Source-backed analysis9
Review basis
Research-based review: the AppDuo Editorial Team compiled it from official pages, documentation, app stores, press and user feedback, without hands-on testing. Every claim links to a source with the date it was checked.
9 reference sourcesInformation updated Nov 11, 2026
How we review
AFFiNE Review
Open-source docs, whiteboard and databases with a local-first approach
By AppDuo Editorial Team · Updated
- Web
- Windows
- macOS
- Linux
- iOS
- Android
On this page
Decide at a glance
Our verdict
A fit for people who want a notes and whiteboard workspace that is free to use locally or self-hosted, as an alternative to Notion and Miro. The trade-offs are a free cloud tier capped at 3 members, several unclear points on the pricing page, and a 2.7/5 Google Play rating with reviews citing typing and stability problems.
Best for: People who want their data on their own device or self-hosted with Docker
Skip it if: Anyone who needs a multilingual interface: the website only shows English
Pros
- Open source on GitHub, with an MIT-licensed editor and a self-hosting option
- Docs, an edgeless whiteboard and databases in one tool
- Unlimited local workspaces for free
Cons
- The free cloud tier allows only 3 members per workspace and 10 MB per file
- The pricing page has inconsistencies (self-hosted member limits, Pro billing term) and AI is a separate add-on
All pros and cons · Who is it for?
Pros
- Web, desktop, iOS and Android apps
Cons
- The Android app is rated 2.7/5 on Google Play (328 reviews), with reviewers reporting hard-to-type mobile editing, a blank desktop window and failed self-hosted sign-in
Best for
- Users who want notes, a whiteboard and planning in one workspace
- Small teams looking for low per-seat pricing (10 USD per seat per month billed annually)
Skip it if
- Organisations that need end-to-end encryption: the pages read do not mention it
Problems it solves
Experience & key features
What AFFiNE is
AFFiNE is an open-source workspace developed by TOEVERYTHING PTE. LTD., a company based in Singapore since 2022. The homepage describes it as one place that merges docs, whiteboards and databases, with optional AI. The company positions it as an alternative to Notion and Obsidian for individuals and to Confluence for enterprises.
Key features
Documents are built from blocks. The edgeless mode is a whiteboard for drawing, mind mapping and turning frames into slides. There are also templates such as planners, storyboards and Cornell notes, AI tools for writing, drawing and planning, a web clipper and an MCP server. Apps cover web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android.
Pricing and licensing
The Free plan gives unlimited local workspaces and a basic 10 GB cloud with up to 3 members. Pro is 6.75 USD/month (the upgrade link points to yearly billing), Team is 10 USD per seat per month billed annually and Believer is a one-time 499.99 USD. AI is a separate 8.9 USD/month add-on. On licensing, the pricing page says the BlockSuite editor is MIT-licensed while the backend uses MPL 2.0 for some parts and EE terms for the rest; GitHub assigns no single license to the repository, so check the license of the exact release you deploy.
More analysis
Versus alternatives
Compared with Notion, AFFiNE stresses local storage, self-hosting and an integrated whiteboard, but the sources read show a smaller integration ecosystem and fewer interface languages. Compared with Obsidian or Logseq, it leans toward blocks and a whiteboard rather than linked markdown files. For deep collaborative whiteboarding, Miro is the more established choice.
Screenshots
Plans & pricing
Prices last verified Nov 11, 2026
Free
PersonalFree
Unlimited local workspaces. The basic cloud tier has 10 GB, 10 MB per file, up to 3 members per workspace, 7 days of version history and up to 3 login devices.
Pro
Personal$6.75/mo
The pricing page lists 6.75 USD/month without stating the billing term, but the upgrade link points to yearly billing; on the App Store the yearly plan is 81 USD (6.75 USD/month) and the monthly plan 7.99 USD. 100 GB, 100 MB per file, up to 10 members per workspace and 30 days of version history. Community support.
Team (Cloud)
Business$10/mo/user
10 USD per seat per month billed annually (per the pricing page's meta description). 100 GB plus 20 GB per seat, 500 MB per file, multiple admin roles and priority support.
Self-Hosted FOSS
PersonalFree
Free, runs on your own servers, community support. The docs list Docker Compose, Postgres, Redis, persistent storage and HTTPS for production.
Self-Hosted Team
Business$10/mo/user
10 USD per seat per month; the pricing page says annual billing saves 15% but gives no monthly price. 100 GB plus 20 GB per seat, 500 MB per file, priority support, running on your own servers.
Believer
PersonalContact sales
One-time purchase of 499.99 USD, no subscription: lifetime Pro for personal use with 1 TB of storage.
- Free plan limits
- Local workspaces and editing are free without limits. AI is a separate add-on: the pricing page lists 8.9 USD/month billed annually (the App Store lists the yearly AI plan at 106.99 USD) and does not say whether any plan includes it.
- Free trial
- No free trial
Cancellation & refunds
The pricing page does not state a refund policy.
Privacy
The homepage calls AFFiNE local-first and privacy-focused and says you control your own data; self-hosting is available. The TOEVERYTHING PTE. LTD. privacy policy says it collects personal information (name, email, phone number), device, usage and location data (IP address or GPS) and the data you enter into AI features. AI data is sent to a third-party provider (the policy names OpenAI or Anthropic), and the company states it does not use personal or AI input data to train foundation models. The policy also says information is used to personalise content and advertising within the services. The pages read do not mention end-to-end encryption. The Google Play data safety section says the app may share personal info with third parties, encrypts data in transit and lets you request deletion.
AFFiNE alternatives
Frequently asked questions
Is AFFiNE free?
Yes, there is a Free plan: unlimited local workspaces and a basic 10 GB cloud with up to 3 members. Paid plans and the AI add-on are priced separately.
Can AFFiNE be self-hosted?
Yes. The Self-Hosted FOSS plan is free; the docs list Docker Compose, Postgres, Redis, persistent storage and HTTPS for production.
Does AFFiNE train AI on my data?
The privacy policy says it does not use personal data or AI input data to train foundation models.
Does AFFiNE have mobile apps?
Yes, there are apps on iOS (App Store) and Android (Google Play).
Review evidence & sources9
Scores
- Ease of use
- 6.0
- Features
- 7.5
- Value for money
- 8.0
- Performance
- 5.5
- Support
- 6.0
- Privacy & security
- 7.5
Why this score
The docs plus whiteboard plus database model is flexible but has many concepts, and self-hosting needs Docker Compose, Postgres, Redis and HTTPS. Google Play reviews (2.7/5) describe mobile typing hampered by the keyboard covering content; the App Store shows 4.3/5 from only 36 ratings.
Why this score
Combines block-based docs, an infinite whiteboard, databases, templates, optional AI, a web clipper and an MCP server across web, desktop and mobile. The sources read list no direct third-party integrations.
Why this score
Local workspaces and the self-hosted edition are free; Pro at 6.75 USD/month and Team at 10 USD per seat per month (billed yearly) are low for the category. Points are deducted because AI is a separate 8.9 USD/month add-on.
Why this score
The sources read contain no independent performance data. Google Play shows 2.7/5, and prominent reviews describe the web app not staying smooth, a blank desktop window after switching apps, and failed self-hosted sign-in. The latest Android update notes fixes for keyboard handling and self-hosted sign-in. The GitHub repository is very active, though most releases are canary builds.
Why this score
There are docs, GitHub, Discord, Reddit and a contact email; Pro and the free self-hosted edition get community support only, with priority support limited to Team.
Why this score
Local storage, self-hosting, open source and a commitment not to train foundation models on user data. Points are deducted because the policy mentions personalising advertising and does not mention end-to-end encryption.
What users say
- App Store (US)4.3/5 · 36
- Google Play2.7/5 · 328
Sources
- Vendor-providedAFFiNE homepageNov 10, 2026
- Vendor-providedAFFiNE pricing pageNov 11, 2026
- Vendor-providedAFFiNE privacy policyNov 11, 2026
- Vendor-providedAFFiNE about pageNov 10, 2026
- Vendor-providedAFFiNE documentationNov 10, 2026
- Community-reportedAFFiNE GitHub repository (API)Nov 10, 2026
- Community-reportedAFFiNE GitHub releasesNov 10, 2026
- storeApp Store listingNov 11, 2026
- storeGoogle Play listingNov 11, 2026
Specs & compatibility
- Developer
- TOEVERYTHING PTE. LTD.
- Headquarters
- Singapore
- Launched
- 2022
- Category
- Productivity
Capabilities
- Open source
- Self-hostable
- Works offline
- AI features
- Real-time collaboration
- Templates
- Mobile app
- Public API
Platforms
- Web
- Windows
- macOS
- Linux
- iOS
- Android
Interface languages
- English
Integrations
- MCP Server
- Web Clipper
- OpenAI
- Anthropic
Support
- Help center
- Community forum
Change history
- Feature.Canary build 2026.11.10 improves the Copilot (AI) module with managed model routing and OpenRouter support.
- Feature.Latest Android update on Google Play: faster doc list, better keyboard handling and a fix for self-hosted sign-in.
- Launch.The AFFiNE iOS app appeared on the App Store, with a release date of 6 July 2025 per the listing data.
Full change history (4)
- Launch.The AFFiNE repository was created on GitHub (per the GitHub API); the company says it began in Singapore in 2022.
About the author
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