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AFFiNE
Open-source, local-first workspace combining docs, whiteboard, and an AI copilot
Free plan Claimed Self-hosted Teams Mobile app
Toolglade’s take
AFFiNE is one of the stronger open-source Notion alternatives, and the docs-plus-whiteboard-in-one model is genuinely distinctive. Local-first storage and free self-hosting make it attractive for privacy-minded users, though the AI copilot and polish still trail the incumbents. Self-hosting is capped at a few users unless you dig into the setup. Best for individuals and small teams who value data ownership over ecosystem maturity.
About AFFiNE
AFFiNE is an open-source, local-first workspace combining docs, an infinite whiteboard, and an AI copilot, available as free cloud, paid Pro/Team plans, or free self-hosting.
AFFiNE blends page-based documents with an edgeless whiteboard so the same content can be viewed as a doc or arranged visually on a canvas. Its AI copilot works across docs and boards, generating drafts, summaries, and mind maps, while the local-first architecture keeps data on the user's device by default. The project is fully open source (available on GitHub) and can be self-hosted at no license cost, with self-hosting limited to a small number of users on the free path. Cloud plans add Pro and Team tiers, but the same core features (page docs, edgeless whiteboard, collaboration) are present in both cloud and self-hosted versions, making AFFiNE appealing to privacy-conscious teams and individuals.
TL;DR
AFFiNE is an open-source, local-first docs-and-whiteboard workspace with an AI copilot, free self-hosting, and cloud plans from about $6.75/mo.
Company overview
AFFiNE is developed by the open-source project toeverything and positioned as a privacy-first, local-first alternative to Notion and Miro. Its philosophy centers on data ownership and combining structured docs with a freeform canvas.
With a large GitHub following, the project blends a community open-source model with commercial cloud plans that fund development while keeping self-hosting free.
Product features
AFFiNE unifies page docs, an edgeless whiteboard, tasks, and a multimodal AI copilot in one app. Content can move fluidly between document and canvas views, and AI features generate drafts, summaries, and mind maps.
The same feature set is available in cloud and self-hosted deployments, with local-first storage, offline support, and cross-platform apps, appealing to users who prioritize privacy and control.
Target market
AFFiNE targets privacy-conscious individuals, small teams, and self-hosting enthusiasts who want a combined docs-and-whiteboard workspace without vendor lock-in.
Buyer personas
End users
Individuals and small teams taking notes and planning visually.
Buyers
Privacy-focused users and small-team leads.
Key influencers
Open-source and self-hosting communities.
Ideal customer profile
Privacy-minded individuals and small teams who value data ownership and a combined docs/whiteboard workflow.
Funding & performance
Open-source project with commercial cloud offering; funding details verify with the vendor.
Pros & cons
Pros
- Fully open source
- Local-first, privacy-focused
- Docs and whiteboard unified
- Free self-hosting
- Cross-platform with offline support
- Same features in cloud and self-hosted
Cons
- AI copilot less mature than incumbents
- Self-hosting limited to few users on free path
- No public API
- Smaller integration ecosystem
- Still maturing in polish
Pricing plans
Free
$0 / month
- Page docs
- Edgeless whiteboard
- Local-first storage
Pro
$6.75 / month
- Billed annually
- AFFiNE AI copilot
- Cloud sync
Team
$10 / month
- Per seat
- Collaboration
- Team workspace
Self-Hosted
$0
- No license fee
- Up to 3 users on free path
- Full feature set
Key features
Mobile app
Team collaboration
Self-hosted
Multi-language
Integrations
Local file system
Input types
text
Output types
text
Best For
privacy-conscious users, small teams, visual thinkers
Compare key features
View all alternatives →Feature
AFFiNE
Recall
mymind
Pricing
Freemium
Freemium
Paid
Free plan
Yes
Yes
No
Free trial
No
No
Yes
Self-hosted
Yes
No
No
Team support
Yes
No
No
Frequently asked questions
Is AFFiNE open source?+
Yes. AFFiNE is fully open source and available on GitHub under the toeverything organization.
Can I self-host AFFiNE?+
Yes. Self-hosting has no license fee (you pay only for infrastructure), though it is limited to a small number of users on the free path.
Does AFFiNE have AI features?+
Yes. AFFiNE AI is a multimodal copilot that drafts content, summarizes notes, and generates mind maps across docs and whiteboards.
Is AFFiNE local-first?+
Yes. Data is stored locally by default, with optional cloud sync, reflecting its privacy-first design.
How much does AFFiNE Pro cost?+
Pro is about $6.75/month billed annually (or $7.99 monthly), with a Team plan around $10 per seat per month.
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