Open Source Notion Alternatives

AFFiNE brings together the tools that most teams keep separate: a block-based document editor, an infinite whiteboard, Kanban boards, and a database layer, all inside one workspace. It's built for people who are tired of copying information between a wiki, a whiteboard app, and a project tracker. Everything lives in one place, and it's connected.

The local-first design is a genuine differentiator. Your data sits on your device by default, not on someone else's server. Sync is available, but you're not forced into a cloud subscription to use the core product. For teams with privacy requirements or individuals who want full ownership of their notes and plans, that matters.

Key capabilities:

• Edgeless mode turns any page into an infinite canvas where you can sketch, drag in documents, add sticky notes, and map out ideas spatially
• Block-based editing lets you build documents from reusable content blocks, mixing text, images, databases, and embeds freely
• Kanban boards sit alongside docs for project tracking without needing a separate tool like Trello or Jira
• AI integration assists with writing, summarizing, and planning directly inside the workspace
• Templates cover common use cases out of the box, from meeting notes to project plans
• Real-time collaboration lets teams work on the same page simultaneously

Compared to tools like AppFlowy or AnyType, AFFiNE leans harder into the visual side. The whiteboard isn't an afterthought; it's a first-class mode that can hold entire knowledge maps. Compared to Outline, it's less focused on structured wikis and more on freeform, mixed-media workspaces.

Free for individuals. Teams and commercial users pay for additional features. The source code is fully public, so self-hosting is an option for those who want it.

AppFlowy is an open source workspace that brings together documents, wikis, project tracking, and team collaboration in one place. It's built as a self-hostable alternative to tools like Notion, designed for people who want a modern workspace without handing their data to a third-party cloud.

The core of the product is a block-based editor paired with flexible databases. You can build pages with rich content types, attach properties and labels to records, and switch between different views of the same data. Grids, boards, and calendars are all available. Custom themes and fonts let you adjust the look to your preference.

AI is built directly into the workspace, not bolted on as a separate add-on. You can ask questions across your pages, generate and improve writing, and autofill database fields from existing content. AppFlowy supports multiple AI backends including GPT-5, Gemini 2.5, and Claude 3.7, and it also supports running local models like Mistral 7B and Llama 3 on your own machine. That local option matters for teams or individuals who need AI assistance without sending data to external servers — something tools like Flowise AI or Langflow approach from a different angle.

Offline mode is fully supported. The app works without an internet connection and syncs when connectivity returns, across desktop and mobile. iOS and Android apps are available alongside the desktop clients.

Self-hosting is a first-class option, not a workaround. You can run AppFlowy on your own infrastructure with no vendor lock-in. For teams that can't store sensitive information in someone else's cloud, this is a practical path. If you're also evaluating Baserow for database-heavy workflows or OpenWork for team collaboration, AppFlowy sits at the intersection of both.

The project has over 400 contributors and a community spanning more than 215 countries. A plugin and template ecosystem is actively growing, which extends the toolbox beyond what ships by default.

Memos is built around a single idea: capture the thought now, sort it out later. It presents notes as a private timeline rather than a hierarchy of folders, notebooks, or workspaces. You open it, write in Markdown, and move on. No title required, no template to fill out, no folder decision standing between you and saving something.

The timeline format makes it feel closer to a personal feed than a traditional note app. Each memo can carry tags, inline tasks, and links. Tags accumulate naturally as you write, and search works across everything when you need to find something later. The interaction stays light on purpose.

Markdown is the native format throughout. Notes stay readable outside the app, portable to other tools, and easy to back up as plain files. There's no proprietary format holding your content in place — unlike heavier knowledge base tools that lock structure into their own schemas.

Self-hosting is the core premise. Memos runs on your own server, stores notes in your own database, and keeps the full data path under your control. It's lightweight enough to run on a Raspberry Pi or a small VPS. No seat pricing, no paid feature tiers, no account required with a third-party service.

The MIT license means the source is fully inspectable and modifiable. Development happens publicly on GitHub, shaped in part by contributors who run Memos themselves.

Memos fits people who want a private place for operational notes, daily logs, saved links, and fleeting thoughts that don't belong in a project management tool or a shared chat thread. If you want something with end-to-end encryption baked in, Notesnook or Standard Notes are worth a look. If you want outlining and backlinks, Logseq goes much deeper. Memos doesn't try to be any of those things. It's a small, fast place to put things before they disappear.

SiYuan is a personal knowledge management tool built around a single core idea: everything is a block. Documents, headings, paragraphs, lists, even pages themselves are all blocks you can reference, link, move, and reorganize without breaking existing connections. It's aimed at people who want a Logseq- or Obsidian-style networked knowledge system but with stronger privacy guarantees and a fully offline-capable architecture.

The editing experience is WYSIWYG with Markdown support. SiYuan ships with 20+ block-level element types and 10+ inline elements, covering most typesetting needs out of the box. Widget blocks handle more specialized cases. Large documents with millions of words load smoothly through dynamic rendering, so file size doesn't become a bottleneck.

Key capabilities:

• Bidirectional links at the block level, not just the page level. Backlinks show unlinked mentions, and a global relationship graph gives a visual map of how your knowledge connects.
• Database blocks with relation and rollup support, letting you link two databases and surface aggregated data across them.
• Spaced repetition flashcards built in, using an algorithm to schedule reviews based on memory decay.
• AI writing assistance for drafting, translation, summarization, grammar correction, and Q&A, accessed directly inside the editor.
• List outlines with folding, rich typography per item, and full integration with document structure.
• Zoom-in focus mode on any block, with breadcrumb navigation to keep context.

On the privacy side, all data lives on your device by default. Sync uses end-to-end encryption with incremental transfers to minimize bandwidth. No network connection is required to use it. SiYuan can also run as a local server accessible from a phone over a LAN, or be self-hosted via Docker for small-team collaboration with access controlled by an authorization code. For people comparing AppFlowy or AnyType, SiYuan's block-reference model and built-in spaced repetition are distinctive features that the others don't combine in one package.

Logseq is a local-first knowledge base for people who work with a lot of information and can't afford to lose the thread. Your notes live as plain Markdown files on your own device, so you own them completely. No subscription required for personal use, no vendor lock-in, and no cloud dependency unless you want one.

It's built around an outliner model where every bullet is a block you can reference, embed, or query from anywhere in your notes. That structure makes it easy to build connections between ideas over time rather than hunting through disconnected documents. If you've tried tools like Obsidian or Roam Research and wanted something fully open source with strong privacy defaults, Logseq is the closest match.

Key capabilities:

• Bidirectional linking connects pages and blocks so related ideas surface automatically
• Outliner-based editing lets you nest, collapse, and reorganize thoughts at any depth
• Flashcards turn any block into a spaced-repetition card for memorizing facts
• PDF annotations keep highlights and notes alongside the source document
• Whiteboards give you an infinite canvas to arrange and connect blocks visually
• Queries let you pull structured tables of information from across your notes
• 150+ plugins extend the core with community-built functionality
• Encrypted sync keeps notes consistent across devices without exposing your data

The daily journal is the default entry point. Capture everything there and let Logseq's linking and query system turn that raw input into something navigable. It suits students reviewing class notes, writers outlining drafts, developers keeping project context, and anyone who needs meeting notes that don't disappear into a folder.

Compared to a tool like Notion, Logseq keeps everything local and doesn't require a browser. Unlike SiYuan or AnyType, its plain-text Markdown storage means your notes are readable in any editor, long after the app itself might change.

Outline is a team knowledge base built for companies that have outgrown scattered docs, messy shared drives, and repeated Slack questions. It gives teams a single place to write, organize, and find internal documentation, from product specs and onboarding guides to meeting notes and support answers. It's available as a cloud-hosted service or self-hosted on your own infrastructure.

The editor is fast. Documents load instantly, search returns results in milliseconds, and the UI stays snappy even in large workspaces. Writing feels close to plain text, with markdown support and slash commands, but you also get interactive embeds, real-time multiplayer editing, and threaded comments for keeping conversations tied to specific content.

Key capabilities include:

• AI-powered search that lets you ask questions about your documents and get direct answers, not just a list of links
• Slack integration for searching, sharing, and asking questions without leaving chat, plus channel notifications when docs change
• Granular permissions with read/write controls, user groups, guest access, and public sharing via link
• Custom branding with your own domain, colors, and logo
• 20+ integrations including Figma and Loom
• Localization with RTL support and translations in 20 languages

Outline sits in the same space as tools like Docmost or AppFlowy for collaborative wikis, but it's particularly focused on speed and team-wide usability rather than personal note-taking. Unlike personal tools such as Logseq, Outline is designed around shared workspaces with access controls from the start.

The codebase is open source, and self-hosting is a first-class option for teams that need to keep data on their own servers. A cloud-hosted plan with a 30-day free trial is also available for teams that want to get started without managing infrastructure.

Huly brings together the tools that most teams spread across four or five separate apps. Project management, real-time chat, collaborative documents, and a virtual office all live in one workspace. It's built for product and engineering teams who are tired of context-switching between a task tracker, a Slack alternative, and a Notion alternative.

The project management side covers what you'd expect from a modern tracker:

• Team Planner consolidates individual tasks into a shared calendar so you can see workload across the whole team at a glance.
• Time-blocking lets you turn tasks into structured time slots in your personal planner.
• GitHub sync works both ways. Huly connects to GitHub Issues and GitHub Projects, syncing changes instantly, supporting multiple repositories, and migrating milestones between them.
• Advanced filtering makes it practical to search and slice project data across large backlogs.

The virtual office is a built-in audio and video conferencing environment. Teams can create custom rooms for departments or recurring meetings, and invite guests without sending them to a separate tool. No third-party conferencing app required.

Documents in Huly support rich text, images, attachments, and code blocks. Live real-time collaboration means multiple people can edit simultaneously. You can tag teammates, link directly to issues, and assign action items from within a document, which keeps planning and execution connected. Version history tracks every edit.

The collaborative workspace also includes a unified inbox and instant notifications, so updates from tasks, documents, and chats surface in one place rather than scattered across tools.

Huly is self-hostable, which matters for teams with data residency requirements or those who simply want control over their infrastructure.

Docmost is a self-hosted wiki platform built for teams that need full control over their data. It's aimed at organizations where compliance isn't optional: defense contractors, regulated industries, and companies subject to GDPR or FedRAMP requirements. You deploy it on your own servers, including air-gapped or isolated environments, and your data never leaves your infrastructure.

The editor supports rich text, tables, code blocks, and real-time collaboration with live cursors. Multiple people can edit the same page simultaneously, with changes syncing instantly across devices. Pages are organized into team spaces, so departments or projects can maintain their own areas without everything bleeding together.

Key capabilities:

• AI assistant that works with self-hosted models (Ollama, vLLM) or cloud providers (OpenAI, Gemini, Azure OpenAI). Chat with your knowledge base, get answers with source citations, and search semantically across all spaces.
• MCP server support exposes your wiki to AI tools like Claude or Cursor via the Model Context Protocol, with no vendor lock-in.
• Built-in diagramming via Draw.io, Excalidraw, and Mermaid, covering everything from UML to quick whiteboard sketches.
• Page verification workflows for tracking reviews and approvals, supporting ISO 9001, ISO 27001, and SOC 2 compliance.
• Enterprise authentication with SAML 2.0, OpenID Connect, LDAP, and MFA.
• RBAC permissions with granular control over who can view, edit, or administer content.

Teams migrating from Confluence or Notion can import existing content directly, including HTML and Markdown files. Integrations cover Figma, Airtable, Google Drive, Miro, Loom, and others, so pages can embed content from tools teams already use.

Docmost sits in the same space as Outline and XWiki, but its combination of self-hosted AI, MCP support, and compliance-focused deployment options makes it a strong fit for organizations that need a collaborative knowledge base without relying on third-party cloud infrastructure.

A powerful document collaboration platform that brings teams together for seamless content creation and editing. Real-time collaboration allows multiple users to work simultaneously on documents, with changes reflected instantly across all users.

The platform offers robust version control to track changes and maintain document history, making it easy to review edits and revert to previous versions when needed. Smart commenting and annotation features enable contextual discussions right within documents.

Key features include:

• Intuitive rich text editing with formatting tools
• Secure document sharing with customizable permissions
• Automatic saving and backup
• Cross-platform compatibility for access anywhere
• Integration with popular productivity tools
• Offline mode for uninterrupted work

Whether you're writing business proposals, technical documentation, or creative content, Docs provides the tools needed for efficient document management and team collaboration.

Notesnook is a secure, encrypted note-taking app built around one principle: your notes are yours alone. Every note is encrypted on your device before it syncs anywhere. The company can't read your data. Neither can anyone else.

It's a direct alternative to Evernote, OneNote, and similar apps that store your notes in plaintext on their servers. Notesnook takes a different approach with XChaCha20 encryption and Argon2 key derivation, and you can verify it yourself using their open source tool, Vericrypt, which works entirely offline against real account data.

The full client and sync server are open source. You can self-host the sync server if you want complete independence from their infrastructure.

Key features:

• End-to-end encryption on every note, notebook, and attachment, at rest and in transit
• Cross-device sync across mobile, desktop, and browser, all encrypted
• Notes vault for password-protecting your most sensitive notes with an additional layer of encryption
• App lock that automatically locks your database when you step away
• Rich editor with tables, task lists, math formulas, code blocks, image embeds, outlines, and Markdown
• Bidirectional note linking to connect related ideas, useful for research or planning workflows similar to Logseq
• Web Clipper for saving pages and articles without tracking
• Reminders built in, so you don't need a separate task app
• Password-protected sharing for sending notes to others securely

Notesnook works well as a privacy-focused alternative to Joplin or Standard Notes for users who want a polished interface alongside strong encryption. The free tier covers the core experience across all platforms, with a paid plan for power users.

Blinko is a powerful self-hosted note-taking solution that puts you in control of your personal knowledge management. With its intuitive interface, you can:

• Create and organize notes with rich text formatting and markdown support
• Build connections between related notes to create a personal knowledge graph
• Keep your data private and secure by self-hosting on your own infrastructure
• Access your notes from anywhere through web and mobile interfaces
• Import and export notes in standard formats for data portability
• Customize the experience with themes and plugins

Perfect for students, researchers, writers, and anyone who wants to build a structured personal knowledge base while maintaining complete control over their data.

Anytype is a local-first workspace where your data lives on your device, encrypted with keys only you hold. It's built for people who want the flexibility of a tool like Notion or Nuclino without handing their data to a company's servers. Notes, tasks, databases, wikis, and chats all live in one place, and none of it is readable by anyone but you.

The privacy model is the core differentiator. Anytype uses on-device encryption by default. No server sits between your devices; sync happens peer-to-peer over local networks. You can also self-host your own backup node. There's no account recovery through a third party because no third party ever has your keys.

Beyond privacy, it's a capable creation tool:

• Block-based editor for composing pages, notes, and documents with rich formatting
• Databases with multiple views including table, kanban, and gallery layouts
• Templates to standardize recurring structures across your workspace
• Graph view to visualize relationships between objects
• Widgets for surfacing frequently used content on your home screen
• Offline-first operation, so the app works fully without an internet connection
• Native mobile apps for iOS and Android with touch-optimized navigation

The object model is flexible. Everything in Anytype is an "object" with its own type and relations, which means a task, a contact, a note, and a project can all link to each other in structured ways. It's closer to a personal knowledge graph than a simple note-taking app.

For teams, Anytype supports shared spaces with collaborative editing, making it a self-sovereign alternative to tools like Affine for groups that need both privacy and real-time collaboration. A business tier adds features for larger organizations.

The underlying protocols are open, built by Any, a Swiss non-profit association, so third-party developers can build on top of them without permission.

Colanode is a comprehensive collaboration platform that brings together all the tools your team needs in one self-hosted solution. Unlike traditional cloud-based alternatives, this local-first application gives you complete control over your data while providing instant access to your content.

Key features include:

• Real-time chat for seamless team communication
• Collaborative document editing with flexible formatting options
• Built-in file manager for easy file sharing and organization
• Offline support that syncs when you're back online
• AI assistant to help with content creation and workflow optimization
• Zero loading times thanks to local-first architecture

The platform is designed for teams who value data ownership and privacy while maintaining the collaborative features found in popular tools like Slack and Notion. With self-hosting capabilities, you can deploy Colanode on your own infrastructure, ensuring sensitive information never leaves your control.

Whether you're managing projects, writing documentation, or coordinating with team members, Colanode provides a unified workspace that works both online and offline, making it ideal for distributed teams and organizations with strict data governance requirements.

Ryot is a powerful, all-in-one tracking platform designed to help you manage various aspects of your life with ease. Say goodbye to manual tracking methods and embrace a more efficient way to monitor your media consumption, fitness progress, and more.

Key Features:

• Effortless Tracking: Ryot's intuitive interface eliminates the need for manual data entry, saving you time and effort.

• Seamless Integration: Connect your favorite apps and services to centralize all your data in one place.

• Advanced Analytics: Gain valuable insights with Ryot's visualization tools and trend identification features.

• Customizable Experience: Tailor the platform to your unique needs by enabling or disabling specific tracking facets.

• Multi-Platform Support: Access your data anytime, anywhere with Ryot's web, mobile, and desktop applications.

• Privacy-Focused Sharing: Share your profile data with friends and family without compromising your privacy using limited access links.

Why Choose Ryot?

Ryot streamlines your tracking experience, allowing you to focus on what matters most. Whether you're a movie buff looking to manage your watchlist, a fitness enthusiast tracking your workouts, or simply someone who wants to organize their life better, Ryot provides the tools you need to stay on top of your goals and interests.

With its user-friendly design and powerful features, Ryot is the ultimate solution for anyone looking to upgrade their tracking experience and gain deeper insights into their daily activities and preferences.

XWiki is an enterprise-grade, open-source platform for knowledge management and collaboration. It offers a unique "Structured Wiki" concept, combining the flexibility of wikis with powerful organization features.

Key benefits include:

1. Structured Knowledge: XWiki goes beyond traditional wikis by allowing users to create structured content, making information easier to organize and find.

2. Customization: The platform is highly adaptable, supporting custom applications and workflows to meet specific organizational needs.

3. Collaboration Tools: XWiki provides robust features for team collaboration, including real-time editing, comments, and version control.

4. Security and Access Control: Granular permissions and access controls ensure that sensitive information remains protected.

5. Integration: XWiki can integrate with various third-party tools and systems, enhancing its functionality and fitting into existing workflows.

6. Open Source: As an open-source solution, XWiki offers transparency, community support, and freedom from vendor lock-in.

7. Scalability: XWiki is designed to handle large amounts of data and users, making it suitable for organizations of all sizes.

8. Multiple Deployment Options: Available as a cloud service or for on-premises installation, providing flexibility in deployment.

XWiki is trusted by over 800 teams worldwide, including major organizations like Amazon, SNCF, and CNFPT. It's particularly well-suited for creating knowledge bases, managing procedures, building intranets, and developing custom collaborative applications.

Whether you're looking for a standard solution or a custom-tailored platform, XWiki offers the tools and services to streamline your organization's knowledge sharing and collaboration processes.

Beaver Notes is a local-first note-taking app that keeps your data on your device by default. There are no accounts to create, no servers to trust, and no telemetry phoning home. It's MIT-licensed and built for people who want full ownership of their notes without trading away convenience.

The core idea is simple: everything works offline, and you decide whether and how to sync. Instead of locking you into a proprietary cloud, Beaver lets you bring your own cloud provider to move notes across devices on your terms.

The feature set covers more ground than a basic editor:

• Note linking connects ideas across your notes, building a personal web of information similar to what you'd find in tools like Logseq
• Tags and labels keep notes organized without complex folder hierarchies
• File attachments let you embed PDFs, images, and audio directly in a note
• LaTeX math renders equations inline as you type, useful for science and engineering notes
• Drawing lets you insert sketches or handwritten sections from any device, and those drawings travel with the note when you share it
• Command prompt gives keyboard-first access to search, settings, and actions without touching the mouse
• Markdown support throughout, with shortcuts that keep your hands on the keyboard

Sharing is built in too. You can send notes to other apps or people directly, and shared notes carry their embedded drawings and files along with them.

Beaver sits in a different lane from cloud-dependent tools like Notesnook or Memos. It's not trying to be a team collaboration platform or an AI-assisted workspace. The focus is on a fast, distraction-free writing environment that respects your privacy by design, not as a setting you have to hunt down.

Darkwrite is a feature-rich note-taking application designed for users who value both functionality and privacy. The editor supports essential formatting options like lists, text styling, and image embedding while maintaining a clean, distraction-free interface.

Key benefits:

• Truly offline experience: All your notes are stored locally, ensuring complete privacy and constant access
• Customizable interface: Choose from multiple themes and fonts to create your perfect writing environment
• Export flexibility: Save your work as HTML files for easy sharing and backup
• Cross-platform compatibility: Available for Windows, Linux, and macOS
• Open-source transparency: Full access to the source code ensures security and trust

Whether you're taking quick notes or working on longer documents, Darkwrite provides the perfect balance of features and simplicity while keeping your data private and secure.

Justnote is a privacy-focused note-taking app designed for simplicity, speed, and data ownership. Key features include:

• Simple and fast interface for quick note-taking on any device
• End-to-end encryption to keep your notes private and secure
• Cross-device syncing to access notes anywhere
• Web3 technology that gives you full control of your account and data
• No ads or data mining
• Rich text editor with formatting options
• Dark mode for comfortable night-time use
• Available on web, iOS, and Android

Justnote uses blockchain technology from Stacks to create a truly decentralized app where only you can access and control your account and notes. Your data is encrypted and stored on servers of your choice.

With Justnote, you can quickly jot down ideas, to-do lists, and other notes without worrying about privacy or losing access to your data. The clean, distraction-free interface lets you focus on your thoughts.

Whether you need a simple notepad for quick memos or a secure place to store sensitive information, Justnote provides an easy-to-use and private note-taking experience across all your devices.

Orgnise is a powerful project management solution designed to help teams of all sizes streamline their workflows and boost productivity. With its user-friendly interface and comprehensive feature set, Orgnise makes it easy to plan, track, and execute projects from start to finish.

Key benefits of Orgnise include:

• Intuitive Task Management: Create, assign, and prioritize tasks with ease. Use drag-and-drop functionality to organize tasks into customizable lists, boards, or timelines.

• Team Collaboration: Foster seamless communication with built-in chat, file sharing, and commenting features. Keep everyone on the same page and reduce email clutter.

• Workflow Automation: Set up automated workflows to handle repetitive tasks, notifications, and status updates, saving time and reducing human error.

• Customizable Dashboards: Get a bird's-eye view of your projects with personalized dashboards. Monitor progress, track deadlines, and identify bottlenecks at a glance.

• Time Tracking and Reporting: Log time spent on tasks and generate detailed reports to analyze team performance and project profitability.

• Integration Ecosystem: Connect Orgnise with your favorite tools through a wide range of integrations, including calendar apps, file storage services, and communication platforms.

Whether you're managing complex projects or simply organizing your daily tasks, Orgnise adapts to your needs, helping you stay focused and productive. Experience the power of efficient project management with Orgnise today.