AppFlowy Cloud vs Joplin
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted notes & knowledge base options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
AppFlowy Cloud
Self-hosted backend for the AppFlowy workspace app
VS
Joplin
Open-source note-taking and to-do app with sync
| Feature | AppFlowy Cloud | Joplin |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Notes & Knowledge Base | Notes & Knowledge Base |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language | Rust | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker | docker, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,976 | ★ 55,856 |
| First released | 2023 | 2017 |
| Replaces | Notion | Evernote, OneNote |
Why pick each one
Choose AppFlowy Cloud if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (2k GitHub stars)
- Written in Rust
Frequently asked questions
Is AppFlowy Cloud or Joplin better?
Joplin is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider AppFlowy Cloud if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are AppFlowy Cloud and Joplin free and open-source?
Yes. AppFlowy Cloud is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Joplin under AGPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run AppFlowy Cloud and Joplin with Docker?
AppFlowy Cloud: yes. Joplin: yes.