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AppFlowy alternatives: 6 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave AppFlowy: fewer integrations and templates than Notion, and AGPL licence can be a hurdle for some companies. We ranked 6 alternatives by how directly each one replaces AppFlowy, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Anytype currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1Anytype logoAnytypeFree plan + paidNoWindows, macOS, Linux +22 of 373.3
2AFFiNE logoAFFiNEFree plan + paidYesWeb, Windows, macOS +44 of 472.1
3Notion logoNotionFree plan + paidNoWeb, Windows, macOS +21 of 371.2
4SiYuan logoSiYuanOpen sourceYesWindows, macOS, Linux +44 of 466.7
5Outline logoOutlineFree plan + paidNoWeb, macOS, Windows +15 of 547.8
  1. Anytype logo

    1. AnytypeTop pick

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

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

    73.3

    score / 100

    Why switch from AppFlowy

    Local-first, encrypted objects with peer-to-peer sync.

    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 AppFlowy 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)
  2. AFFiNE logo

    2. AFFiNE

    Best for: People who want Notion-style docs and a whiteboard in one local-first, self-hostable app

    Free plan + paidOpen sourceSelf-hostableWeb, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Self-hosted

    72.1

    score / 100

    Why switch from AppFlowy

    Open-source docs plus whiteboards, also local-first and self-hostable.

    Pros

    • Docs and whiteboard views of the same page
    • Local-first, works offline
    • Self-hosting option
    • Free for personal use

    Cons

    • Less mature than Notion, with rough edges
    • Server is source-available rather than fully open source
    • Mobile apps trail the desktop
    Visit AFFiNE Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.387
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.1563
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

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

    Is AFFiNE a good AppFlowy alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Editor licence
    MIT
    Checked Oct 25, 2026affine.pro(opens source in a new tab)
    Self-hosting
    Yes, source-available backend
    Checked Oct 25, 2026affine.pro(opens source in a new tab)
    Team plan
    $10 per seat/month
    Checked Oct 25, 2026affine.pro(opens source in a new tab)
    Platforms
    Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android
    Checked Oct 25, 2026affine.pro(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

    71.2

    score / 100

    Why switch from AppFlowy

    The hosted original, with far more integrations and templates.

    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) ×0.1563
    Freshness ×0.1553
    Votes ×0.150

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

    Is Notion a good AppFlowy 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. SiYuan logo

    4. SiYuan

    Best for: People who want block-level linking and databases with local data they control

    Open sourceSelf-hostableWindows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Web, Self-hosted

    66.7

    score / 100

    Why switch from AppFlowy

    Open-source block-based notes with databases and end-to-end encrypted sync.

    Pros

    • Block references and embeds at any level
    • Databases with relations and rollups
    • Local-first, with Docker self-hosting
    • End-to-end encrypted sync option

    Cons

    • Official cloud sync needs a paid membership
    • English docs and community are thinner
    • Busy interface with many settings
    Visit SiYuan Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.369
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.1563
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

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

    Is SiYuan a good AppFlowy alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    License
    AGPL-3.0
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Local-first
    Yes
    Checked Oct 25, 2026b3log.org(opens source in a new tab)
    End-to-end encryption
    Yes, for sync
    Checked Oct 25, 2026b3log.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Databases
    Yes, with relations and rollups
    Checked Oct 25, 2026b3log.org(opens source in a new tab)
  5. Outline logo

    5. Outline

    Best for: Teams that want a modern wiki with the option to host it themselves

    Free plan + paidSelf-hostableWeb, macOS, Windows, Self-hosted

    47.8

    score / 100

    Why switch from AppFlowy

    A self-hosted team wiki if documentation is the main need.

    Pros

    • Fast editor with Markdown shortcuts
    • Free self-hosted Community Edition
    • API, webhooks and built-in MCP server
    • Good Slack integration

    Cons

    • Self-hosting needs real dev-ops skill
    • Source-available licence, not OSI open source
    • Community Edition has no support
    Visit Outline Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.338
    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 Outline a good AppFlowy alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    Free trial
    30 days on cloud
    Checked Oct 25, 2026getoutline.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Cloud starting price
    $10 per month
    Checked Oct 25, 2026getoutline.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Self-hosted Community Edition
    $0, limited features, no support
    Checked Oct 25, 2026getoutline.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Self-hosted Business
    $4 per user/month, 10-user minimum
    Checked Oct 25, 2026getoutline.com(opens source in a new tab)
    MCP server
    Built in
    Checked Oct 25, 2026getoutline.com(opens source in a new tab)

The best AppFlowy alternative for…

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

Anytype logo

Best AppFlowy alternative for most people

Anytype

Local-first, encrypted objects with peer-to-peer sync.

SiYuan logo

Best AppFlowy alternative for a free option

SiYuan

Open-source block-based notes with databases and end-to-end encrypted sync.

AFFiNE logo

Best AppFlowy alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

AFFiNE

Open-source docs plus whiteboards, also local-first and self-hostable.

Docmost logo

Best AppFlowy alternative for open source

Docmost

Simple open-source wiki for teams that mainly need shared pages.

Outline logo

Best AppFlowy alternative for self-hosting

Outline

A self-hosted team wiki if documentation is the main need.

Notion logo

Best AppFlowy alternative for Mac

Notion

The hosted original, with far more integrations and templates.

Anytype logo

Best AppFlowy alternative for Windows

Anytype

Local-first, encrypted objects with peer-to-peer sync.

Anytype logo

Best AppFlowy alternative for Linux

Anytype

Local-first, encrypted objects with peer-to-peer sync.

Anytype logo

Best AppFlowy alternative for iPhone and Android

Anytype

Local-first, encrypted objects with peer-to-peer sync.

AFFiNE logo

Best AppFlowy alternative for working in the browser

AFFiNE

Open-source docs plus whiteboards, also local-first and self-hostable.

AppFlowy alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to AppFlowy?

Anytype ranks first right now. Local-first, encrypted objects with peer-to-peer sync. AFFiNE and Notion follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to AppFlowy?

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

Is there an open-source alternative to AppFlowy?

Yes: AFFiNE, SiYuan and Docmost. AFFiNE, SiYuan and Docmost can also be self-hosted.

Which AppFlowy alternatives work on Linux?

Anytype, AFFiNE and SiYuan run on Linux.

Why do people switch from AppFlowy?

The complaints we hear most: fewer integrations and templates than Notion; AGPL licence can be a hurdle for some companies; sync and collaboration still less polished.

How is this list ranked?

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