AFFiNE vs Rowboat

Comparing two open source alternatives to Notion and Obsidian . Use the comparison below to decide which one fits your needs.

AFFiNE

Open-source knowledge base combining note-taking, whiteboard, and project planning in one workspace.

Visit Full details

Rowboat

Apache-2.0

Open-source desktop AI coworker with a living knowledge graph, built-in email, browser, meeting notes, and code mode.

Visit Full details

Side-by-side comparison

	AFFiNE	Rowboat
License	—	Apache-2.0
Self-hostable	Yes	Yes
GitHub Stars	70,467	16,559
Forks	5,057	1,649
Open Issues	665	119
Last Commit	Jul 15, 2026	Jul 16, 2026
First Released	Jul 31, 2022	Jan 13, 2025
Categories	Note Taking & Knowledge Management Tools Knowledge Management Tools	Note Taking & Knowledge Management Tools Automation Tools AI Coding Agents
Tags	#knowledge-management #markdown #collaboration #whiteboard #self hosted	#ai #ai agent #desktop-app

Similar open source alternatives

Kestra

Event-driven workflow orchestration platform with a YAML-based pipeline DSL, 500+ plugins, and a built-in UI editor.

Alternative to:

Zapier

AppFlowy

Open source Notion alternative that brings projects, wikis, and teams together with AI while keeping you in control of your data.

Alternative to:

Notion

HelixNotes

A fast, privacy-first local markdown note-taking app built with Tauri and SvelteKit. Your notes stay as plain .md files on your device.

Alternative to:

Obsidian

Jotty

Lightweight self-hosted app for managing personal file-based notes and checklists.

Alternative to:

Notion

Outline

The fastest growing-team knowledge base — beautiful, realtime collaborative, feature packed, and markdown compatible Notion and Confluence alternative.

Alternative to:

Notion

Sim

Open-source workspace to build, deploy, and orchestrate AI agents and agentic workflows.

Alternative to:

Lindy AI