Notion AlternativesOnly apps categorised as Note-taking Tools

The best Note-taking alternative to Notion is Obsidian, which is free. If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 100 alternatives to Notion and loads of them are Note-taking Tools so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting Note-taking Tool alternatives to Notion are Joplin, Anytype, Logseq and Notesnook.

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Most Notion alternatives are Note-taking Tools, but you can also narrow the list to Task Management Tools or Todo List Managers. Other popular filters are Windows, Mac, Open Source, iPad and Self-Hosted. You can also filter for EU-based alternatives if you prefer software from the European Union.

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Notion alternatives page was last updated Oct 7, 2026

Official Partner
PrivacyNotes
Freemium
Open Source (AGPL-3.0)
Workspace with end-to-end encryption, zero-knowledge security, rich notes, private journal, encrypted file storage, password management, cross-platform browser access, open-source cryptography, optional Pro features, and no recurring subscription fees.
- Mac
- Windows
- Linux
- Online
- Android
- iPhone
- Android Tablet
- iPad
- Obtainium
- United States
More about PrivacyNotes Visit website
Obsidian
1275 likes
Privacy-oriented note-taking app for non-linear thinking, blending knowledge graph creation with wiki-style linking. Supports Markdown, end-to-end encryption, and plugins for customization. Offers distraction-free mode, tags, themes, syntax highlighting, and operates offline without tracking.
399 Obsidian alternatives
Cost / License
Freemium
Proprietary
Application typeApplication types
Note-taking
Todo List Manager
Origin
Canada
Platforms
Mac
Windows
Linux
Android
iPhone
Android Tablet
iPad
Snapcraft
Microsoft Edge
Google Chrome
Flathub
Safari
AppImage
Mozilla Firefox
Canada
+6
Good alternative?Is Obsidian a good alternative to Notion?

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13comments
Obsidian vs Notion Comments
Top Positive Comment by Duplicake · Nov 17, 2024
Just an amazing free note-taking app where you own your data. The only issue is it's not open source.
Positive comment by NickQuason · Sep 26, 2026
It's perfect in every way except the ability to publish and share online as a webpage.
Positive comment by Daniel Calvo · Jun 19, 2026
I like Obsidian better than Notion cause of the privacy
3 of 13 comments
Obsidian is Freemium and ProprietaryNotion is also Freemium and Proprietary
Obsidian is Privacy focusedNotion is not according to our users
Joplin
957 likes
Open source app for managing notes and to-dos with Markdown support. Syncs seamlessly across devices using services like Dropbox and OneDrive. Offers end-to-end encrypted synchronicity, offline access, rich import/export options, and a Web Clipper for browsers.
260 Joplin alternatives
Cost / License
Freemium
Open Source (AGPL-3.0)
Application typeApplication types
Note-taking
Todo List Manager
Origin
France
EU
Platforms
Mac
Windows
Linux
Online
Android
iPhone
Android Tablet
iPad
Self-Hosted
AppImageHub
Snapcraft
Google Chrome
Flathub
PortableApps.com
F-Droid
Cloudron
Homebrew
Chocolatey
Termux
Mozilla Firefox
France
EU
+7
Good alternative?Is Joplin a good alternative to Notion?

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3comments
Joplin vs Notion Comments
Negative comment by Johxz · Jul 26, 2020
Oh come on who added Joplin as alternative to Notion? haha :D Joplin is very far behind what Notion offers. Joplin don't have a tree organization structure, don't have nodes, blocks, properties, custom properties, todo, list, tasks, wiki, calendar, node links, templates, icons, etc. Joplin is just a simple note taken app nothing more. Notion allow you all I mention, you can plan track your projects, life and more.
Positive comment by Guest · Apr 13, 2019
If the devs will keep developing this app it could be the biggest competitor for Evernote.
Negative comment by martinzeman · Oct 1, 2020
Notion is not just a note taking app, it's also a database mananger, Joplin does not come close.
3 of 3 comments
Joplin is Freemium and Open SourceNotion is Freemium and Proprietary
Joplin is Privacy focused, Lightweight, Minimalistic and DecentralizedNotion is not according to our users
Anytype
319 likes
Manage notes, tasks, and projects offline with Markdown support. Enjoy encrypted storage, P2P syncing, and powerful dynamic collections across all devices, while allowing redistribution and modification for non-commercial uses.
266 Anytype alternatives
Cost / License
Freemium
Source Available
Application typeApplication types
Note-taking
Todo List Manager
Origin
Switzerland
Platforms
Mac
Windows
Linux
Android
iPhone
Android Tablet
iPad
Self-Hosted
Google Chrome
Flathub
Flatpak
Docker
Switzerland
+6
Good alternative?Is Anytype a good alternative to Notion?

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13comments
Anytype vs Notion Comments
Top Positive Comment by t_me · Jan 20, 2024
Anytype has many advantages, but two are fundamentally important to me: 1) Anytype is privacy focused (only you can access your data), 2) Anytype is blazing fast and the workflow is uninterrupted. However, Anytype is still in open beta and lacks Notion's database relations and rollups. But they are on the roadmap and the devs are very active and responding to the communities needs. I have moved my second brain to Anytype and do not regret it.
Positive comment by Mutant · Feb 9, 2025
Anytype vs notion, notion wins. Anytype vs obsidian, anytype wins
Positive comment by suvi967 · Nov 19, 2024
I love it as a note-taking app. At first, it was a little confusing, but I really like it. My only problem with it, is a bit about the design of the notes, I wish I could change the size and make zoom.
3 of 13 comments
Anytype is Freemium and Source AvailableNotion is Freemium and Proprietary
Anytype is Privacy focused, Decentralized and LightweightNotion is not according to our users
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Logseq
359 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.
286 Logseq alternatives
Cost / License
Free
Open Source (AGPL-3.0)
Application typeApplication types
Note-taking
Task Management
Origin
United States
Platforms
Mac
Windows
Linux
Android
iPhone
iPad
Self-Hosted
Flathub
F-Droid
United States
Good alternative?Is Logseq a good alternative to Notion?

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2comments
Logseq vs Notion Comments
Positive comment by isTrick · Dec 7, 2023
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.
Positive comment by AbdulrhmanFawzy · Feb 26, 2026
Logseq is fully open source, free, privacy-focused and local-first compared to Notion, it's also more customizable
2 of 2 comments
Logseq is Free and Open SourceNotion is Freemium and Proprietary
Logseq is Privacy focused, Decentralized and LightweightNotion is not according to our users
Notesnook
229 likes
Offers open-source, end-to-end encrypted notes with device-based privacy, cross-platform support, private vault, secure sync, offline access, markdown editor, exports to multiple formats, automatic backups, organizational tools, and strong encryption.
416 Notesnook alternatives
Cost / License
Freemium
Open Source (GPL-3.0)
Application typeApplication types
Note-taking
Task Management
Origin
Pakistan
Platforms
Mac
Windows
Linux
Online
Android
iPhone
Android Tablet
iPad
Google Chrome
Flathub
F-Droid
Software as a Service (SaaS)
Flatpak
Self-Hosted
Pakistan
+6
Good alternative?Is Notesnook a good alternative to Notion?

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1comment
Notesnook vs Notion Comments
Positive comment by Paul · Sep 16, 2023
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!
1 of 1 comments
Notesnook is Freemium and Open SourceNotion is Freemium and Proprietary
Notesnook is Privacy focused and LightweightNotion is not according to our users
Standard Notes
710 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.
242 Standard Notes alternatives
Cost / License
Freemium
Open Source (AGPL-3.0)
Application typeApplication types
Note-taking
Todo List Manager
Origin
United States
Platforms
Mac
Windows
Linux
Online
Android
iPhone
Chrome OS
Android Tablet
iPad
Self-Hosted
F-Droid
OpenAPK
United States
+1
Good alternative?Is Standard Notes a good alternative to Notion?

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2comments
Standard Notes vs Notion Comments
Negative comment by LordMax · May 7, 2021
It's a really good note app but not similar to notion
Positive comment by Mario Mazzoli · Jul 31, 2022
Good for notes, fantastic for spreadsheets, but Notion is still superior for table content.
2 of 2 comments
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
AppFlowy
217 likes
Open-source workspace offering complete data control, deep customization via themes, plugins, and templates, native multi-platform support using Flutter and Rust, offline access, privacy features, collaborative tools, and easy extensibility for all users.
171 AppFlowy alternatives
Cost / License
Freemium
Open Source (AGPL-3.0)
Application typeApplication types
Note-taking
Todo List Manager
Origin
Singapore
Platforms
Mac
Windows
Linux
Android
iPhone
Self-Hosted
Snapcraft
Rust
Flathub
Singapore
+2
Good alternative?Is AppFlowy a good alternative to Notion?

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9comments
AppFlowy vs Notion Comments
Top Positive Comment by Baptiste THIVEND · Sep 5, 2023
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 by Guest · May 10, 2022
It's still in development. Only functions to take notes at this time.
Positive comment by dataculi · Oct 7, 2026
Has kanban boards, notes, calendars, spreadsheets, etc
3 of 9 comments
AppFlowy is Freemium and Open SourceNotion is Freemium and Proprietary
AppFlowy is Privacy focused and LightweightNotion is not according to our users
Microsoft OneNote
1150 likes
Comprehensive digital notebook offering organizers, shared notes, multi-device syncing, and optical character recognition, plus cloud-based data management for efficient information handling and accessibility.
266 Microsoft OneNote alternatives
Cost / License
Freemium
Proprietary
Application typeApplication types
Note-taking
Todo List Manager
Origin
United States
Platforms
Mac
Windows
Online
Android
iPhone
Chrome OS
Windows Phone
iPad
Apple Watch
Android Wear
Kindle Fire
United States
+4
Good alternative?Is Microsoft OneNote a good alternative to Notion?

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2comments
Microsoft OneNote vs Notion Comments
Positive comment by Azazel · May 27, 2025
More ways to control how note text appears, allowing you to maximize contrast and readability. In Notion you're locked in to just a few washed out swatches. And in Onenote you can change the font-face to any of those installed on your device. Never thought these features would be a luxury before trying Notion and not finding them there.
Positive comment by Wesley Jensen · Nov 6, 2024
Not as effortless as a wiki as Notion. More notes focused, with good drawing features. Powerful as a desktop app.
2 of 2 comments
Microsoft OneNote is Freemium and ProprietaryNotion is also Freemium and Proprietary
Simplenote
614 likes
Cloud-based, open-source note-taking app supporting plain text notes, lists, and ideas with real-time sync, multi-device support, version history, markdown, tagging, collaborative editing, no ads, and free registration required for all cloud features.
208 Simplenote alternatives
Cost / License
Free
Open Source (GPL-2.0)
Application typeApplication types
Note-taking
Todo List Manager
Origin
United States
Alerts
Discontinued
Platforms
Mac
Windows
Linux
Online
Android
iPhone
Android Tablet
iPad
United States
+3
Good alternative?Is Simplenote a good alternative to Notion?

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3comments
Discontinued
Automattic ends Simplenote active development, only basic maintenance continues
Simplenote vs Notion Comments
Negative comment by Serely Lalla · Oct 23, 2019
Notion is wiki-styled, you can make databases, custom templates, making tables. Simple notes is just a plain notebook software.
Negative comment by Wesley Jensen · Nov 6, 2024
Simplenote is, well, much simpler and note-focused.
Negative comment by martinzeman · Oct 1, 2020
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.
3 of 3 comments
Simplenote is Free and Open SourceNotion is Freemium and Proprietary
Simplenote is Lightweight and MinimalisticNotion is not according to our users
AFFiNE
130 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.
233 AFFiNE alternatives
Cost / License
Freemium
Open Source (MIT)
Application typeApplication types
Note-taking
Todo List Manager
Origin
Singapore
Platforms
Mac
Windows
Linux
Online
Android
iPhone
Self-Hosted
Singapore
+3
Good alternative?Is AFFiNE a good alternative to Notion?

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2comments
AFFiNE vs Notion Comments
Positive comment by adri66 · Dec 3, 2025
Notion like but open source
Positive comment by sergey27564 · Feb 8, 2024
The whiteboard functional is great and helps to manage tasks and projects better
2 of 2 comments
AFFiNE is Freemium and Open SourceNotion is Freemium and Proprietary
AFFiNE is Privacy focused and LightweightNotion is not according to our users
Zim
523 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"...
368 Zim alternatives
Cost / License
Free
Open Source (GPL-2.0)
Application typeApplication types
Note-taking
Task Management
Origin
Netherlands
EU
Platforms
Mac
Windows
Linux
BSD
Flathub
Flatpak
Netherlands
EU
+2
Good alternative?Is Zim a good alternative to Notion?

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2comments
Zim vs Notion Comments
Comment by Wesley Jensen · Oct 29, 2024
Good concept, but limited by the lack of a mobile app.
Positive comment by LordMax · May 7, 2021
really good but only for linux, in windows it's too limited
2 of 2 comments
Zim is Free and Open SourceNotion is Freemium and Proprietary
Zim is Lightweight and Privacy focusedNotion is not according to our users
Todoist
453 likes
Organizes tasks efficiently with quick add scheduling, 60+ tool integrations, advanced language recognition for recurring tasks, and platform compatibility. It offers project templates, visual task priorities, and personalized productivity insights.
385 Todoist alternatives
Cost / License
Freemium
Proprietary
Application typeApplication types
Todo List Manager
Task Management
Origin
United States
Platforms
Mac
Windows
Linux
Online
Android
iPhone
Chrome OS
Android Tablet
iPad
AppImageHub
Apple Watch
Snapcraft
Google Chrome
Flathub
Microsoft Outlook
Android Wear
Safari
Gmail
Mozilla Firefox
United States
+4
Good alternative?Is Todoist a good alternative to Notion?

12 of 250 Notion alternatives

Notion AlternativesOnly apps categorised as Note-taking Tools

Alternatives list

PrivacyNotes

Obsidian

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Joplin

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Anytype

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Logseq

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Logseq vs Notion Comments

Notesnook

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Standard Notes

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Standard Notes vs Notion Comments

AppFlowy

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Microsoft OneNote

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Microsoft OneNote vs Notion Comments

Simplenote

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Alerts

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Simplenote vs Notion Comments

AFFiNE

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AFFiNE vs Notion Comments

Zim

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Todoist

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