Why switch from Simplenote?

Two reasons, one new. Simplenote has never been end-to-end encrypted: notes are encrypted in transit and on Automattic’s servers, but the company holds the keys, and an account is required. And in March 2026 Automattic said active development has ended, with only maintenance from here. It still works, and it is still free, but it is no longer moving.

What is the best free Simplenote alternative?

Apple Notes on Apple devices, Notesnook if you want the same cross-platform sync with encryption on a free plan, Joplin if you want open source with your own storage. Dash is free on iPhone and the web, with a one-time $14.99 purchase for the Mac app.

Is there a Simplenote alternative with encryption?

Notesnook encrypts everything by default. Dash locks any note with AES-256 on the device and encrypts sync end to end. Apple Notes encrypts locked notes end to end. Bear encrypts individual notes on Pro. Joplin encrypts sync when you turn it on.

Can I import my Simplenote notes?

Simplenote exports everything as a JSON file or as one text file per note from its settings. Bear and Joplin import text and Markdown files; Apple Notes imports Markdown since macOS 26; Notesnook and UpNote import through their apps. In Dash, paste in the notes you use and keep the export as an archive.

Is Simplenote encrypted?

Not end to end. Notes travel over HTTPS and sit encrypted on Automattic’s servers, but Automattic holds the keys, so it can read them. The client apps are open source under the GPL; the server is not.

Dash Notes

Free on iPhone

Alternatives

Simplenote Alternatives

Six notes apps that keep Simplenote’s simplicity, add the privacy it never had, and are still being developed.

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Updated September 2026 · Dash team

Simplenote earned its place by doing almost nothing: plain notes, tags, instant sync, free on every platform. Two things send people looking for a Simplenote alternative. It was never private from Automattic, which holds the keys to every note. And in March 2026 Automattic said active development has ended, leaving the app in maintenance.

The six apps below keep the simplicity and fix one or both problems. We build Dash, so it is listed first and judged by the same rules as the rest.

Six Simplenote alternatives

01
Dash
Our app
Simple on the surface, private underneath: notes on your Mac or iPhone with no account, a lock on any note, and sync that is optional and end-to-end encrypted.
Best for
Simplenote’s ease with real privacy
Price
$14.99 once on Mac; free on iPhone and the web
Privacy
Offline by default; locked notes AES-256-GCM; sync end-to-end encrypted
- No account and nothing uploaded by default
- Lock any note, lock the app, duress password
- Tags, folders, [[links]], search; open source (MIT)
- No Windows or Linux app
- A block editor rather than raw Markdown
- Sync is a subscription
02
Apple Notes
Free, preinstalled, and the closest to Simplenote’s zero-friction feel on Apple devices, with locked notes and Markdown export since macOS 26.
Best for
The free default on Apple devices
Price
Free
Privacy
iCloud holds a key unless Advanced Data Protection is on; locked notes are end-to-end encrypted
- Free and already installed
- Locked notes are end-to-end encrypted
- Imports and exports Markdown since macOS 26
- Apple devices only
- No app lock
- Needs an Apple Account to sync
03
Bear
Markdown notes with tags, like Simplenote, wrapped in the best typography on the Mac.
Best for
Simplenote’s tags-and-Markdown model, prettier
Price
Free; Bear Pro $2.99 a month or $29.99 a year
Privacy
iCloud sync; per-note encryption and app lock need Pro
- Tags and Markdown, as in Simplenote
- Encrypt individual notes on Pro
- Exports to Markdown, PDF, DOCX
- Apple platforms only
- Sync needs Pro
- Closed source
04
Notesnook
Simplenote’s everywhere-sync with the encryption Simplenote never had, on a free plan.
Best for
The same platforms, encrypted
Price
Free; Essential $19.99 a year; Pro $69.99 a year
Privacy
End-to-end encrypted by default
- Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android, web
- Everything encrypted, free
- GPL-3.0 client and server
- Account required
- Heavier than Simplenote
- Free tier limits attachments
05
Joplin
Open-source Markdown notes on every platform, with end-to-end encrypted sync to the storage you choose.
Best for
Open source with your own storage
Price
Free; Joplin Cloud from €2.99 a month
Privacy
End-to-end encryption for sync, switched on by you
- Every desktop and mobile platform
- Sync to Nextcloud, Dropbox, OneDrive, WebDAV or Joplin Cloud
- AGPL-3.0
- Encryption is opt-in
- Plainer than Simplenote in places
- No note lock
06
UpNote
The nearest thing to a maintained Simplenote: fast, tidy, on every platform, with a lifetime price.
Best for
Simplenote’s feel with active development
Price
Free; Premium $1.99 a month or $39.99 for life
Privacy
Cloud-synced through UpNote’s service; notes can be locked in the app
- Lifetime purchase option
- Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android
- Actively developed
- Cloud-first with an account
- Not end-to-end encrypted
- Closed source

Simple, private, still being built. Dash is $14.99 once on Mac, free on iPhone.

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Why people leave Simplenote

No end-to-end encryption. Notes are encrypted in transit and at rest, but with Automattic’s keys. A private note in Simplenote is private from strangers, not from the company.
Development has ended. Since March 2026 the app receives bug fixes only. It works today; it will not improve.
An account, always. There is no way to use Simplenote without one.
Plain text only. Fine by design, until you want an image, a table or a lock.

What to keep and what to fix

Keep the speed: a notes app that opens instantly and gets out of the way is the whole appeal. Keep tags and search. Then fix what Simplenote could not: choose an app that encrypts, ideally without an account, and one that someone is still working on. UpNote is the closest like-for-like; Notesnook adds encryption on the same platforms; Dash removes the account altogether.

Moving your notes out of Simplenote

Export. In Simplenote’s settings, export all notes as a JSON file or as individual text files. The text files carry your Markdown as written.
Import. Bear and Joplin import text and Markdown files, Apple Notes imports Markdown since macOS 26, Notesnook and UpNote import through their apps.
Or start fresh. In Dash, paste in the notes you use and keep the export as an encrypted .dashpack archive on a drive you control.

Pay once for the app. Sync is the only subscription.

No plan needed to take notes. Ever.

Dash for iPhone

Freeon the App Store

Same encryption, Face ID
Works fully offline
No account to make

Download

Dash Sync (optional)

$4.99/ month, or $47.99 / year

Mac, iPhone, iPad and web in step
Encrypted on your device first
7-day free trial, cancel any time

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Frequently asked questions

Keep reading

Apple Notes alternativesSix apps for encryption, export or life beyond Apple devices.Best notes apps for MacEight Mac notes apps compared on privacy, offline use and price.Private notes appNotes that stay on your device, with no account.

Simple notes that are actually private.

$14.99 once on Mac. Free on iPhone.

Get Dash for Mac App Store