Best Self Hosted Alternatives to AFFiNE Cloud

AppFlowy is an open-source, privacy-focused collaborative workspace designed as an alternative to Notion. It combines rich documents, databases, boards, and AI-assisted tools across desktop, mobile, and web clients while keeping a local-first data model.

Key Features

• Rich editor with many block/content types (code blocks, equations, embeds, toggles) and customizable templates
• Database views: grid, board (kanban), calendar and custom views for structured data
• Hybrid architecture: Flutter-based native clients and a Rust core handling business logic and persistence
• Local-first storage using SQLite plus CRDT-based collaboration layers and optional cloud sync
• Built-in AI features (AI chat and writers) with support for local and external models and model selection
• Cross-platform distribution: native macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android clients; web client for browser access
• Extensible plugin and template ecosystem with community-contributed Flutter packages and editor plugins

Use Cases

• Personal knowledge management and note-taking with structured databases and rich content
• Team collaboration for project documentation, shared wikis, and kanban-based task tracking
• Publishing documentation or lightweight sites and using AI to generate summaries, drafts, or takeaways

Limitations and Considerations

• Feature parity with established commercial products is still evolving; some advanced Notion features may be missing or in-progress
• Web deployment and self-hosted web setup can require configuration (CORS, environment variables) and has had community-reported friction during installation
• Commercial/cloud features and enterprise-grade services are shipped separately (cloud offerings and paid tiers); community and plugin ecosystems are active but still maturing

AppFlowy is best suited for users who want control over their data, cross-device native experiences, and an open-source, extensible workspace. It is actively developed with a thriving community, and feature coverage continues to expand through releases and community contributions.

AFFiNE is an open-source, local-first knowledge OS that combines documents, whiteboards and multi-view databases into a single hyper-fused workspace. It offers cross-platform clients (web, desktop, mobile) and real-time collaboration while emphasizing privacy and self-hosting options. (affine.pro)

Key Features

• Unified canvas merging rich text, visual whiteboards and multi-view databases into one editable space. (raw.githubusercontent.com)
• Multimodal AI assistant for writing, drawing, summarization, slide generation and brainstorming. (raw.githubusercontent.com)
• Local-first storage and real-time synchronization for collaborative editing across clients. (raw.githubusercontent.com)
• Cross-platform distribution with desktop (Electron-based) apps and mobile clients, plus a web demo. (raw.githubusercontent.com)
• Built on a polyglot stack including TypeScript frontends, Rust-based data engine (OctoBase/Cargo toolchain), CRDT sync foundations and modern frontend tooling. (raw.githubusercontent.com)

Use Cases

• Team knowledge bases and product wikis that need rich visual boards and structured databases in one workspace. (raw.githubusercontent.com)
• Design and ideation sessions combining freeform whiteboarding with embedded documents and assets. (raw.githubusercontent.com)
• Personal and team note-taking with templates, real-time collaboration and local-first data ownership. (raw.githubusercontent.com)

Limitations and Considerations

• Plugin/third-party block ecosystem is still maturing; a more extensive plugin marketplace and third-party block ecosystem is planned but not yet fully available. (raw.githubusercontent.com)
• An Enterprise Edition is referenced as forthcoming; some enterprise features (SSO, advanced admin/audit) are not yet published in the Community Edition. (raw.githubusercontent.com)

AFFiNE targets users who want a privacy-focused, extensible alternative to siloed doc and whiteboard tools. It is suitable for individuals and teams that prefer self-hosting, local-first storage and a single hyper-fused workspace for creative and structured work. (affine.pro)

Penpot is an open-source web-based design and prototyping tool built to streamline collaboration between designers and developers. It supports creating UI designs, interactive prototypes, and scalable design systems, while providing developer-oriented inspection and code-oriented workflows.

Key Features

• UI design editor with reusable components and variants
• Interactive prototyping for flows and user journeys
• Design systems tooling, including native design tokens
• Inspect mode with SVG, CSS, and HTML information for implementation
• Real-time collaboration for teams, with solo workflows supported
• Plugin system to extend functionality and integrate with other tools
• Webhooks and API access via tokens for automation and integrations

Use Cases

• Product teams designing UI screens and maintaining shared component libraries
• Design-to-development handoff using inspectable SVG/CSS details
• Organizations hosting an internal design platform with controlled access and integrations

Limitations and Considerations

• Primarily focused on UI/UX design and prototyping; it is not a general-purpose vector illustration suite

Penpot is a strong choice for teams that want an open standards–friendly design tool and a more code-aware design workflow. Its collaboration features, inspect mode, and design-system primitives make it well suited for continuous product design and implementation.

Logseq is a privacy-first platform for personal knowledge management built around linked, block-based notes organized as a graph. It supports local-first workflows using Markdown or Org-mode files, with additional options for database-backed graphs and real-time collaboration.

Key Features

• Block-based outlining with bidirectional linking and graph-based navigation
• Local file-based graphs using Markdown and Org-mode for longevity and portability
• Task management features integrated into notes (e.g., TODO workflows and queries)
• Whiteboards for spatial thinking with shapes, connectors, drawings, and embeds
• PDF reading and annotation integrated into the knowledge base
• Plugin and theme ecosystem via a dedicated plugin API
• Optional database-backed graphs with sync and real-time collaboration capabilities

Use Cases

• Personal knowledge base for research notes, study, and writing workflows
• Daily journaling and task tracking with linked context across projects
• Team knowledge sharing and collaborative note-taking (where collaboration is enabled)

Limitations and Considerations

• Database-backed graphs and real-time collaboration features may be in beta/alpha and can carry higher risk of data issues; backups are recommended

Logseq is well-suited for users who want a durable, local-first note system with strong linking and outlining. Its whiteboards, PDF annotation, and extensibility make it flexible for both personal productivity and collaborative knowledge work.

HedgeDoc (formerly CodiMD) is an open-source, web-based Markdown editor focused on real-time collaboration. It enables teams to co-edit notes in the browser, share note links, and work together on text, diagrams, and presentations.

Key Features

• Real-time collaborative editing in the browser
• Markdown-based notes with support for diagrams and embedded content
• Presentation mode for Markdown slides
• Simple note permission controls for sharing and editing
• Revision history with the ability to review and revert changes
• Designed to run with low system requirements

Use Cases

• Team meeting notes and collaborative documentation
• Workshops, classes, and live note-taking sessions
• Creating Markdown slide decks for internal presentations

Limitations and Considerations

• HedgeDoc 2 is a rewrite and the development branch may not include all features compared to the stable 1.x releases

HedgeDoc is well-suited for groups that want a fast, link-shareable collaborative editor with Markdown-centric workflows. It combines realtime editing with practical publishing features like revisions and presentation mode for everyday knowledge sharing.

Standard Notes is a privacy-focused note-taking application that uses end-to-end encryption to protect notes and files so only you can decrypt your data. It supports cross-device sync, offline access, and a flexible editing experience for different writing and organization styles.

Key Features

• End-to-end encryption with a zero-knowledge design for notes and attached files
• Cross-platform apps and web app with sync across unlimited devices
• Offline access so you can read and edit notes without an internet connection
• Multiple editor types, including Markdown and rich text, plus support for code snippets and lists
• Self-hosting support by pointing clients to a custom sync server via configuration
• Built with a public codebase and designed for long-term, durable personal knowledge storage

Use Cases

• Private personal knowledge management for journals, records, and sensitive documents
• Secure storage of credentials, keys, and confidential notes alongside attachments
• Team members or individuals who need a consistent notes workflow across desktop and mobile

Limitations and Considerations

• Some advanced editor and productivity features are provided via extensions and may require additional configuration or a paid plan depending on the feature

Standard Notes is a strong fit for users who want straightforward note-taking with rigorous privacy guarantees and reliable multi-device access. It is especially well-suited for storing long-lived personal or professional information where confidentiality and portability matter.

NoteDiscovery is a lightweight, self-hosted knowledge base and note-taking application that stores content as plain Markdown files in folders. It focuses on fast navigation and discovery of notes with a modern web interface, while keeping data under your control.

Key Features

• Markdown editor with live preview and code syntax highlighting
• Wikilinks for connecting notes and an interactive graph view
• YAML frontmatter metadata with tag-based organization and filtering
• Templates with dynamic placeholders for creating reusable note formats
• Mermaid diagram rendering and LaTeX/MathJax equation support
• Favorites, outline (table of contents) panel, and keyboard shortcuts
• Plugin system for extending functionality
• Optional built-in password protection and a REST API
• Responsive UI with Progressive Web App (PWA) support
• Export notes as standalone HTML files

Use Cases

• Personal knowledge base or “second brain” built on local Markdown files
• Developer documentation and technical notes with code blocks, diagrams, and math
• Small team internal wiki with simple sharing and optional authentication

NoteDiscovery is a practical option for users who want a fast, Markdown-first knowledge base with linking and visualization features, without relying on proprietary storage formats. Its file-based approach also makes backups and migrations straightforward.

Silicon Notes is a lightweight, low-friction personal knowledge base and wiki-style note app. It provides plaintext Markdown editing with HTML rendering, a simple no-frills UI, and tools for organizing and searching pages.

Key Features

• Markdown-based editing with rendered HTML and syntax highlighting for code blocks
• Bi-directional page relationships (backlinks) and an in-page table of contents sidebar
• Full-text and title search for fast retrieval of notes
• Page history and revision tracking for auditing and rollback
• Export and import of pages and revisions as JSON for portability
• Optional CodeMirror editor for enhanced editing experience; configurable editor via environment
• Simple deployment options: SQLite-backed instance, container images and docker-compose samples

Use Cases

• Personal knowledge base for developers, researchers, or hobbyists who prefer Markdown
• Lightweight wiki for a small team on a private LAN or VPN-protected server
• Archival and searchable notes with revision history and portable JSON exports

Limitations and Considerations

• No built-in authentication or authorization; intended for trusted/private networks or behind reverse proxies with access control
• Default SQLite storage may limit scalability for larger teams or high-concurrency environments
• Optional CodeMirror assets add frontend weight and must be installed separately if enabled

Silicon Notes is suited for users seeking a simple, self-contained note/wiki app focused on Markdown, searchability, and minimal operational complexity. It emphasizes portability and ease of deployment over enterprise features and multi-tenant access control.

Nextcloud Tables is a table and lightweight app builder integrated into Nextcloud that lets users create structured tables, custom views and combine tables into simple applications. It provides spreadsheet-like editing, rich column types and an API for automation and integration.

Key Features

• Create custom tables with flexible column types (plain text, rich text, links, numbers, progress, star rating, boolean, dates/times, single/multi-select, user/group references).
• Pre-built templates and CSV/spreadsheet import with automatic type detection (dates, currencies, percentages) to migrate spreadsheet data quickly.
• Multiple views and filters per table (saved filters, custom sort) and server-side sorting for large datasets.
• Combine tables and views into Applications (top-toolbar entries) to expose curated data sets as simple apps inside Nextcloud Hub.
• Sharing and permissions integrated with Nextcloud users/groups; supports sharing with teams and group-based access controls.
• OpenAPI-documented backend API for automation, integrations and third-party clients; includes developer documentation and migration guides.
• Modern frontend stack with TypeScript, Vite and Vue; uses rich-text rendering (tiptap) and state management (Pinia migration referenced in changelogs).

Use Cases

• Team inventories, light CRM, task/checklist tracking and structured project spreadsheets accessible to a team inside Nextcloud.
• Build small internal apps by combining tables and views (e.g., volunteer management, event registrations, expense tracking) without custom code.
• Import legacy spreadsheets or CSV exports and convert them into shareable, permissioned Nextcloud datasets with filtered views.

Limitations and Considerations

• Mobile client support is available (third-party/official Android client projects exist), but some clients note limited support for table views and combined Applications; mobile feature parity may be incomplete compared to the web UI.
• As a Nextcloud app, functionality depends on the host Nextcloud version and server configuration; feature availability and performance can vary with Nextcloud releases and server resources.

Nextcloud Tables provides a practical, integrated way to manage structured data inside Nextcloud Hub, bridging spreadsheets and simple apps. It is geared toward teams already using Nextcloud who need permissioned, shareable tables and lightweight internal applications.

Nanote is a lightweight, self-hosted note-taking application that stores notes as plain markdown files and folders on the filesystem, providing full portability. It is built with Nuxt, Vue and TypeScript and focuses on simplicity, fast search, and direct file access.

Key Features

• Notebook-based organization using folders as notebooks and .md files as notes
• Filesystem storage with no database dependency for full portability and easy backups
• Native Markdown support with Milkdown editor and proper MIME handling
• Universal, OS-optimized search for fast content discovery across all notes
• Type-safe REST API with validation for programmatic access
• Docker-ready with sample compose file for quick deployment
• File upload support and custom inline remark directives (e.g., inline file pickers, date shortcuts)
• Mobile-friendly responsive layout for viewing and editing notes

Use Cases

• Personal knowledge management where notes must remain portable and editable with any text editor
• Lightweight team/documentation server backed by a filesystem or shared volume
• Replace simple note apps with markdown-first workflow and fast search across local files

Limitations and Considerations

• Encryption at rest is not implemented (listed as pending in project roadmap)
• Feature set is early-stage: some planned features (archive, rollup checklists, desktop/mobile apps) are incomplete
• Local development requires Node.js, PNPM, and optional ugrep for optimized search; deployments may need environment variables configured for note and upload paths

Nanote is suited for users who prefer file-based markdown workflows and want a minimal, performant web UI over their existing notes. It prioritizes portability and simple operation while remaining extensible via its API.

memEx is a structured personal knowledge base designed around interconnected notes, topic contexts, and step-based pipelines. It focuses on linking information together for long-term learning and documentation, while supporting collaboration and granular privacy.

Key Features

• Notes for documenting individual items or concepts
• Contexts to capture a topic overview and hotlink related notes
• Pipelines to document processes and attach contexts to each step
• Backlinks to view items that reference the current item
• Multi-user design with sharing and collaboration in mind
• Per-note, per-context, and per-pipeline privacy controls
• Email support via SMTP for account and system emails

Use Cases

• Personal Zettelkasten-style knowledge management with strong linking
• Team documentation space for shared concepts, references, and workflows
• Process/runbook documentation using pipelines for repeatable procedures

Limitations and Considerations

• Requires a PostgreSQL database and a configured SECRET_KEY_BASE to start
• Intended to run behind a reverse proxy when exposed externally

memEx is a practical option for users who want a web-accessible, structured PKM system with explicit support for both collaboration and privacy. Its note/context/pipeline model is well suited to turning scattered information into connected knowledge and repeatable processes.