The Best Open Source Notion AlternativesTop Note-taking Tools & Todo List Managers like Notion

The best open source alternative to Notion is AppFlowy. If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 100 alternatives to Notion and loads of them is open source so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting open source alternatives to Notion are Logseq, Standard Notes, Notesnook and Zim.

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Notion alternatives are mainly Note-taking Tools, but if you're looking for Todo List Managers or Task Management Tools you can filter on that. Other popular filters include Windows, Mac, Open Source, iPad, Self-Hosted, Linux and EU. You can also filter by region, for example EU-based alternatives if you prefer software developed in the European Union. These are just examples - use the filter bar below to find more specific alternatives to Notion.
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Alternatives list

  1. AppFlowy icon

    AppFlowy

     183 likes

    AppFlowy is an open source alternative to Notion. You are in charge of your data and customizations.

    88 AppFlowy alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium (Subscription)
    • Open Source (AGPL-3.0)

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Self-Hosted
    • Snapcraft
    • Rust
    • Flathub
    AppFlowy screenshot 1
     
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    8
    41
    Comments about AppFlowy as an Alternative to Notion
    Top Positive Comment
    Baptiste THIVEND
    1

    Simple to install and efficient. In heavy development, as of Q3 2023 there's still for improvement to reach all Notion's possibility, however at the rythm of a release every month, it should be rapidly do the job for a small team.

    Top Negative Comment
    Guest
    1

    It's still in development. Only functions to take notes at this time.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Christoph
    0

    It has that Notion feel (blocks, collaborative real-time editing etc.) but some functions still need more debugging. Publishing pages is blocked for some users, you have to contact support and support is not responsive. However, it is under steady development and looks promising.

    3 of 8 comments
    Notion Icon
    AppFlowy icon

    • Almost everyone thinks AppFlowy is a great Notion alternative.

    • AppFlowy is the most popular Self-Hosted alternative to Notion.

    • AppFlowy is the most popular Open Source alternative to Notion.

    • AppFlowy is Freemium and Open SourceNotion is Freemium and Proprietary
    • AppFlowy is Privacy focused and LightweightNotion is not according to our users
  2. Logseq icon

    Logseq

     317 likes

    Local-first, privacy-focused notebook supporting Markdown and Emacs Org mode. Offers offline use, encrypted backups, plugin extensibility, LaTeX support, real-time collaboration, and hierarchical organization for personal knowledge management.

    166 Logseq alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • F-Droid
    • Flathub
    Logseq screenshot 1
     
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    1
    22
    Comments about Logseq as an Alternative to Notion
    isTrick
    Positive
    6

    Logseq have some good knowledge management tools out of the box, like graph view, flashcards, whiteboards, etc. It's open-source and privacy focused. But for project management isn't the best alternative.

    Notion Icon
    Logseq icon

    • Almost everyone thinks Logseq is a great Notion alternative.

    • Logseq is the most popular Web-based alternative to Notion.

    • Logseq is Free and Open SourceNotion is Freemium and Proprietary
    • Logseq is Privacy focused and LightweightNotion is not according to our users
  4. Standard Notes icon

    Standard Notes

     683 likes

    Secure note-taking app with end-to-end encryption, unlimited syncing across all platforms, offline access, detailed organization through tags, strong passcode and biometric protections, and premium features like encrypted files, themes, web clipper, super note types, and hardware key support.

    121 Standard Notes alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium (Subscription)
    • Open Source (AGPL-3.0)

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Chrome OS
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • F-Droid
    Standard Notes homepage.
     
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    2
    16
    Comments about Standard Notes as an Alternative to Notion
    LordMax
    Negative
    12

    It's a really good note app but not similar to notion

    Mario Mazzoli
    Positive
    3

    Good for notes, fantastic for spreadsheets, but Notion is still superior for table content.

    Notion Icon
    Standard Notes icon

    • Most users think Standard Notes is a great Notion alternative.

    • Standard Notes is Freemium and Open SourceNotion is Freemium and Proprietary
    • Standard Notes is Privacy focused, Minimalistic and Security-focusedNotion is not according to our users
  5. Notesnook icon

    Notesnook

     174 likes

    Notesnook is a simple and cross-platform private notes app that keeps your notes organized and synced on your phone, tablet and computer. Take notes, capture ideas, create to-do lists, keep a journal, write your assignments and manage projects, we have got you covered.

    296 Notesnook alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium (Subscription)
    • Open Source (GPL-3.0)

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Google Chrome
    • Flathub
    • F-Droid
    • Software as a Service (SaaS)
    • Flatpak
    Notesnook screenshot 1
     
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    1
    8
    Comments about Notesnook as an Alternative to Notion
    Paul
    Positive
    1

    Open source and private alternative to Notion. The notes are end to end encrypted, it supports all platform, and the pricing options are not excessive. Great software!

    Notion Icon
    Notesnook icon

    • Almost everyone thinks Notesnook is a great Notion alternative.

    • Notesnook is the most popular SaaS alternative to Notion.

    • Notesnook is Freemium and Open SourceNotion is Freemium and Proprietary
    • Notesnook is Privacy focused and LightweightNotion is not according to our users
  6. Zim icon

    Zim

     511 likes

    Zim brings the concept of a wiki to your desktop. Store information, link pages and edit with WYSISYG markup or directly typing some lightweight markup syntax and see it previewed as-you-type. Creating a new page is easy by either clicking on the "Create new note"...

    317 Zim alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • Flathub
    • Flatpak
    Zim screenshot 1
     
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    2
    13
    Comments about Zim as an Alternative to Notion
    Wesley Jensen
    0

    Good concept, but limited by the lack of a mobile app.

    LordMax
    Positive
    0

    really good but only for linux, in windows it's too limited

    Notion Icon
    Zim icon

    • Most users think Zim is a great Notion alternative.

    • Zim is Free and Open SourceNotion is Freemium and Proprietary
    • Zim is Lightweight and Privacy focusedNotion is not according to our users
  7. AFFiNE icon

    AFFiNE

     107 likes

    Open-source, privacy-focused workspace combining note-taking, project and task management, Kanban board, interactive whiteboard, Pomodoro timer, Markdown support, offline access, real-time team collaboration with @mentions, goal tracking, subtasks, and customizable features.

    134 AFFiNE alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium (Subscription)
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Self-Hosted
    AFFiNE screenshot 1
     
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    2
    13
    Comments about AFFiNE as an Alternative to Notion
    adri66
    Positive
    0

    Notion like but open source

    sergey27564
    Positive
    0

    The whiteboard functional is great and helps to manage tasks and projects better

    Notion Icon
    AFFiNE icon

    • Almost everyone thinks AFFiNE is a great Notion alternative.

    • AFFiNE is Freemium and Open SourceNotion is Freemium and Proprietary
    • AFFiNE is Privacy focused and LightweightNotion is not according to our users
  9. Simplenote icon

    Simplenote

     604 likes

    Made by the company behind WordPress, Simplenote enables users to take notes, lists, and ideas. These notes are stored on the cloud and are accessible across multiple devices.

    114 Simplenote alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    Simplenote screenshot 1
     
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    3
    7
    Comments about Simplenote as an Alternative to Notion
    Serely Lalla
    Negative
    14

    Notion is wiki-styled, you can make databases, custom templates, making tables. Simple notes is just a plain notebook software.

    Wesley Jensen
    Negative
    1

    Simplenote is, well, much simpler and note-focused.

    martinzeman
    Negative
    0

    Simplenote is a trivial note taking app with limited Markdown support that cannot compete with Notion's feature set by any stretch of the imagination.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Notion Icon
    Simplenote icon

    • This alternative is disputed. Simplenote is a legitimate Notion alternative, but it might have issues that some users think are important.

    • Simplenote is Free and Open SourceNotion is Freemium and Proprietary
    • Simplenote is Lightweight and MinimalisticNotion is not according to our users
  10. TiddlyWiki icon

    TiddlyWiki

     308 likes

    TiddlyWiki is a single html file with all the characteristics of a wiki - including all of the functionality (including editing, saving, tagging and searching) and the style sheet. Because its a single file, its very portable - you can email it, put it on a web server or share...

    178 TiddlyWiki alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • BSD
    • Self-Hosted
    • Xfce
    • RemoteStorage
    TiddlyWiki screenshot 1
     
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    20
  11. Trilium Notes icon

    Trilium Notes

     111 likes

    The original trilium is transfered to this repo by its owner and the app continues to develop here as stated here: https://github.com/TriliumNext/Trilium

    373 Trilium Notes alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Self-Hosted
    • Google Chrome
    • Cloudron
    • Mozilla Firefox
    Trilium Notes screenshot 1
     
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    8
  12. CherryTree icon

    CherryTree

     321 likes

    Hierarchical note-taking software that is free, open-source, cross-platform. Features include rich text, syntax highlighting, multi-level lists, embedded files, customizable interface, code execution, PDF export, spell check, images & tables, and comprehensive project management support.

    100 CherryTree alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Flathub
    • PortableApps.com
    • Flatpak
    CherryTree screenshot 1
     
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    3
    9
    Comments about CherryTree as an Alternative to Notion
    MaxRenn
    Negative
    5

    It's just a hierarchical note taking app. Not as powerful as Notion.

    Wesley Jensen
    0

    Very good notes app, but has no mobile app.

    LordMax
    Positive
    -1

    It's really good, free, portable etc The proble is the proprietary file system and it doens't work online

    Notion Icon
    CherryTree icon

    • Some users think CherryTree is a great Notion alternative, some don't.

    • CherryTree is Free and Open SourceNotion is Freemium and Proprietary
    • CherryTree is Privacy focusedNotion is not according to our users
  13. Cryptee icon

    Cryptee

     103 likes

    Cryptee is a safety and privacy focused, encrypted and cross-platform personal data storage service. You can write personal documents, notes, journals, store photos (including raw photos from DSLR cameras) and all sorts of other files.

    72 Cryptee alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium (Subscription)
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Online
    • Software as a Service (SaaS)
    Cryptee screenshot 1
     
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    9
  14. Docmost icon

    Docmost

     44 likes

    Docmost is an open-source collaborative wiki and documentation software. It is an open-source alternative to Confluence and Notion.

    91 Docmost alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Self-Hosted
    • Software as a Service (SaaS)
    • Docker
    Docmost screenshot 1
     

    • Docmost is the most popular commercial alternative to Notion.

    • Docmost is Paid and Open SourceNotion is Freemium and Proprietary
    • Docmost is Privacy focusedNotion is not according to our users
12 of 54 Notion alternatives