Simplenote is a note-taking application with Markdown support. In addition to being accessible via most web browsers, cross-platform apps are available on Android, Linux, Windows, iOS, and macOS.
Simplenote has an externally accessible API, allowing other clients to be written: macOS Dashboard widget DashNote; nvPY, a cross-platform Simplenote client; amongst others. In addition, the macOS program Notational Velocity and the Windows utility ResophNotes can also sync with Simplenote.
Simplenote was originally developed by Simperium in 2008.
Simplenote Premium was introduced on November 23, 2009. It removed ads and added extra features such as syncing Simplenote with Dropbox.
Automattic acquired Simperium and Simplenote on January 24, 2013. In September, Automattic released an Android version and later relaunched Simplenote, which suspended the premium service and removed ads for all users.
What is Simplenote?
Simplenote is an open-source system utilitie program for Windows from Automattic Inc. (developed by Automattic). It ranks 8th by popularity among system utilities in this catalogue. It is written in TypeScript. Besides Windows, it is available for Android Marshmallow, macOS Monterey and Linux.
Installation and requirements
Official installers exist for 64-bit and 32-bit as EXE (NSIS) and Portable. It can be installed for the current user only, without administrator rights. The installer supports unattended (silent) installation.
Updates and version history
The current version is 2.24.0, released on November 6, 2025. 50 versions are listed since April 23, 2021, each with links to its own installer files. That is about 11 releases a year.
Popularity and file types
The Chocolatey package has been downloaded 33,578 times. The source code on GitHub (Automattic/simplenote-electron) has 5,275 stars. Wikipedia has an article about it in 7 of our languages. Similar programs include AutoHotkey, Bazel and Hydrus Network.
Project description on GitHub: “Simplenote for Web, Windows, and Linux”
Pros / Cons
Pros
- Open source: the code can be inspected and built by anyone
- Documented silent install
- Installs without administrator rights
- Frequent updates (about 11 a year)
- Also runs on Android Marshmallow, macOS Monterey and Linux
- Large user base
Cons
- No native ARM64 build
In short: Simplenote is an open-source system utilitie tool for 64-bit and 32-bit PCs. It is actively maintained. Administrators can deploy it unattended.
Is Simplenote safe to download?
- The file is served by github.com, the publisher’s own domain
- The download link uses HTTPS
- A SHA256 hash is published, so you can verify the file:
03CA6A0D4451F9DC85BA2FABE184D63DB49CF583FD7AC3BCA62CBDFC8D96919E· Open the VirusTotal report for this hash - The link has not been checked yet
- The source code is public
- ExeAtlas does not host, wrap or modify installers
Related guide: How to check a file’s SHA256 hash on Windows
Recent versions
All 50 versions ›50 versions over 5 years · about 11 a year
| Version | Date | Size | Files |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.24.0Latest | November 6, 2025 | — | 64-bit EXE (NSIS)32-bit ZIP64-bit ZIP32-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 2.23.2 | March 7, 2025 | — | 64-bit EXE (NSIS)64-bit EXE (NSIS)32-bit EXE (NSIS)32-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 2.21.0 | October 15, 2021 | — | 32-bit APPX64-bit APPX64-bit EXE (NSIS)64-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 2.20.0 | October 9, 2021 | — | 64-bit EXE (NSIS)32-bit APPX64-bit APPX64-bit EXE (NSIS) |
| 2.19.0 | September 21, 2021 | — | 64-bit EXE (NSIS)64-bit EXE (NSIS)32-bit APPX64-bit APPX |
| 2.18.0 | September 8, 2021 | — | 64-bit EXE (NSIS)32-bit APPX64-bit EXE (NSIS)64-bit APPX |
| 2.17.0 | September 1, 2021 | — | 64-bit APPX64-bit EXE (NSIS)64-bit EXE (NSIS)32-bit APPX |
| 2.16.0 | August 12, 2021 | — | 64-bit EXE (NSIS)64-bit EXE (NSIS)64-bit APPX32-bit APPX |
Install from the command line
Silent install ›winget install --id Automattic.Simplenote -echoco install simplenote -yscoop install extras/simplenoteSimplenote-win-2.24.0-x64.exe /SRelated guide: How to use winget: install and update apps
Also for other systems
brew install --cask simplenoteflatpak install flathub com.simplenote.SimplenoteInformation
- Publisher
- Automattic Inc.
- Developer
- Automattic
- Category
- System utilities
- Licence
- GPL-2.0
- Price
- Free
- Source code
- github.com/Automattic/simplenote-electron
- Written in
- TypeScript
- Content rating
- 13+
- Requires
- Windows 11 / 10
- Architecture
- 64-bit, 32-bit
- Installer
- EXE (NSIS), Portable
- Other platforms
- Android Marshmallow, macOS Monterey, Linux
- Version
- 2.24.0
- Released
- November 6, 2025
- Added to the catalogue
- March 30, 2021
- Versions listed
- 50
- Updates / year
- 10.9
- Chocolatey downloads
- 33,578
- GitHub stars
- 5,275
- GitHub forks
- 586
- Website
- simplenote.com
- winget ID
- Automattic.Simplenote
- Chocolatey package
- simplenote
- Scoop package
- extras/simplenote
Ratings and reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to rate it.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Simplenote free?
Yes. Simplenote is open-source software under the GPL-2.0 licence.
Is Simplenote safe to download?
The download comes from github.com, which belongs to the publisher; ExeAtlas does not host or change the file. Compare its SHA256 hash with the one shown here, or open the VirusTotal report for that hash.
How do I install Simplenote with winget?
Open PowerShell or Windows Terminal and run the winget command shown on this page. winget downloads the official installer and checks its SHA256 hash before running it.
Can Simplenote be installed silently?
Yes. The silent install page lists the exact command for each installer.
Does Simplenote run on ARM (Windows on Arm)?
There is no ARM64 build; Windows 11 on Arm can run the 64-bit and 32-bit version through emulation.
Where can I download an older version of Simplenote?
The versions page lists all 50 versions with links to their official installer files, back to April 23, 2021.
Can I use Simplenote without administrator rights?
Yes, there is a per-user installer that does not need administrator rights.
What are alternatives to Simplenote?
AutoHotkey, Bazel, Hydrus Network, osquery and CopyQ. The alternatives page compares them.
