Notion vs Standard Notes

Notion is a single space where you can think, write, and plan. Capture thoughts, manage projects, or even run an entire company.

Standard Notes is a privacy-first note-taking app that encrypts every note and file with audited, industry-standard end-to-end encryption before it ever leaves the device. Only the account holder holds the keys needed to decrypt their data, and the company positions itself directly against services like Evernote, Google Keep, and Notion on the grounds that those services cannot fully protect user data from employer or government access. The app syncs notes and files across unlimited devices on Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android, and the web, and it keeps an offline copy of everything so notes remain accessible without an internet connection. Beyond plain notes, it supports markdown, rich text, task lists, code snippets, and spreadsheets through an extensible editor system, and its source code is open and independently security-audited. The company states it takes no venture capital and earns 100 percent of its revenue from paying subscribers.

• Extremely flexible - adapts to almost any workflow
• Clean, minimal interface
• Strong template ecosystem
• Good mobile apps

• Independently audited, industry-standard end-to-end encryption
• Generous free tier with unlimited notes and unlimited devices
• Fully open source and transparent about its security practices
• No venture capital funding, so incentives are aligned with paying users rather than investors

• Can get slow with very large databases
• Steep learning curve for advanced features
• Offline mode is limited

• Extended editors and larger file storage are locked behind paid tiers
• Interface is more minimal than richer note apps like Notion or Evernote
• Built-in team collaboration features are limited compared to workspace-oriented note tools