Joplin vs Notion
Side-by-side comparison of features, pricing, ratings, and alternatives.
Joplin is a free, open source note-taking and to-do application that can handle a large number of notes organized into notebooks. The notes are searchable, can be copied, tagged and modified either from the applications directly or from your own text editor. The notes are in Markdown format. Joplin is also available for mobile devices as a progressive web app.
Notion is a single space where you can think, write, and plan. Capture thoughts, manage projects, or even run an entire company.
Free for individuals; paid plans start at $10/user/month for teams.
- Free and open source
- Highly customizable
- Supports end-to-end encryption
- Available on multiple platforms
- Extremely flexible - adapts to almost any workflow
- Clean, minimal interface
- Strong template ecosystem
- Good mobile apps
- Limited collaboration features
- No built-in audio or video recording
- Limited integration with other apps
- Can get slow with very large databases
- Steep learning curve for advanced features
- Offline mode is limited
What reviewers say
Joplin Reviews
No reviews yet.
Notion Reviews
4.3 (4)Solid choice
Our team evaluated a few options before settling on Notion. Strong template ecosystem. No major complaints so far. Would recommend to anyone considering it.
Highly recommend Notion
Notion has quickly become part of our daily workflow. Good mobile apps. One minor gripe: offline mode is limited, but it hasn't been a dealbreaker. Would recommend to anyone considering it.
Great tool for productivity
Been a daily user of Notion for a while now. Extremely flexible - adapts to almost any workflow. One minor gripe: steep learning curve for advanced features, but it hasn't been a dealbreaker. Would recommend to anyone considering it.
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Alternatives to Joplin
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The Verdict
AI-generated from listing dataJoplin is the safe default for free, open‑source, secure personal note‑taking, while Notion offers richer collaboration and workflow features at a cost.
Key differences
- •Pricing: Joplin is completely free; Notion charges per user for team features.
- •Collaboration: Notion provides granular sharing and guest access; Joplin has limited collaboration.
- •Integrations: Notion includes native Slack, Google Drive, Figma, Jira; Joplin has none.
- •Feature depth: Notion adds relational databases, kanban, calendar views; Joplin focuses on markdown notes and to‑do lists.
- •Source & security: Joplin is open source with end‑to‑end encryption; Notion is proprietary with cloud‑only storage.
Pricing & value
Joplin is free and open source; Notion’s team plans start at $10/user/month.
Ease of use / learning curve
Notion’s block editor has a steeper learning curve but offers templates; Joplin is simpler markdown‑based.
Features & depth
Notion includes databases, kanban, calendar, AI; Joplin provides basic markdown notes and tagging.
Integrations & ecosystem
Notion integrates with Slack, Google Drive, Figma, Jira; Joplin lists no key integrations.
Collaboration
Notion offers guest access and granular permissions; Joplin has limited collaboration features.
Security & privacy
Joplin supports end‑to‑end encryption and is open source; Notion stores data in a proprietary cloud.
Support
Notion provides email, help center, community; Joplin only email and GitHub issues.
Choose Joplin if…
Students or researchers needing a free, secure, offline‑first note‑taking app.
Choose Notion if…
Startups or teams that require collaborative docs, databases, and app integrations.
Common questions
Is there any cost to use Joplin versus Notion?
Joplin is completely free; Notion offers a free individual plan but charges $10 per user/month for team features.
Can I collaborate in real time with others in Joplin?
Joplin has limited collaboration features and no built‑in real‑time sharing; Notion provides guest access and granular permissions.
Does Joplin support integrations with other productivity tools?
No key integrations are listed for Joplin; Notion integrates with Slack, Google Drive, Figma, and Jira.