-note require the Pro tier or higher, not included in Basic
UI and mobile clipper are less refined than commercial alternatives like Notion or Evernote

Notion

Pros

Single tool covers docs, wikis, databases, and basic project tracking, reducing tool-switching
Free plan supports unlimited pages and blocks for solo use, with only multi-member workspaces hitting block limits
Deep customization through nested pages, linked databases, and templates
Public API, webhooks, and 1-way database syncs (Jira, GitHub, Asana) for connecting external tools

Cons

Per-member pricing on paid tiers ($10-$20/month) gets expensive fast for larger teams compared to flat-fee tools
Offline support is limited to recently viewed or favorited pages on paid plans rather than full offline access
Flexible block-and-database model has a steep learning curve for teams used to fixed-structure apps
Meaningful AI features (Notion Agent, Enterprise Search, AI Meeting Notes) require the $20/month Business plan or higher

Which fits your use case?

Use case	Pick	Why
Privacy-focused individual who wants encrypted notes on their own storage backend	Joplin	Joplin's end-to-end encryption over a backend of your choice (Dropbox, OneDrive, WebDAV, S3) is a capability Notion doesn't offer.
Team building a shared company knowledge base with real-time editing	Notion	Notion's real-time collaboration and relational databases are built for exactly this; Joplin has no built-in collaboration.
Developer who values open-source software and wants to audit the code	Joplin	Joplin is fully open source under the MIT license with 46,000 GitHub stars; Notion is closed-source.
User migrating from Evernote who wants a straightforward import	Joplin	Joplin is specifically noted for good Evernote import support.
Team wanting lightweight project tracking alongside docs and wikis	Notion	Notion's databases support light project boards with multiple views; Joplin is focused on notes and to-dos, not project tracking.
Budget-conscious user who wants to avoid any paid subscription	Joplin	Joplin can run entirely free when self-hosted to a backend you already pay for, while Notion's team features require the $10-20/month paid tiers.

Neither a match?

Both lists carry verified pricing and honest weaknesses for every option.

4 alternatives to Joplin 6 alternatives to Notion

Popular comparisons

Joplin vs Notion: migration FAQ

Should I use Joplin or Notion?: Use Joplin if you want open-source, end-to-end encrypted notes on your own storage backend; use Notion if you want a flexible team workspace with real-time collaboration and databases.
Is Joplin cheaper than Notion?: Yes — Joplin's paid cloud tier starts at $2.99/month versus Notion's $10/month Plus plan, and Joplin can run entirely free when self-hosted.
Can Notion replace Joplin?: Yes for most note-taking and team collaboration needs, but Notion has no equivalent to Joplin's end-to-end encryption or open-source, self-hosted sync model.
Is there a free version of Joplin?: Yes — Joplin is free and open source when self-hosted to a backend of your choice, with paid Joplin Cloud plans starting at $2.99/month as an optional convenience.
Does Notion have offline support like Joplin?: Not reliably — reviewers describe Notion's offline mode as unreliable, while Joplin is built around full offline access with sync only when reconnected.