Standard Notes
An end-to-end encrypted notes app.
Details
The client app appears to be provided under the AGPLv3, with the server component provided under the GPLv3.
The project appears to be open-core, with some parts instead being source-available like its TokenVault and secure spreadsheet features. It seems like the non-FOSS features align with the features in their paid offerings, but the division of features into FOSS and non-FOSS licensing is not easily clear.
The project does not prominently refer to itself as “open source” or FOSS, although it does still advertise more generally as “open” in some places:
Yes, the source code for the Standard Notes application and server are 100% open and available for anyone to see.
The project used to have confusing licensing, which was queried via GitHub. For a few months the project changed to a non-FOSS BY-NC-SA 4.0 license but they later switched this back to a more clarified AGPLv3 arrangement.
The project advertises that it gains 100% of its revenue from paying users, and has taken $0 in venture capital. That revenue appears to come from providing the software as a service. In 2024, the project was acquired by Proton under terms which do not appear to be disclosed.
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