Standard Notes

Standard Notes is an end-to-end encrypted notes app with a clean editor, powerful search and AI features that respect your privacy.

Overview

Standard Notes has spent nearly a decade proving that notes can be both private and pleasant. Everything is end-to-end encrypted before it leaves your device, yet the app stays fast and simple: a distraction-free editor, markdown support, nested tags, notebooks and instant search across your archive. Extras include a publishing feature (listed notes become blogs), spreadsheets and rich text via extensions, and password-protected note sharing. Its AI assistant is opt-in and designed to work without compromising the encryption model — a rarity in the AI-notes space.

Users organize notes with tags and smart views rather than rigid folders, and instant search makes the archive feel small. Password-protected sharing lets sensitive notes leave the vault safely, and publishing turns selected notes into simple blogs. Because the apps are open source and the sync protocol documented, technically minded users can verify the security claims — a trust advantage few note apps can match.

Key Features

• End-to-end encryption for every note by default
• Fast, plain editor with markdown and rich-text extensions
• Powerful search, tags and smart views
• Two-factor authentication and password-protected note sharing
• Optional AI assistant with privacy-preserving design
• Cross-platform apps for desktop, mobile and web with offline access
• Password-protected note sharing outside the vault
• Open-source clients enabling independent security verification

Pricing

Standard Notes is freemium: core encrypted notes are free forever, while paid subscriptions (monthly, yearly or the 10-year plan) unlock premium editors, extensions, larger storage and priority support.

Who Is It For

It suits privacy-conscious writers, security professionals, researchers and journalers who want long-term, trustworthy storage of sensitive notes.

A security-conscious consultant stores client notes in encrypted form across devices, tags them by engagement, and shares password-protected notes with collaborators safely. Publishing turns selected notes into blogs, and open-source clients let the security team verify claims independently — the reason the tool was chosen over flashier alternatives.

FAQ

Is Standard Notes free to use?

Yes — the encrypted core is free; premium editors and features require a subscription.

Does Standard Notes offer an API?

Yes, a documented sync API and open-source clients allow custom integrations and self-hosting.

How does Standard Notes compare to alternatives?

Compared with Notion or Evernote, Standard Notes trades formatting breadth for encryption and durability; compared with Obsidian, it adds cloud sync and privacy by default.

What happens if I forget my password?

Because encryption keys derive from your password, Standard Notes cannot reset it — account recovery relies on recovery codes you set up in advance, which is the cost of true end-to-end encryption.