12 Best Free Alternatives to Notion (2026)

Last checked October 2026 · 18 alternatives to Notion in our catalog

Notion paid plans start at $10/user/mo, which is why people look for a free alternative. Below are 12 options with a free plan or no price at all - 7 are completely free, 8 are open source, 7 run on Linux and 10 work in the browser.

Quick picks

Notion alternatives compared

Alternative	Price	Open source	Platforms	What it is
Obsidian	Freemium	No	Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS	A local-first, markdown-based knowledge base with powerful linking.
AFFiNE	Free	Yes (Other)	Web, Windows, Mac, Linux	All-in-one workspace for notes and knowledge management
AppFlowy	Free	Yes (AGPL-3.0)	Web	Note-taking and database app
Joplin	Free	Yes (Other)	Web, Windows, Mac, Linux	A free, open source note-taking and to-do application
logseq	Free	Yes (AGPL-3.0)	Web, Windows, Mac, Linux	A knowledge management tool for personal knowledge base and note-taking
Anytype	Freemium	Yes	Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS	A local-first, privacy-focused workspace for notes, docs, and databases you fully own.
Coda	Freemium	No	Web, iOS, Android	All-in-one docs, spreadsheets, and apps in a single collaborative workspace
Asana	Freemium	No	Web, Mac, Windows, iOS	Work management for teams to plan and track projects.
ClickUp	Freemium	No	Web, Windows, Mac, iOS	All-in-one work platform: tasks, docs, goals, and more.
Foam	Free	Yes (Other)	Web, Windows, Mac, Linux	A note-taking app for networked thought
nb	Free	Yes (AGPL-3.0)	Web, Windows, Mac, Linux	A minimalistic, open-source note-taking app
Outline	Free	Yes (Other)	Web	A collaborative, markdown‑based knowledge base for growing teams

Obsidian

FreemiumMacWindowsLinuxiOS

A local-first, markdown-based knowledge base with powerful linking.

Free plan includes: Unlimited local notes · Core plugins · Community plugins

Full data ownership with local markdown files
Extremely fast and works offline
Massive plugin ecosystem

Steeper learning curve than typical note apps
Mobile app less polished than desktop

Full details Notion vs Obsidian

AFFiNE

FreeOpen source · OtherWebWindowsMacLinux

All-in-one workspace for notes and knowledge management

Highly customizable and adaptable to unique needs and workflows
Strong focus on security and data protection, with end-to-end encryption
Real-time collaboration features, with live commenting and @mentions

Steep learning curve, due to the high degree of customization and flexibility
Limited support for certain file types and formats

Full details Notion vs AFFiNE

AppFlowy

FreeOpen source · AGPL-3.0Web

Note-taking and database app

Highly customizable and flexible
Open-source and free to use
Collaboration features for teams

Steep learning curve for new users
Limited mobile app functionality

Full details Notion vs AppFlowy

Joplin

FreeOpen source · OtherWebWindowsMacLinux

A free, open source note-taking and to-do application

Free and open source
Highly customizable
Supports end-to-end encryption

Limited collaboration features
No built-in audio or video recording

Full details

logseq

FreeOpen source · AGPL-3.0WebWindowsMacLinux

A knowledge management tool for personal knowledge base and note-taking

Highly customizable
Flexible and adaptable
Open-source and community-driven

Steep learning curve
Limited mobile support

Full details

Anytype

FreemiumOpen sourceWindowsMacLinuxiOS

A local-first, privacy-focused workspace for notes, docs, and databases you fully own.

Free plan includes: 100 MB of remote storage · 10 shared channels · Unlimited private channels

Local-first design keeps data on-device and offline-accessible
Open-source client code allows community scrutiny
Available across all major desktop and mobile platforms

As a newer local-first tool, the ecosystem of integrations is smaller than established note apps
Peer-to-peer sync can behave differently from familiar cloud-sync apps

Full details

Coda

FreemiumWebiOSAndroid

All-in-one docs, spreadsheets, and apps in a single collaborative workspace

Highly flexible document structure
Powerful formula language
Robust automation and integrations

Steeper learning curve for advanced features
Limited offline functionality

Full details

Asana

FreemiumWebMacWindowsiOS

Work management for teams to plan and track projects.

Free plan includes: Up to 10 teammates · Unlimited tasks & projects · Basic workflows

Very flexible views for different work styles
Strong automation and workflow tools
Good for cross-functional, non-technical teams

Can feel overwhelming with many features enabled
Pricier at higher tiers for large orgs

Full details

ClickUp

FreemiumWebWindowsMaciOS

All-in-one work platform: tasks, docs, goals, and more.

Free plan includes: Projects · Chat · AI Agents & Workflows · Sprints

Very feature-rich
Highly customizable
Generous free tier

Can feel overwhelming
Occasional performance issues

Full details

Foam

FreeOpen source · OtherWebWindowsMacLinux

A note-taking app for networked thought

Highly customizable and extensible
Strong focus on knowledge management
Simple, distraction-free interface

Steep learning curve
Limited mobile support

Full details

nb

FreeOpen source · AGPL-3.0WebWindowsMacLinux

A minimalistic, open-source note-taking app

Minimalistic and distraction-free interface
Highly customizable
Supports Markdown syntax

Limited features compared to other note-taking apps
No built-in collaboration features

Full details

Outline

FreeOpen source · OtherWeb

A collaborative, markdown‑based knowledge base for growing teams

Free to use with no hidden fees
Markdown‑first editing for developers
Real‑time collaboration across the web

No native mobile apps
Limited offline access

Full details

Frequently asked questions

What is the best free alternative to Notion?

Obsidian is the first free alternative we list for Notion. Others worth a look: AFFiNE, AppFlowy and Joplin. Which one fits depends on what you use Notion for, so check the platform and free-plan details for each.

Is there a completely free alternative to Notion?

Yes. AFFiNE, AppFlowy, Joplin, logseq and Foam have no paid tier. The rest of the list are freemium: a free plan with paid upgrades.

Is there an open-source alternative to Notion?

Yes: AFFiNE, AppFlowy, Joplin, logseq and Anytype. Open-source options can usually be inspected, modified and self-hosted.

Does Notion have a free plan?

Yes. The free plan includes Unlimited pages & blocks, Basic page analytics and 7-day page history. Paid plans start at $10/user/mo.

How this list is built: alternatives come from our catalog's curated alternative relationships; price model, license and platforms come from each product's listing; order is fully-free first, then community votes.