Where Notion and Evernote keep your notes on their own servers, Joplin keeps them on your computer first. Joplin is a free note-taking and to-do app for Windows, built by Laurent Cozic and released under the AGPL-3.0-or-later licence. Version 3.7.22 was released on October 28, 2026.
Who a local-first Markdown notebook suits
Joplin fits people who want notes stored as Markdown and who like to organise them into notebooks. It also suits anyone who wants to edit a note in their own text editor instead of only inside the app.
The app is described as offline first, so all your data sits on your computer or phone. Notes stay reachable without a connection. Tags such as checklist, to-do, memo and schedule show it covers task lists as well as plain notes.
Search, tags and Evernote import in practice
Notes are searchable, can be copied and tagged, and can be changed from the app or from an external editor. The developer says full text search works on all platforms.
People leaving Evernote can import exported notes, with formatted content converted to Markdown, plus attachments and metadata such as created and updated times. Plain Markdown files import too.
Sync runs through services including Nextcloud, Dropbox, OneDrive and Joplin Cloud, with end-to-end encryption. Plugins and themes can change how the app looks and works, and a Web Clipper exists for Firefox and Chrome.
Size, price and platforms
The app is free. The Windows package is 351.7 MB, which is large for a notes tool.
The app also runs on Linux, macOS, Android and iOS.
What's new in 3.7.22
Version 3.7.22 adds a read_notes MCP tool and cuts token use in read_note through outline and section navigation. It also returns the enclosing section with each search_notes result and upgrades Electron to 42.11.18 as a security fix.
Joplin pros and cons
Pros
- Free, with the AGPL-3.0-or-later licence
- Offline first, so all data stays on your computer
- Notes are in Markdown and can be edited in an external editor
- Imports Evernote exports and plain Markdown files
- Sync with end-to-end encryption via Nextcloud, Dropbox, OneDrive or Joplin Cloud
Cons
- The 351.7 MB package is large for a note app
- Large Windows package at 351.7 MB
- Sync depends on setting up a third-party cloud service
Is Joplin safe?
The Windows installer for Joplin comes from github.com, the official server, and you download it from there. Laurent Cozic develops the app, and its source code is open under the AGPL-3.0-or-later licence, so anyone can read it. The latest release (version 3.7.22) includes a security fix that upgrades Electron to 42.11.18. No independent review of the app is part of what we know.
How to install Joplin
- Press the download button to get the official file.
- Run the installer you saved and confirm the Windows security prompt if the publisher matches.
- Follow the setup steps, then start Joplin from the Start menu.
