I’m an avid note-taker, and I’ve tried a lot of notes apps out there — from the tried-and-true big names everyone knows, to the smaller, more obscure tools tucked away on GitHub. One of my go-to options was OneNote, but it wasn’t cutting it for me anymore; I don’t like how inflexible it started to feel. I needed something lightweight and adjustable to help me be consistent with note-taking, not a tool that made me feel boxed in.

That’s how I ended up with QOwnNotes. It’s an open-source, local-first app built around plain text Markdown, which means every note is portable, future-proof, and easy to organize. QOwnNotes also has a more privacy-focused philosophy. What’s not to love about that? Whether drafting articles, tracking to-do lists, or organizing my research, here’s why QOwnNotes replaced OneNote for me…

Plain text wins

It’s a universal language

QOwnNotes is built entirely on plain text Markdown, so every note is just a simple text file that you can read and edit anywhere. There’s no proprietary format, so you’ll never run into an error when opening your files elsewhere. This also means that QOwnNotes fits perfectly into my old-school plain text stack and simple folder structure.

The syntax is easy to navigate, distraction-free, and quick to scan. That’s why I usually draft my articles directly in Markdown, and I also note down my to-do lists, ideas, and other random notes in plain text. Because the language is universal, adding my headers, checkboxes, and other extras doesn’t require me to go looking for those features in the app.

OneNote’s interface is more polished, I’ll give it that, but it locks your notes in the proprietary format tied into Microsoft’s ecosystem. Opening them in another program is impossible, so I had to convert my OneNote files to plain text, which often broke the structure. QOwnNote puts zero limitations on where or how you use your notes.

A customizable workspace

You can make the app fit you, not the other way around

As with many open-source note-taking alternatives, one of the biggest draws of QOwnNotes is how much you can tweak it. Right after setting it up, I got a pop-up window asking me what type of layout I wanted. I went with Minimal, but there’s also Full, Preview Only, Vertical, and Single Column. Then it asked for consent to track my data for the improvement of the app, with the option to decline — this is something you have to dig to find in Microsoft's license terms.

From Note -> Settings, you can make a wide range of changes to the Interface section. I never intended to use a cluttered or complicated UI, so I kept most of the defaults and tweaked some options for better streamlining. For example, enabling “automatic closing of brackets or Markdown formatting characters” helps prevent syntax errors and save time. I recommend scrolling through all these settings and ticking the options that best suit your workflow. And don’t forget to customize the layout via Window at the top, too. What I ended up with was an interface that only shows the stuff I need, as well as a couple of custom shortcuts.

You can customize the app even further with Scripts. Normally, I don’t bother with scripts beyond graphic design apps, but I wanted to test out a couple of QOwnNotes’ offerings. The Black Mode script was one of my favorites; it gave the interface a very sleek and sophisticated look. The Toggle Checkbox script was also a good find for toggling long checklists or to-do items in seconds. Definitely have a look through the options provided, or upload your own scripts.

OneNote has some customization options, but it’s still bound by Microsoft's design choices.

Better tag and search functions

The simple features are often overlooked

QOwnNotes has plenty to offer on the advanced side — Nextcloud integration for self-hosting, some experimental AI features, and a notebook-like folder system. I do use the folder system for better organization, but I don’t use most of the other features. What keeps me hooked are the simple, efficient tools that often get overlooked in note apps, such as tagging and searching.

The tag system is fast and intuitive; it reminds me a bit of the way Joplin works. I can add multiple tags to a note and instantly filter my workspace down to exactly what I need. The search function is just as sharp. Instead of showing a list of dropdowns like in OneNote, it’s right at the top, and typing in your keyword immediately spits out the results — plus the word is also highlighted in the relevant notes. For me, these two basics always turn a mountain of scattered notes into something more manageable.

Simplicity and longevity

QOwnNotes proves that note-taking doesn’t need to be locked down. With local-first notes stored as plain text, I know my work will outlast any single app or platform, and I can sync it however I want without being bound to a Microsoft account. I’m not exactly using QOwnNotes to its full capacity, but all I need is something that keeps my notes lightweight, organized, and searchable. QOwnNotes strikes that perfect balance; plain text for portability, and a customizable, minimal workspace that helped me fix my messy notes.