Notion
MiroAbout AFFiNE
AFFiNE is what you reach for when your thinking doesn't fit neatly into pages OR canvases — because it gives you both in one tool. Structured docs, an infinite whiteboard and databases live on the same surface, so a document can become a mind-map or a slide deck with a click.
It's local-first and built on CRDTs, which means your data lives on your device, syncs conflict-free, and works fully offline. Self-host the sync server with Docker or use AFFiNE Cloud — either way you keep ownership Notion can't offer.
MPL-2.0 licensed with one of the fastest-growing communities in the space, AFFiNE is the open answer for people torn between Notion for writing and Miro for visual thinking.
What makes it different
One canvas where pages, infinite whiteboards and databases blend — switch modes with a click.
CRDT-based storage keeps your data on-device, synced conflict-free when you reconnect.
Turn any doc into a spatial canvas for mind-maps, diagrams and presentations.
Run the sync server with Docker or use AFFiNE Cloud — your choice, your data.
TypeScript
RustYjs (CRDT)
DockerThe honest read
- Docs, whiteboards and databases genuinely unified
- Local-first with conflict-free offline sync
- Beautiful, modern editor experience
- Self-hostable with Docker
- Very active development and community
- Younger and less battle-tested than Notion
- Fewer integrations and templates
- Collaboration features still maturing
- Can feel unfocused if you only need plain notes
Quick answers
Yes — AFFiNE is free and open source under the MPL-2.0 license. You can self-host it at no cost, or pay for AFFiNE Cloud if you want managed sync.
AFFiNE is local-first and open source — your data lives on your device and can be self-hosted — and it adds an infinite whiteboard mode Notion doesn't have. Notion is cloud-only and closed-source.
For personal and small-team visual thinking, yes — its Edgeless mode gives you an infinite canvas with shapes, connectors and embeds. Enterprise Miro workflows may still need Miro.
Yes — it's local-first by design, so everything works offline and syncs conflict-free when you reconnect.
Yes — the sync server ships as a Docker image, so a small server keeps your whole workspace under your control.
More open-source picks
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End-to-end encrypted, local-first knowledge base built on objects.
Virtual whiteboard for sketching hand-drawn diagrams.
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