AppFlowy is among the popular Notion alternatives. With features like AI, Projects, Tasks, Templates, and Sites, it creates almost the same collaborative workspace experience as the latter.
The only difference? AppFlowy is open source. Unlike Notion, it has self-hosting capabilities that let users control their data.
But, this is a double-edged sword. Without built-in cloud sync, setting up AppFlowy and collaborating on it becomes difficult. Additionally, the tool lacks essential software integrations and fails to deliver a smooth mobile experience.
So, if you’re looking for tools that truly deliver a collaborative project management experience, check out these 10 AppFlowy alternatives.
Want a sneak peek into our favorite one? Check out this video! 👇🏻
⏰ 60-Second Summary
Here’s a list of the 10 best AppFlowy alternatives to consider:
- ClickUp: Best for AI-powered collaborative project management
- Notion: Best for managing projects and notes in a customizable workspace
- Obsidian: Best for organizing projects with deep-linked, local-first notes
- Trello: Best for visual project management and simple task organization
- Airtable: Best for tracking projects with database-style organization and note fields
- Monday.com: Best for managing complex projects with team collaboration and documentation
- Asana: Best for managing projects with structured tasks and detailed notes
- Todoist: Best for managing simple project tasks and lightweight note-taking
- Coda: Best for blending project management, notes, and databases into interactive documents
- Taskade: Best for planning projects collaboratively with integrated notes and task-tracking
- AppFlowy Limitations
- AppFlowy Alternatives at Glance
- The 10 Best AppFlowy Alternatives to Use
- 1. ClickUp (Best for AI-powered collaborative project management)
- 2. Notion (Best for managing projects and notes in a customizable workspace)
- 3. Obsidian (Best for organizing projects with deep-linked, local-first notes)
- 4. Trello (Best for visual project management and simple task organization)
- 5. Airtable (Best for tracking projects with database-style organization and note fields)
- 6. Monday.com (Best for managing complex projects with team collaboration and documentation)
- 7. Asana (Best for managing projects with structured tasks and detailed notes)
- 8. Todoist (Best for managing simple project tasks and lightweight note-taking)
- 9. Coda (Best for blending project management, notes, and databases into interactive documents)
- 10. Taskade (Best for planning projects collaboratively with integrated notes and task tracking)
Summarize this article for me pleaseAppFlowy Limitations
AppFlowy markets itself as a Notion alternative. Functionality-wise, it’s a project management tool that doubles up as a note-taking app.
While it has its benefits, here are some major aspects where it falls short:
- Complex setup: AppFlowy can be difficult to set up for users without technical expertise. Since it’s an open-source project management tool, one has to build their own server environment, which involves configuring complex dependencies
- No built-in cloud sync: As it is a self-hosting platform, every piece of data—whether a file or a note—is stored locally in a server. While this is great for security as it prevents users from losing control of their data, it makes collaboration with other team members complex
- Limited collaboration features: Although AppFlowy offers collaboration features, they are not as advanced and intuitive as its competitors. Besides, many users complain of experiencing delays during real-time collaboration
➡️ Read More: Best All-in-One Software Solutions for Businesses
Summarize this article for me pleaseAppFlowy Alternatives at Glance
Here’s an overview of every AppFlowy alternative mentioned in this blog post. Check out their standout feature and suitability at a glance:
| AppFlowy alternatives | Standout feature | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| ClickUp | Offers an all-in-one productivity suite with highly customizable task views, docs, goals, and time-tracking | Teams, enterprises, productivity-focused businesses |
| Notion | Provides a modular workspace where users can create, customize, and interconnect databases, wikis, and memos | Startups, small businesses, remote teams |
| Obsidian | Offers a local-first, markdown-based knowledge management system with advanced backlinking and graph visualization | Researchers, writers, knowledge workers |
| Trello | Features an intuitive Kanban board system that simplifies task tracking | Small teams, freelancers, startups |
| Airtable | Combines the power of spreadsheets with database functionality | Businesses, enterprises, data-heavy teams |
| monday.com | Provides an extensive process automation system with customizable dashboards, integrations, and templates | Enterprises, large teams, project managers |
| Asana | Enables structured work management with task hierarchies, workload balancing, and detailed reporting | Teams, startups, growing businesses |
| Todoist | Features a minimalist, distraction-free task manager with natural language input and productivity tracking | Individuals |
| Coda | Blends interactive documents, no-code automation, and relational databases | Remote teams, startups, cross-functional teams |
| Taskade | Integrates AI-powered brainstorming, mind maps, and team collaboration into a unified workspace | Freelancers, remote workers, small teams |
Summarize this article for me pleaseThe 10 Best AppFlowy Alternatives to Use
Here are the top 10 AppFlowy alternatives if open-source isn’t working out for you:
1. ClickUp (Best for AI-powered collaborative project management)
Most tools overpromise and underdeliver when it comes to collaborative project management. But not ClickUp, the everything app for work.
Create tasks, assign responsibilities, and track progress to keep projects moving forward—all in one place with ClickUp’s Project Management solution. It’s comprehensively designed to make collaboration hassle-free. From tasks to docs, you can work with your team almost anywhere on the platform to wrap up a project without any hiccups.
The best part? All ClickUp features are accelerated by built-in AI capabilities. So, they’re not just helpful—they’re impactful!
📮 ClickUp Insight: Low-performing teams are 4 times more likely to juggle 15+ tools, while high-performing teams maintain efficiency by limiting their toolkit to 9 or fewer platforms. But how about using one platform?
As the everything app for work, ClickUp brings your tasks, projects, docs, wikis, chat, and calls under a single platform, complete with AI-powered workflows. Ready to work smarter? ClickUp works for every team, makes work visible, and allows you to focus on what matters while AI handles the rest.
Now, let’s discuss each of the features in detail:
AI-powered project management
ClickUp’s project management features are extensive.
ClickUp Tasks let you create action items from your emails, chats, and docs with just one click. You can also define their category, set priority levels, highlight crucial dependencies, and assign them to team members to ensure nothing is overlooked.
With 15+ Views in ClickUp and ClickUp Dashboards, easily track the progress of each task in real time. Choose from Lists (for a bird’s eye view of all tasks) to Kanban boards (for tracking task stages), Gantt Charts (for timelines and dependencies), and more. Comprehensive metrics from dashboards help simplify project decisions, manage workloads, estimate ETAs, and track costs.
But what’s one of the most powerful features of all? It’s ClickUp Brain, ClickUp’s built-in AI!
Use Brain as:
- An AI Writer to generate complete project documentation with simple prompts
- An AI Project Manager that writes automatic standup reports and summarizes task activity on command
- An AI Knowledge Manager that fetches information from your ClickUp workspace instantly
Seamless collaboration
When your project management and chat tools are separate, team communication can quickly go haywire. But thanks to ClickUp Chat, you don’t have to worry about it anymore. It’s built into ClickUp, so you never need to switch platforms to DM your colleagues or post a quick update on a shared project channel.
With ClickUp Chat, your context and conversations stay connected. Use Chat to:
- Link conversations to relevant tasks and documents
- Create and assign tasks to team members directly from messages
- Get on real-time audio and video calls (SyncUps) and share your screen
Efficient note-taking capabilities
Notes are a central part of project management. They help break down projects into actionable tasks and track their progress. So, ClickUp comes with a built-in note-taking tool too!
With ClickUp Notepad, keep your notes, memos, brain dumps, to-do lists, action plans, etc., organized in one place. You can also convert a note into a task with proper due dates, priorities, and assignees.
💡 Pro Tip: Tired of taking meeting notes manually? Meet the ClickUp AI Notetaker. It records, transcribes, and summarizes your meetings, so you can focus on the conversation. It even creates action items for rapid execution and follow-ups!
Automations
With ClickUp Automations, you can access over 100 customizable triggers to streamline repetitive tasks, such as changing the task assignee when the task status changes or triggering an update notification when a task becomes urgent.
Learn how to build workflow automations in this video explainer:
ClickUp best features
- Create and collaborate effectively on documents seamlessly with ClickUp Docs
- Brainstorm ideas and convert them into actionable tasks with ClickUp Whiteboards
- Use ClickUp Goals to track team objectives and measure progress effortlessly
- Standardize processes with ClickUp templates to ensure efficiency across tasks
- Search any task, document, or comment instantly with ClickUp Connected Search
- Integrate seamlessly with Slack, Google Drive, and Zoom to streamline teamwork
- Enjoy cross-platform compatibility with dedicated desktop and mobile apps
ClickUp limitations
- New users often find the tool overwhelming due to its wide range of features
ClickUp pricing
free forever
Best for personal use
Free
Key Features:
100MB Storage
Unlimited Tasks
Unlimited Free Plan Members
Two-Factor Authentication
Collaborative Docs
Whiteboards
Everything View
Kanban Boards
Sprint Management
Calendar View
Custom Field Manager Basic
In-App Video Recording
24/7 Support
1 Form
unlimited
Best for small teams
$7
Everything in Free Forever plus:
Unlimited Storage
Unlimited Integrations
Unlimited Dashboards
Guests with Permissions
Unlimited Gantt Charts
Unlimited Custom Fields
Unlimited Chat Messages
Column Calculations
Email in ClickUp
Teams (User Groups)
Native Time Tracking
Goals & Portfolios
Form View
Resource Management
Agile Reporting
AI Compatible
business
Best for mid-sized teams
$12
Everything in Unlimited, plus:
Google SSO
Unlimited Teams
Custom Exporting
Advanced Automations
Advanced Dashboard Features
Advanced Time Tracking
Granular Time Estimates
Timesheets
Workload Management
Timelines & Mind Maps
Goal Folders
Unlimited Message History
Unlimited Whiteboards
Unlimited Timeline views
SMS 2-Factor Authentication
enterprise
Best for many large teams
Get a custom demo and see how ClickUp aligns with your goals.
Everything in Business, plus:
White Labeling
Advanced Permissions
Conditional Logic in Forms
Enterprise API
Unlimited Custom Roles
Team Sharing for Spaces
Default Personal Views
Unlimited Posts
MSA & HIPAA Available
Single Sign-On (SSO)
SCIM provisioning
Custom Capacity in Workload
Live Onboarding Training
Customer Success Manager
Access to Managed Services
US, EU & APAC Data Residency
Advanced Public Sharing
* Prices when billed annually
ClickUp ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.7/5 (10,000+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.6/5 (4,000+ reviews)
What are real-life users saying about ClickUp?
2. Notion (Best for managing projects and notes in a customizable workspace)
Notion inspired the creation of AppFlowy. It’s a real-time collaboration platform that lets you work together with your team on wikis, documents, and projects.
On the platform, you can organize information, create tasks, to-do lists, and work visualizations to keep everyone aligned with the project.
Notion also offers third-party integrations, over 100 building blocks, and automations to streamline your workflow. The built-in AI integration is another pro feature that automates repetitive tasks and saves you time.
Notion best features
- Access databases, Kanban boards, calendars, and tables for diverse processes
- Simplify rich media embedding (images, videos, etc.) within pages
- Get powerful search and tagging features for easy navigation
Notion limitations
- Lacks self-hosting, increasing the chances of vendor lock-in
- Can be challenging for new users due to its extensive customization options
Notion pricing
- Free
- Plus: $10/month per seat
- Business: $15/month per seat
- Enterprise: Custom pricing
Notion ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.7/5 (5,900+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.7/5 (2,400+ reviews)
What are real-life users saying about Notion?
➡️ Read More: ClickUp vs. Notion: The Best Docs Tool to Choose
3. Obsidian (Best for organizing projects with deep-linked, local-first notes)
If you want a dedicated note-taking app to centralize your project briefs, Obsidian should interest you. It lets you create deep-linked, markdown-based notes that make it simpler to create detailed project documentation.
Obsidian also offers rich editing and collaboration features. You can collaborate with your team on shared files to brainstorm ideas and suggest edits.
As it uses non-proprietary files, each of your memos is stored as plain text Markdown files on your local device rather than being locked into a database or cloud system. You can download it on Windows, Linux, and Mac desktops.
Obsidian best features
- Get local-first storage for enhanced privacy and control over information
- Collaborate easily through plugins like Obsidian Publish for shared records
- Leverage powerful search functionality for easy information retrieval
- Integrate with platforms like GitHub, Google Drive, and Zotero for enhanced research
Obsidian limitations
- Primarily focused on note-taking; lacks robust project management features
- Requires technical knowledge to set up advanced features and collaboration
Obsidian pricing
- Sync: $5/user per month
- Publish: $10/site per month
- Catalyst: $25 (one-time payment)
- Commercial: $50/user per year
Obsidian ratings and reviews
- G2: Not enough reviews
- Capterra: 4.8/5 (30+ reviews)
➡️ Read More: Obsidian vs. Notion: Which Note-Taking Tool Is Best?
4. Trello (Best for visual project management and simple task organization)
Trello is a cloud-based task management tool with basic collaboration features. It helps you visualize tasks in the form of lists, boards, and cards. You can also set their deadlines, define their priorities, and assign them to team members.
Thanks to the no-code automations, Trello makes it easy to automate repetitive tasks in your workflow. Plus, the ready-made note-taking templates allow you to build a solid foundation for your projects.
Trello best features
- Use checklists, due dates, and priorities for task tracking
- Manage tasks on the go with a user-friendly mobile app
- Plan, schedule, and adjust tasks with drag-and-drop capabilities
Trello limitations
- Limited note-taking features for complex projects
- Not ideal for managing large teams or highly complex workflows
Trello pricing
- Free
- Standard: $5/month per user
- Premium: $10/month per user
- Enterprise: $17.50/month per user
Trello ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.4/5 (13,600+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.5/5 (23,300+ reviews)
What are real-life users saying about Trello?
💡 Pro Tip: Always keep your project management tools, apps, and integrations updated with the latest security patches to prevent exploitation of known vulnerabilities! 🔒
5. Airtable (Best for tracking projects with database-style organization and note fields)
While Airtable isn’t a conventional project management tool, it’s a powerful low-code alternative that combines the flexibility of spreadsheets with database-level functionality. Unlike rigid, structured PM software, Airtable lets you customize workflows to fit your exact needs—whether you’re tracking progress, automating repetitive tasks, or standardizing processes across teams.
Airtable also provides actionable insights into team performance and project status so you can make better, data-driven decisions. Despite everything, the app’s best part is its user interface, which is very clean and well-structured.
Airtable best features
- Access powerful filtering, sorting, and searching capabilities for large datasets
- Track relationships between project elements easily with two-way data linking
- Integrate with tools like Google Calendar, Slack, and Zapier for building custom workflow automation
Airtable limitations
- Steep learning curve, especially for users unfamiliar with databases
- Not as intuitive for those looking for a simple task manager or to-do list
Airtable pricing
- Free
- Team: $20/month per seat
- Business: $45/month per seat
- Enterprise Scale: Custom pricing
Airtable ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.6/5 (2,700+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.7/5 (2,100+ reviews)
➡️ Read More: Best Workflow Automation Software Tools
6. Monday.com (Best for managing complex projects with team collaboration and documentation)
If you want AppFlowy’s flexibility without the overhead of self-hosting and maintaining your own system, Monday.com delivers a structured, scalable, and more user-friendly alternative.
This work management tool boasts a highly customizable interface. You can personalize workflows, choose your ideal project view, and even change how your dashboard looks. Plus, its AI integration automates repetitive tasks, so you spend less time managing routine projects.
Monday.com best features
- Enable team collaboration through shared workspaces, task comments, and document sharing
- Track task progress in multiple project views (Kanban, Gantt, Calendar) to fit team needs
- Keep everyone aligned with built-in team communication, approvals, and file sharing
Monday.com limitations
- Lacks native integration with certain niche tools and platforms
- Can be overwhelming for new users managing complex task flows
Monday.com pricing
- Free (up to 2 users)
- Basic: $12/month per seat
- Standard: $14/month per seat
- Pro: $24/month per seat
- Enterprise: Custom pricing
Monday.com ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.7/5 (12,800+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.6/5 (5,400+ reviews)
What are real-life users saying about Monday.com?
🔍 Did You Know? 40% of the average workday is ripe for automation, thanks to AI!
7. Asana (Best for managing projects with structured tasks and detailed notes)
Next on the list of AppFlowy alternatives is Asana, a core project management software suitable for teams working on complex projects. It offers pre-built workflows, task dependencies, milestones, and workload balancing in one unified tool to keep projects on track.
You can choose from a list of project views, assign tasks to team members, and receive automated updates on progress. Plus, its basic time-tracking capabilities let you estimate the time spent on each task and better plan capacity and workload for the future.
Asana best features
- Organize projects easily into sections. Use tags and custom fields for improved tracking
- Enable team collaboration through task comments, file attachments, and real-time notifications
- Save time with rule-based automations, generate detailed reports, and track progress without manual updates
Asana limitations
- Doesn’t offer an efficient offline mode on the mobile app
- Can be complex to use for new users without proper training
Asana pricing
- Personal: Free forever
- Starter: $13.49/month per user
- Advanced: $30.49/month per user
- Enterprise: Custom pricing
- Enterprise+: Custom pricing
Asana ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.4/5 (10,800+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.5/5 (13,300+ reviews)
8. Todoist (Best for managing simple project tasks and lightweight note-taking)
Todoist is a task manager and note-taking app in one. If your team needs a tool that fuels their project brainstorming phase, this one can make the cut. Todoist lets users centralize notes and ideas to help them build comprehensive briefs.
Plus, it makes for a decent task tracker. Create quick and easy to-do lists to break down and track large projects step-by-step. The platform’s interface is also very intuitive and easy to navigate.
Todoist best features
- Enable task collaboration with due dates, priorities, and task assignments at a glance
- Allow project organization with sections, tasks, and subtasks
- Use recurring tasks and daily/weekly goal tracking for personal productivity
Todoist limitations
- Lacks advanced project management features like Gantt charts or task dependencies
- Not ideal for large teams or complex projects with many moving parts
Todoist pricing
- Beginner: Free forever
- Pro: $5/month per user
- Business: $8/month per user
Todoist ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.4/5 (800+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.6/5 (2,500+ reviews)
What are real-life users saying about Todoist?
9. Coda (Best for blending project management, notes, and databases into interactive documents)
If you need software that functions as a comprehensive, collaborative workspace for your team, check out Coda. Unlike AppFlowy’s standard note-taking structure, Coda lets you build interactive docs with tables, buttons, and integrations, making it more dynamic for team collaboration.
You can automate workflows directly within your docs using Coda’s built-in automation rules and Packs (integrations with Slack, Jira, Google Calendar, etc.), reducing manual work.
Coda’s tables function like databases, allowing you to filter, link, and customize views—great for project management, product roadmaps, or CRM systems.
Coda best features
- Get powerful customization features for workflows, tables, and task management
- Bridge the gap between traditional docs and complex business apps with a no-code interface
- Support real-time collaboration with dynamic elements like buttons, checkboxes, and editable tables
- Enable offline work through the desktop app for uninterrupted access
Coda limitations
- Steeper learning curve due to its customizable structure
- Requires a paid plan for full access to advanced features
Coda pricing
- Free
- Pro: $12/month per Doc maker
- Team: $36/month per Doc maker
- Enterprise: Custom pricing
Coda ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.7/5 (400+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.6/5 (90+ reviews)
10. Taskade (Best for planning projects collaboratively with integrated notes and task tracking)
Another task management tool, Taskade lets you automate tasks and collaborate with your team in a unified platform. However, its main USP is its native workplace AI. Its powerful AI agents let you accomplish a range of tasks effortlessly, including setting up projects, writing documentation from scratch, building workflows, and prioritizing tasks.
Taskade also lets you collaborate with your team with real-time updates and syncs. It’s available for Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and iOS devices.
Taskade best features
- Simplify project planning with task lists, mind maps, and document collaboration
- Use features like task prioritization, due dates, and timeline views for organized management
- Enjoy custom branding and collaborative document sharing for teams
Taskade limitations
- Limited for in-depth note-taking and documentation
- Lacks integration with specialized project management tools
Taskade pricing
- Free
- Taskade Pro: $10/month per user
- Taskade for Teams: $20/month per user
Taskade ratings and reviews
- G2: 4.6/5 (50+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.7/5 (60+ reviews)
What are real-life users saying about Taskade?
✨ Special Mentions
- Notesnook: Handles projects with end-to-end encrypted note-taking
- Microsoft OneNote: Manages projects with freeform note-taking and organization
- Workflowy: Structures projects with an outline-based note-taking system
Summarize this article for me pleaseMove Over AppFlowy, ClickUp Is the Best Collaborative Project Management Tool!
AppFlowy is an excellent choice for those seeking an open-source alternative to Notion. It combines privacy, self-hosting, and customization, making it ideal for individuals and companies that want full control over their data.
However, its limited collaboration features can be a drawback for teams that rely on real-time communication.
That’s where ClickUp comes in—a collaborative, comprehensive project management workspace that offers the best of Notion and AppFlowy. Whether you need seamless teamwork, dynamic task management, or flexible customization, ClickUp has you covered.
Ready to elevate your workflow? Try ClickUp today.
Everything you need to stay organized and get work done.
