European Alternatives to OneNote and Evernote

For years, Microsoft OneNote and Evernote have dominated the note-taking landscape. But as concerns about data privacy, GDPR compliance, and digital sovereignty continue to grow across Europe, many users and businesses are looking for alternatives — particularly ones rooted in European values of privacy and data protection.

Whether you’re a freelancer guarding personal ideas, a researcher managing knowledge, or a company navigating strict EU data regulations, there’s a growing ecosystem of European-made (or European-owned) note-taking apps worth your attention. Here’s our roundup of the best alternatives.

1. Joplin — Open Source from France

Website: joplinapp.org
Headquarters: France
Price: Free (open source); Joplin Cloud from €2.99/month

Joplin is one of the most popular open-source note-taking applications available today, and it’s proudly based in France. It supports Markdown editing, end-to-end encryption, and synchronization across all major platforms — Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS.

What sets Joplin apart is its flexibility. You can sync your notes via Joplin Cloud (hosted in France under EU privacy laws), Dropbox, OneDrive, or even your own self-hosted server. The app also includes a web clipper for Chrome and Firefox, a plugin ecosystem, and an active open-source community that ensures continuous development and transparency.

For users migrating from Evernote, Joplin offers a seamless import feature that handles .enex files, preserving formatted content, attachments, and metadata. If data sovereignty and open-source principles matter to you, Joplin is hard to beat.

2. Capacities — Object-Based Thinking from Germany

Website: capacities.io
Headquarters: Stuttgart, Germany
Price: Free tier available; Pro plan available

Capacities takes a refreshingly different approach to note-taking. Rather than organising notes into traditional folders or notebooks, it structures everything around “objects” — people, books, meetings, ideas, questions, and more. Each object type has its own properties and can be linked to others, creating a rich, interconnected knowledge base that mirrors how your brain actually works.

Built by a small, passionate team in Germany, Capacities places a strong emphasis on European data protection standards. The app is available on desktop (Mac, PC, Linux), mobile (iOS, Android), and web. It features daily notes, powerful search, an AI assistant, graph views showing connections between your content, and a growing plugin system.

Capacities is particularly popular with personal knowledge management enthusiasts and those who find tools like Notion too complex and Evernote too rigid. Its clean design and intuitive object-based system make it a standout in the European note-taking scene.

3. Craft — Beautiful Documents from Hungary

Website: craft.do
Headquarters: Budapest, Hungary
Price: Free tier available; paid plans from $10/month

Craft is a beautifully designed note-taking and document creation app that was named Apple’s Mac App of the Year in 2021. Founded in Budapest in 2019, it has raised over $20 million in funding from European investors including Creandum and the EBRD.

Craft excels at turning quick ideas into polished, shareable documents. It supports nested pages, real-time collaboration, rich media embedding, task management, and offline access. The interface is sleek and native-feeling on Apple devices, though it also works on the web. Its AI assistant can help with writing, summarising, and brainstorming.

For users who value design aesthetics as much as functionality — and want a European-built tool — Craft fills a niche that neither OneNote nor Evernote occupy particularly well.

4. Standard Notes — Now Part of the Proton (Swiss) Ecosystem

Website: standardnotes.com
Parent company: Proton AG, Switzerland
Price: Free tier (unlimited notes and devices); paid plans available

Standard Notes was originally founded in 2017 in Chicago as a privacy-first, end-to-end encrypted note-taking application. In April 2024, it was acquired by Proton AG — the Swiss company behind Proton Mail, Proton VPN, Proton Drive, and Proton Pass. This acquisition brought Standard Notes firmly into the European privacy ecosystem.

Standard Notes uses zero-knowledge encryption, meaning not even the company can read your notes. It’s fully open source and has been independently audited. The app supports multiple note formats including plain text, Markdown, rich text, code snippets, and spreadsheets through its extension system. It’s available on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, and the web.

Now backed by Proton’s world-class infrastructure and security expertise, Standard Notes benefits from enhanced reliability, DDoS protection, and access to a broader privacy-focused community of over 100 million Proton users. The app remains free, open source, and independently operated, with existing subscriptions honoured.

For anyone already in the Proton ecosystem — or anyone who considers privacy non-negotiable — Standard Notes is one of the strongest choices available today.

5. Zettlr — Academic Writing from Germany

Website: zettlr.com
Origin: Germany
Price: Free (open source)

Zettlr is a specialised open-source writing tool designed for academics, researchers, journalists, and authors. Built in Germany, it focuses on Markdown-based writing with features tailored to scholarly work — including citation management, Zettelkasten-style linking, and export to various academic formats.

Available on Windows, macOS, and Linux, Zettlr stores all your files locally — no cloud, no forced syncing, no data leaving your device unless you choose otherwise. This makes it an excellent choice for privacy-conscious writers who want full control over their documents. While it’s not a direct replacement for the full-featured organisational capabilities of Evernote, it’s a powerful tool for anyone whose note-taking revolves around writing and research.

Why Choose a European Note-Taking App?

The choice of a European-based note-taking app isn’t just about nationalism or geography. There are practical, legal, and philosophical reasons to consider:

• GDPR compliance: European companies are subject to the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation by default, offering stronger protections for your personal data.
• Data residency: Many European services store data on EU-based servers, reducing the risk of your information being subject to foreign surveillance laws.
• Open source and transparency: Several European alternatives (Joplin, Standard Notes, Zettlr) are fully open source, allowing anyone to audit the code and verify privacy claims.
• End-to-end encryption: Apps like Standard Notes and Joplin offer robust encryption that prevents even the service provider from accessing your content.
• Supporting the European tech ecosystem: By choosing European tools, you contribute to a more diverse and competitive global software landscape.

Comparison at a Glance

Final Thoughts

The European note-taking ecosystem is thriving. Whether you prioritise privacy and encryption (Standard Notes, Joplin), beautiful design (Craft), innovative knowledge management (Capacities), or academic workflows (Zettlr), there’s an excellent alternative to OneNote and Evernote waiting for you — built with European values at its core.

The days when users had no choice but to hand their most private thoughts to American Big Tech are over. It’s time to explore what Europe has to offer.