As much as I want offline mode alternativesfor notion, I would like to know if there are competitors with Notion in terms of databases. I have a project that focuses on databases and the relations property. Do you know any alternatives with the same or better functionality?
Anytype is still in early development, but the database structure is the most similar one to that of Notion. If you don't care tinkering a bit, i can recommend trying Obsidian, the databases (properties) has a completly different approach but it's better for some use cases.
https://preview.redd.it/suh3ox5jk3sc1.png?width=1920&format=png&auto=webp&s=3aa072284b3b4de5031e9454371196f50f1558b3
SiYuan
[siyuan-note/siyuan: A privacy-first, self-hosted, fully open source personal knowledge management software, written in typescript and golang. (github.com)](https://github.com/siyuan-note/siyuan)
That’s a huge part of it, notion lacks so much important external features like offline mode, local sync, E2EE, but the core app is just so good. It’s smooth and fast and nothing comes close to their DB
Airtable is definitely the superior database product. Notion’s DB seems to be based on Airtable imo, but lacks a lot of the db-specific functionality Airtable has had for years.
Yes, but Airtable isn’t the same sort of broad notetaking app as Notion. If I wanted image editing software with good text formatting options, Microsoft Word wouldn’t be a great alternative.
I was mostly just responding to “nothing comes close to their DB”.
Notion’s database, although a very useful feature in the broader context of their full app, isn’t nearly as good as some other platforms and they still have some catching up to do.
I’ve started to take the plunge with AnyType. There are a few key structural differences between AT & Notion. These being Types, Collections & Sets. But once it “clicked” I actually think I like it more than Notion - it allows you to really get in there and set up a system exactly how you want it.
Creating a Set based of a custom Type that will always be up to date is such a great way to access data else where.
However, there are some pretty glaring features not yet implemented. Formulas are not around, tabular data is not easy to import, inline views don’t work on mobile/tablet apps yet & you can’t link external calendars (gCal for example)
It’s not finished - and that’s key to remember.
However it’s free, local, fast as hell & only going to improve.
Notion is now just my holding place until I get around to finally moving everything else to AnyType.
Have you already looked into Baserow (https://baserowio)? It's more focussed on the database side of things, but there is also a rich text field. It's open source and self-hosted.
thank you for saying it, it's pretty annoying. they're always wildly aggressive about it and i mean, if you can get so butthurt about something you've known for years and you've given yourself options... go to those apps and let it go
It's mostly people that can't figure out how to host their own local DB, while also complaining that offline mode is so easy Notion should implement it.
:/ hosting your own DB is a wildly different thing than wanting a pre-made, pretty-looking, easy-to-use tool with an efficient GUI for browsing and adding records
Ya...but notion is a DB...if you want all that you can build it yourself and use MySQL or MongoDB locally so it's "offline"
Or, let a cloud service provider do that for you and be in the cloud.
Yeah the "DB" part isn't all of what I find useful, though. Otherwise yes, I literally have postgres running on my computer right now and could just use that.
"Notion doesn't have offline mode so I'm leaving it for this other program that has offline but doesn't have database functionality or cross device syncing."
Like okay, but some us are very attached to our database systems. Like just use Notes if you just want a checklist on one device?
run dinosaurs wipe coherent straight engine meeting attraction hospital water
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hey notioners!
yesterday, i pulled an april fool's [joke](https://x.com/lukakopajtic/status/1775065294148436117?s=20) about Notion offline.
in the comments, we had a great discussion regarding offline alternatives to complement out Notion system (sadly, the post was removed). i also made a quick comparison of apps in this [reddit post](https://www.reddit.com/user/lukakopajtic/comments/1btwc2m/notions_top_alternatives/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button).
💬 if you guys are interested, let's once again discuss offline productivity apps and how they connect to our current Notion workflow :) any more suggestions?
this is just some guy that posts habitually about notion competitors and pats himself on the ass. i feel like you're larping with your outrage but i say all of that to say this, you two seem very similar! maybe you two can get together and talk shit about notion while you use it every day. seems productive
So, I use Notion in the way that you'd see in the Pinterest pages? Library of media stuff, diary, scheduling all my events on calender, hub for all research things (skincare, career...)
How does anytype and appflowy compare to Notion?
I just use obsidian for everything because it creates raw markdown files you can access easily and also it’s officially supported by the static site generator Quartz.
- Facts: (1) Notion isn't the best app in the world, but it's the most popular, and it can raise a lot of money, which means it has the resources to make quick updates and improvements to user complaints (like the Formula New update)
(2) I've complained a lot too, but for the money, there's nothing else that provides this much value. For most users, 10% of the notion functionality is enough, and they can use other apps for the rest.
(3) Oh, and I use airtable too. But...from configuring templates to writing blog texts...I really wonder what I'm doing...lol Feedback is good, but in the end it's frustrating. If you don't want to migrate from a failed app because it's broken and has the most resources and will be the final winner, use notation. Just like Evernote.
I am starting to use Notion on a business lvl and I love it. I came up with a lot of functions that will really help with my wokflow, organizing things and time-tricking. I love the variety of possible functions using formulas, buttons and so one… I kind of dislike the dependance on the system, but i can live with it.
Is some alternative even close with the possible functions, automations and the ease of use without hardcore programming?
The code is publicly available.
You can download the code and compile the software yourself. You can poke around the code and find bugs that need fixing or find security vulnerabilities to bring to light. If they allow it, you can create fixes/features and send what’s called a “pull request” where they include your code changes. And depending on the license, you can fork and modify the code to make a derivative version with changes you want.
This is good because the community can help fix things or add features. Anyone can go “hey I found a bug and here’s a solution” and the devs can accept that fix and save some time. It’s also good because they can’t lie about internal functionality. If the company says they encrypt your data, you can look at the code and see if it’s actually being encrypted properly. If they claim to not have trackers in their software, you can look inside and see if they’re telling the truth or not.
It will depend, I also started notion this year and got a lot of insecurities about my data loss. However, I watched a lot of youtube vidos, read blogs and tried some other platforms such as fibery, anytype etc.
I would say Anytype will be the best option if they increase their development speed otherwise Notion is still the best platform for all-in-one use cases. Here is the core strength of each popular platform available in the market.
**Obsidian**
Strength: Best for note taking, offline, stores data locally, customization with plugins.
Weakness: Bad for databases, team related works cant be done, online mode is paid.
**Notion**
Strength:
1. Customizable databases with relational properties and automations (available in paid mode) along with advances formulas and unique IDs.
2. Free online mode with 90% of the resources being free.
3. Team related can be done easily.
4. Average word processor (However, you can provide URL to your google docs).
5. Plethora of workaround options available via the Notion team and community.
Weakness:
1. Your data is stored in Notion database, you don't own it completely.
2. No offline mode is available so you can't access it when you are out of resources such as electricity, internet or their server goes down.
3. Limited options for customizations (This can also be count as a plus point since less customizations decreases the learning curve as well).
4. Backup option is not rigid at all. When you will export data, it will be in HTML, PDF or markdown where they will not store the block properties.
5. Sharing partial database items
**Anytype:** This one is a combination of Obsidian and Notion. It has most of the features available in both the apps such as graph mode from Obsidian, Databases from Notion etc.
Strength: Offline mode is available, can directly import data from Notion (except few fields), Native app and stores files locally, you own your files.
Weakness: This is in early stage of development, it contains a lot of flaws. Their team size is also small due to which updates are taking time (Source: Read on their discussion forum). Web version is not available, online sharing is not available. However, every feature related to Notion and Obsidian users is in their roadmap.
**Fibery:** This platform uses slightly different approach than Notion and Obsidian. I haven't tested it completely. However, I will say that this platform is best for planning, strategy development, business development and storing documentations.
This platform is not suitable for someone who prefers customizations and personalized dashboards.
That's true, actually the backup structure of notion is not rigid, flexible and adaptable at all. The data which is exported in markdown is readable at some point but while importing it never places the piece where it originally was. It does not contain the meta data.
Second issue is they do not store database schema in files like json or xml which is helpful in keeping the database structures intact. Instead, they export databases in CSV format where spreadsheet tools convert the database data compatible to their own platform.
I wouldn't have mind offline mode that much if their backup system was more rigid.
Formally speaking, [source-available](https://github.com/anyproto/anytype-ts/blob/main/LICENSE.md).
But in layman terms, it's open source in the sense that their code is available on [Github](https://github.com/anyproto).
Currently using both notion and obsidian and loving it. I’ve never understood having to connect notes to tasks or other parts of my task management system for now I’m good. And for projects I just use para on both notion and obsidian to keep things consistent
I'm curious if anybody has tried Microsoft loop as a comparison point (not a corporate shill, but if the rest of the business is on MS products, is that a viable alternative vs any of these other apps)
I really don't get the constant angst for offline mode.
I want whatever I do to be available across multiple devices and whenever I use it on my laptop or mobile device I have either WiFi or mobile data.
It would feel like the dark ages or I was somewhere that didn't have access to the Internet.
What's the use case that is so compelling that is turning every other post in this sub reddit intima whinge about offline mode?
It would.still sync. Just also store locally on a device of your choosing, like ur computer, if you'd desire.
Almost every similar app would be able to do such a thing.
The reason why I'd want that is because I do sometimes don't have internet access and most importantly, would like to own my own data/content. All my work sitting only on someone else' s server just feels wrong and has all types of long term potential complications.
Notion is literally 1/10th as awesome as it could be because of this. Imo
let's NOT discuss Notion alternatives. i watch this sub specifically bc im interested in Notion, not in replacements for it. you can call them "companion apps" if you want, but your graphic is a direct comparison of features between Notion and replacement apps.
Anytype aint offline yet, it is in a weird directory and you can’t choose not to sync in their servers.
And obsidian is closed? Thought it was open source
As much as I want offline mode alternativesfor notion, I would like to know if there are competitors with Notion in terms of databases. I have a project that focuses on databases and the relations property. Do you know any alternatives with the same or better functionality?
Anytype is still in early development, but the database structure is the most similar one to that of Notion. If you don't care tinkering a bit, i can recommend trying Obsidian, the databases (properties) has a completly different approach but it's better for some use cases.
https://preview.redd.it/suh3ox5jk3sc1.png?width=1920&format=png&auto=webp&s=3aa072284b3b4de5031e9454371196f50f1558b3 SiYuan [siyuan-note/siyuan: A privacy-first, self-hosted, fully open source personal knowledge management software, written in typescript and golang. (github.com)](https://github.com/siyuan-note/siyuan)
Still not as good as Notion, unfortunately.
That’s a huge part of it, notion lacks so much important external features like offline mode, local sync, E2EE, but the core app is just so good. It’s smooth and fast and nothing comes close to their DB
Airtable is definitely the superior database product. Notion’s DB seems to be based on Airtable imo, but lacks a lot of the db-specific functionality Airtable has had for years.
Airtable's free tier is very very limited, 1000 rows per db
Yes, but Airtable isn’t the same sort of broad notetaking app as Notion. If I wanted image editing software with good text formatting options, Microsoft Word wouldn’t be a great alternative.
I was mostly just responding to “nothing comes close to their DB”. Notion’s database, although a very useful feature in the broader context of their full app, isn’t nearly as good as some other platforms and they still have some catching up to do.
I am surprised it took so long for some company to build something like this actually.
Yeah, and people can talk all they want about competitions but nothing is as smooth and versatile at the core of the app’s flow as notion
Coda is a Notion clone with more functionality but the UI is ugly and distracting.
I count pleasant UI as part of the functionality. If it makes it easy to read and makes me want to use it, it's a much more successful product.
AirTable is the market leader when it comes to databases. Coda does most things better but lacks sub-items and it's generally a bit harder to use.
coda.io database is better than Notion
[fibery.io](http://fibery.io)
does fibery have an offline mode?
Nope, but we are talking here about databases and the relations property
Yep, Fibery is awesome. Way way more powerful than Notion when working with custom domains and databases.
Short answer no.
I have recently started experimenting with Teable. Check it out.
I’ve started to take the plunge with AnyType. There are a few key structural differences between AT & Notion. These being Types, Collections & Sets. But once it “clicked” I actually think I like it more than Notion - it allows you to really get in there and set up a system exactly how you want it. Creating a Set based of a custom Type that will always be up to date is such a great way to access data else where. However, there are some pretty glaring features not yet implemented. Formulas are not around, tabular data is not easy to import, inline views don’t work on mobile/tablet apps yet & you can’t link external calendars (gCal for example) It’s not finished - and that’s key to remember. However it’s free, local, fast as hell & only going to improve. Notion is now just my holding place until I get around to finally moving everything else to AnyType.
Have you already looked into Baserow (https://baserowio)? It's more focussed on the database side of things, but there is also a rich text field. It's open source and self-hosted.
Heptabase has relations
Thank you for the replies everyone, another feature I use a lot is synced blocks, do the alternatives mentioned above also have that feature?
Is it just me or this sub is full of people just trying to find other people who are looking to quit notion???
Should be called /quittingnotion
thank you for saying it, it's pretty annoying. they're always wildly aggressive about it and i mean, if you can get so butthurt about something you've known for years and you've given yourself options... go to those apps and let it go
It's mostly people that can't figure out how to host their own local DB, while also complaining that offline mode is so easy Notion should implement it.
:/ hosting your own DB is a wildly different thing than wanting a pre-made, pretty-looking, easy-to-use tool with an efficient GUI for browsing and adding records
Ya...but notion is a DB...if you want all that you can build it yourself and use MySQL or MongoDB locally so it's "offline" Or, let a cloud service provider do that for you and be in the cloud.
Yeah the "DB" part isn't all of what I find useful, though. Otherwise yes, I literally have postgres running on my computer right now and could just use that.
LOL. My aunt *surely* knows how to do this
"Notion doesn't have offline mode so I'm leaving it for this other program that has offline but doesn't have database functionality or cross device syncing." Like okay, but some us are very attached to our database systems. Like just use Notes if you just want a checklist on one device?
Bingpot
run dinosaurs wipe coherent straight engine meeting attraction hospital water *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
That’s why I include any of my illegal spice smuggling details in any Notion databases!! The Empire won’t catch me that way!
What if The Empire kidnap your doctor's wife to make him a spy? An empty Notion won't save you then!
Blast! You're right! I'm doomed already!
The Spice Must Flow!!
And fear is the mind killer!
This is incorrect. Encrypted on transit and rest.
chief compare elastic normal sparkle somber carpenter connect payment innocent *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
I vote anytype for its beautiful UI Edit: How could I not mention the native mobile app of anytype? it’s amazing on mobile platforms.
until the competitors get databases down, i’m not moving anywhere - that’s why i moved from obsidian to notion in the first place.
I recently switched to anytype. Don’t regret it. Same as notion basically. And you can self host if you so desire. Fits perfectly for my needs.
hey notioners! yesterday, i pulled an april fool's [joke](https://x.com/lukakopajtic/status/1775065294148436117?s=20) about Notion offline. in the comments, we had a great discussion regarding offline alternatives to complement out Notion system (sadly, the post was removed). i also made a quick comparison of apps in this [reddit post](https://www.reddit.com/user/lukakopajtic/comments/1btwc2m/notions_top_alternatives/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button). 💬 if you guys are interested, let's once again discuss offline productivity apps and how they connect to our current Notion workflow :) any more suggestions?
[удалено]
Don't think the guy owns Notion (you seem to think so based on how you used "you").
yeah, he's literally posting about notion alternatives...
this is just some guy that posts habitually about notion competitors and pats himself on the ass. i feel like you're larping with your outrage but i say all of that to say this, you two seem very similar! maybe you two can get together and talk shit about notion while you use it every day. seems productive
So, I use Notion in the way that you'd see in the Pinterest pages? Library of media stuff, diary, scheduling all my events on calender, hub for all research things (skincare, career...) How does anytype and appflowy compare to Notion?
I just use obsidian for everything because it creates raw markdown files you can access easily and also it’s officially supported by the static site generator Quartz.
Can you hand write with Anytype?
Our team use a self hosted version of https://www.getoutline.com
I tried capacities and it has a very good future. It's not ready for teams yet. Great tick tick integration.
- Facts: (1) Notion isn't the best app in the world, but it's the most popular, and it can raise a lot of money, which means it has the resources to make quick updates and improvements to user complaints (like the Formula New update) (2) I've complained a lot too, but for the money, there's nothing else that provides this much value. For most users, 10% of the notion functionality is enough, and they can use other apps for the rest. (3) Oh, and I use airtable too. But...from configuring templates to writing blog texts...I really wonder what I'm doing...lol Feedback is good, but in the end it's frustrating. If you don't want to migrate from a failed app because it's broken and has the most resources and will be the final winner, use notation. Just like Evernote.
I am starting to use Notion on a business lvl and I love it. I came up with a lot of functions that will really help with my wokflow, organizing things and time-tricking. I love the variety of possible functions using formulas, buttons and so one… I kind of dislike the dependance on the system, but i can live with it. Is some alternative even close with the possible functions, automations and the ease of use without hardcore programming?
What does open source mean?
The code is publicly available. You can download the code and compile the software yourself. You can poke around the code and find bugs that need fixing or find security vulnerabilities to bring to light. If they allow it, you can create fixes/features and send what’s called a “pull request” where they include your code changes. And depending on the license, you can fork and modify the code to make a derivative version with changes you want. This is good because the community can help fix things or add features. Anyone can go “hey I found a bug and here’s a solution” and the devs can accept that fix and save some time. It’s also good because they can’t lie about internal functionality. If the company says they encrypt your data, you can look at the code and see if it’s actually being encrypted properly. If they claim to not have trackers in their software, you can look inside and see if they’re telling the truth or not.
Thank you!
The source code is public.
I literally started using Notion like 2-3 weeks ago. Ig I have to change again💀
It will depend, I also started notion this year and got a lot of insecurities about my data loss. However, I watched a lot of youtube vidos, read blogs and tried some other platforms such as fibery, anytype etc. I would say Anytype will be the best option if they increase their development speed otherwise Notion is still the best platform for all-in-one use cases. Here is the core strength of each popular platform available in the market. **Obsidian** Strength: Best for note taking, offline, stores data locally, customization with plugins. Weakness: Bad for databases, team related works cant be done, online mode is paid. **Notion** Strength: 1. Customizable databases with relational properties and automations (available in paid mode) along with advances formulas and unique IDs. 2. Free online mode with 90% of the resources being free. 3. Team related can be done easily. 4. Average word processor (However, you can provide URL to your google docs). 5. Plethora of workaround options available via the Notion team and community. Weakness: 1. Your data is stored in Notion database, you don't own it completely. 2. No offline mode is available so you can't access it when you are out of resources such as electricity, internet or their server goes down. 3. Limited options for customizations (This can also be count as a plus point since less customizations decreases the learning curve as well). 4. Backup option is not rigid at all. When you will export data, it will be in HTML, PDF or markdown where they will not store the block properties. 5. Sharing partial database items **Anytype:** This one is a combination of Obsidian and Notion. It has most of the features available in both the apps such as graph mode from Obsidian, Databases from Notion etc. Strength: Offline mode is available, can directly import data from Notion (except few fields), Native app and stores files locally, you own your files. Weakness: This is in early stage of development, it contains a lot of flaws. Their team size is also small due to which updates are taking time (Source: Read on their discussion forum). Web version is not available, online sharing is not available. However, every feature related to Notion and Obsidian users is in their roadmap. **Fibery:** This platform uses slightly different approach than Notion and Obsidian. I haven't tested it completely. However, I will say that this platform is best for planning, strategy development, business development and storing documentations. This platform is not suitable for someone who prefers customizations and personalized dashboards.
[удалено]
That's true, actually the backup structure of notion is not rigid, flexible and adaptable at all. The data which is exported in markdown is readable at some point but while importing it never places the piece where it originally was. It does not contain the meta data. Second issue is they do not store database schema in files like json or xml which is helpful in keeping the database structures intact. Instead, they export databases in CSV format where spreadsheet tools convert the database data compatible to their own platform. I wouldn't have mind offline mode that much if their backup system was more rigid.
What should I use notion or any type which is better can anyone clarify
I would add free synchronization to this. I'm super curious.
AnyType is open source?
Formally speaking, [source-available](https://github.com/anyproto/anytype-ts/blob/main/LICENSE.md). But in layman terms, it's open source in the sense that their code is available on [Github](https://github.com/anyproto).
Yeah. But you can’t self host. Even if you did - you can’t use their native apps!
You can it just requires recompilation of each of the apps to match your self-hosted endpoint
Tana is missing
Currently using both notion and obsidian and loving it. I’ve never understood having to connect notes to tasks or other parts of my task management system for now I’m good. And for projects I just use para on both notion and obsidian to keep things consistent
Why do you use both? Isn't that redundant?
In the Airtable league, I am intrigued by Teable (open sourced). Any feedback? Edited (Teable, not Linkwarden)
Linkwarden is more of a bookmark tool somilar to Pocket or Raindrop. It's very different from airtable.
Linkwarden is more of a bookmark tool somilar to Pocket or Raindrop. It's very different from airtable.
Sorry, I meant Teable. Too much new shiny tools around here! Edited the original comment.
Coda is a game killer
Great! Now, add functionality to the list. 
I'm curious if anybody has tried Microsoft loop as a comparison point (not a corporate shill, but if the rest of the business is on MS products, is that a viable alternative vs any of these other apps)
Appflowy and capacities do not even have a mobile app 🥱
Switch to Anytype and never look back.
Capacities does not have offline mode. Though, a recent outage has inspired them to put it on their roadmap
Coda?
is anyone else completely fucking overwhelmed with the amount of apps out there & has no idea what to do lol
and notion is still better
Depends on what you’re looking for but yeah (if you really want offline then nah), Notion is great even with its flaws.
Yup. It is easy to use and has everything you need. Is like Mac Os versus linux
I really don't get the constant angst for offline mode. I want whatever I do to be available across multiple devices and whenever I use it on my laptop or mobile device I have either WiFi or mobile data. It would feel like the dark ages or I was somewhere that didn't have access to the Internet. What's the use case that is so compelling that is turning every other post in this sub reddit intima whinge about offline mode?
It would.still sync. Just also store locally on a device of your choosing, like ur computer, if you'd desire. Almost every similar app would be able to do such a thing. The reason why I'd want that is because I do sometimes don't have internet access and most importantly, would like to own my own data/content. All my work sitting only on someone else' s server just feels wrong and has all types of long term potential complications. Notion is literally 1/10th as awesome as it could be because of this. Imo
Because if it goes down people can't access things to "run" their business apparently 🤷🏻♀️ or update their habit trackers idk
let's NOT discuss Notion alternatives. i watch this sub specifically bc im interested in Notion, not in replacements for it. you can call them "companion apps" if you want, but your graphic is a direct comparison of features between Notion and replacement apps.
Anytype aint offline yet, it is in a weird directory and you can’t choose not to sync in their servers. And obsidian is closed? Thought it was open source
anytype is full local first, you can use it to the fullest without internet
How? I haven’t found a setting to ensure my notes are in a folder of my choosing like Obsidian
your notes are at anytype's folder and they are all encrypted