Surprisingly, it’s hard to find note management apps with End to End Encryption (E2EE), and the majority of them are reactive native electron apps with a bunch of annoying rough edges.

A few other note apps (Ex: Bear) have something I call ‘annoying encryption’, which involve individually encrypting notes with separate passwords and add a lot of friction points by not making it the default flow.   

This list is iOS / macOS orientated, so if an app doesn’t have an iOS app then it’s not an app that has a mobile app for me.  Turtl is one of those, with only an android and desktop client.

E2EE & Open Source

  • Standard Notes (Web / React Native Clients)

E2EE Candidates

  • DevonThink (Complicated, mobile client issues according to app store reviews?)
  • Joplin (Bad Mobile Client, Web Desktop Client)
  • Inkdrop  (Web / React Native Clients, so far not nearly as many rough edges as Standard Notes)
  • Standard Notes (Web / React Native Clients)
  • Day One (not really a notes app although)
  • Amplenote (hard to tell if it’s actually E2EE although)

Annoying Single Item Encryption

Unique Standouts, Still no Encryption

  • Notational Velocity (nvUltra, nvAlt): Very fast UI workflow on the desktop.  Still haven’t seen anything better designed in the basic workflow.  No mobile client unless you want to go with SimpleNotes syncing.
  • Notability: Great for taking notes on your iPad w/ an apple pencil

Not Encrypted

Classics / Big Corp with no Encryption

  • Google Keep
  • Microsoft OneNote
  • Microsoft Outlook & Exchange Server
  • Some IMAP Email Clients
  • Evernote
  • Yahoo probably has something

New Kids / Unique Takes but Still Not Encrypted

No Full/Real iOS Clients, also probably no Encryption

Office Documents / Company Team Orientated w/ no encryption

Articles / Lists / Sources