# Joplin Published January 1, 2026 · Updated August 10, 2026 Open source note-taking and to-do application Category: Productivity · Free · Open source · Replaces Evernote ($15/mo) · [Official website](https://joplinapp.org) ## Install with Homebrew `brew install --cask joplin` ## Quick take In August 2026 Joplin remains the pick for privacy-conscious, cross-platform note-taking that refuses SaaS lock-in. Version 3.6 closed long polish gaps: visual Markdown, OneNote fidelity including .onepkg on macOS, clearer sync status, and mobile attachment management. Joplin Cloud added a 100 GB Pro tier (€9.99/mo or €7.99 yearly) and beta Cloud AI without paywalling the desktop or mobile apps. Stable desktop sits at 3.6.15 (20 June 2026) with a 3.7.x pre-release stream for early sync work. It is less glamorous than Apple Notes and less graph-focused than Obsidian, but for Mac users who want E2EE, free Dropbox/OneDrive/WebDAV/S3 sync, and a Markdown brain that outlives any single vendor, Joplin is still the best open-source choice. Skip it only if you need real-time multi-cursor collaboration or a fully native Swift UI. Best for: Privacy Advocates, Software Developers, Academic Researchers ## What is Joplin? Joplin is a free, open-source note-taking and to-do application that remains the privacy-focused standard for knowledge management on macOS in August 2026. Created by Laurent Cozic in 2017, Joplin was built as a direct response to proprietary lock-in from Evernote-class apps, offering a local-first architecture where users own their data. As of mid-2026 the stable desktop line sits at version 3.6.15 (20 June 2026), with an active 3.7.x pre-release stream (3.7.10 on 28 July 2026) that continues sync and Cloud-linked-note work. Joplin 3.6, announced 5 May 2026, was the headline shipping cycle since the May content baseline: a more visual Markdown editor with in-editor rendering, embedded YouTube and media time ranges, a substantially improved OneNote importer (including .onepkg on macOS), clearer sidebar sync status, accessible PDF export with OCR text layers (Chinese and Norwegian added), and mobile parity for per-notebook sorting and attachment management. At its core, Joplin is an Electron desktop app that stores notes in Markdown with an SQLite index. What still sells it in 2026 is simple: cloud synchronization via Joplin Cloud, Dropbox, OneDrive, Nextcloud, S3, or WebDAV without giving up client-side end-to-end encryption. Joplin Cloud plans now explicitly include Joplin Cloud AI (beta), a hosted chat model that can summarise, rewrite, or answer questions about notes from the desktop app, plus a new Pro 100 GB storage tier between Pro and Teams. Unlike competitors that may scan notes for model training, Joplin still guarantees mathematical inaccessibility of E2EE data to operators and attackers. For Mac users, Joplin bridges structured notebooks and hacker-friendly plain text. It supports multimedia, KaTeX math, Mermaid diagrams, ABC music notation (now first-party), a Safari/Chrome/Firefox Web Clipper, and a large plugin ecosystem. It is not as fluid as Apple Notes, and real-time multi-cursor collaboration still trails Notion-class products, but for developers, academics, and privacy-minded users who need cross-platform E2EE plus free third-party sync, Joplin is still a strong second brain. ## Features - **End-to-End Encryption (E2EE).** Joplin's flagship security feature remains client-side AES-256 encryption with Argon2 key derivation. Notes, images, and metadata are encrypted on your Mac before they leave the device. Even when you sync via Dropbox, OneDrive, S3, or Joplin Cloud, the server only sees ciphertext. In 2026 this continues to differentiate Joplin from Evernote-class cloud notebooks and from many AI-first note apps that require plaintext server access. - **Visual Markdown Editor (Joplin 3.6).** Since Joplin 3.6 the Markdown editor renders headings, bold, italic, links, images, inline HTML, YAML frontmatter, and code highlighting directly while you type. Multi-line formatting commands now apply per line. You still keep portable Markdown on disk (via export) and can toggle traditional split preview or Rich Text (WYSIWYG) modes when needed. - **Joplin Cloud AI (beta) & Sync Agnosticism.** Optional Joplin Cloud subscribers gain Joplin Cloud AI (beta) for summarisation, rewrite, and Q&A against notes from the desktop app, plus faster first-party sync, note publishing, and collaboration. Independently, free users can still sync via Dropbox, OneDrive, Nextcloud, WebDAV, filesystem, or S3, treating those stores as dumb encrypted blobs. Pro adds Email-to-Note and notebook sharing; Teams adds multi-user admin and share permissions. - **Web Clipper & OneNote Migration.** The browser Web Clipper (Safari, Chrome, Firefox) still captures simplified articles, full pages, screenshots, or URLs into a local notebook, critical against link rot. Joplin 3.6 further improved OneNote import so .onepkg works on macOS/Linux, large .one files with attachments import correctly, ink/handwriting positioning improved, and cross-page links and non-ASCII notebook titles are preserved. Evernote ENEX import remains a first-class path. - **Plugin Ecosystem & Note History.** Hundreds of community plugins extend Joplin with Kanban boards, note tabs, BibTeX, themes, and AI bridges that use your own API keys. Note history still snapshots revisions locally so you can restore earlier versions after bad edits. Built-in ABC music notation, Mermaid, and KaTeX cover academic and creative notes without extra installs. - **Cross-Platform Mobile Parity.** Joplin 3.6 closed several mobile gaps: per-notebook sort orders, a dedicated attachments manager, reorderable editor toolbars with jump-to-start/end, remembered edit/view mode, Reveal in notebook, and direct .txt import. Desktop gained multi-instance profiles, clearer sync report UI, accessible PDF export, and global show/hide shortcuts. The stack remains macOS, Windows, Linux, Android, and iOS with the same encrypted sync target. ## How to Install Joplin on Mac Installing Joplin on macOS is straightforward. You can download the DMG directly or use a package manager for easier updates. The app supports both Intel and Apple Silicon (M-series) chips natively. 1. **Install via Homebrew (Recommended).** Open your Terminal and run the following command to install the latest maintained cask: `brew install --cask joplin` 2. **Alternative: Direct Download.** Visit the official download page at `joplinapp.org/download` and grab the latest `.dmg` file for macOS. 3. **Initial Launch & Permission.** Launch Joplin from your Applications folder. You may need to grant it permissions to access the network for synchronization. ## Pros - **True client-side E2EE:** AES-256 before sync so operators and cloud vendors cannot read notes. - **No vendor lock-in:** Markdown-oriented data plus open export formats (JEX, MD, HTML, PDF). - **Free third-party sync:** Dropbox, OneDrive, WebDAV, S3, and filesystem without a Joplin subscription. - **Active 2026 releases:** 3.6 visual editor, OneNote importer, sync UI, OCR languages; 3.7 stream still shipping. - **Plugin ecosystem:** Kanban, themes, academic tooling, and optional AI via plugins or Joplin Cloud AI beta. - **Cross-platform parity:** Mac, Windows, Linux, Android, iOS with the same sync target. - **Sustainable funding:** Joplin Cloud and donations fund open-source development without enshittifying core features. ## Cons - **Electron UI:** Less native feel than Apple Notes; larger memory footprint than pure Swift apps. - **Sync complexity:** Self-hosted or multi-device E2EE setup can confuse non-technical users; conflicts still possible though reduced in 3.6. - **Collaboration is not real-time:** Notebook sharing merges via sync rather than Google Docs-style multi-cursor editing. - **Mobile polish trails desktop:** Rich Text and performance improved but still catch-up versus native iOS note apps. ## Analysis: The Tech Behind Joplin Joplin's longevity is built on standard, non-proprietary technologies that ensure your data outlives the app itself. ## FAQ ### What is the current Joplin version on Mac in August 2026? Stable desktop releases are in the 3.6.x line (Wikipedia lists 3.6.15 from 20 June 2026). A 3.7.x pre-release stream (e.g. 3.7.10 on 28 July 2026) is available for early adopters needing newer sync target upgrades. Install via joplinapp.org/download or `brew install --cask joplin`. ### How much does Joplin Cloud cost now? Per joplinapp.org/plans: Basic €2.99/mo (€2.40 yearly), Pro €5.99/mo (€4.79 yearly), Pro 100 GB €9.99/mo (€7.99 yearly), Teams €7.99/user/mo (€6.69 yearly, min 2 users). The apps themselves stay free if you bring Dropbox/OneDrive/WebDAV/S3. ### Does Joplin have AI features? Joplin Cloud plans include Joplin Cloud AI (beta) for summarise/rewrite/Q&A on notes from the desktop app. There is no mandatory cloud AI for offline users; community plugins can still call your own API keys. Do not confuse this with apps that train on your plaintext by default, E2EE notes remain local-first. ### Can I import OneNote or Evernote? Yes. Evernote ENEX import is long-standing. OneNote import improved sharply in 3.6: .onepkg works on macOS, large notebooks with attachments, better ink handling, and fixed formatting/links. Use File → Import. ### Does Joplin work on macOS Tahoe and Apple Silicon? Yes. Current desktop builds ship for Apple Silicon and Intel Macs. Joplin is Electron-based and actively maintained through the 3.6/3.7 2026 cycle for current macOS releases including Tahoe 26.x. ### Where are notes stored on my Mac? In an SQLite database under Application Support (typically `~/Library/Application Support/Joplin` depending on install). Notes are not loose Markdown files by default; export to MD/JEX when you need filesystem copies. ### Is collaboration real-time? No. Pro/Teams/Cloud sharing lets multiple users edit shared notebooks that sync and merge. It is not simultaneous multi-cursor co-editing. For that workflow, look at Notion-class tools and accept their privacy trade-offs. ### How do I keep backups? Use the Simple Backup plugin for scheduled JEX exports, plus Time Machine or restic for the profile folder. Sync alone is not a backup: if a bad edit or delete propagates, every device can inherit it. Keep at least one offline JEX copy outside the sync target. ## Sources - [Joplin Official Website](https://joplinapp.org/) - [Joplin Cloud Plans and Pricing](https://joplinapp.org/plans/) - [Joplin News, 3.6 release](https://joplinapp.org/news) - [Joplin Desktop Changelog](https://joplinapp.org/help/about/changelog/desktop/) - [laurent22/joplin GitHub Releases](https://github.com/laurent22/joplin/releases) - [Joplin (software), Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joplin_(software)) - [PCMag Joplin Review](https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/joplin) ## Related - [Raycast](https://bundl.run/apps/raycast) - [Notion](https://bundl.run/apps/notion) - [Obsidian](https://bundl.run/apps/obsidian) - [Loom](https://bundl.run/apps/loom) - [Linear](https://bundl.run/apps/linear-linear) - [Grammarly](https://bundl.run/apps/grammarly-desktop) - [Joplin vs Obsidian](https://bundl.run/compare/joplin-vs-obsidian) - [Joplin vs Notion](https://bundl.run/compare/joplin-vs-notion) - [Free alternative to Evernote](https://bundl.run/https:/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://bundl.run/#organization", "name": "Bundl.run", "url": "https://bundl.run", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://bundl.run/og-image.png", "width": 1200, "height": 630 }, "description": "The Ninite for Mac. 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