4 open source alternatives to Notion
All-in-one workspace for notes, docs, and databases. Here are the open source projects real teams use instead — ranked by fit, with honest pros and cons for each.
What people don't love about Notion
- Data lives on someone else's server; sensitive notes feel exposed.
- Slow on large workspaces and offline support is limited.
- Export options for full workspaces are clunky.
Current Notion pricing (for reference): Free tier; paid from $10/user/month.
Quick comparison
| Alternative | Best for | License | Self-host | Hosted cloud? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
AppFlowy Open source alternative to Notion, built in Rust, and Flutter. |
The closest visual and feature clone of Notion's blocks and databases. | AGPL-3.0 | ★★★☆☆ | Yes |
|
AFFiNE Open source canvas-meets-docs workspace. |
When you want Notion plus a whiteboard canvas in one tool. | MPL-2.0 | ★★★☆☆ | Yes |
|
Trilium Notes Hierarchical personal notes with scripting. |
Serious personal knowledge bases with hierarchical notes. | AGPL-3.0 | ★★☆☆☆ | Self-host only |
|
Joplin Open source Evernote alternative with markdown notes and end-to-end encryption. |
If Notion is overkill and you want encrypted markdown notes instead. | AGPL-3.0 | ★★☆☆☆ | Yes |
1. AppFlowy — The closest visual and feature clone of Notion's blocks and databases.
Open source alternative to Notion, built in Rust, and Flutter.
Strengths
- Familiar Notion-style blocks and databases.
- Local-first desktop app for privacy.
- Active development and growing plugin ecosystem.
Weaknesses
- Newer project — some Notion features still missing.
- Real-time collaboration is still maturing.
- Mobile apps lag behind desktop.
2. AFFiNE — When you want Notion plus a whiteboard canvas in one tool.
Open source canvas-meets-docs workspace.
Strengths
- Whiteboard + docs + databases in a single surface.
- Clean UI, local-first architecture.
- Active roadmap with frequent releases.
Weaknesses
- Mobile app is still in development.
- Some instability during rapid iteration.
- Smaller community than Obsidian or AppFlowy.
3. Trilium Notes — Serious personal knowledge bases with hierarchical notes.
Hierarchical personal notes with scripting.
Strengths
- Deep hierarchical notes with relations.
- Scripting support for automation inside notes.
- Strong for large personal knowledge bases.
Weaknesses
- No official mobile apps.
- UI feels dense for new users.
- Original maintainer stepped back; Trilium Next fork is active.
Trilium Notes homepage · Source on GitHub · Notion vs Trilium Notes →
4. Joplin — If Notion is overkill and you want encrypted markdown notes instead.
Open source Evernote alternative with markdown notes and end-to-end encryption.
Strengths
- End-to-end encryption for syncable notes.
- Works with Nextcloud, Dropbox, WebDAV, and Joplin Cloud.
- Web clipper and mobile apps available.
Weaknesses
- Interface can feel basic compared to Notion-style tools.
- Plugin ecosystem is smaller than Obsidian's.
- Sync conflicts occasionally need manual resolution.
Not what you're looking for?
Browse other tools in Note-taking & Knowledge Base, or check out open source projects by category on the full category index.
Other SaaS in Note-taking & Knowledge Base
Recommended reading
The real monthly cost of a Notion workspace at scale
Add-ons, seats, AI credits, storage. What a mid-sized team actually pays for Notion once you count everything — and what switching saves.
When self-hosting goes wrong: seven failure modes and how to avoid them
An honest retrospective on the ways self-hosted setups break — not in theory, but in practice — and the small habits that prevent most of them.
Will the open source project you depend on still exist in three years?
Bus factor, maintainer burnout, funding models, and the signals that separate OSS projects that survive from those that quietly decay.