AFFiNE vs Anytype

AFFiNE

• People who want documents and a whiteboard in the same workspace
• Users who want notes stored on their own device
• Teams looking to self-host a knowledge base

Anytype

• People who want encrypted notes that keep working without an internet connection
• Users who want the option to self-host sync or keep data on one device
• Small groups sharing a private, encrypted workspace with built-in chat

AFFiNE

• The Free cloud tier is capped at 10 GB of storage, 10 MB per file, 3 members per workspace and 3 login devices.
• AFFiNE AI is a separate add-on at $8.9 a month, billed annually, rather than part of the Pro or Team feature lists.
• The self-hosted backend uses the AFFiNE Enterprise Edition license, which allows source review only without a commercial agreement.
• The Believer Plan's lifetime license is for personal use.

Anytype

• There is no browser version; Anytype runs only as desktop and mobile apps.
• The free tier includes 100 MB of remote storage; more requires a paid membership.
• Everyone in a shared space can see everything in it; per-object permissions are not supported.
• In September 2026 the team announced a rebuilt successor, Anytwo, and said development of the current app will slow down.

AFFiNE

Docs, whiteboards and databases together

Block-based documents, the Edgeless whiteboard and databases live in one workspace, used for wikis, mood boards, storyboards, project tasks and mind maps.

Local-first storage

The desktop apps run documents, databases and the whiteboard locally and fully offline, with no account required. Cloud sync is optional.

Cloud collaboration

AFFiNE Cloud adds real-time co-editing of documents and whiteboards, a notification center and version history: 7 days on Free, 30 days on Pro.

AFFiNE AI

A paid add-on that drafts and rewrites text, translates, fixes grammar, finds action items and turns outlines into mind maps or presentations (beta).

Self-hosting

The full stack can run on your own servers with Docker. Self-hosting is free for up to 10 seats per workspace, and a Team license adds more.

Templates

Ready-made templates include a digital planner, storyboard, Cornell notes, one-pager, checklist and vision board.

Anytype

Objects, types and properties

Every item is an object with a type, such as Note, Task, Person or Book, and properties like due date or priority that describe objects and link them together.

Calendar, gallery and kanban views

Groups of objects can be laid out as a calendar, a gallery or a kanban board, then filtered and grouped by their properties.

Local-first encrypted sync

Content is stored on your device and encrypted before it syncs, so the app keeps working without a connection. Sync can also run peer-to-peer over a local network.

Self-hosting and local-only mode

Instead of Anytype's network you can sync through your own infrastructure, or turn sync off so data stays on one device.

Shared channels and chats

Invite people as viewers, editors or admins. Changes appear instantly when members are online, and channels include encrypted chat threads.

Web publishing and Local API

Any object can be published as a public static web page. A Local API, an MCP server and a CLI tool let other applications work with your data.

AFFiNE

• Free$0

  Listed as Local FOSS + Cloud Basic: unlimited local workspaces and editing, with 10 GB of cloud storage and up to 3 members per workspace.

• Pro$6.75

  per month, billed annually

  100 GB of cloud storage, 100 MB per file, up to 10 members per workspace and 30 days of version history.

• AFFiNE AI$8.9

  per month, billed annually

  Add-on that brings AI writing, rewriting, translation, mind maps and presentations into docs and whiteboards.

• Team$10

  per seat / month, billed annually; $12 billed monthly

  100 GB of storage plus 20 GB per seat, 500 MB per file, multiple admin roles and priority support. Also sold for self-hosted use.

• Believer Plan$499.99

  one-time purchase

  Lifetime personal use of everything in Pro, with 1 TB of cloud storage.

• EnterpriseCustom

  For 100+ seats and regulated industries: custom contract, dedicated contact, source code review and hybrid self-host and cloud options.

Anytype

• Free$0

  Unlimited private spaces, 100 MB of remote storage and up to 10 shared channels.

• Plus$4

  per month, billed yearly ($5 billed monthly)

  1 GB of remote storage, unlimited shared channels and a custom ANY ID of 9 or more characters.

• Pro$8

  per month, billed yearly ($10 billed monthly)

  10 GB of remote storage, unlimited shared channels and a custom ANY ID of 7 or more characters.

• Ultra$16

  per month, billed yearly ($20 billed monthly)

  100 GB of remote storage, unlimited shared channels and a custom ANY ID of 5 or more characters.

• Anytype for Business€20

  per editor / month

  Cloud-hosted team workspace with one admin panel for every space and org-level permissions. Viewers are free; only editors are billed.

AFFiNE

• Annual discount

  Save 15% with annual billing

  The pricing page states a 15% saving on annual billing. Team is $10 per seat a month billed annually or $12 billed monthly, and the App Store lists Pro at $7.99 monthly or $81 yearly.

• Lifetime license

  Believer Plan lifetime license

  A single $499.99 payment gives lifetime personal use of AFFiNE Pro with 1 TB of cloud storage and no subscription.

Anytype

• Education

  50% off memberships for students and faculty

  Students, researchers and educators with an institutional email can claim a code for 50% off for 12 months, and request a new code once a year.

• Other savings

  50% off for active contributors

  Active contributors to Anytype's codebase, gallery, tutorials and community can ask the association for a 50% discount on memberships.

• Annual discount

  Save 20% on Anytype for Business with annual billing

  The Anytype for Business page lists a 20% saving on the per-editor price when billed annually instead of monthly.