Microsoft OneNote doesn’t need any introduction. It has been the default choice for millions, a powerful workhorse for capturing everything from meeting notes to late-night ideas. Yet, the price of its power – reliance on OneDrive, vendor lock-in, and occasional sync headaches – began to feel too high.

Like many, I accepted it as the best option – until I found Joplin. By leveraging the power of Markdown and offering true end-to-end encryption and flexible storage options, Joplin gave me the freedom and control I never realized I was missing.

The problem with OneNote

Data ownership and security

The biggest problem with OneNote wasn’t a missing feature; it was a total lack of control over my own data. First and foremost is the issue of the proprietary format. My notes are saved in those .one files that are only fully readable by OneNote itself.

If Microsoft ever decided to change the app, or if my account is locked for some reason, how would I access years’ worth of knowledge? The answer is: I wouldn’t.

Then there is the privacy issue. OneNote still lacks true end-to-end encryption. Given Microsoft’s excellent track record, you shouldn’t be worried about that, but it can still be a red flag for many.

Finally, even Microsoft’s shiny new AI feature, Copilot, is only an average integration at best. It’s supposed to transform my note-taking, but in practice, it’s just an extra paid add-on that doesn’t fix structural problems.

I don’t need a mediocre AI to summarize a messy note; I need a note-taking tool that’s fast, reliable, and secure.

Joplin has covered OneNote’s shortcomings

You won’t miss anything during the switch

Joplin systematically fixes every single major shortcoming of OneNote. The biggest relief came from Joplin’s foundation: it’s open-source. This means no hidden agendas and a community-driven development that focuses on user needs.

Crucially, Joplin saves all my notes in Markdown. Unlike OneNote, my notes are now universally readable in plain text (.md). This ensures future-proofing. If Joplin disappeared tomorrow, I could still open all my data with a simple text editor. This peace of mind alone is priceless.

OneNote dictated that my notes live only on OneDrive. Joplin, on the other hand, gives me flexibility in storing and syncing my data. I can choose to sync via Dropbox, OneDrive, or even my own self-hosted Nextcloud server. The sync is also fast. It handles sync efficiently and reliably and makes my workflow instantaneous across all my devices.

Joplin maintains an excellent focus on efficiency. It doesn’t have unnecessary AI that I didn’t ask for. Although I will admit, the default Joplin UI can look average. But that’s another advantage of open-source: customization.

It took me about five minutes to install the macOS theme (or any number of community themes) to give it a modern, elegant makeover. Now, I have a fast, secure, and beautiful application that looks exactly how I want it to.

An excellent editing experience

And a robust organization

Joplin hasn’t skipped on any important feature. I love its split-view editor. It allows me to write quickly in clean Markdown on the left pane and immediately see the perfectly rendered, easy-to-read final output on the right.

This is far superior to OneNote’s clunky free-form canvas, where text boxes shift and formatting gets muddy.

I can create unlimited nested notebooks and structure complex projects with as many layers as needed. Tags are a core feature, not an afterthought. Combined with Joplin’s lightning-fast search, I can find any note instantly.

Joplin handles to-do notes beautifully. I can turn any note into a checkbox list, set a due date, and receive a reminder right on my desktop or mobile device. This is basic, built-in task management that keeps my to-dos linked directly to the notes they relate to.

When it comes to customization, I can install themes and even add features via plugins. Plugins give me advanced features like creating a dynamic Table of Contents for long notes, Calendar views, and more.

The features list continues with a robust formatting bar at the top, note properties, a web clipper for Chrome and Firefox browsers, and more. While the drawing tools aren’t as feature-rich as OneNote, they get the job done for casual doodling.

Going forward, I would love to see more customization options for the pages. The current ones look too basic for some of my notes. OneNote does a better job here. But then again, I’m just nitpicking here.

Upgrade your note-taking

Switching from OneNote to an open-source solution like Joplin was a major task. Of course, like any note-taking app, Joplin is far from perfect. I would love to see better mobile apps and drawing tools in future updates.

However, I’m ready to compromise in exchange for privacy, convenience, better sync, and peace of mind. It’s a fundamentally superior tool for the serious note-taker. Overall, if you prioritize a note-taking system built for speed, durability, and security, then Joplin is the clear answer.

If Joplin doesn’t work for you for some reason, check out these productivity tools that are better than OneNote.