Simplenote alternative

Simplenote not syncing? Save your notes first, then choose where they go

Since October 19, 2026, many Simplenote users report that the iPhone, iPad and Mac apps stopped syncing, while the web app still has their notes. Export a copy from the web app before you sign out or reinstall anything. If you want notes that live on your own computer, Koru is a free, open-source notes app for Windows and Mac. There is no Simplenote importer yet.

Download Koru - free See the roadmap

Why people look for a Simplenote alternative

Sync stopped for many users on October 19

On Simplenote's own forum, users report that since October 19, 2026 the iPhone, iPad and Mac apps no longer sync with the web app or with each other, while the web app still shows their notes. Some who signed out of the app or reinstalled it say the notes disappeared from that device, though they were still on the web. As of October 20 we found no reply from Simplenote staff in those threads.

Simplenote is no longer in active development

Simplenote's help page says it "is no longer in active development" and that "only its basic functionality is being maintained at this time." It is free, made by Automattic, and its apps are open source under GPL-2.0.

Koru and Simplenote, side by side

Feature	Koru	Simplenote
Price	Free. No account and no trial.	Free. Simplenote is "a free service provided by" Automattic.
Platforms	Windows and macOS. No phone app yet.	iOS, Android, Mac, Windows and Linux apps, plus a web app.
Account	None required, including for sync.	A Simplenote account. Your notes sync through it to every app you sign in to.
Where your notes live	In a local database on your device. Works fully offline, with no account required.	In your Simplenote account, synced to each app. The apps work offline, and changes sync when you reconnect.
Sync	Directly between your own devices, peer to peer and end-to-end encrypted, built on iroh. No Koru server required. Free.	Through your Simplenote account, free.
Development	In active development, with regular releases.	No longer in active development. Only basic functionality is maintained.
Open source	Open source under MPL-2.0, on GitHub.	Yes. The iOS, Android and desktop apps are open source under GPL-2.0, on GitHub.
Writing	Documents with headings, tables, checklists and code, nested pages and #tags.	Plain-text notes, with Markdown you can turn on per note, and tags.
Version history	Saved, named versions you can compare.	Previous versions of each note, in most apps.
Sharing	No sharing or publishing.	Collaborate on a note by email, and publish read-only notes to the web.
Import and export	Imports Evernote (.enex), Notion, OneNote, Google Docs, Markdown and TextBundle. Exports Markdown and TextBundle.	Exports a .zip of .txt notes plus a JSON file, from the web and desktop apps. Imports Simplenote JSON, .txt and .md files, and Evernote .enex in the desktop app.

Simplenote details as published on Simplenote's own pages, checked October 20, 2026. Plans change: check their site before you decide.

The differences that matter

Your notes stay on your computer

Koru keeps your notes in a local database on your computer. It opens them with no connection and nothing to sign in to. If sync between your devices stops, every note is still on each device and you can keep writing.

Koru syncs directly between devices you link with a QR code or a short code, peer to peer and end-to-end encrypted, built on iroh.

Open source, and still being built

Koru's app is open source under MPL-2.0 on GitHub, and it ships new releases regularly. Anyone can read what it does with your notes.

Where Simplenote is ahead

Simplenote has iPhone, iPad and Android apps, a web app and a Linux app. You can share a note with other people by email or publish it to the web. And it is about as simple as a notes app gets: one plain-text editor and tags.

Koru is a desktop app for Windows and macOS, with no phone app yet, and it does more than Simplenote, so there's more to it. If you write mostly on your phone, Koru won't replace Simplenote today.

Which one fits you

Koru is a good fit if

You write on a Windows PC or a Mac and want your notes stored on that computer.
You want an app that is open source and in active development.
You want headings, tables and checklists as well as plain text.
You can do without a phone app for now.

Simplenote may suit you better, for now, if

You write on your phone as much as on your computer.
You want the simplest plain-text editor there is.
You use Linux or a web browser to write.
You share notes with other people or publish them to the web.
Simplenote syncs fine for you and you're happy with it.

Missing something you rely on? Tell us at hello@koru.do. What people ask for shapes the roadmap.

Moving from Simplenote to Koru

Koru has no Simplenote importer yet. Simplenote exports each note as a plain-text file, and Koru's Markdown import can read them once they're renamed. Whatever app you move to, save a copy first.

Before you sign out of or reinstall any Simplenote app, open the web app at app.simplenote.com and choose Settings, then Tools, then Export Notes. You get a .zip of all your notes. The desktop app has the same export under File > Export Notes; the Mac App Store version can't export.
Unzip it. Each note is a .txt file named after its first line. Trashed notes are in a trash folder, and source/notes.json holds everything.
Rename the notes you want to bring over from .txt to .md. Koru's Markdown import reads .md files.
In Koru, click the + beside the tabs, then Import…, then Markdown, and pick the files, or drag them into the Koru window.

What comes across

One Koru document per note, titled from its file name, which is the note's first line
The text of every note
Markdown formatting in notes that use it: headings, lists, tasks, quotes, code, tables and links

What to know first

Lines not separated by a blank line are joined into one paragraph, so notes written line by line, such as lyrics or lists without markers, lose those line breaks.
Tags arrive as the "Tags:" lines Simplenote adds to the end of each exported note, not as Koru #tags.
Simplenote cuts file names to 40 characters, so longer titles are shortened. The full first line stays at the top of the note.
Markdown import takes files, not a whole folder at once. Version history and published links stay in Simplenote.

See all import options

Questions

Is Simplenote down?

Since October 19, 2026, many users on Simplenote's forum report that the iPhone, iPad and Mac apps stopped syncing, while the web app still shows their notes. As of October 20 we found no statement from Simplenote staff in those threads.

Will I lose my Simplenote notes?

Users on Simplenote's forum say their notes are still in the web app. Some who signed out of or reinstalled the iPhone app say the notes disappeared from that device. Export a copy from the web app before you change anything.

How do I export my notes from Simplenote?

In the web app, choose Settings, then Tools, then Export Notes. In the Windows, Linux or Mac desktop app, choose File > Export Notes. Both download a .zip with one .txt file per note. The Mac App Store version can't export, and Android exports a .json file.

Is Simplenote still being developed?

Simplenote's help page says it "is no longer in active development" and that "only its basic functionality is being maintained at this time."

Can I import my Simplenote notes into Koru?

Not directly yet. Koru has no Simplenote importer. Rename the exported .txt files to .md and import them with Koru's Markdown import. Single line breaks are joined into paragraphs, and tags come across as text.

Does Koru have a phone app like Simplenote?

Not yet. Koru is a desktop app for Windows and macOS, and there's no phone app yet. Simplenote has iPhone, iPad and Android apps.

Is Koru free?

Yes. Koru is free and open source under MPL-2.0, with no account.