5 Open Source Alternatives To Notion

The best Project Management, Documentation, Notetaking, and CMS tools similar to Notion

Appflowy stands out as a leading open-source alternative to Notion. For those seeking different features or workflows, we've curated a comprehensive list of Notion alternatives, each offering unique strengths.

Notable mentions in the Notion alternative space include: Focalboard, Affine.pro, Outline, Zettlr.

The Notion ecosystem primarily consists of Project Management solutions, with additional options in Documentation, Notetaking. Explore these alternatives to discover tools that align with your specific Notion-related requirements, whether you're looking for enhanced features, different user experiences, or specialized functionalities.

Appflowy iconAppflowy

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Appflowy screenshot

AppFlowy is an open-source AI collaborative workspace designed to bring projects, wikis, and teams together seamlessly. As the best open-source alternative to Notion, AppFlowy ensures you can achieve more without losing control of your data.

  • AI-Powered Collaboration: Leverage AI to enhance team collaboration and productivity.
  • Project Management: Organize and manage projects effortlessly with intuitive tools.
  • Wiki Integration: Create and maintain wikis to centralize knowledge and information.
  • Data Control: Maintain full control over your data with open-source transparency.
  • Cross-Platform Support: Available on iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, and Linux.
  • Customizable Templates: Use and customize templates to fit your workflow needs.
  • Community and Support: Join the AppFlowy community on Discord, Reddit, and more for support and collaboration.

AppFlowy combines the power of AI with the flexibility of open-source software, making it an ideal solution for teams looking to enhance productivity and maintain control over their data.

Focalboard iconFocalboard

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Focalboard screenshot

Focalboard is an open source, self-hosted alternative to Trello, Notion, and Asana. It helps technical teams centralize, plan, and track all their work in one place, maintaining a single source of truth to keep everyone aligned and productive.

  • Kanban, Table, Gallery, and Calendar Views: Manage tasks in the way that suits you best, with multiple view options to organize and visualize your work.
  • Board Filters: Focus on the highest priority items and save an unlimited number of filtered views for quick access.
  • Real-Time Collaboration: Keep your team in sync with card comments, @mentions, and board permissions to share with the entire team or specific individuals.
  • Pre-Built Templates: Get started quickly with pre-built templates or create custom boards from scratch.
  • 100% Open Source: Access the source code on GitHub and contribute to the project. Join the Mattermost community to interact with other contributors and users.

Focalboard is designed to accelerate productivity and ensure that your teams stay aligned to complete tasks, reach milestones, and achieve their goals. With extensive documentation and a supportive community, Focalboard provides all the tools you need to make the most out of your project management efforts.

Affine.pro iconAffine.pro

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Affine.pro screenshot

AFFiNE is a revolutionary workspace platform that seamlessly integrates documents, whiteboards, and databases into a single, hyperfused environment. Designed to enhance productivity and foster creativity, AFFiNE empowers users to write, draw, and plan all in one place. This open-source project is trusted by a wide range of users, from next-gen startups to established organizations, ensuring a collaborative and efficient workflow. With AFFiNE, your creativity is never monotone; it’s dynamic and limitless. The platform leverages AI to assist in writing, drawing, and planning, making it an indispensable tool for modern teams and individuals alike.

  • Fully Merged Workspace: Combine documents, whiteboards, and databases into a single, cohesive platform.
  • Write: Build content like blocks, allowing your ideas to flow freely and enhance productivity.
  • Draw: Visualize your creativity with ease and collaborate with others seamlessly.
  • Plan and Track: Stay organized and on top of your workload, achieving more in less time.
  • AI Integration: Utilize AI to assist in writing, drawing, and planning, making tasks more efficient.
  • Open-Source: Built in public for trust and collaboration, ensuring transparency and community-driven development.
  • User-Centric Community: Engage with a vibrant community, get support, and contribute to the platform’s evolution.

AFFiNE is an excellent choice for anyone looking to consolidate their workflow into a single platform. Its unique combination of features makes it a versatile tool for various tasks, from brainstorming ideas on a whiteboard to writing detailed documents and managing databases. The integration of AI further enhances its capabilities, providing intelligent assistance to boost productivity. The open-source nature of AFFiNE ensures that it remains a trustworthy and evolving platform, driven by its user community. Whether you are part of a startup or an established organization, AFFiNE offers the tools you need to get more things done, all while keeping your creativity at the forefront.

Outline iconOutline

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Outline screenshot

Outline is a powerful, open-source knowledge base designed to help teams organize their information efficiently. With its beautiful interface and blazing fast performance, Outline ensures that your team can collaborate in real-time without any hassle. It supports markdown, making document editing intuitive and enjoyable. Outline integrates seamlessly with tools like Slack, Figma, and Loom, ensuring that your workflow remains uninterrupted. Plus, it offers robust security features and customizable options to fit your brand's needs.

  • Intuitive editing experience: A fast editor with markdown support, slash commands, and interactive embeds.
  • Real-time collaboration: Collaborate on documents in real-time with comments and threads to keep conversations organized.
  • Powerful search and question answering: Instantly search across your workspace and get direct AI answers to your questions.
  • Slack integration: Search, share, and ask questions from your documents without leaving chat. Get notifications when documents are updated.
  • Public sharing: Share documents publicly or privately with your team, using your own brand colors, logos, and domain.
  • Blazing fast: Documents load instantly, search is speedy, and navigating the UI is snappy.
  • Dark mode: A beautiful dark mode that's easy on the eyes for night owls.
  • Security & permissions: Manage read & write permissions, user groups, guest users, and public sharing.
  • 20+ Integrations: Integrate with tools like Slack, Figma, Loom, and more. Open API available for custom integrations.
  • Multilingual support: Includes translations for 17 languages, including French, Spanish, German, Korean, and Chinese.
  • Open source: Source code is public, and development is done in the open. Host on your own infrastructure if preferred.
  • Customizable: Use custom domains and white label with your own brand and colors.

Outline is continuously updated with new features and fixes. Its public changelog keeps you informed about the latest developments. With Outline, your team can stay organized, collaborate effectively, and keep all knowledge easily accessible.

Zettlr iconZettlr

10,312
Zettlr screenshot

Zettlr is a powerful, open-source writing tool designed to streamline your writing process from the initial idea to the final publication. It is available for Windows, macOS, and Linux, offering a versatile platform for writers of all kinds, including bloggers, journalists, researchers, and authors. With a focus on privacy and user control, Zettlr ensures your notes and documents stay secure on your device without any forced cloud synchronization or hidden costs.

  • Privacy First: No forced cloud synchronization; all files stay on your computer.
  • First-class Citation Support: Integrates with reference managers like Zotero, JabRef, and Juris-M.
  • Versatile Exporting: Supports various export formats and templates for journals and conferences.
  • Integration: Easily integrates with tools like LanguageTool for grammar checking.
  • Customizable Interface: Allows tweaking every pixel of the app and supports custom CSS.
  • Automated Workflows: Includes a snippets system for quick insertion of boilerplate text.
  • Zettelkasten Support: Supports note IDs, internal links, related files, and a graph view for organizing knowledge.

Zettlr brings simplicity back to your writing by offering open-minded writing that adapts to your style, fast information retrieval, and versatile exporting options. Trusted by researchers and writers worldwide, Zettlr is your one-stop publication workbench.