AppFlowy vs QOwnNotes
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
QOwnNotes
Plain-text note taking with Markdown and Nextcloud sync
| Feature | AppFlowy | QOwnNotes |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 100 · Excellent | 90 · Excellent |
| Category | Notes & Knowledge Base | Notes & Knowledge Base |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | GPL-2.0 |
| Language | Dart | C++ |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, binary, source | binary, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 76,892 | ★ 5,886 |
| First released | 2021 | 2014 |
| Replaces | Notion, Evernote | Evernote, OneNote |
What are AppFlowy and QOwnNotes?
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
QOwnNotes
QOwnNotes is an open-source plain-text note-taking and to-do application with Markdown support. It integrates tightly with Nextcloud and ownCloud for syncing notes across devices.
- Plain-text Markdown notes
- Nextcloud and ownCloud sync
- Scripting support
- Note versioning via Nextcloud
AppFlowy vs QOwnNotes: key differences
AppFlowy is written in Dart, while QOwnNotes is built with C++. Licensing differs — AGPL-3.0 for AppFlowy versus GPL-2.0 for QOwnNotes. QOwnNotes is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for AppFlowy. QOwnNotes is the more established project (first released 2014), while AppFlowy arrived in 2021. AppFlowy has the considerably larger community, at 76,892 GitHub stars versus 5,886. AppFlowy lists first-class Docker deployment; QOwnNotes 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 QOwnNotes if…
- Pairs well with Nextcloud
- Notes remain plain files
Watch out for
- Desktop only
- Interface feels utilitarian
Frequently asked questions
Is AppFlowy or QOwnNotes better?
Neither is universally better. AppFlowy has the larger community, while QOwnNotes is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are AppFlowy and QOwnNotes free and open-source?
Yes. AppFlowy is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and QOwnNotes under GPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run AppFlowy and QOwnNotes with Docker?
AppFlowy: yes. QOwnNotes: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, AppFlowy or QOwnNotes?
QOwnNotes has the smaller minimum footprint at 256 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for AppFlowy. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.