AppFlowy vs Markor Sync
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted notes & knowledge base options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
AppFlowy
Open-source workspace and Notion alternative
VS
Markor Sync
Plain-text and Markdown notes editor for synced folders
| Feature | AppFlowy | Markor Sync |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 100 · Excellent | 88 · Excellent |
| Category | Notes & Knowledge Base | Notes & Knowledge Base |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | Dart | Java |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 64 MB |
| Deployment | docker, binary, source | bare-metal, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 76,904 | ★ 6,170 |
| First released | 2021 | 2017 |
| Replaces | Notion, Evernote | Google Keep, Evernote |
What are AppFlowy and Markor Sync?
AppFlowy
AppFlowy is an open-source workspace for notes, wikis, and project management designed as a privacy-first alternative to Notion. It can run locally and supports a self-hosted sync backend.
- Notion-like blocks and databases
- Local-first data
- Self-hostable cloud backend
- Cross-platform apps
Markor Sync
Markor is a text and Markdown notes editor that works directly on local files, making it ideal for folders synchronized by tools like Syncthing. It supports to-do lists, Zim wiki, and todo.txt formats.
- Works on plain files
- Markdown and todo.txt
- No accounts needed
- Offline editing
AppFlowy vs Markor Sync: key differences
AppFlowy is written in Dart, while Markor Sync is built with Java. Licensing differs — AGPL-3.0 for AppFlowy versus Apache-2.0 for Markor Sync. Markor Sync is the lighter option, starting around 64 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for AppFlowy. Markor Sync is the more established project (first released 2017), while AppFlowy arrived in 2021. AppFlowy has the considerably larger community, at 76,904 GitHub stars versus 6,170. AppFlowy lists first-class Docker deployment; Markor Sync does not.
Why pick each one
Choose AppFlowy if…
- Strong Notion alternative
- Active development
Watch out for
- Self-hosted backend is newer
- Still maturing
Choose Markor Sync if…
- Pairs with any sync tool
- Privacy respecting
Watch out for
- Android only
- Manual sync setup
Frequently asked questions
Is AppFlowy or Markor Sync better?
Neither is universally better. AppFlowy has the larger community, while Markor Sync is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are AppFlowy and Markor Sync free and open-source?
Yes. AppFlowy is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Markor Sync under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run AppFlowy and Markor Sync with Docker?
AppFlowy: yes. Markor Sync: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, AppFlowy or Markor Sync?
Markor Sync has the smaller minimum footprint at 64 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for AppFlowy. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.