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Yes. Joplin’s core note-taking and to-do application is free, open source, and offline-first. You can keep notes on your devices and synchronize them without paying Joplin by using another supported synchronization target, such as Nextcloud, WebDAV, Dropbox, OneDrive, S3, or a local filesystem.
Payment is for Joplin Cloud, an optional hosted service. Its plans combine synchronization across as many devices as you need with a web app, internet publishing, notebook collaboration, and, on higher tiers, notebook sharing, email-to-note, administration, permissions, and priority support.
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What exactly is free in Joplin?
The Joplin application itself is free and open source. Joplin describes it as a note-taking and to-do application that can handle a large number of notes organized into notebooks. The app supports Markdown notes, plugins, themes, and desktop and mobile platforms.
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A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11Joplin is also offline-first. Your notes are kept locally on the phone or computer, so you can read and edit them without an internet connection. Synchronization happens when a configured sync target is available; the local copy is not dependent on a continuously active cloud connection.
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What “free” does not mean
Free access to the application does not automatically include Joplin’s hosted infrastructure. A Joplin Cloud subscription pays for Joplin-operated synchronization servers and the hosted features attached to those servers. You can instead provide or configure another synchronization target, but that may involve a separate account, storage costs, server maintenance, or more setup.
Do you have to pay to sync Joplin between your phone and computer?
No. Joplin supports synchronization targets other than Joplin Cloud, so paying Joplin is not required merely to move notes between devices.
Supported alternatives
- Nextcloud
- Amazon S3-compatible storage
- WebDAV
- Dropbox
- OneDrive
- A folder on the local filesystem
These alternatives can provide synchronization, but they do not necessarily provide Joplin Cloud’s web app, internet publishing workflow, notebook collaboration, or email-to-note service. The practical trade-off is between convenience and control: a hosted Joplin account is simpler to operate, while a service you already run or pay for may avoid another subscription.
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Labels can vary slightly by operating system and app version, but the workflow is generally the same:
- Install Joplin on each desktop or mobile device you want to use.
- On a desktop installation, open Tools → Options (or Preferences on macOS), then open Synchronisation.
- Select the provider you intend to use and enter its endpoint, account details, or local folder path. For a local-filesystem target, choose a folder that every device can reach through your own file-sharing setup.
- Save the settings and run a synchronization from the same settings area.
- Configure the identical target on the other devices, synchronize, and confirm that a test note appears everywhere before importing a large library.
Using a third-party target means its availability, authentication, quotas, backups, and security controls remain part of your own setup. Joplin Cloud’s hosted features are not added automatically when you choose one of these alternatives.
What does Joplin Cloud add?
Joplin Cloud is a web service designed specifically for Joplin. Every listed Cloud tier includes synchronization across as many devices as desired, note publishing to the internet, the Joplin Web App, collaboration on a notebook, and Joplin Cloud AI, which is marked beta.
Features included across hosted tiers
- Cross-device synchronization: Keep desktop and mobile installations aligned without configuring an outside storage provider.
- Joplin Web App: Access notes through a browser in addition to the installed applications.
- Publishing: Publish a note to the internet from the hosted service.
- Notebook collaboration: Work with others on a notebook. The controls for inviting and managing other people depend on the tier.
- Joplin Cloud AI (beta): An included feature currently labeled beta; its behavior and availability may change.
What higher tiers add
Pro and Pro 100 GB add the ability to share a notebook with others, email-to-note, and customization of the publishing banner. Teams adds multi-user management, consolidated billing, sharing permissions, and priority support. Basic does not list those sharing, email, branding, administration, permission, or priority-support capabilities.
How much does each Joplin Cloud plan cost?
The following are the Joplin listing figures accessed on October 26, 2026. Yearly prices are shown both as the advertised monthly equivalent and as the total charged for a year.
| Plan | Monthly price | Yearly price (monthly equivalent) | Yearly total | Storage | Maximum note or attachment | Notebook sharing | Email-to-note | Administration | Sharing permissions | Priority support |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | €2.99/month | €2.40/month | €28.69/year | 2 GB | 10 MB | No | No | No | No | No |
| Pro | €5.99/month | €4.79/month | €57.48/year | 30 GB | 200 MB | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| Pro 100 GB | €9.99/month | €7.99/month | €95.88/year | 100 GB | 200 MB | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| Teams | €7.99/month per user | €6.69/month per user | €80.28/year per user | 50 GB per user | 200 MB | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Teams requires at least two users. Its storage allowance is stated per user, so a two-person account starts with 100 GB of combined allowance if both seats are active. The figures above are the listed prices for the stated date; currency, taxes, and future plan changes can affect what appears at checkout.
Which Joplin Cloud plan fits a particular use case?
Choose Basic for inexpensive personal synchronization
Basic is aimed at an individual who wants Joplin-hosted synchronization, browser access, publishing, and the common hosted features at the lowest listed price. Its 2 GB storage pool and 10 MB maximum for a note or attachment are the key constraints. A library containing scanned documents, large PDFs, audio, or many images can reach those limits sooner than a text-only notebook.
Choose Pro when attachments or sharing matter
Pro raises storage to 30 GB and the per-note or attachment limit to 200 MB. It also adds notebook sharing, email-to-note, and a customizable publishing banner. This is the first tier suited to a person who needs to send notes into Joplin by email or collaborate with other people rather than only synchronize private devices.
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Pro 100 GB keeps the Pro feature set and 200 MB item limit while increasing storage to 100 GB. It is the straightforward choice when the feature requirements are individual or small-group use but the 30 GB Pro allowance is too restrictive.
Choose Teams for organizational controls
Teams is priced per user and requires two or more users. In addition to sharing and email-to-note, it supplies multi-user management, consolidated billing, sharing permissions, and priority support. Those controls matter when an administrator needs to decide who can access shared notebooks and manage seats centrally.
What do the storage and attachment limits mean in practice?
Storage is the total allowance associated with the plan, while the maximum note or attachment size limits how large an individual item can be. Basic’s 10 MB ceiling can reject a single large attachment even when the account still has unused storage. Pro, Pro 100 GB, and Teams permit up to 200 MB for one note or attachment, but their overall storage limits still apply.
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- Joplin Souvenir design reads Joplin in a modern minimalist style.
- Joplin Souvenir design is the perfect souvenir for travel or a great present when moving away to or from Joplin.
- Hardcover journal with 240 line-ruled pages (120 sheets)
- Built-in elastic closure and ribbon bookmark
- Includes an expandable inner storage pocket and a pen holder
Before choosing a tier, inventory the material you actually keep in Joplin: plain Markdown text consumes little space, while photographs, PDFs, scans, recordings, and exported files consume much more. If you routinely attach files near 10 MB, Basic’s price advantage may be outweighed by repeated resizing or moving files elsewhere.
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Is Joplin Cloud worth paying for?
It is most defensible when you value a managed setup and want Joplin-specific features beyond raw synchronization. A subscription removes the need to configure and maintain an outside sync target, gives you the Joplin Web App, and adds publishing and collaboration capabilities that alternative targets may not offer.
Staying with the free app and another sync target can make more sense when you already operate compatible storage, need no browser access or publishing, or prefer to control where synchronized data resides. Compare the time and reliability of maintaining that arrangement with the recurring Cloud fee rather than comparing price alone.
- Pay for Cloud when: you want the simplest multi-device setup, browser access, internet publishing, email-to-note, or managed team permissions.
- Use another target when: you already have suitable storage, are comfortable configuring it, or do not need Joplin-hosted collaboration and web features.
- Check limits first when: your notes contain large attachments or your library is approaching 2 GB, 30 GB, or 100 GB.
How does Joplin describe its security and hosting?
Joplin’s published product information says the application is open source, stores notes in an open format, and uses end-to-end encryption. Those are vendor statements rather than an independent security audit presented here, so organizations should assess their own threat model and policies before adopting a hosted service.
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The plans information states that Joplin Cloud data and servers are located in Paris, France. That location may matter for data-residency decisions, contracts, or internal compliance reviews. Choosing another synchronization target changes where the synchronized copy is stored and which provider’s policies apply.
What are the most common Joplin Cloud decision pitfalls?
- Confusing the free app with free hosted storage: You can install and use Joplin without a subscription, but Joplin Cloud is a separate paid service.
- Assuming every tier supports sharing: Basic does not list notebook sharing with other people; sharing begins with Pro.
- Ignoring the item-size ceiling: A 10 MB Basic limit can be more restrictive than its 2 GB total allowance.
- Reading yearly pricing as a monthly payment: The yearly figures are advertised monthly equivalents, with a separate annual total shown in the plan listing.
- Choosing Teams for one person: Teams requires at least two users and is designed around administrative and permission controls.
- Expecting alternative sync targets to reproduce Cloud features: Dropbox, WebDAV, S3, OneDrive, Nextcloud, and local storage can synchronize data, but they are not automatically a Joplin Web App, publishing, or email-to-note service.
So, is Joplin free?
Joplin is free to install and use as an open-source, offline-first application. You only need to pay when you choose Joplin Cloud’s managed synchronization and hosted features. If you do not need those features, a supported alternative synchronization target can keep your multi-device workflow free of a Joplin subscription; if you do need browser access, publishing, collaboration, or administration, select the Cloud tier whose storage and controls match your use.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Joplin Cloud and Joplin Server Business?
Joplin Cloud is the hosted subscription described by the Basic, Pro, Pro 100 GB, and Teams plans. The separately named Joplin Server Business offering is listed with a 14-day free trial, so that trial should not be treated as a free period for every Joplin Cloud tier.
Does Joplin Cloud charge per device?
No per-device limit is listed for the hosted plans: each tier states synchronization across as many devices as desired. Your decision therefore hinges on storage, item-size limits, and features rather than counting phones and computers.
Can I rely on Joplin Cloud AI as a fixed feature?
Joplin Cloud AI is labeled beta on the plan listing. Beta features can change in behavior or availability, so choose a plan based on the established synchronization and collaboration functions rather than assuming the AI feature set is permanent.
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Where are Joplin Cloud servers located?
Joplin’s plan information says its Cloud data and servers are located in Paris, France. That published location is relevant when your organization has residency or jurisdiction requirements, even though it does not by itself determine whether the service meets your security policy.
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
