Notion vs. AppFlowy
Side by side, with sources. Checked Oct 3, 2026.
Price
Free plan for individuals. Plus is US$10 and Business US$20 per member per month billed yearly (US$12 and US$24 monthly).from $10/user/monthSource: notion.com
Free app and a free AppFlowy Cloud plan (1 workspace, up to 2 members, 5 GB). Pro is US$10 per user per month billed annually (US$12.50 monthly).from $10/user/monthSource: appflowy.com
Pricing model
Paid plans · Free plan available
Free plan + paid · Free plan available
License
ProprietaryA proprietary hosted service and apps under Notion’s terms.
Open core · AGPL-3.0The desktop, phone and web apps are AGPL-3.0, but the current server (AppFlowy Cloud, hosted or self-hosted) is a closed-source commercial build.
Works on
- ✓ Windows
- ✓ Mac
- – Linux
- ✓ iPhone & iPad
- ✓ Android
- ✓ Web browser
- – Your own server
- ✓ Windows
- ✓ Mac
- ✓ Linux
- ✓ iPhone & iPad
- ✓ Android
- ✓ Web browser
- ✓ Your own server
Where your data lives
In Notion’s cloud; Notion says it uses AWS and Cloudflare for its infrastructure.
On AppFlowy Cloud (run by the AppFlowy team on AWS) or on your own server if you self-host.
Getting started
—
Difficulty: Easy Official installers, app-store apps and a free hosted plan; only self-hosting needs a server and Docker.
Our take
One of the closest open-source apps to Notion in look and feel. Note that its server is no longer open source.
Best for
Small teams leaving Notion
Teams who want pages, databases and boards on a free or low-cost plan.
Check first
Server licence and sync
Self-hosting now uses a closed-source commercial build that is free for one user.