AppFlowy vs. Notion: Why AppFlowy is a Must-Try Project Management Tool
Look, Notion is a perfectly fine project management platform and productivity tool. But as much as it’s powerful and functional, its UI can also be too cluttered and complicated to use.
I personally wouldn’t recommend it to anyone who hasn’t had any prior experience using a project management tool before. For a newbie, it can be overwhelming and overall confusing.
Luckily, there’s been a new kid on the block. AppFlowy is an AI tool specifically designed to rival Notion and it’s one of the best alternatives out there right now. It focuses on simplicity and ease of use, offering a clutter-free UI where everything is laid out in the open.
Below is a deep dive into how it stacks up against Notion and why you might want to try it out.
PS This isn’t sponsored in any way. This post will address not just the good, but also the bad, and the ugly.
Let’s dive right in…
Page Layout
When it comes to the program’s layout, AppFlowy isn’t far from Notion. It looks and feels similar to Notion, with a sidebar along the side for easy access and visibility of your pages.
Each page can be dedicated to each of your projects and offers space for adding text boxes, images, lists, tables, and a plethora of useful elements.
The pages are quite literally blank canvases for users to customize according to their exact preferences and needs. Talk about designing your project roadmaps to your heart’s desire.
I’d say it also helps that you get to see more colors even on blank AppFlowy pages because it gives off a more user-friendly and relaxed vibe, as opposed to Notion’s too formal and technical appearance.
Another thing that makes it superior is that you can clearly see every tool and element available when you hit slash. With Notion, you’ll get a small window where you have to scroll down a long list of features. Some of these features even have drop-downs that show more choices, which can be tricky to use.
Project Grid
AppFlowy’s grid features aren’t new — it’s pretty much the same as in Notion’s wherein each item you add to the grid opens to a dedicated window where you can add and attach all kinds of elements.
However, Notion takes the lead on this one because opening those AppFlowy grid windows means losing sight of the grid itself. The window takes up most of the screen, whereas, in Notion, opened grid windows appear on the right side.
Project Board
Another feature that makes AppFlowy a true Notion replica is the project board feature.
This is a more accessible layout for tracking project and task progress and sharing with collaborators. You can just drag and drop task cards and assign them to members to delegate without hassle and keep everything organized.
Although it’s almost expected for AppFlowy to have this feature, it’s still worth mentioning.
The only problem is that If you want to customize the cards and open each window, it will also take up most of the screen, similar to the feature I tackled above. You’ll lose sight of the board almost entirely, which can be annoying if you’re used to Notion’s windows always appearing on the right side of the screen.
Project Calendar
AppFlowy’s calendar feature works well for setting project schedules and tracking task progress. You can add all kinds of elements within each item in the calendar, which is basically just the same as in Notion.
Nothing fancy but functional enough.
However, it lacks one thing that’s well-loved about Notion: the ability to link anything with anything.
Scheduled items in AppFlowy can’t be linked to existing sections within the current page or even a different page. This means that if you want to get to a calendar item’s grid or board view you’ll have to leave the calendar and go directly to the Board or Grid section to find it.
This might be the only non-user-friendly aspect of AppFlowy. Unfortunately, this could be a dealbreaker for long-time Notion users and keep them from finally jumping ship.
Collaboration
When it comes to collaboration, both Appflowy and Notion work similarly. You’ll need to invite a member to your AppFlowy workspace so they can access projects.
But if you’re dealing with a sizeable team, Notion might still be better. AppFlowy’s free plan can accommodate only 3 members while Notion’s
AI Integration
According to Notion’s AI security practices, large language models (LLMs) provided by Anthropic, OpenAI, and a Notion-hosted model provided by Cohere are used to power their Notion AI feature.
Notion’s built-in AI assistant is hidden within the drop-down options from hitting slash (not very accessible.) However, it’s able to help with writing, summarizing, and improving content, brainstorming, language translation, spelling & grammar checking, and asking for clarifications.
With AppFlowy, users can enjoy the autonomy of deciding what AI service they want to integrate into their workspace. So, adding OpenAI’s API to your AppFlowy account will allow you to enjoy the full power of OpenAI products right inside your workspace.
Pricing
When it comes to pricing, AppFlowy turns out to be a more cost-effective option for AI-powered project management. Regardless of your AppFlowy plan, you can enjoy AI automation.
Notion, on the other hand, offers plan options focused on extensive team management. Their pricing model caters to various team sizes, offering collaboration and project management tools that might be more suitable to larger organizations.
Here’s a side-by-side comparison of AppFlowy’s and Notion’s pricing:
| Feature | AppFlowy | Notion |
|---|---|---|
| Free Plan | Unlimited pages & blocks, 5 GB storage, up to 3 workspace members, 100 AI responses | Unlimited pages & blocks, up to 10 guests, sync across devices |
| Pro/ Plus Plan | $10/user/month (billed annually), unlimited storage, up to 10 workspace members, unlimited AI responses, custom domains (coming soon) | $8/user/month (billed annually), unlimited file uploads, 30-day page history, collaborative workspaces |
AppFlowy Exclusive Plans
| Plan | Features | Price |
|---|---|---|
| AI MAX | Unlimited AI models, advanced AI models access | $8/user/month (billed annually) |
| AI On-device | Local AI on your hardware | $8/user/month (billed annually) |
Notion Exclusive Plans
| Plan | Features | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Business | Advanced permissions, SAML SSO, admin tools | $15/user/month (billed annually) |
| Enterprise | Enterprise-level security, advanced controls & support, dedicated success manager | Custom pricing |
Final Thoughts
AppFlowy seems to deliver a more modern look and feel. Even non-technical users and people who are unfamiliar with digital project management programs will probably have no issues using this tool.
Even so, AppFlowy still has a long way to go before it can fully replace Notion. Although the main features we’ve all come to enjoy about Notion are offered by AppFlowy, they often lack the functionality that Notion has. Not to mention, it is not yet available for mobile use.
Where AppFlowy takes the cake is AI integration. AI-powered teams in need of a good project management tool might get more from this program than Notion, given its open-source design.
All in all, it’s 100% worth giving a try. Whether you’re an AI enthusiast or just looking for a Notion alternative, AppFlowy has something for you to enjoy.
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