Loam vs Evernote
Evernote keeps your notes in its cloud, behind an account, with a free plan that has limits and paid plans above it. Loam keeps them as Markdown files on your Mac. Pick Evernote if you rely on its web clipper or email-in, or if you need Windows and Android. Pick Loam if you want notes you own as plain files, free, with no account.
Last updated November 3, 2026
Loam vs Evernote at a glance
Published capabilities, checked on official sites in November 2026.
| Dimension | Loam | Evernote |
|---|---|---|
| Where notes live | Plain Markdown files in a folder you choose, called a vault | In Evernote's cloud, in its own format |
| Account | None. Free and open source | Evernote account required |
| Format | Markdown | Rich text notes |
| Export | Nothing to export: the files are the notes | Export to ENEX and HTML |
| Platforms | macOS 26 or later, on Apple silicon | Mac, Windows, iPhone, Android and the web |
| Web clipper and capture | No web clipper; write or paste Markdown | Web clipper and email-in |
| Plugins | Every feature is a plugin. Install from the catalog or a Git URL; an agent can write one | Integrations with Google, Outlook and Slack; no plugin system |
| Command line and agents | Yes: the loam command runs every action of the app | An MCP server for AI assistants; no command line |
| Price | Free | A free plan (50 notes, one notebook, one device), and paid plans |
Sources: Evernote pricing ↗ · Evernote what's new ↗ · Evernote MCP ↗
Your notes, in your folder
Evernote stores your notebooks on its servers and syncs them to your devices. To leave, you export them, and the export is a file format (ENEX) that you then have to convert.
In Loam the notes already are files. Each one is a Markdown file in a folder you choose, readable in any editor and kept by any backup tool. If you stop using Loam, you keep everything.
What Evernote does better
Evernote is built for capture. The web clipper and email-in are a big part of why people use it, and Loam does not copy them. Loam is for writing and organizing notes, not for filing everything you read.
Evernote also runs on Windows, Android and the web. Loam runs on macOS 26 or later, on Apple silicon, and has no mobile app.
Organizing and automating
Evernote organizes with notebooks and tags. Loam organizes with folders, tags, backlinks, daily notes and collections that show your notes as a table, a kanban board or a gallery.
Evernote offers an MCP server so assistants such as Claude can read and create notes in your account. Loam has plugins and a command line that runs every action of the app, so an agent works on files on your Mac from a terminal. See Agents.
Which one to pick
Choose Loam if
- You want your notes as Markdown files you own, not in a cloud
- You want no account and no subscription
- You want plugins, backlinks and a command line for AI agents
Choose Evernote if
- You rely on the web clipper or email-in
- You need Windows, Android or a web app
- You want a service that keeps your notes available on every device with no setup
Switching from Evernote to Loam
- In Evernote, export your notebooks as ENEX files.
- Convert the ENEX files to Markdown with a converter such as Yarle. Loam has no Evernote importer of its own.
- Open the folder that the converter wrote as a vault, as described in Your first vault. For another app that exports plain Markdown, see Import notes.
- Check a few notes before you move everything: links between notes need to be standard Markdown links to feed backlinks.
Loam vs Evernote: questions
What is the best free Evernote alternative for Mac?
Loam is a free and open source option that keeps notes as Markdown files on your Mac. It has no account and no subscription. It does not have Evernote's web clipper, and it has no mobile app.
How do I export Evernote to Markdown?
Export your notebooks from Evernote as ENEX, then convert them with a tool such as Yarle. Open the resulting folder of Markdown files as a vault in Loam.
Does Loam have an Evernote importer?
No. Loam imports Obsidian, Notion, Bear and Apple Notes. For Evernote, convert the ENEX export to Markdown first, then open the folder as a vault.
Do I keep my notes if Loam shuts down?
Yes. Every note is a Markdown file in your folder, and Loam is open source, so nothing depends on a server.