5 Best Encrypted Notes Apps
in 2026

Encrypted notes apps have gone from niche privacy tools to a mainstream requirement. Data breaches are routine, cloud providers scan your files for ad targeting, and anyone who stores API keys, passwords, or personal information in plain text is running out of excuses. Here are the five best encrypted notes apps in 2026 — what each does well, where each falls short, and how to choose between them.

A note on bias: I built one of the apps on this list (Claspt). I will be honest about its strengths and limitations. If another tool is a better fit for your workflow, I will say so. The goal here is to help you make a decision, not to sell you something.

1. Claspt — Markdown-Native Vault with Per-Block Encryption

Claspt takes a different approach from every other app on this list. Instead of encrypting entire files or entire vaults, it encrypts individual secret blocks within your markdown files. Your notes, headings, checklists, and documentation stay as plain text. Only the sensitive parts — API keys, passwords, connection strings — are encrypted using AES-256-GCM with unique nonces per block.

Encryption approach: Per-block encryption. Each secret block gets its own AES-256-GCM ciphertext with a unique nonce. Your master passphrase is never stored — it derives encryption keys through Argon2id. The rest of your content remains as plain .md files on disk.

• Strengths: Surgical encryption preserves search, Git diffs, and portability. Files are real markdown you can open in any editor. Built with Tauri and Rust, so it uses ~80MB RAM and starts in under 500ms. Git-versioned by default.
• Limitations: No browser autofill — this is not a drop-in replacement for 1Password. No mobile app yet. No team/shared vault features. The plugin ecosystem is nonexistent compared to Obsidian.
• Pricing: Free on desktop. Pro tier ($4/month) adds cloud sync and priority support.

Best for: Developers and technical users who want notes and credentials in one place, stored as files they actually own.

2. Standard Notes — The Long-Running Privacy Veteran

Standard Notes has been around since 2017, making it one of the oldest dedicated encrypted notes apps still in active development. It encrypts everything client-side using XChaCha20-Poly1305 (upgraded from AES in 2024), and the company has never had a data breach. Their business model is straightforward: the basic app is free, and the paid tier unlocks themes, editors, and features like spreadsheets and code highlighting.

Encryption approach: Full end-to-end encryption. All notes, tags, and files are encrypted client-side before leaving your device. The server sees only ciphertext. Zero-knowledge architecture audited by third parties.

• Strengths: Battle-tested over nine years. Available on every platform including web. The free tier is genuinely useful. Extensions add rich editors, markdown support, and spreadsheets. Listed encryption has been audited multiple times.
• Limitations: The free editor is extremely basic — plain text only, no formatting. Rich editors require a subscription. The extension model can feel fragmented. Performance degrades noticeably with large vaults (5,000+ notes). No local file storage — notes live in the app's database.
• Pricing: Free tier with plain text editor. Productivity plan at $90/year unlocks all editors and features.

Best for: Users who want proven, audited encryption with cross-platform sync and do not mind paying for rich editing features.

3. Obsidian + Cryptomator — The DIY Encryption Stack

Obsidian is not an encrypted notes app. It is a knowledge management tool that stores everything as plain markdown files in a local folder. But because it is file-based, you can wrap your vault in Cryptomator, which creates an encrypted virtual drive on your filesystem. Your notes live inside this encrypted container, and Obsidian reads and writes them transparently.

Encryption approach: Cryptomator provides transparent filesystem-level encryption using AES-256. Obsidian sees decrypted files while the container is unlocked. When locked, the entire vault is opaque ciphertext.

• Strengths: You get the full power of Obsidian — 1,800+ plugins, graph view, backlinks, community themes, and one of the best markdown editors available. Cryptomator is open-source and independently audited. This combination gives you genuine end-to-end encryption with a world-class editing experience.
• Limitations: Cryptomator and cloud sync do not play nicely together. Sync conflicts are common and can corrupt vaults. Git does not work inside a Cryptomator container because the encrypted filenames change on every save. Search only works when the vault is unlocked. Setup requires technical knowledge. Two apps to maintain and update.
• Pricing: Obsidian is free for personal use ($50/year for commercial). Cryptomator is free on desktop, $12 one-time on mobile.

Best for: Users who are already deeply invested in Obsidian and want encryption for their existing vault, and who do not need Git-based version control.

4. Joplin — Open-Source with End-to-End Sync

Joplin is a free, open-source note-taking app that supports end-to-end encryption for its sync feature. It stores notes in a local SQLite database and can sync via Joplin Cloud, Dropbox, OneDrive, Nextcloud, or any WebDAV server. The E2E encryption is optional and encrypts notes before they leave your device during sync.

Encryption approach: AES-128 encryption applied during sync. Notes are encrypted client-side before being uploaded to the sync target. Local storage is not encrypted by default — the encryption specifically protects data in transit and at rest on the sync server.

• Strengths: Truly open-source (AGPL). Supports multiple sync backends including self-hosted options. Web clipper is excellent. Plugin system is growing. Markdown editor with WYSIWYG toggle. Free with no feature gates on the core app.
• Limitations: AES-128 instead of AES-256 is a debatable choice in 2026. Local notes are unencrypted. The UI feels dated compared to Obsidian or Notion. E2E encryption must be manually enabled. The markdown rendering has quirks. Performance suffers with large notebooks. Notes are stored in a database, not as files on disk.
• Pricing: Free. Joplin Cloud sync plans start at $2.99/month.

Best for: Users who want a free, open-source solution with flexible sync options and are comfortable with the trade-offs of database storage.

5. Notesnook — The Privacy-Focused Newcomer

Notesnook launched in 2022 with a clear mission: be the encrypted alternative to Evernote. It encrypts everything client-side using XChaCha20-Poly1305, offers a polished UI that feels modern and fast, and has been open-source since late 2023. The team is small but ships consistently, and the app has improved dramatically in the past two years.

Encryption approach: Full end-to-end encryption using XChaCha20-Poly1305 with Argon2 for key derivation. Zero-knowledge architecture. All data, including attachments and metadata, is encrypted before sync.

• Strengths: Clean, modern UI that non-technical users can navigate. Full E2E encryption on everything by default. Open-source. Cross-platform including web. The free tier is generous. Notebook and tag organization is intuitive. Web clipper works well.
• Limitations: Younger product with a smaller team — less battle-tested than Standard Notes. No local-first storage — notes live in the app's database. No plugin system. Markdown support is limited compared to Obsidian or Claspt. No code syntax highlighting. Limited API for automation.
• Pricing: Free tier with most features. Pro at $4.99/month adds unlimited notebooks, file attachments, and more storage.

Best for: Non-technical users who want a polished, private notes app that works like Evernote but with real encryption.

Summary: How They Compare

The right tool depends on what you actually need:

• If you want proven, audited encryption with sync: Standard Notes has nine years of track record and multiple security audits.
• If you are already in Obsidian and want encryption: Cryptomator wraps your existing vault, but expect sync and Git trade-offs.
• If you want free and open-source: Joplin gives you the most flexibility with sync backends and costs nothing.
• If you want a polished UI without configuration: Notesnook is the most user-friendly encrypted notes app available.
• If you need notes and secrets in the same document: Claspt is the only app that encrypts at the block level, keeping your notes searchable and your secrets protected.

Why We Built Claspt Differently

Every app on this list except Claspt takes the same fundamental approach: encrypt everything, or encrypt nothing. Standard Notes, Notesnook, and Joplin encrypt entire notes. Cryptomator encrypts entire filesystems. This is a reasonable default, but it creates real trade-offs. You lose meaningful Git diffs. You lose the ability to grep your vault. You lose portability — your notes are locked inside a database or an encrypted container that only one specific app can read.

Claspt was built on the premise that most of your notes do not need encryption. Your meeting notes, your project documentation, your reading list — none of that is sensitive. What is sensitive is the STRIPE_SECRET_KEY on line 47 of your deploy runbook, or the database password in your infrastructure notes. Encrypt those, and leave the rest as plain, portable, searchable, diffable markdown.

This is not the right approach for everyone. If you want every word you type to be encrypted, Standard Notes or Notesnook are better choices. But if you want your notes to be notes and your secrets to be encrypted, with both living in the same file, that is what Claspt does.