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Free alternatives to Notion

Notion costs $12/mo on the Plus plan, or $144 a year. Here are 3 free and open-source options, what each one does, and what you give up compared with paying.

Prices checked Aug 11, 2026Can AI replace it? Half-bot

01At a glance

AlternativeTypeWhere it runsWorks on
AFFiNEFreeHosted or self-hostedWeb, Mac, Windows, Linux, iPhone, Android, Your server
AppFlowyOpen sourceHosted or self-hostedWeb, Mac, Windows, Linux, iPhone, Android, Your server
SiYuanOpen sourceHosted or self-hostedMac, Windows, Linux, Android, Your server, Browser extension

02Each alternative, in detail

AFFiNEFree

Notion and Miro had one child, then let it keep files locally.

Versus paying: Its databases, automations, integrations, sharing and collaborative polish are less mature than Notion's.

Setup: Desktop or mobile installer, hosted signup, or Docker self-hosting

Watch for: None for the desktop app; self-hosting requires Docker, persistent storage, a domain and server administration

affine.pro →
AppFlowyOpen source

Notion, except the useful copy can live on your machine.

Versus paying: Its database formulas, integrations, automation, publishing and real-time collaboration are less mature than Notion's.

Setup: Desktop or mobile installer, hosted signup, or Docker self-hosting

Watch for: None for local use; self-hosting adds Docker, PostgreSQL, object storage, mail, HTTPS and backups

74,999 GitHub stars (checked Aug 6, 2026)

appflowy.com →
SiYuanOpen source

Blocks, databases and relations with local storage and considerably more exposed wiring.

Versus paying: It is much weaker for frictionless team collaboration, public sharing and polished relational databases than Notion.

Setup: Desktop or mobile package, or Docker

Watch for: The app installs cleanly, but built-in cloud sync is paid and generic sync-folder services are explicitly unsafe

45,647 GitHub stars (checked Aug 6, 2026)

b3log.org →

03Notion's own free plan

Free for individuals with unlimited blocks; 5 MB uploads and 7-day history.

04What you give up by leaving Notion

  • mature block editor
  • cross-device sync
  • permissions
  • database views
  • templates marketplace
  • integrations
  • AI workspace context

They pay for a shared workspace that nontechnical teammates can trust and understand.

05Questions

Is there a free alternative to Notion?

Yes. This page compares 3: AFFiNE, AppFlowy and SiYuan. 2 of them are open source, so you can run them yourself.

How much does Notion cost?

$12/mo on the Plus plan (monthly per seat), which is $144 a year. Free plan: Free for individuals with unlimited blocks; 5 MB uploads and 7-day history. Prices checked Aug 11, 2026.

What do you give up with a free alternative to Notion?

Most often: mature block editor, cross-device sync, permissions and database views. Each alternative on this page lists its own gap under “Versus paying.”

Can AI build me my own version of Notion?

Half-bot. A solo notes-and-database workspace is buildable, but Notion's block editor, permissions, sync, templates, AI, integrations, and collaboration take real product work.

Prices change; confirm on the vendor's site before you decide.