Notesnook
Zero-knowledge encrypted note-taking app — an alternative to Evernote.
Overview
Notesnook is a Berlin, Germany-based European company building open source, privacy, and productivity software since 2021. As an EU-headquartered provider, Notesnook operates under GDPR and is outside the reach of the US CLOUD Act, making it a privacy-friendly alternative to well-known US incumbents for European teams.
Why European teams pick Notesnook
Teams in Europe pick Notesnook when they want a open source provider that bills in EUR, supports their local data-protection officer requirements, and keeps customer data under Germany law, operating since 2021. Compared with well-known US incumbents, Notesnook avoids cross-border data transfers under Schrems II and the US CLOUD Act, which is often the deciding factor for European procurement and legal teams.
See more EU open source tools or browse other startups from Germany.
About
Notesnook is an open-source, end-to-end encrypted note-taking app. Notes are encrypted using XChaCha20-Poly1305 before syncing — the Notesnook server cannot read note content. The client apps (iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, Linux, Web) are open-source under the GPL licence. Notesnook offers a European data region option and provides a GDPR DPA for business users. It is a strong alternative to Notion and Evernote for individuals and teams who need note-taking with verifiable end-to-end encryption and open-source client code.
Details
- Founded
- 2021
- Headquarters
- Berlin, Germany
Categories
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Frequently asked questions
What is Notesnook?
Notesnook is an open-source, end-to-end encrypted note-taking app. Notes are encrypted using XChaCha20-Poly1305 before syncing — the Notesnook server cannot read note content. The client apps (iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, Linux, Web) are open-source under the GPL licence. Notesnook offers a European data region option and provides a GDPR DPA for business users. It is a strong alternative to Notion and Evernote for individuals and teams who need note-taking with verifiable end-to-end encryption and open-source client code.
What does Notesnook do?
Notesnook is zero-knowledge encrypted note-taking app — an alternative to evernote. It is listed under open source, privacy, and productivity on EU Alts because its core functionality serves teams looking for a European open source tool with EU data residency, typically as a switch away from well-known US incumbents.
Is Notesnook a good European open source alternative?
Notesnook is a fit for European businesses evaluating open source options where data residency and GDPR alignment matter — typical buyers include EU-based SaaS teams, public-sector projects, regulated industries (healthcare, finance, legal), and any organisation that needs to demonstrate that customer data does not leave the EU. It also overlaps with privacy and productivity use cases.
Is Notesnook GDPR compliant?
Notesnook is headquartered in Berlin, Germany and falls under EU jurisdiction, so it processes user data under the GDPR by default. Customer data processing is supervised by Germany's data protection authority, the Bundesbeauftragte für den Datenschutz und die Informationsfreiheit (BfDI). Because the company is not US-incorporated, it is not subject to the US CLOUD Act — meaning US authorities cannot compel Notesnook to disclose customer data the way they can with well-known US incumbents. For European buyers, that often simplifies DPIA paperwork and standard contractual clauses.
How do teams switch from well-known US incumbents to Notesnook?
Most teams move to Notesnook from well-known US incumbents because they want EU data residency without giving up the core open source workflow. Notesnook's Germany base means a single jurisdiction for both the company and (typically) its hosting infrastructure, so you can drop Schrems II transfer impact assessments for this part of your stack. Plan the migration in stages: export your data from the US incumbent, pilot Notesnook with a small team, then move the rest once the integration coverage you need is confirmed.
Where is Notesnook based?
Notesnook is headquartered in Berlin, Germany. The company was founded in 2021. Its main website is https://notesnook.com.