Standard Notes keeps notes, files and personal records encrypted end to end, which suits people who treat their notes as private work material. This page covers the Windows desktop build, version 3.202.0, released on August 17, 2026. It is free, and the 3.202.0 release adds in-note search for plain text notes plus new filters for searching titles only and by tag.
Free price tag, open-source AGPL-3.0 licence
The Windows build is free. The code is published under the AGPL-3.0 licence, which means the source is open to inspection.
Check the developer site at standardnotes.com for details on any paid plans before assuming what is or is not locked.
Encrypted notes and files in one place
The developer describes the app as end-to-end encrypted and aimed at digitalists and professionals. Notes, files and longer-running work are meant to live together in a single store.
Markdown, snippets and privacy are the themes associated with the app, and Evernote is the usual point of comparison.
Search improvements in version 3.202.0
The latest changelog adds in-note search for plain text notes. It also adds new search filters, including a titles-only option and tag filters.
The desktop side of this release is a version bump only. The installer is 117.6 MB, and the last update date matches the release date, August 17, 2026.
What's new in 3.202.0
Version 3.202.0 adds in-note search for plain text notes. It also brings new search filters: titles only and tag filters. The desktop package itself only received a version bump.
Standard Notes pros and cons
Pros
- End-to-end encrypted note-taking, as described by the developer
- Free Windows build
- Open-source code under the AGPL-3.0 licence
- New in-note search and tag filters in 3.202.0
- Download served from the official host, github.com
Cons
- The installer is 117.6 MB, large for a notes app
- Paid plans or extras may exist, so check standardnotes.com
- Details of any paid plans are on the developer site
Is Standard Notes safe?
Standard Notes is developed by Standard Notes and released under the AGPL-3.0 licence, so anyone can read its source code. The app is built around end-to-end encryption, which means note contents are meant to stay unreadable to the sync server. The installer is downloaded from the project's official github.com host. If you want extra assurance before storing private notes in it, the public source is the place to check.
How to install Standard Notes
- 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 Standard Notes from the Start menu.
