AppFlowy vs Notesnook
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
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Notesnook
Private, end-to-end encrypted note-taking app
| Feature | AppFlowy | Notesnook |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 100 · Excellent | 94 · Excellent |
| Category | Notes & Knowledge Base | Notes & Knowledge Base |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | Dart | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, binary, source | docker, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 76,904 | ★ 14,628 |
| First released | 2021 | 2021 |
| Replaces | Notion, Evernote | Evernote, OneNote, Notion |
What are AppFlowy and Notesnook?
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
Notesnook
Notesnook is an open-source, privacy-focused note-taking app with end-to-end encryption on all notes. Its sync server can be self-hosted so users keep complete control of their encrypted data.
- End-to-end encrypted notes
- Self-hostable sync server
- Rich text editor
- Cross-platform apps
AppFlowy vs Notesnook: key differences
AppFlowy is written in Dart, while Notesnook is built with TypeScript. Licensing differs — AGPL-3.0 for AppFlowy versus GPL-3.0 for Notesnook. Notesnook is the lighter option, starting around 512 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for AppFlowy. AppFlowy has the considerably larger community, at 76,904 GitHub stars versus 14,628.
Why pick each one
Choose AppFlowy if…
- Strong Notion alternative
- Active development
Watch out for
- Self-hosted backend is newer
- Still maturing
Choose Notesnook if…
- Strong privacy by default
- Polished apps on all platforms
Watch out for
- Self-hosting is relatively new
- Some features tied to subscription
Frequently asked questions
Is AppFlowy or Notesnook better?
Neither is universally better. AppFlowy has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are AppFlowy and Notesnook free and open-source?
Yes. AppFlowy is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Notesnook under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run AppFlowy and Notesnook with Docker?
AppFlowy: yes. Notesnook: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, AppFlowy or Notesnook?
Notesnook has the smaller minimum footprint at 512 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for AppFlowy. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.