AFFiNE review
A broad, open-source workspace for teams that want documents and whiteboards together.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Sep 2026
AFFiNE is an open-source, local-first workspace for individuals, creators, and teams that need more than document editing. It brings block-based documents, infinite-canvas whiteboards, databases, task and project planning, templates, AI drafting, summarization, rewriting, mind maps, and presentations into one product. Teams can work through web, desktop, and mobile apps, while organizations can deploy AFFiNE themselves for greater control over infrastructure and data. It is best suited to open-source teams seeking a combined documentation and visual collaboration workspace.
The published plans show a useful progression from local work to cloud collaboration. Local FOSS + Cloud Basic costs $0 per month and includes unlimited local workspaces, 10 GB of cloud storage, up to 3 members per workspace, and 7 days of Cloud Time Machine history. Pro costs $6.75 per month when billed annually, adding 100 GB of storage, 100 MB maximum file sizes, up to 10 members per workspace, 30 days of history, and real-time syncing and collaboration. Team costs $10 per seat per month with annual billing and adds 100 GB of initial storage plus 20 GB per seat, 500 MB file sizes, multiple admin roles, priority customer support, and unlimited team members with 10 or more seats. A $499.99 one-time Believer Plan includes lifetime personal usage, everything in Pro, and 1 TB of cloud storage.
Platform coverage is a major strength: AFFiNE supports web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, a Chrome extension, and self-hosted deployment. Cloud Time Machine provides version history and restoration, while role permissions support team administration. Its breadth may appeal to teams replacing separate tools for documents, visual planning, structured information, and AI-assisted content work. However, teams that need a narrowly focused document editor, more extensive cloud history on lower tiers, or advanced collaboration beyond the listed limits may prefer a more specialized alternative. Choose AFFiNE for an open-source, multi-purpose workspace; avoid it if your needs center on one focused workflow.
AFFiNE pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Combines documents, whiteboards, databases, planning, and AI tools
- Supports real-time collaboration, version restoration, and self-hosting
- Runs on web, desktop, mobile, Chrome, and major operating systems
- Where it doesn't
- The free plan limits workspaces to three members each
- Cloud version history is limited to 7 days on the free plan
- Team features require annual billing and paid seats
AFFiNE fact sheet, pricing and score →
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