Standard Notes review

Standard Notes is built for people whose notes are sensitive. Every plan is end-to-end encrypted, and even the free plan includes unlimited device sync on web, desktop and mobile, offline access, tags, per-note password protection, two-factor authentication and daily encrypted email backups. The catch is that free notes are plain text. Productivity at $90 per year unlocks the Super note type with Markdown, rich text, checklists and code, plus spreadsheets, Daily Notebooks, folders, a Web Clipper and a year of revision history. Professional at $120 per year adds 100GB of encrypted file storage and subscription sharing with up to five accounts. Refund periods are 14 days on Productivity and 90 on Professional. For most people, $90 a year is a lot next to Bear or Obsidian Sync, and integrations are thin. For journals, credentials and private records, its encryption-first design is worth the price.

Who it is for

People who keep sensitive notes and want encryption by default.

Price

Free plan; Productivity $90 per year; Professional $120 per year.

Productivity $ 90 / year
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 4, 2026.

Key features

• End-to-end encryption on every plan
• Unlimited device sync on web, desktop and mobile
• Super notes with Markdown, rich text, checklists and code on Productivity
• Spreadsheets, Daily Notebooks and a Web Clipper on Productivity
• 100GB encrypted file storage on Professional

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: Encryption and two-factor authentication on the free plan
• Strength: Free plan syncs to unlimited devices
• Strength: Refund periods of 14 and 90 days
• Weakness: Free plan is limited to plain text notes
• Weakness: Productivity costs more per year than most rivals
• Weakness: Fewer integrations than mainstream apps

Key facts

• Free plan: Plain text notes, unlimited device sync
• Professional: $120 per year, sharing with up to 5 accounts
• Refund period: 14 days on Productivity, 90 days on Professional

Where it ranks

Standard Notes is No. 10 in our Best Note-Taking Apps verdict.