Software Alternatives & Startups

Joplin VS Putback

Compare Joplin VS Putback and see what are their differences

Joplin

Joplin is a free, open source note taking and to-do application, which can handle a large number of notes organised into notebooks. The notes are searchable, tagged and modified either from the applications directly or from your own text editor.

Rating
0 reviews
Pricing
Open source Free
Putback

Putback is a Mac window manager that restores every window when your displays change, and lets you name arrangements as Scenes you switch to with one hotkey. Real window management for docking, undocking and monitors, $19 once.

Rating
0 reviews
Note: These products don't have any matching categories. If you think this is a mistake, please edit the details of one of the products and suggest appropriate categories.

Which is more popular?

Based on our record, Joplin seems to be more popular. It has been mentioned 358 times since March 2021.

social mentions
358 vs 0
Note Taking popularity
100% vs 0%
alternatives listed
240+ vs 15

Base details

Website, pricing, platforms and company facts side by side.

Joplin
Putback
Website joplinapp.org putback.app
Pricing
Open source Free Official pricing
Company Startup from Open Source/Community —
Listed in

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

Joplin 6 features
Putback 5 features
  • Open Source
    Joplin is open source, which means the source code is freely available and can be modified or studied by anyone. This ensures transparency and provides the community with the ability to contribute to its development.
  • Cross-Platform
    Joplin is available on multiple platforms including Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS, which allows users to access their notes and to-dos across different devices.
  • End-to-End Encryption
    Joplin offers end-to-end encryption, ensuring that your notes and data are securely encrypted and only accessible by you.
  • Rich Text Support
    Joplin supports Markdown, which allows users to create notes with rich text formatting, including headers, lists, checkboxes, images, links, and more.
  • Synchronization Options
    Joplin provides multiple options for synchronization, including cloud services like Dropbox, OneDrive, and Nextcloud, enabling users to keep their data in sync across devices.
  • Resource Management
    Joplin allows users to attach files, images, and other resources to their notes, making it a versatile tool for managing different types of information.

Possible disadvantages

  • User Interface
    The user interface of Joplin can be less intuitive and visually appealing compared to other note-taking apps, which might lead to a steeper learning curve for new users.
  • Limited Collaboration
    Joplin is primarily designed for individual use and lacks extensive collaboration features found in other apps like Google Keep or Evernote, making it less suitable for team-based tasks.
  • No Native Web App
    Joplin does not have a native web app version, which can be a drawback for users who prefer accessing their notes through a browser without installing the desktop or mobile applications.
  • Sync Configuration
    Setting up synchronization options can be complex for some users, especially for those who are not familiar with cloud services or network configurations.
  • Resource Intensive
    Joplin can be resource-intensive, particularly when dealing with a large number of notes or attachments, which might affect performance on older devices.
  • Simple concept
    Putback appears to focus on a straightforward, easy-to-understand use case, which can make onboarding and daily usage intuitive for most users without a steep learning curve.
  • Convenience for tracking
    The app likely helps users keep track of items, tasks, or returns in one centralized place, reducing the mental load of remembering details manually.
  • Mobile accessibility
    Being an app-based solution, Putback is likely accessible on smartphones, allowing users to update or check information on the go rather than being tied to a desktop.
  • Time-saving potential
    By streamlining a specific process (such as organizing items or managing returns), the app can save users time compared to manual tracking methods like spreadsheets or notes.
  • Niche focus
    Because Putback seems to target a specific use case rather than being a bloated all-in-one app, it may perform that core function well without unnecessary complexity.

Possible disadvantages

  • Limited information available
    There is limited publicly available detail about Putback's full feature set, pricing, and reliability, making it hard to fully evaluate its strengths and weaknesses without firsthand use.
  • Potential niche limitations
    If the app is built around a very specific use case, it may not offer broader functionality that some users might want, limiting its versatility compared to more general-purpose tools.
  • Dependence on user input
    Like many tracking or organization apps, its usefulness likely depends heavily on consistent user input; if users forget to update it, the app's value diminishes significantly.
  • Unclear market adoption
    As a smaller or newer app, Putback may have a smaller user base, which could mean less community support, fewer integrations, or slower feature updates compared to more established competitors.
  • Possible platform restrictions
    Depending on its availability, the app may be limited to certain operating systems (iOS or Android only), which could exclude some potential users from accessing it.

Analysis

An editorial look at what each product does well and who it suits.

Joplin
Putback

Overall verdict

  • Joplin is highly regarded among users who appreciate open-source software and need a versatile note-taking solution. Its extensive features, along with active community support, make it a strong contender in the productivity software space.

Why this product is good

  • Joplin is an open-source note-taking and to-do application with features such as synchronization across devices, support for rich-text and Markdown, and a web clipper for saving web pages and screenshots. It prioritizes user privacy and data ownership by allowing notes to be stored on local devices or using secure sync options like Nextcloud, Dropbox, or OneDrive. Additionally, Joplin supports end-to-end encryption to protect user data.

Recommended for

  • Users who prefer open-source applications
  • Individuals seeking a secure and privacy-focused note-taking app
  • People who need cross-platform compatibility
  • Users who want to organize notes using Markdown
  • Anyone looking for an alternative to mainstream note-taking apps

Overall verdict

  • Putback is a niche app designed to help resellers and organizers track items that need to be returned to their proper place, which can be genuinely useful for people managing inventory, decluttering, or reselling goods, though its value depends heavily on your specific workflow needs and how well it integrates with tools you already use.

Why this product is good

  • Helps maintain organization by tracking items that need to be put back or returned
  • Can save time by reducing the need to remember or manually log misplaced items
  • Useful for resellers who need to track inventory location and status
  • Simple, focused functionality without unnecessary feature bloat

Recommended for

  • Resellers managing physical inventory across multiple locations
  • People decluttering or organizing home spaces who need a tracking system
  • Small business owners who need lightweight inventory location tracking
  • Users who prefer simple single-purpose apps over complex all-in-one solutions

Videos

Walkthroughs and reviews on video.

Joplin 3 videos + Add
Putback 0 videos + Add

Joplin, a free, open source, self hosted syncing note taking alternative to Evernote and OneNote..

More videos

  • - Joplin Is An Open Source Alternative To Evernote
  • - Joplin Desktop: Take Notes With A Rich Markdown Editor

No Putback videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

Category popularity

How often each product is chosen within a category, 0–100% relative to the other.

Score bands 0–20 21–40 41–50 51–60 61–100
Joplin
Putback
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%

User comments

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Reviews and articles

External articles and on-site reviews we used to compare the two products.

Joplin no reviews yet
Putback no reviews yet

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We have no reviews of Putback yet. Be the first one to post

Social recommendations and mentions

Recommendations tracked on public social media and blogs since March 2021.

Joplin 358 mentions
Putback 0 mentions
  • Show HN: Files.md – open-source alternative to Obsidian
    What is this providing over similarly Markdown based open source note taking applications like Joplin? (https://joplinapp.org/) I've been a huge fan of the fact that my backend sync infrastructure is my own self-hosted S3 bucket with... - Source: Hacker News / 5 months ago
  • An Introduction to Obsidian
    Shout out to Joplin (https://joplinapp.org/), which I use on a daily basis. It does most of what Obsidian does but has a free sync version where you just use your cloud drive as the storage. The main thing missing, from what I've found,... - Source: Hacker News / 6 months ago
  • Ditching Obsidian and building my own
    I use Joplin (https://joplinapp.org) on mobile and pc(windows and Linux). Joplin has a free encrypted sync via OneDrive. - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago

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Tracking Putback since Jul 2026.

Alternatives to Joplin and Putback

When comparing Joplin and Putback, you can also consider the following products.