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EvernotevsJoplinvsNote Cargo

Evernote vs Joplin vs Note Cargo: Which is better? (2026)

Evernote is one of the oldest cloud note-taking apps with web clipping and OCR. Joplin is a free open-source Markdown app with E2E encryption.

TL;DREvernote is a veteran cloud note app with web clipping and OCR. Joplin is an open-source Markdown app with E2E encryption and S3 sync support.

Note Cargo is web-based, lightweight (~30 MB RAM), and stores plain Markdown in your own S3/R2 bucket.

Evernote wins on OCR and web clipping. Joplin wins on E2E encryption. Note Cargo wins on interface and simplicity.

18
Note Cargo wins
13
Evernote wins
17
Joplin wins
Feature
Evernote Evernote
Joplin Joplin
Note Cargo Note Cargo
Pricing
Starting price
$14.9/mo
Free
$4
Pricing model
Subscription
Free
One-Time
Demo/Trial
✓
✓
✓
Data & Privacy
You own your storage
✗
✓
✓
Doesn't train on your notes
✗
✓
✓
Open source
✗
✓
✓
Sync All Devices
✓
✓
✓
Device Theft Resistant
✓
✗
✓
Unlimited Storage
✗
✓
✓
Platform
Web app
✓
✗
✓
Mobile app
✓
✓
✗
Desktop app
✓
✓
✗
Offline access
✓
✓
✗
Bloated Features
✓
✓
✗
MCP Support
✗
✗
✓
Markdown & Portability
Markdown support
✗
✓
✓
Export Data
✓
✓
✓
Notes Linking
✓
✓
✓
Codeblock
✓
✓
✓
Collaboration
Real-time collaboration
✓
✗
✗
Note sharing
✓
✗
✗
Self-Hosting
Self-hostable
✗
✓
✓
Low RAM usage
✗
✗
✓
Modifiable code
✗
✓
✓
No Database
✗
✓
✓
Zero Dependency
✗
✗
✓

Ready to switch to Note Cargo?

Self-hosted, Markdown-native, stored in your own S3/R2. One-time payment, no subscriptions.

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