The Decision Framework
Choosing the best Notion alternative self hosted is not a feature checklist problem. It is a fit problem: what kind of work your team does every day, how much operational overhead you can tolerate, and where migration risk is acceptable.
Here is the fast decision snapshot first:
| Tool | Best For | Not For | Budget Tier | Complexity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AppFlowy | Ops-heavy teams needing docs + databases + practical integrations | Teams wanting a design-first whiteboard workspace above all else | Free self-host core, then paid cloud tiers and AI add-ons | Medium |
| AFFiNE | Product/design teams needing docs + whiteboard in one native flow | Teams that need broad, proven external integrations on day one | Free local/FOSS baseline, low per-seat paid tiers | Medium to High |
Fact: both support self-hosted deployment paths and position themselves as Notion alternatives.
Interpretation: AppFlowy is currently the lower-risk default for most mixed-function teams; AFFiNE is stronger when visual thinking is the center of your workflow.
Step 1: Define Your Primary Use Case
Start here before comparing buttons and menus.
-
Internal wiki + process docs for 10-80 people: pick AppFlowy first.
It combines structured docs/databases with clearer operational guidance for self-host deployment and team scaling paths. -
Product planning where docs and whiteboard are equally critical: pick AFFiNE first.
Its docs + edgeless canvas model is a meaningful workflow advantage, not a cosmetic one. -
Privacy-first startup replacing Notion with gradual rollout: pick AppFlowy.
You can start local/self-hosted, then selectively add cloud or AI capabilities when needed. -
Creative team that collaborates visually and iterates rapidly: pick AFFiNE.
The merged writing/drawing/planning model reduces context switching for that team shape.
The practical point: if your team writes more than it sketches, AppFlowy usually wins. If your team sketches to think, AFFiNE often wins.
Step 2: Compare Key Features
Use this in the required order: Use case fit → Workflow depth → Collaboration model → Automation/integrations → Pricing reality.
| Area | AppFlowy | AFFiNE | What It Means in Practice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Use case fit | Explicitly positions as open-source Notion alternative for projects, wikis, teams | Positions as Notion + Miro style “KnowledgeOS” with docs + whiteboard | AppFlowy maps better to ops/wiki migration; AFFiNE maps better to hybrid doc-canvas teams |
| Workflow depth | Strong block editor + database views + workspace structure | Hyperfused docs, edgeless canvas, database, journal model | AFFiNE has broader creative surface; AppFlowy is simpler to operationalize for standard knowledge workflows |
| Collaboration model | Real-time collaboration available; cloud/self-hosted sign-in paths documented | Teamhub emphasizes cloud/self-hosted parity and team collaboration | Both can support team collaboration; rollout friction will depend more on your infra readiness than UI |
| Automation/integrations | Publicly announced Zapier integration and REST API path | Collaboration-focused product messaging; fewer explicit third-party automation signals on pricing surface | If external workflow automation matters now, AppFlowy has clearer near-term leverage |
| Pricing reality | Free self-host core; cloud plans and AI add-ons are clearly itemized | Free local/FOSS entry; low-cost paid tiers; self-host offered with per-user model language | AFFiNE may look cheaper for small paid teams; AppFlowy has clearer enterprise-operational packaging |
| Licensing posture | AGPL-3.0 (repo) | MIT for Community Edition (repo text) | AFFiNE CE can be friendlier for some internal customization patterns; AppFlowy’s AGPL needs legal review for distribution edge cases |
| Maturity signal (public repo) | ~67k stars, 120 releases listed, latest release Dec 5, 2025 | ~62.6k stars shown | Both have serious traction; AppFlowy currently shows slightly stronger release cadence signal in surfaced data |
Tradeoff summary:
- AppFlowy tradeoff: less “whiteboard-native” creativity than AFFiNE.
- AFFiNE tradeoff: potentially more ambiguity around self-hosted packaging details and ops expectations.
Risk summary:
- AppFlowy risk: AI and advanced capabilities can push effective cost up fast if broadly enabled.
- AFFiNE risk: teams needing deep external automations may face integration work sooner.
Step 3: Check Pricing Fit
Pricing is where many teams make the wrong call because they compare headline numbers, not usage limits.
Date checked: February 17, 2026 (official pages linked below).
| Use Case | AppFlowy Pricing Fit | AFFiNE Pricing Fit | Practical Budget Read |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solo or tiny team piloting self-host | Free tier exists; cloud free includes limited members/storage; self-host path available | Local FOSS + Cloud Basic is free; includes 10GB cloud and small team limits | Both are low-friction to start; AFFiNE’s free entry is generous for individual experimentation |
| Small team (5-10) with collaboration | Pro listed at $10/user/mo billed annually ($12.5 monthly equivalent) | Pro listed at $6.75/mo billed annually, up to 10 members/workspace | AFFiNE is cheaper on sticker price for this band |
| Growing team (10+) | Pro and workspace member limits require plan discipline; AI add-ons separate | Team listed at $10/seat/mo with storage expansion per seat | Costs converge around this size; infra effort and feature fit decide outcome more than seat price |
| AI-heavy usage | AI MAX add-on listed at $8/user/mo, plus vault option | AFFiNE AI add-on listed at $8.9/mo billed annually | AI pricing is comparable; evaluate model quality and governance, not just price |
Important assumption to state clearly: AFFiNE team pages indicate cloud and self-hosted share feature sets with per-user pricing language. If you need contract-level certainty for self-hosted billing mechanics, confirm with sales before committing procurement.
Sources (official, checked 2026-02-17):
- AppFlowy pricing: https://appflowy.com/pricing
- AppFlowy self-host deployment: https://docs.appflowy.io/docs/documentation/appflowy-cloud/deployment
- AppFlowy self-host guide: https://docs.appflowy.io/docs/guides/appflowy/self-hosting-appflowy
- AppFlowy Zapier announcement: https://appflowy.com/blog/appflowy-is-now-on-zapier
- AppFlowy GitHub (license/releases): https://github.com/AppFlowy-IO/AppFlowy
- AFFiNE pricing: https://affine.pro/pricing
- AFFiNE Teamhub (cloud vs self-host language): https://affine.pro/teamhub
- AFFiNE GitHub (license/traction): https://github.com/toeverything/AFFiNE
- Outline pricing (context benchmark): https://www.getoutline.com/pricing
Step 4: Make Your Pick
Use this direct decision logic.
If your team is cross-functional, process-heavy, and needs predictable operations, choose AppFlowy.
Tradeoff: less canvas-native ideation flow than AFFiNE.
Risk: paid AI and higher-tier usage can increase total cost faster than expected.
If your team’s core work is concepting, mapping, and visual collaboration with docs attached, choose AFFiNE.
Tradeoff: you may need more tooling work for advanced external automation.
Risk: self-hosted commercial packaging details may require extra pre-purchase validation.
If you are a 5-10 person startup with strict budget and whiteboard-heavy rituals, choose AFFiNE.
If you are a 20-100 person team replacing fragmented docs/process systems, choose AppFlowy.
Quick Reference Card
| 30-Second Check | Choose AppFlowy | Choose AFFiNE |
|---|---|---|
| Primary workflow | Docs + databases + ops execution | Docs + whiteboard + creative planning |
| Integration urgency | Need practical automation now | Can tolerate lighter integration surface initially |
| Pricing shape | Competitive, but AI add-ons can stack | Very strong small-team paid pricing |
| Self-host confidence | Clear deployment guidance surfaced | Strong self-host narrative, verify contract details |
| Best-fit team | Operations, support, product ops, knowledge hubs | Product design, research, innovation squads |
Bottom line: For the majority of self-hosted Notion replacement projects in 2026, AppFlowy is the safer default pick. Choose AFFiNE when visual-first collaboration is your non-negotiable constraint.