Mem alternatives: 8 open-source picks
Mem costs $14.99/mo — $179.88 a year. These 8 alternatives replace it for $0, led by Atomic, AppFlowy and AFFiNE. All 8 are open source. License, stars and last commit checked by hand on 2026-08-29. No trials, no crippled tiers.
A second brain that actually connects notes for you; bring your own model and mind the newness.
AI-powered workspace with docs, wikis, and kanban boards built in Rust/Flutter
licenseAGPL-3.0
runsyour server
setupnot verified by us yet — check the repo README
facts verified 2026-08-29
Docs, whiteboards, and databases fused into one local-first workspace
licenseMIT (open core)
runsyour server
setupnot verified by us yet — check the repo README
facts verified 2026-08-29
Markdown note-taking app with E2E-encrypted sync across all platforms
licenseAGPL-3.0
runsyour server
setupnot verified by us yet — check the repo README
facts verified 2026-08-29
Privacy-first block-based personal knowledge management with bidirectional links
licenseAGPL-3.0
runsyour server
setupnot verified by us yet — check the repo README
facts verified 2026-08-29
Local-first outliner for networked thought with backlinks and daily journals
licenseAGPL-3.0
runsyour server
setupnot verified by us yet — check the repo README
facts verified 2026-08-29
Fast, collaborative team wiki and knowledge base with slick editor
licenseBSL-1.1
runsyour server
setupnot verified by us yet — check the repo README
facts verified 2026-08-29
End-to-end encrypted note-taking with sync — open-source Evernote done right.
licenseGPL-3.0
runsyour server
setupnot verified by us yet — check the repo README
facts verified 2026-08-29
What each one is, in full: AppFlowy · AFFiNE · Joplin · SiYuan · Logseq
last updated 2026-08-29 · no votes, no pay-to-list · just what's real
how to choose a Mem alternative
Easiest to get running
Atomic — a one-click install, no server to maintain.
Most proven
AppFlowy, with 75,000 GitHub stars — the largest community of the 8, which usually means more answers when something breaks.
Works on your phone
Atomic has a mobile app.
what you give up by leaving Mem
- hosted AI memory, sync, ingest integrations, and continuously tuned retrieval
- frictionless mobile capture
- real-time team editing
- hosted publishing
- proprietary AI memory
None of the picks above covers all of it. The full verdict says which gaps matter.
Mem alternatives at a glance
| tool | license | running it | platforms | stars | active |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atomic | open source | one-click install | web, macos, windows, linux, ios, self-hosted, browser-extension | 1,600 | 2026-07 |
| AppFlowy | AGPL-3.0 | docker to self-host | self-hosted, web | 75,000 | 2026-08 |
| AFFiNE | MIT (open core) | docker to self-host | self-hosted, web | 71,000 | 2026-08 |
| Joplin | AGPL-3.0 | one-click install | self-hosted, web | 56,000 | 2026-08 |
| SiYuan | AGPL-3.0 | one-click install | self-hosted, web | 46,000 | 2026-08 |
| Logseq | AGPL-3.0 | one-click install | self-hosted, web | 44,000 | 2026-08 |
| Outline | BSL-1.1 | docker to self-host | self-hosted, web | 40,000 | 2026-08 |
| Notesnook | GPL-3.0 | docker to self-host | self-hosted, web | 12,000 | 2026-08 |
why people still pay for Mem
People still pay for Mem because people keep paying when the note system is trusted across every device and disappears into their daily capture habits. The recurring cost buys file watching, conflict handling, indexing, mobile apps, encryption, backups, and migrations, not just the visible interface. If none of that applies to you, any pick above saves $179.88 a year.
questions about switching from Mem
Is there an open-source alternative to Mem?
Yes: Atomic, AppFlowy, AFFiNE and 5 more. Every tool on this page is open source: no trials, no crippled tiers.
Can open source really replace Mem?
Our verdict is YES. AppFlowy (75k stars), AFFiNE (71k stars), Joplin (56k stars) are mature open-source replacements for Mem — self-host with docker and stop paying $14.99/mo. The full verdict, and what you give up by switching, is at caniopensourceit.online/mem-ai.
What is the easiest open-source Mem alternative to set up?
Atomic — a one-click install, no server to maintain.
What is the most popular open-source Mem alternative?
By GitHub stars, AppFlowy (75,000). AFFiNE is next with 71,000.
