Home › Learn › Best Open Source Note Taking Apps
Open source note-taking apps give you full control over your data — no vendor lock-in, no subscription fees, and the ability to self-host. Here are the best options and how they compare to AI-powered alternatives like Talk2Memo.
Top open source note-taking apps
Obsidian — local markdown files with a powerful plugin ecosystem
Joplin — open source Evernote alternative with sync support
Logseq — outliner-style notes with bi-directional links
Standard Notes — end-to-end encrypted, cross-platform
Notesnook — privacy-focused with zero-knowledge encryption
When open source is not enough
Open source apps are great for text notes, but they don't transcribe audio. If you record meetings, interviews, or lectures, you need a transcription layer. Talk2Memo adds AI transcription on top of your existing note-taking workflow — record in the app and export the transcript to any format.
Add AI transcription to your note-taking
Record and transcribe any conversation. Export to TXT, PDF, or Markdown. Free plan: 200 minutes per month.
Start Free — No Card Required