Pad vs Rowboat

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

Pad

Apache-2.0

Local-first project management for developers and AI agents, with a CLI, web UI, SQLite backend, and native skills for Claude Code, Cursor, Codex, and more.

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Rowboat

Apache-2.0

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

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Side-by-side comparison

	Pad	Rowboat
License	Apache-2.0	Apache-2.0
Self-hostable	Yes	Yes
GitHub Stars	182	17,972
Forks	24	1,791
Open Issues	6	183
Last Commit	Sep 27, 2026	Sep 25, 2026
First Released	Mar 26, 2026	Jan 13, 2025
Categories	Project Management	Note Taking & Knowledge Management Tools Automation Tools AI Coding Agents
Tags	#local-first #cli #ai-agents #agent-tools #mcp-server	#ai #ai agent #desktop-app

GitHub stars over time

Pad182

Rowboat

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