I need a note-taking app that uses plain text files and does not lock my data into a proprietary format.

If you want absolute ownership of your notes without proprietary lock-in, you need a local-first, plain-text application . These tools store standard .md (Markdown) or .txt files directly in a folder on your hard drive. If the app ever disappears, your notes remain fully readable and editable in any text editor.

Top plain-text, local-first note-taking apps include:

• Obsidian — The gold standard for personal knowledge management. It reads a local folder of Markdown files, supports powerful internal linking (backlinks), a massive plugin ecosystem, and a customizable interface. While the app is free and your data stays local, the core code is proprietary (though your data never is).
• Logseq — An open-source, privacy-first outliner that stores notes as local Markdown or Org-mode files. It focuses heavily on daily journaling, block-level referencing, and integrated task management.
• Joplin — A fully open-source alternative that mirrors Evernote's traditional folder-and-tag structure rather than a web of links. It stores everything locally as plain text Markdown files and offers flexible end-to-end encrypted syncing options.
• iA Writer — A minimalist, distraction-free writing environment designed strictly for raw text and Markdown syntax. It doesn't try to build a "second brain" or database; it just provides a gorgeous interface to edit files living in your local folders.
• VS Code / VSCodium — For a purely developer-centric or hyper-minimalist approach, using a code editor with a few Markdown extensions (like Markdown All in One ) gives you maximum speed, complete open-source freedom, and zero bloat.

To help narrow down which of these fits your workflow best, tell me:

• Do you prefer a traditional folder structure (like Joplin) or a networked/linked web of notes (like Obsidian)?
• Do you need heavy mobile app support on iOS or Android?

Yes — Obsidian is probably the best fit for what you described.

My top picks

• Obsidian — Best overall. Your notes are ordinary .md Markdown files in a normal folder on your computer. You can open/edit them with any text editor, back them up with normal filesystem tools, or move them elsewhere without converting out of a proprietary database.
• Joplin — Best if you want open source. Joplin stores notes in Markdown and can import/export Markdown files. It also supports synchronization through various services, including filesystem-based syncing.

What I'd choose

If your priority is “I want my notes to still be mine 10 years from now”, I'd choose Obsidian.

The important distinction is that Obsidian's app is proprietary, but your actual notes aren't: they're Markdown files sitting in a folder you control. You can uninstall Obsidian and still have a perfectly usable collection of .md files.

Joplin is a particularly good alternative if open-source software itself is important to you. Its underlying notes are also Markdown, although Joplin has more application-specific organization/metadata around them.

If you tell me Windows/Mac/Linux/iPhone/Android and whether you want sync between devices, I can narrow this down to 2–3 excellent choices.

Yes. If your priority is “my notes are ordinary files I can open without the app”, I’d focus on Markdown-based apps rather than anything that stores notes primarily in a proprietary database.

My top picks

• obsidian.md — best overall. Notes are ordinary .md Markdown files in a folder on your computer. You can edit them with any text editor, back them up with Git/Dropbox/etc., and leave Obsidian without having to export your notes. It also has excellent linking, search, plugins, and a mature ecosystem. Obsidian Obsidian Caveat: Obsidian itself is proprietary/closed-source, even though your data format is open.
• logseq.com — best if you like an outliner. It emphasizes hierarchical bullet-point notes, backlinks, daily journals, and knowledge management. It supports Markdown files and explicitly positions them as portable/open.
• joplinapp.org — best traditional notes app. Open-source, with Markdown notes, notebooks, tags, search, mobile/desktop apps, and several sync options. It can also synchronize to a filesystem, where the notes and metadata are stored as inspectable text files.
• plainva.com — worth watching if you want a very file-centric modern app. It works directly with ordinary Markdown folders and Obsidian vaults, with no proprietary database. It's open source and available for desktop; its mobile support is still developing.

What I'd choose

For most people: Obsidian. The key distinction is that Obsidian is the interface, not the owner of your notes. Your vault is essentially a folder full of Markdown files.

If you want open-source software as well as open data, I'd choose Joplin or Logseq instead.

One important nuance: “plain text” doesn't necessarily mean literally .txt. Markdown (.md) is still plain text—something like:

# Meeting notes

Discussed the new project.

- Follow up with Sam
- Review the proposal

That remains readable even if the app disappears.

If you tell me what devices you need it on (Windows/Mac/iPhone/Android/Linux) and whether you want sync, backlinks, or just simple notes, I can narrow this to the best 1–2 choices.

• Obsidian: Stores everything as local markdown (.md) files in a folder on your device. While the app itself is proprietary, your data remains completely open and portable, and you can read more on the Obsidian Official Website.
• Logseq: An open-source, privacy-first knowledge base that works with local markdown and Org-mode files. Your notes live on your hard drive, and you can explore the project via Logseq GitHub.
• MarkText: A simple, open-source markdown editor focused on a distraction-free writing experience, saving directly to standard text files. Details can be found at the MarkText GitHub.
• Joplin: An open-source note-taking app that stores notes in standard markdown format, allowing full control and local syncing without vendor lock-in. Check out the Joplin Official Website.
• VS Code + Markdown extensions: A powerful developer-focused code editor that doubles as an incredible plain-text note system using local directories, available at the Visual Studio Code Website.
• Zettlr: An open-source markdown editor specifically tailored for researchers and writers who rely on local plain-text files, detailed on the Zettlr Official Website.

Would you like to narrow these down based on whether you need mobile sync , a hierarchical folder structure , or a canvas/mind-mapping view?

For a future-proof setup that avoids vendor lock-in, the top applications that store notes as direct, local, non-proprietary plain text or Markdown files include Obsidian, Joplin , and traditional text editors like Visual Studio Code paired with a local folder . These tools ensure your data remains accessible via any standard text reader even if you stop using the app entirely.

Top Plain-Text & Local-First Note Apps

• Obsidian : Stores everything as local .md (Markdown) text files inside a user-defined folder called a "vault". It features fast local search , powerful bi-directional linking , and hundreds of community plugins , while leaving you completely in control of your files (syncing requires your own third-party solution or an optional paid service).
• Joplin : A free, open-source application that operates locally and supports end-to-end encryption . While it uses an internal database for performance on client devices, it allows you to continuously export your entire library into transparent plain-text and Markdown structures and sync via external targets like Dropbox or OneDrive.
• Standard Notes : An open-source , privacy-focused ecosystem centered on encrypted plain text . It provides clean note-taking interfaces across devices with zero-knowledge encryption and options to export or locally backup raw unencrypted .txt files.
• Visual Studio Code : A robust code and text editor that doubles as a pristine Markdown note environment when pointed at a local directory of text files , completely bypassing any application-specific database or wrapper.

If you'd like to narrow down the choice, let me know:

• Do you need cross-device syncing (mobile and desktop)?
• Do you prefer a visual preview (WYSIWYG) or raw Markdown editing?

Yes. If your priority is “my notes are just files I own”, I’d focus on Markdown/plain-text-first apps rather than databases or proprietary note formats.

My top picks

1. Zettlr — best fit overall

   • Stores notes as ordinary Markdown (.md) or plain-text (.txt) files in folders you control.
   • Open source, free, and available on Windows, macOS, and Linux.
   • Excellent search, tags, backlinks/graph features, templates, and writing tools.
   • No forced cloud sync; files stay on your computer.
   • Best if: you want a powerful knowledge-management app while retaining normal files.

2. Joplin — best if you need phones/tablets and syncing

   • Notes are stored as Markdown, and Joplin explicitly says they can be modified with your own text editor.
   • Open source and available on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS.
   • Supports end-to-end encrypted synchronization with several services.
   • One caveat: its underlying storage/sync system includes metadata and resources in addition to the Markdown notes, so it's not quite as transparently file-oriented as Zettlr.

What I'd choose

Zettlr if your requirement is literally “I should be able to quit this app tomorrow and still have my notes as ordinary files.” That's about as good a match as you'll find. It even supports .txt files alongside Markdown.

If you want something closer to Apple Notes / OneNote in convenience, but still want Markdown underneath, Joplin is probably the better choice.

If you tell me your OS (Windows/Mac/Linux/iPhone/Android) and whether you want sync between devices, I can narrow this down to 2–3 excellent choices.

Yes. If your priority is “my notes should just be files I own”, look for apps that use Markdown (.md) files directly on your filesystem, rather than an app-specific database.

My top picks

I'd start with Obsidian. Its notes are literally Markdown-formatted plain-text files in a folder you choose, so you can open them with VS Code, Notepad, Vim, etc., without Obsidian.

If open source is as important as avoiding lock-in, I'd choose Zettlr instead. It uses standard compatible Markdown and is open source.

One important distinction

Joplin is also open source and its notes use Markdown, but its normal storage architecture isn't as cleanly “a folder full of .md files” as Obsidian/Zettlr. It does support importing Markdown and exporting your data.

For maximum future-proofing: keep your notes in a normal folder of .md files, use standard Markdown, and treat the note-taking app as an interface rather than the place where your data lives. That way, if the app disappears tomorrow, your notes don't.

If you tell me Windows/Mac/Linux/iPhone/Android and whether you want sync, encryption, or a very simple interface, I can narrow this down to 1–2 choices.

• Obsidian , a powerful knowledge base that works on local Markdown files stored in a folder on your device. It offers deep linking, graphs, and plugins, but the core app is entirely file-over-app. You can check it out at Obsidian.
• Logseq , an open-source, privacy-first platform for knowledge management and collaboration that also stores your data as local Markdown or Org-mode files. Learn more at Logseq.
• MarkText , a simple and straightforward open-source Markdown editor that focuses on a distraction-free, real-time preview writing experience using local files. Visit MarkText.
• Joplin , an open-source note-taking and to-do application that handles a large number of notes organized into notebooks, storing everything in plain text / Markdown formats and letting you sync via your own cloud services. Get it at Joplin.
• Zettlr , a Markdown editor specifically tailored for researchers, journalists, and authors that keeps all files locally on your hard drive. Explore it at Zettlr.
• VS Code (or VSCodium ), combined with a few Markdown extensions, which turns a standard code editor into a blazing-fast, completely open plain-text writing environment. Download it at Visual Studio Code.

If you'd like, let me know:

• Your preferred operating system (macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android)
• Whether you need mobile sync capabilities
• If you prefer a traditional folder structure or a networked/bidirectional linking style

I can help you narrow down the best fit for your workflow.

If your priority is “my notes should just be files I can open with any text editor”, I’d narrow it to these:

1. Obsidian — my top pick

Obsidian stores notes as ordinary .md Markdown files in a folder you control. You can move that folder, back it up with normal file tools, or open the notes in VS Code, Notepad, another Markdown editor, etc. There’s no proprietary note database to escape from.

It also gives you:

• Backlinks and wiki-style [[links]]
• Tags, search, folders and graph view
• Lots of plugins
• Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android
• Optional paid sync, but sync isn't required to own/read your files.

Best if: you want a serious note system that still boils down to a folder of Markdown files.

2. Logseq — great if you think in outlines

Logseq works directly with local Markdown and Org-mode files. It's particularly good for daily journals, bullet-point notes, backlinks, tasks and building a knowledge graph.

One caveat: I'd choose it specifically if you like an outliner/block-based workflow. If you primarily write conventional prose, Obsidian is probably the more natural choice.

3. Joplin — best if you want more of a traditional notes app

Joplin stores notes in Markdown and supports importing/exporting plain Markdown files. It's open source, offline-first, cross-platform, and has good built-in support for attachments, web clipping and synchronization.

The important distinction is that Joplin's internal storage isn't simply a folder of individual .md files in the same way Obsidian's is; it can synchronize to the filesystem, where its notes and metadata are stored as plain text files.

4. Notegrity — if you mean really plain text

Notegrity is interesting because it deliberately goes even simpler: it works directly on a folder of .txt and .md files, with no cloud or account required. Existing files in the folder appear in the app.

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My recommendation

I'd start with Obsidian. It hits the sweet spot: the application is sophisticated, but underneath it your notes remain ordinary Markdown files. If Obsidian disappeared tomorrow, you'd still have your notes and could simply open them in another editor.

If your definition of “plain text” means literally .txt rather than Markdown, then I'd choose Notegrity instead.

• Obsidian : Stores notes as local .md (Markdown) files in a folder on your hard drive. It offers a powerful graph view, bidirectional linking, and a vast plugin ecosystem while keeping your files entirely yours. Available at Obsidian.
• Logseq : A privacy-first, open-source knowledge base that works with local Markdown or .org files. It features outliner-style note-taking, daily journaling, and integrated flashcards. Available at Logseq.
• MarkText : A simple, beautiful, and open-source Markdown editor focused on real-time preview (WYSIWYG) so you can write without distraction directly in plain text. Available at MarkText.
• Joplin : An open-source note-taking app that stores notes in plain Markdown text. It supports end-to-end encryption and lets you sync via your own choice of cloud services (Nextcloud, Dropbox, OneDrive, etc.). Available at Joplin.
• Zettlr : An open-source Markdown editor specifically tailored for researchers, journalists, and academics, keeping all data in local plain text files with deep citation and reference integrations. Available at Zettlr.
• VS Code / VSCodium : A powerful code editor that doubles as an incredible plain-text and Markdown note-taking environment when paired with extensions like Markdown All in One. Available at Visual Studio Code.

Would you like to narrow these down based on whether you need mobile syncing , an outliner vs. traditional folder structure, or a WYSIWYG visual editor?