Standard Notes
standardnotes.com
Encrypted notes where the sync server only ever holds ciphertext
Free tier
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notion.com
Builds a workspace out of pages and databases instead of a folder of files.
Any Notion page can become a table, board, calendar or gallery over the same underlying records, which is what separates it from a notes app with headings. It suits someone who wants notes, projects and a team wiki in one place, and it frustrates anyone who just wants to open a file and start typing. On the free plan a single file upload cannot exceed 5 MB and page history is kept for a week.
Questions
A genuinely usable free tier with paid plans for volume or team features. Free accounts cannot upload a file larger than 5 MB, and page history only goes back seven days.
Yes. Notion sends your input to its own servers to process it. That is fine for public material; for anything containing personal data, use one of the on-device tools instead.
Free accounts cannot upload a file larger than 5 MB, and page history only goes back seven days.
Alternatives
Same category or same task, ordered by how closely they overlap.
standardnotes.com
Encrypted notes where the sync server only ever holds ciphertext
workflowy.com
One infinite bulleted list you can zoom into at any level
anotepad.com
Opens straight into a blank note you can type in without signing up
clockify.me
Free time tracking for a whole team rather than one person
keep.google.com
Sticky notes that sync with your Google account and can read a photo
habitica.com
Turns daily habits into a role-playing game where slacking costs you health