Free and open-source Notion alternatives

Notion (Connected workspace for docs, wikis and projects) is a commercial product. These 3 tools do the same job and are free to use or to self-host.

Short answer: the best free alternatives to Notion are AppFlowy, AFFiNE and Outline. Self-hosting is free; you pay only for the server (a small VPS is about $4–6/mo). Licenses and prices checked 2026-10-01.

1
AppFlowy
Open-source AI workspace, a Notion alternative
Notion-style workspace that keeps data local.
Open source (AGPL-3.0) ·★ 77k GitHub stars · last commit 2026-10-06 · details
2
AFFiNE
All in one Knowledge management OS
Docs, whiteboards and databases in one.
Open source (MIT (community)) ·★ 73k GitHub stars · last commit 2026-10-07 · ▲ 5 upvotes on DevHunt · details
3
Outline
Fast team knowledge base and wiki
Team wiki; free to self-host.
Source-available (BSL-1.1) ·★ 41k GitHub stars · last commit 2026-10-07 · details

Want paid options too? See all Notion alternatives or the full free alternatives list. Beyond developer tools, OSS Software lists more open-source Notion alternatives.

FAQ

Is there a free alternative to Notion?+

Yes. AppFlowy, AFFiNE and Outline do the same job for free; AppFlowy and AFFiNE are open source.

What is the best open-source alternative to Notion?+

AppFlowy is the most starred on GitHub (77k stars). Notion-style workspace that keeps data local.

Are these Notion alternatives open source?+

AppFlowy and AFFiNE are under OSI-approved licenses. Outline (BSL-1.1) is source-available: free to self-host, with limits in the license.

Open source: OSI-approved license. Free to self-host: the code is public and free to run yourself, with limits in the license.

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Free and open-source Notion alternatives

FAQ