head to head · open source
AppFlowy vs Paperling
AppFlowy has 78,734 GitHub stars, 6,249 forks, 1,030 open issues and last shipped 10 days ago. Paperling has 598 stars, 40 forks, 16 open issues and last shipped 3 days ago. AppFlowy leads on adoption by 13,066% (78,734 vs 598 stars). AppFlowy is written in Dart under AGPL-3.0; Paperling is written in TypeScript under Apache-2.0. AppFlowy has attracted 8% as many forks as stars, Paperling 7%. Paperling was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee. The two share 1 topic tag (note-taking), so they are genuine substitutes rather than adjacent tools.
Two open source projects, one decision. Both are free and self-hostable — the differences are community size, license terms, language stack and release pace.
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Side by side
| AppFlowy | Paperling | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 79K | ★ 598 |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Written in | Dart | TypeScript |
| Last push | 2026-11-02 | 2026-11-09 |
| Forks | ⑂ 6.2K | ⑂ 40 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick AppFlowy if
- You weight community size — 79K stars and counting
- You want the AGPL-3.0 license terms
- Your stack matches Dart
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick Paperling if
- You want the Paperling feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the Apache-2.0 license terms
- Your stack matches TypeScript
- You evaluated both and Paperling fits your workflow better
About AppFlowy
AppFlowy ⭐️ The Open Source Alternative To Notion ⭐️ AppFlowy is the AI workspace where you achieve more without losing control of your data Website • Forum • Discord • Reddit • Twitter User Installation Download AppFlowy Desktop (macOS, Windows, and Linux) Other channels: FlatHub, Snapcraft, Sourceforge Available on App Store: iPhone Play Store: Android 10 or above; ARMv7 is not supported Self hosting AppFlowy Source Built With Flutter Rust Stay Up to Date Getting Started with development Please view the documentation for OS specific development instructions Roadmap AppFlowy Roadmap ReadMe AppFlowy Public…
read the full AppFlowy overview →
About Paperling
Paperling A no setup Markdown reader and editor. Open any .md file and read it beautifully, edit with live preview (math, chemistry, and diagrams as you type), and use an optional free AI that proposes edits you accept or reject inline. No vaults, no plugins, no heavy app. Built with Tauri, React, and TypeScript. ⬇ Download · Website · Features · Contribute 📱 Now on Android — get the APK from the releases page . Why Paperling? As a developer, I frequently work with markdown files for documentation, notes, and project READMEs. The frustration of opening .md files in Notepad or basic text editors, only to see…
read the full Paperling overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is AppFlowy or Paperling more popular?
AppFlowy has 78,734 GitHub stars and Paperling has 598. AppFlowy has the larger community by that measure.
Are AppFlowy and Paperling free?
Both are open source. AppFlowy is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Paperling under Apache-2.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between AppFlowy and Paperling?
AppFlowy is written in Dart and Paperling in TypeScript. The practical differences are community size, licence terms, language stack and release cadence — all compared in the table above.
Which should I choose, AppFlowy or Paperling?
Choose AppFlowy if you want the larger community (78,734 stars) or its AGPL-3.0 licence terms. Choose Paperling if its feature set, stack or Apache-2.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.