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Notion vs AFFiNE

A side-by-side look at Notion (the paid SaaS) and AFFiNE (the open source alternative). Use this page to decide if the switch fits your team and workflow.

Notion AFFiNE
Tagline All-in-one workspace for notes, docs, and databases. Open source canvas-meets-docs workspace.
License Proprietary SaaS MPL-2.0
Pricing Free tier; paid from $10/user/month. Free to self-host · optional paid hosted plan
Self-host option No Yes — difficulty 3/5
Hosted cloud available Yes (only option) Yes
Desktop apps Varies by product Windows, macOS, Linux
Mobile apps Official apps typically available None official
Ad slot — between tables

Best for

When you want Notion plus a whiteboard canvas in one tool.

AFFiNE strengths

  • Whiteboard + docs + databases in a single surface.
  • Clean UI, local-first architecture.
  • Active roadmap with frequent releases.

AFFiNE weaknesses

  • Mobile app is still in development.
  • Some instability during rapid iteration.
  • Smaller community than Obsidian or AppFlowy.

What's the catch with 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.

Still unsure?

Check the full list of alternatives to Notion: see Notion alternatives, or learn more about AFFiNE on its project page.

Other comparisons

Notion vs AppFlowy

The closest visual and feature clone of Notion's blocks and databases.

Notion vs Trilium Notes

Serious personal knowledge bases with hierarchical notes.

Notion vs Joplin

If Notion is overkill and you want encrypted markdown notes instead.

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.