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Notion alternatives

Compare Obsidian, Anytype, AFFiNE, ClickUp, and Capacities as Notion alternatives by offline access, data ownership, team features, and free plans.

What do you need to change?

Three complaints send most people looking beyond Notion: it needs a connection to be dependable, the data lives in Notion's cloud rather than on your devices, and a shared workspace on the free plan runs into a block limit. Obsidian, Anytype, and AFFiNE answer the first two in different ways, from plain Markdown files to local-first databases. ClickUp suits teams whose notes are really project documents, and Capacities suits individuals who want structure without building it.

A focused editorial selection based on the linked official documentation. Fit notes are our judgment, rather than firsthand benchmark results or a universal ranking. How we select and verify information.

Notion alternatives at a glance

Notion and its alternatives: main focus and free option
ToolBest forFree option
Notion (current)Shared team wikis, documents, and databases that many people edit together in the cloud.Free plan; block limit for 2+ members
ObsidianA private, local-first knowledge base of linked notes that you can open with other tools.Free for any use
AnytypeNotion-style pages and databases where the data lives on your devices first and works offline.Free plan, 100 MB remote storage
AFFiNEDocs and whiteboards in one place, on your own device, AFFiNE's cloud, or your own server.Free locally; free cloud tier
ClickUpKeeping team documents attached to the tasks and projects they describe.Free plan, 60 MB storage
CapacitiesPersonal knowledge management with structure built in, without designing your own databases.Free plan

Five alternatives to consider

Note-taking apps

Obsidian

Consider Obsidian when you want notes as Markdown files in a folder you control, free for any use, and you can live without Notion-style shared databases.

A note-taking app that keeps your notes as Markdown files in a local folder, with links, a graph view, Canvas, and community plugins.

Pricing model
The app is free for any purpose, including commercial use, with no account required. Sync (per user) and Publish (per site) are optional paid add-ons, and Catalyst and Commercial licences are optional ways to support development.
Before choosing
Real-time team collaboration and databases are not its core; decide how you will sync between devices (Obsidian Sync or a service you already use) before moving in.
Obsidian alternativesObsidian profile
Note-taking apps

Anytype

Consider Anytype when you like Notion's pages, types, and database views but want them local-first, end-to-end encrypted, and usable offline.

A local-first, end-to-end encrypted workspace of objects, types, and database views, with peer-to-peer sync and shared channels.

Pricing model
A free plan includes 100 MB of remote storage and 10 shared channels, with unlimited private channels. Paid memberships add storage and shared channels. Self-hosting your own network needs no membership.
Before choosing
Access depends on a key only you hold; agree how it is stored before a team relies on Anytype, and check storage needs against the remote allowance.
Anytype profile
Note-taking apps

AFFiNE

Consider AFFiNE when you want documents and whiteboards in one local-first app, with the option to self-host it for a team.

A local-first workspace that combines documents, whiteboards (Edgeless mode), and databases, with an MIT-licensed editor and a self-hosting option.

Pricing model
Local use is free, and a free cloud tier includes a small storage allowance for up to three members per workspace. Paid Pro and per-seat Team plans add storage and members; AI is a separate add-on.
Before choosing
The editor is MIT-licensed but the backend is described as source-available; read the licence terms if you plan to self-host for a business.
Note-taking apps

ClickUp

Consider ClickUp when most of your Notion pages are project briefs, specs, and task lists that belong next to the work itself.

A work management platform where docs and wikis sit next to tasks, boards, and calendars, with ClickUp Brain AI across them.

Pricing model
A Free Forever plan with unlimited members and tasks but 60 MB of storage. Paid plans are billed per user and add unlimited storage, custom fields, and more automations.
Before choosing
It is a project tool first; if you mainly want a personal or team knowledge base, check whether the extra structure helps or gets in the way.
ClickUp profile
Note-taking apps

Capacities

Consider Capacities when you use Notion as a personal second brain and would rather start from typed objects than design databases yourself.

A personal note-taking app built around typed objects (people, books, meetings, ideas) with daily notes, backlinks, and a graph view.

Pricing model
The Basic plan is free with unlimited objects, sync across devices, offline support, and import and export. Pro adds AI, whiteboards, tasks, queries, and version history; a free Pro trial is offered in the app.
Before choosing
It is designed for individuals; check sharing options (Basic allows view-only access) if others need to edit your notes.
Capacities profile

When Notion may still fit

Keep Notion on the shortlist when several people edit shared wikis and databases every day and work mostly online. For one person, the free plan has no block limit, so the cost question only starts when you add members.

Content lives in Notion's cloud; on the free plan you choose which pages to download for offline use, so test offline access before relying on it.

Before you switch

  1. Export a representative part of your workspace to Markdown and CSV, then import it into the candidate and check databases, callouts, and links.
  2. List who edits what: if several people work in the same pages every day, test real-time collaboration and permissions before anything else.
  3. Go offline on each device you use and check which pages are available and how edits sync back.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a free alternative to Notion?

Obsidian is free for any use, including at work, and Logseq is free and open source for personal use. Anytype, AFFiNE, ClickUp, and Capacities all have free plans with limits on cloud storage, members, or features.

Which Notion alternative works offline?

Obsidian, Anytype, and AFFiNE store your data on your device first, so they work fully offline. Capacities lists offline support on its free plan. Notion itself lets free users choose pages to download for offline use.

Which Notion alternative can I self-host?

AFFiNE can be self-hosted with Docker Compose, and Anytype lets you run your own sync network with no membership required. Obsidian has no server to host: your notes are files you can sync however you like.

Is Obsidian better than Notion?

In our judgment it depends on who the notes are for. Obsidian suits one person, or a small group, who wants private local files and links between ideas; Notion suits teams who share wikis and databases and edit them together online.

Notion vs Obsidian

Notion vs Obsidian: compare a cloud workspace with a local Markdown app by collaboration, offline access, data ownership, and pricing.

Read the guide

Sources and check dates

Provider documentation supports the product and billing descriptions. Confirm current limits and terms before choosing a plan.

Notion

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Obsidian

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Anytype

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AFFiNE

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ClickUp

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Capacities

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ShowMeYourSaaS also offers commercial product coverage. These guides follow our editorial selection criteria; placement is not a purchased ranking. Send a correction with the page and a supporting source.