os-alt

self-host the SaaS you're paying for

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AFFiNE vs AppFlowy

Self-host pick — both replace Notion (Notes / wiki / docs).

Both AFFiNE and AppFlowy self-host as a replacement for Notion (Notes / wiki / docs). Pick AFFiNE if you want the lighter footprint — 20min docker-compose, $5-10 vps for a small team; single postgres + the affine server image. Pick AppFlowy if you need users who specifically want the Notion block model (toggles, callouts, kanban) — 30min docker-compose (AppFlowy Cloud) and $10 vps for a small team; appflowy cloud stack is heavier (postgres + redis + minio + ai worker).

AFFiNEopen-sourceAppFlowyopen-source
LicenseMITAGPL-3.0
Setup time20min docker-compose30min docker-compose (AppFlowy Cloud)
Monthly cost$5-10 VPS for a small team; single Postgres + the AFFiNE server image.$10 VPS for a small team; AppFlowy Cloud stack is heavier (Postgres + Redis + MinIO + AI worker).
GitHubtoeverything/AFFiNE ★ 68.4k · last commit todayaliveAppFlowy-IO/AppFlowy ★ 70.4k · last commit 8w agoalive
ReplacesNotionNotion

Good fit for

AFFiNE

Users who want pages + a whiteboard surface in one tool.

Weak at:Bulk team admin (SSO, audit logs) is thinner than Outline.

AppFlowy

Users who specifically want the Notion block model (toggles, callouts, kanban).

Weak at:Multi-user permissions are still maturing vs Outline.

In a terminal? npx -y github:SolvoHQ/os-alt-cli notion prints Notion's self-host options including both — how the CLI works →

FAQ

Which is easier to self-host, AFFiNE or AppFlowy?

AFFiNE: 20min docker-compose. AppFlowy: 30min docker-compose (AppFlowy Cloud).

What does each cost to run?

AFFiNE: $5-10 VPS for a small team; single Postgres + the AFFiNE server image.. AppFlowy: $10 VPS for a small team; AppFlowy Cloud stack is heavier (Postgres + Redis + MinIO + AI worker).. Both projects are free and open source.

Do AFFiNE and AppFlowy replace the same SaaS?

Yes — both are open-source alternatives to Notion.