Best Self-Hosted OneNote Alternatives in 2026
OneNote is Microsoft's digital notebook for organizing notes in sections and pages with rich media support.
15 Self-Hosted Alternatives to OneNote
AppFlowy
69KAn open-source Notion alternative with AI, wikis, projects, and databases — cross-platform (desktop, mobile, web) with offline-first architecture and full data ownership.
AFFiNE Community Edition
66KAn open-source workspace that merges docs, whiteboards, and databases into one platform — a privacy-focused alternative to Notion and Miro with AI built in.
Memos
58KA private Twitter for your brain — open, type, done. Self-hosted in 30 seconds, runs forever on a $3/month VPS.
Joplin
54KOpen-source note-taking app with end-to-end encryption, Markdown support, and sync across all devices via Nextcloud, Dropbox, OneDrive, or your own server.
SiYuan
42KSiYuan is a privacy-first, local-first personal knowledge management system with block-level references, bidirectional links, end-to-end encrypted sync, and spaced repetition.
Trilium Notes
35KA hierarchical, scriptable, self-hosted note app for people who want to engineer their own workflow — and a warning for people who don't.
Xournalpp
14KXournalpp is a self-hosted documents & knowledge base replacement for Onenote.
Notesnook
14KNotesnook handles end-to-end encrypted note-taking app as a self-hosted solution.
Standard Notes
6.4KStandard Notes handles cross-platform note-taking app as a self-hosted solution.
Standardnotes
6.4KStandardnotes is a TypeScript-based application that provides , secure note-taking app with end-to-end encryption.
Beaver Notes
1.2KBeaver Notes is a self-hosted privacy & encryption replacement for Apple Notes, Notion, and more.
Zen Notes
1.1KZen Notes handles minimal note-taking app storing Markdown notes in local SQLite database. Features instant search as a self-hosted solution.
Darkwrite
267Darkwrite handles customizable, offline-first note editor as a self-hosted solution.
OpenNotas
167OpenNotas gives you multi-platform, end-to-end encrypted note-taking app on your own infrastructure.
Justnote
66Self-hosted privacy & encryption tool that provides secure note-taking app.
Why Look for OneNote Alternatives?
OneNote is Microsoft’s digital notebook for organizing notes in sections and pages with rich media support.
Self-hosted alternatives give you full data ownership, predictable costs, and zero vendor lock-in. You run the software on your own infrastructure and control everything.
15 Best Open-Source Alternatives to OneNote
AppFlowy
AppFlowy: Open-source AI-powered workspace. — 68,609 GitHub stars. Licensed under AGPL-3.0.
Memos
Note-taking app built for instant capture — 57,913 GitHub stars. Licensed under MIT.
Joplin
Secure note-taking and to-do app — 53,917 GitHub stars. Licensed under MIT.
SiYuan
Privacy-first personal knowledge management software — 41,894 GitHub stars. Licensed under AGPL-3.0.
Notesnook
Open-source, encrypted alternative to Evernote. — 13,828 GitHub stars. Licensed under GPL-3.0.
Standard Notes
Encrypted note-taking app for digitalists — 6,350 GitHub stars. Licensed under GPL-3.0.
Read full Standard Notes review
Beaver Notes
A local-first note-taking application that prioritizes privacy and efficiency, featuring Markdown support, offline access, and powerful organization tools. — 1,193 GitHub stars. Licensed under MIT.
Darkwrite
A customizable, offline-first note editor that lets you format text, create lists, add images, and export to HTML - all while maintaining your privacy. — 266 GitHub stars. Licensed under AGPL-3.0.
OpenNotas
OpenNotas is a multi-platform, end-to-end encrypted note-taking app that offers simplicity, synchronization, and offline functionality. — 167 GitHub stars. Licensed under Open Source.
Justnote
Justnote is a secure note-taking app that lets you easily create and sync notes across devices while maintaining full control of your data. — 66 GitHub stars. Licensed under GPL-2.0.
AFFiNE Community Edition
AFFiNE: Docs, whiteboards, databases in one. — 66,033 GitHub stars. Licensed under NOASSERTION.
Read full AFFiNE Community Edition review
Trilium Notes
Hierarchical note-taking for personal knowledge bases. — 35,058 GitHub stars. Licensed under AGPL-3.0.
Read full Trilium Notes review
Xournalpp
Fast, flexible, cross-platform note-taking software. — 14,478 GitHub stars. Licensed under GPL-2.0.
Standardnotes
Free, secure note-taking app with end-to-end encryption. — 6,349 GitHub stars. Licensed under AGPL-3.0.
Read full Standardnotes review
Zen Notes
Simple Markdown note-taking app — 1,063 GitHub stars. Licensed under AGPL-3.0.
Why Self-Host Instead of OneNote?
- Data ownership. Your data stays on your server, not on OneNote’s infrastructure.
- Predictable costs. Pay a fixed VPS cost instead of growing per-user or per-usage fees.
- No vendor lock-in. Export and migrate your data anytime. You control the database.
- GDPR and compliance. Hosting your own tools simplifies data residency and compliance requirements.
Why teams switch from OneNote
- → Data ownership. Your data stays on your server -- not on OneNote's infrastructure.
- → Predictable costs. Pay a fixed VPS cost instead of growing per-user or per-usage fees.
- → No vendor lock-in. Export and migrate your data anytime. You control the database.
- → GDPR and compliance. Hosting your own tools simplifies data residency and compliance requirements.
Head-to-Head Comparisons
Both are document management tools. AFFiNE Community Edition has 3 unique features, Calibre Web Automated has 3.
Both are document management tools. AFFiNE Community Edition has 4 unique features, DSpace has 3.
Both are document management tools. AFFiNE Community Edition has 3 unique features, Etherpad has 5.
Both are document management tools. AFFiNE Community Edition has 3 unique features, NoteDiscovery has 3.
Both are document management tools. AFFiNE Community Edition has 4 unique features, Silicon Notes has 3.
Both are document management tools. AFFiNE Community Edition has 4 unique features, Logseq has 3.
Both are document management tools. AFFiNE Community Edition has 4 unique features, Stirling-PDF has 4.
Both are document management tools. AFFiNE Community Edition has 4 unique features, SiYuan has 3.
Both are document management tools. Anchr has 6 unique features, Memos has 5.
Both are document management tools. Anchr has 6 unique features, SiYuan has 1.
Both are document management tools. Autocaliweb has 3 unique features, SiYuan has 2.
Both are document management tools. BentoPDF has 2 unique features, Memos has 5.
Both are document management tools. BookHaven has 4 unique features, Memos has 4.
Both are document management tools. Briefkasten has 3 unique features, Memos has 4.
Both are document management tools. Briefkasten has 4 unique features, SiYuan has 1.
Both are document management tools. Calibre Web Automated has 3 unique features, Memos has 6.
Both are document management tools. Calibre Web Automated has 2 unique features, SiYuan has 1.
Both are document management tools. Colanode has 3 unique features, Memos has 3.
Both are document management tools. Docspell has 2 unique features, SiYuan has 2.
Both are document management tools. Docuseal has 4 unique features, Memos has 3.
Both are document management tools. Docspell has 2 unique features, Memos has 6.
Both are document management tools. Documenso has 1 unique feature, Memos has 4.
Both are document management tools. DSpace has 2 unique features, Memos has 6.
Both are document management tools. DSpace has 2 unique features, SiYuan has 2.
Both are document management tools. Etherpad has 4 unique features, Memos has 5.
Both are document management tools. Etherpad has 5 unique features, SiYuan has 2.
Both are document management tools. Glass Keep has 3 unique features, SiYuan has 1.
Both are document management tools. Grimoire has 7 unique features, Memos has 5.
Both are document management tools. Huly has 4 unique features, SiYuan has 3.
Both are document management tools. HymnoScribe has 2 unique features, Memos has 6.
Both are document management tools. Jelu has 5 unique features, Memos has 5.
Both are document management tools. Karakeep HomeDash has 3 unique features, Memos has 6.
Both are document management tools. Logseq has 2 unique features, SiYuan has 2.
Both are document management tools. Logseq has 1 unique feature, Trilium Notes has 3.
Both are document management tools. Logseq has 2 unique features, Xournalpp has 6.
Both are document management tools. Mantium has 2 unique features, Memos has 6.
Both are document management tools. Memos has 6 unique features, NeonLink has 2.
Both are document management tools. Memos has 6 unique features, Poznote has 3.
Both are document management tools. Memos has 6 unique features, Shiori has 4.
Both are document management tools. Memos has 6 unique features, Silicon Notes has 2.
Both are document management tools. Minne has 2 unique features, SiYuan has 2.
Both are document management tools. NoteDiscovery has 3 unique features, SiYuan has 2.
Both are document management tools. Poznote has 3 unique features, SiYuan has 2.
Both are document management tools. Silicon Notes has 2 unique features, SiYuan has 2.
Both are document management tools. SiYuan has 2 unique features, Trilium Notes has 4.
Both are document management tools. SiYuan has 2 unique features, TriliumNext Notes has 4.
Both are document management tools. Trilium Notes has 3 unique features, Xournalpp has 5.
Both are document management tools. TriliumNext Notes has 3 unique features, Xournalpp has 5.
Browse more Documents & Knowledge Base tools
Explore 226 open-source documents & knowledge base tools you can self-host.
View Documents & Knowledge Base →