AppFlowy vs Outline
The Best Self-Hosted Enterprise Team Wiki
Self-hosted, knowledge management, Notion alternatives, database, cross platform
Your workspace with more capabilities
than wikis alone
AI Workspace
AI Meeting Notes, AI Writers, and AI Search. Run local models offline or connect a self-hosted LLM.
Projects & Databases
Capture every detail in a database. Visualize in various formats, from calendars to boards.
Cross-platform
Works consistently across platforms your team works on, including desktop and mobile.
Compare features
Outline
AppFlowy
Local and on-prem LLM support
Database support
Kanban boards
AI writing assistance
AI meeting notes
AI transcript
Calendar views
List views
Gallery views
Chart views
Feed views
Native desktop & mobile apps
Self-hosted
Collaborative editing
Version history
Granular permissions
Publish pages
Block-based editor
Hierarchical docs/wiki structure
Inline comments
SSO/SAML
Audit logs
Questions & Answers
Is Outline open source?
Not in the traditional sense. Outline uses the Business Source License (BSL), which provides access to the source code and allows self-hosting, but includes commercial-use restrictions. The license is not recognized by the Open Source Initiative as an open-source license. AppFlowy's cloud backend follows an open-core model under the AGPL license, while its web codebase is fully open source.
Can I self-host both AppFlowy and Outline?
Yes, both AppFlowy and Outline can be self-hosted. Both AppFlowy and Outline are designed for organizations that want full ownership of their data and infrastructure.
What's the biggest difference between AppFlowy and Outline?
AppFlowy is a broader workspace that combines wikis, databases, kanban boards, project management, and AI-powered tools in a single platform. Outline is primarily a team wiki focused on documentation and knowledge management. For teams currently stitching together Outline + a project management tool, AppFlowy is a compelling consolidation play that provides everything Outline does for docs, plus databases, kanban, and project management in one tool.
Does Outline support databases and project management?
No. It does not include databases, kanban boards, or project management features. Outline focuses on documentation and wiki functionality. AppFlowy includes all of these capabilities alongside its document editor.
Do both tools support collaborative editing?
Yes. Both platforms support real-time collaboration, inline comments, version history, hierarchical document structures, and granular permissions. Collaborators can leave feedback directly in the document — right where it matters. They can highlight any text or pin a comment to a specific block to leave feedback, ask questions, or discuss ideas. They can also react to comments with emojis for quick responses. Version history tracks every change made to your documents over time.
Do AppFlowy and Outline support AI features?
While both products offer AI-powered search, Outline's AI capabilities are more limited than AppFlowy. AppFlowy also includes additional AI capabilities such as AI writing assistance, AI chat, AI meeting notes, AI transcripts, and support for local AI models.
Does Outline have desktop and mobile apps?
No, Outline does not have native desktop or mobile applications. Outline is primarily a web-based application. AppFlowy provides native applications across major desktop and mobile platforms in addition to its web app.
Which platform has better integrations?
Outline currently offers broader integration support and live embeds for many popular tools, including services like YouTube, Figma, and Miro. AppFlowy currently supports integrations such as Google Drive, Google Calendar, YouTube, and Zapier.
Which platform offers more customization?
AppFlowy offers more customization options. Users can customize fonts, font size, page width, profile cards, cursor colors, selection colors, page covers, and page icons. Outline's customization options are more limited.
Which platform is better as a Notion alternative?
AppFlowy is the stronger choice if you're looking for a broader workspace that combines wikis, databases, project management, and AI features in a single tool.
Should I choose AppFlowy or Outline?
Choose Outline if: * You primarily need a web-based team wiki. * Documentation is your main use case. * Cost efficiency is a priority. Choose AppFlowy if: * You want documentation, databases, kanban boards, and project management in one platform. * You want AI features such as AI Meeting Notes, AI Transcripts, AI-based information retrieval from your knowledge base. * Native desktop and mobile applications are important along with a stable web app. * You are looking for a broader workspace rather than a standalone wiki.
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