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Self-Hosted·8 min read·Updated 18 Sept 2026

Open-Source Alternatives to Notion in 2026: AFFiNE, AppFlowy, Docmost and More

Quick answer
The best open-source Notion alternatives in 2026 are AFFiNE and AppFlowy for the closest all-in-one experience, SiYuan and Logseq for local-first personal notes, and Docmost for a self-hosted team wiki. Outline is popular for team wikis too, but it is source-available under the Business Source License, not open source.

Open-source and self-hosted Notion alternatives compared: AFFiNE, AppFlowy, SiYuan, Logseq, Docmost and Outline — licences, offline support, and which suits a solo user or a team.

Piyush Jangir
Verified author

Founder of StackPicks. Self-taught builder shipping open-source dev tools, marketing, and curator content since 2019. Based in Mumbai, India. Available on GitHub and LinkedIn.

8 min read
Open-Source Alternatives to Notion in 2026: AFFiNE, AppFlowy, Docmost and More

Short version: for the closest Notion experience, try AFFiNE or AppFlowy. For private, local-first notes, SiYuan or Logseq. For a self-hosted team wiki, Docmost. Stars and licences below come from the GitHub API on 18 September 2026, which is also how we can say plainly that Outline, often listed as open source, is not.

Open-source Notion alternatives by GitHub stars

All-in-one workspaces

**AppFlowy** (about 77,000 stars, AGPL-3.0) covers documents, databases and boards in one workspace, and runs locally or self-hosted.

**AFFiNE** (about 73,000) combines documents, databases and a whiteboard canvas. Local-first, with a self-hosting option.

Local-first personal notes

**SiYuan** (about 46,000, AGPL-3.0) is block-based and local-first, with strong outlining and linking.

**Logseq** (about 45,000, AGPL-3.0) is an outliner built on daily notes and backlinks, stored as plain files you own.

Team wikis

**Docmost** (about 22,000, AGPL-3.0) is an open-source, self-hosted wiki with real-time collaboration, a clean fit for team documentation.

**Outline** (about 41,000) is a polished team wiki, but it is licensed under the Business Source License 1.1: public and self-hostable, not open source.

Anytype is another popular local-first option, but its code is published under its own source-available licence, so check it against your requirements.

Which Notion alternative for which use

Moving off Notion

  1. Export everything first.

- Notion's Markdown and HTML export keeps page text and structure.

  1. Test with real pages.

- Databases, relations and formulas rarely import cleanly.

  1. Move in stages.

- Start with docs, rebuild databases last.

  1. Set up backups on day one.

- Self-hosted means your backups are the only safety net.

Run it alongside the rest of your stack: our self-hosted productivity guide covers hosting several of these on one small server.

Related reading

Frequently asked questions

What is the closest open-source alternative to Notion?+

AFFiNE and AppFlowy come closest to Notion's blocks, pages and databases in one app. AFFiNE also merges documents with a whiteboard canvas; AppFlowy focuses on the document-and-database workspace and is licensed AGPL-3.0. Both can be used locally or self-hosted. Neither matches Notion's integration catalogue, so check the specific features and imports you rely on before moving a team.

Can I import my Notion workspace into these tools?+

Partly. Several of these tools import Notion's Markdown or HTML export, which moves page text and structure. Databases, relations, formulas and embeds rarely survive intact, so expect to rebuild the most complex parts by hand. Export a copy of your Notion workspace first, test the import on a few representative pages, and move in stages rather than all at once.

Is Outline open source?+

No. Outline's repository is licensed under the Business Source License 1.1, which makes the code public and self-hostable but restricts certain commercial uses, such as offering it as a competing hosted service. That is fine for most internal team wikis, but it is source-available rather than open source, which matters if your organisation has a policy requiring OSI-approved licences.

Which Notion alternative works fully offline?+

SiYuan and Logseq are local-first: your notes live as files on your device and sync is optional. AFFiNE and AppFlowy also work locally without an account. Local-first tools are the safest choice if you care about owning your data, because the app keeps working even if the company behind it changes direction.

What should a small team self-host instead of Notion?+

For a team wiki and documentation, Docmost is a straightforward open-source, self-hosted choice under AGPL-3.0. If the team also needs databases and task boards in the same tool, AppFlowy or AFFiNE fit better. Whichever you choose, set up automated backups on day one: a self-hosted knowledge base is only as safe as its most recent backup.

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Open-Source Alternatives to Notion in 2026: AFFiNE, AppFlowy, Docmost and More — StackPicks — StackPicks