head to head · open source
AppFlowy vs Standard Notes
AppFlowy has 78,112 GitHub stars, 6,160 forks, 1,030 open issues and last shipped 6 days ago. Standard Notes has 6,695 stars, 565 forks, 99 open issues and last shipped yesterday. AppFlowy leads on adoption by 1,067% (78,112 vs 6,695 stars). AppFlowy is written in Dart under AGPL-3.0; Standard Notes is written in TypeScript under AGPL-3.0. AppFlowy has attracted 8% as many forks as stars, Standard Notes 8%. Standard Notes 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 | Standard Notes | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 78K | ★ 6.7K |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Written in | Dart | TypeScript |
| Last push | 2026-10-28 | 2026-11-02 |
| Forks | ⑂ 6.2K | ⑂ 565 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick AppFlowy if
- You weight community size — 78K 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 Standard Notes if
- You want the Standard Notes feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the AGPL-3.0 license terms
- Your stack matches TypeScript
- You evaluated both and Standard Notes 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 Standard Notes
Standard Notes Standard Notes is an end to end encrypted note taking app for digitalists and professionals. Capture your notes, files, and life’s work all in one secure place. Why Standard Notes? End to end encrypted sync. Only you can read your notes. Fast, free, and encrypted cross platform sync on unlimited devices. Public source code with ability to self host your own server in a few easy steps. A strong focus on longevity and sustainability. Learn more. Creating your private notes account 1. Launch the web app at app.standardnotes.com. 2. Click Register to create your private notes account. 3. Download…
read the full Standard Notes overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is AppFlowy or Standard Notes more popular?
AppFlowy has 78,112 GitHub stars and Standard Notes has 6,695. AppFlowy has the larger community by that measure.
Are AppFlowy and Standard Notes free?
Both are open source. AppFlowy is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Standard Notes under AGPL-3.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between AppFlowy and Standard Notes?
AppFlowy is written in Dart and Standard Notes 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 Standard Notes?
Choose AppFlowy if you want the larger community (78,112 stars) or its AGPL-3.0 licence terms. Choose Standard Notes if its feature set, stack or AGPL-3.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.