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AFFiNE alternatives: 6 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave AFFiNE: less mature than Notion, with rough edges, and server is source-available rather than fully open source. We ranked 6 alternatives by how directly each one replaces AFFiNE, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. AppFlowy currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1AppFlowy logoAppFlowyOpen sourceYesWeb, Windows, macOS +44 of 477.6
2Anytype logoAnytypeFree plan + paidNoWindows, macOS, Linux +22 of 373.3
3Notion logoNotionFree plan + paidNoWeb, Windows, macOS +21 of 361.8
4Heptabase logoHeptabasePaidNomacOS, Windows, Linux +34 of 455.3
5Excalidraw logoExcalidrawOpen sourceYesWeb, Self-hosted5 of 548.9
6Docmost logoDocmostOpen sourceYesWeb, Self-hosted4 of 446.8
  1. AppFlowy logo

    1. AppFlowyTop pick

    Best for: Teams and individuals who want Notion-style docs and databases on their own servers

    Open sourceSelf-hostableWeb, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Self-hosted

    77.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from AFFiNE

    Another open-source Notion alternative, with stronger self-hosted team features.

    Pros

    • Open source and self-hostable, even air-gapped
    • Databases with grid, board and calendar views
    • Can use self-hosted AI models
    • Free personal plan

    Cons

    • Fewer integrations and templates than Notion
    • AGPL licence can be a hurdle for some companies
    • Sync and collaboration still less polished
    Visit AppFlowy Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.387
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.15100
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is AppFlowy a good AFFiNE alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    License
    AGPL-3.0
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Pro price
    $12 per member/month, billed annually
    Checked Oct 25, 2026appflowy.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Platforms
    macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android, web
    Checked Oct 25, 2026appflowy.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Self-hosting
    Yes, including air-gapped
    Checked Oct 25, 2026appflowy.com(opens source in a new tab)
  2. Anytype logo

    2. Anytype

    Best for: A private, offline-capable alternative to Notion

    Free plan + paidWindows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android

    73.3

    score / 100

    Why switch from AFFiNE

    Local-first and encrypted, with peer-to-peer sync and object types.

    Pros

    • Local-first with end-to-end encryption
    • Notion-like objects and views
    • Works offline

    Cons

    • Source-available, not OSI open source
    • Smaller template and integration ecosystem
    Visit Anytype Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.377
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.15100
    Freshness ×0.1577
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Anytype a good AFFiNE alternative?

    Verified facts

    2 of 3 verified
    Encryption
    End-to-end
    Checked Oct 24, 2026anytype.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Local-first
    Yes
    Checked Oct 24, 2026anytype.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Free plan
    Yes
    Not checked yetanytype.io(opens source in a new tab)
  3. Notion logo

    3. Notion

    Best for: Teams that want docs, wikis and simple databases in one place

    Free plan + paidWeb, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android

    61.8

    score / 100

    Why switch from AFFiNE

    More mature databases, templates and integrations, as a hosted service.

    Pros

    • Flexible blocks and databases
    • Large template gallery
    • Strong sharing and permissions

    Cons

    • Needs an internet connection for most work
    • Large workspaces can feel slow
    Visit Notion Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.3100
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1553
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Notion a good AFFiNE alternative?

    Verified facts

    1 of 3 verified
    Free plan
    Yes
    Checked Oct 24, 2026notion.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Platforms
    Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android
    Not checked yetnotion.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Open source
    No
    Not checked yetnotion.com(opens source in a new tab)
  4. Heptabase logo

    4. Heptabase

    Best for: Researchers and students who like to map ideas visually alongside their sources

    PaidmacOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android, Web

    55.3

    score / 100

    Why switch from AFFiNE

    Cards on whiteboards for research, as a polished paid app.

    Pros

    • Whiteboards and cards make complex topics easier to see
    • PDF annotation, Readwise and Zotero integration
    • Fast search and offline access
    • Apps on desktop and mobile

    Cons

    • No free plan, only a 7-day trial
    • Not stored as plain local files
    • Limited collaboration features
    Visit Heptabase Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.363
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Heptabase a good AFFiNE alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Free trial
    7 days
    Checked Oct 25, 2026heptabase.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Starting price
    $8.99 per month
    Checked Oct 25, 2026heptabase.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Platforms
    Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android
    Checked Oct 25, 2026heptabase.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Offline mode
    Yes
    Checked Oct 25, 2026heptabase.com(opens source in a new tab)
  5. Excalidraw logo

    5. Excalidraw

    Best for: Engineers and anyone who wants fast, informal sketches and diagrams without an account

    Open sourceSelf-hostableWeb, Self-hosted

    48.9

    score / 100

    Why switch from AFFiNE

    If you mainly need a simple, open-source whiteboard.

    Pros

    • Start drawing instantly with no account
    • Open source and embeddable in other tools
    • Distinctive hand-drawn style for informal diagrams

    Cons

    • Few workshop features like voting or timers
    • Free version saves only one scene in the browser
    • Not suited to large, structured boards
    Visit Excalidraw Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.341
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Excalidraw a good AFFiNE alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    No account needed
    Yes
    Checked Oct 25, 2026plus.excalidraw.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Excalidraw+ price
    $6 per user/month
    Checked Oct 25, 2026plus.excalidraw.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Free trial
    14 days (Excalidraw+)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026plus.excalidraw.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Currency
    USD
    Checked Oct 25, 2026plus.excalidraw.com(opens source in a new tab)
    License
    MIT
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
  6. Docmost logo

    6. Docmost

    Best for: Teams that want a modern, self-hosted Confluence or Notion replacement

    Open sourceSelf-hostableWeb, Self-hosted

    46.8

    score / 100

    Why switch from AFFiNE

    An open-source, self-hosted wiki if the goal is team documentation.

    Pros

    • Modern collaborative editor with live cursors
    • Imports from Notion and Confluence
    • Runs fully self-hosted, even air-gapped

    Cons

    • SSO, API and AI need the paid Business licence
    • Young project with a smaller ecosystem
    • No vendor-hosted cloud for small teams
    Visit Docmost Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.334
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Docmost a good AFFiNE alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Community edition
    Free and open source
    Checked Oct 25, 2026docmost.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Business price
    $6 per seat/month (annual), 10-seat minimum
    Checked Oct 25, 2026docmost.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Air-gapped deployment
    Supported
    Checked Oct 25, 2026docmost.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Installation
    Docker
    Checked Oct 25, 2026docmost.com(opens source in a new tab)

The best AFFiNE alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

AppFlowy logo

Best AFFiNE alternative for most people

AppFlowy

Another open-source Notion alternative, with stronger self-hosted team features.

Excalidraw logo

Best AFFiNE alternative for a free option

Excalidraw

If you mainly need a simple, open-source whiteboard.

Anytype logo

Best AFFiNE alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

Anytype

Local-first and encrypted, with peer-to-peer sync and object types.

Docmost logo

Best AFFiNE alternative for open source

Docmost

An open-source, self-hosted wiki if the goal is team documentation.

AppFlowy logo

Best AFFiNE alternative for self-hosting

AppFlowy

Another open-source Notion alternative, with stronger self-hosted team features.

Notion logo

Best AFFiNE alternative for Mac

Notion

More mature databases, templates and integrations, as a hosted service.

Heptabase logo

Best AFFiNE alternative for Windows

Heptabase

Cards on whiteboards for research, as a polished paid app.

AppFlowy logo

Best AFFiNE alternative for Linux

AppFlowy

Another open-source Notion alternative, with stronger self-hosted team features.

AppFlowy logo

Best AFFiNE alternative for iPhone and Android

AppFlowy

Another open-source Notion alternative, with stronger self-hosted team features.

AppFlowy logo

Best AFFiNE alternative for working in the browser

AppFlowy

Another open-source Notion alternative, with stronger self-hosted team features.

AFFiNE alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to AFFiNE?

AppFlowy ranks first right now. Another open-source Notion alternative, with stronger self-hosted team features. Anytype and Notion follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to AFFiNE?

Yes. AppFlowy (open source), Anytype (free plan + paid), Notion (free plan + paid) and Excalidraw (open source) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to AFFiNE?

Yes: AppFlowy, Excalidraw and Docmost. AppFlowy, Excalidraw and Docmost can also be self-hosted.

Which AFFiNE alternatives work on Linux?

AppFlowy, Anytype and Heptabase run on Linux.

Why do people switch from AFFiNE?

The complaints we hear most: less mature than Notion, with rough edges; server is source-available rather than fully open source; mobile apps trail the desktop.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces AFFiNE, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.