Docmost vs Affine: Which open-source platform fits your team?
Two ways to replace Notion. Docmost builds the wiki you need. Affine builds the canvas you want. Here's how to pick.
Docmost: The focused wiki
Docmost is a collaborative wiki and knowledge management platform. It's built for teams migrating from Confluence or keeping internal documentation clean and searchable.
Think hierarchical: Books contain chapters contain pages. Real-time editing. Diagrams you can embed (Drawio, Excalidraw, Mermaid). Full-text search across PDFs and Word documents. SSO for larger teams. It does one thing well: be the central knowledge hub your team actually uses.
No infinite canvas. No Miro-style whiteboard. No trying to be everything.
Affine: The hybrid workspace
Affine merges docs, infinite canvas (like Miro), and databases (like Notion) into one editor. You can write a note, flip to an edgeless whiteboard, sketch ideas, switch back to a table, all without context switching.
It's "local-first," meaning your data lives on your device first. Cloud sync is optional. AI assists with writing, mind maps, and drawing. It's built for visual thinkers and teams that brainstorm on the same canvas.
No strict hierarchy. Everything is blocks that can be canvas or doc or table depending on what you need right now.
Different philosophies
Docmost says: "You need a good wiki. We'll make the best one." Affine says: "You need one workspace for thinking, sketching, and building. Here it is."
Neither is wrong. Your workflow determines which fits.
Side-by-side features
| Feature | Docmost | Affine |
|---|---|---|
| Infinite canvas / edgeless whiteboard | No | Yes |
| Hierarchical wiki structure | Yes | No |
| Real-time collaboration | Yes | Yes |
| Databases and Kanban | Yes (Business+) | Yes (all tiers) |
| Embedded diagrams (Drawio, Mermaid) | Yes | No |
| Full-text PDF search | Yes | No |
| Confluence import | Yes | No |
| SSO + LDAP + SAML | Enterprise tier | Not available |
| AI features | Search + Assistant (Business+) | Canvas AI, drawing assist |
| Local-first architecture | No (server-first) | Yes |
| Free tier | Yes | Yes (local-only) |
The key difference isn't about "better" or "worse." It's about philosophy. Docmost centralizes knowledge in a server you control. Affine starts with data on your device and syncs optionally. One is search-and-organize. The other is sketch-and-explore.
Pricing models are completely different
Docmost:
- Community: Free
- Business: $6 per seat per month (minimum 10 seats = $60/month minimum, annual billing)
- Enterprise: Custom pricing (includes SCIM, audit logs, priority support)
Affine:
- Free: $0 (local-first only, no cloud sync)
- Pro: $6.75 per month (single user, cloud features)
- Team: $10 per seat per month (team workspace, annual billing)
- Self-Hosted: Free (up to 10 seats per workspace)
What this means for your budget
Five-person team: Affine self-hosted or free tier wins. Docmost costs $60/month minimum. Affine costs zero.
Ten-person team: Docmost Business ($60/month) vs Affine Team ($100/month). Docmost is 40% cheaper.
Twenty-person team: Docmost ($120/month) vs Affine ($200/month). Docmost scales linearly; Affine's per-seat cost stays high.
Solo founder: Affine Pro ($6.75/month) beats Docmost Business ($60/month minimum).
On Opsily, pricing changes
We charge a flat rate per server, not per seat. Your team size doesn't change your hosting bill. Focus on which tool fits your workflow, not which fits your seat count.
Choose Docmost if:
- Your primary need is a searchable knowledge base. Docmost's full-text search across PDFs and attachments is built in. Affine has no document search.
- You're migrating from Confluence. Docmost has import tools. Affine does not.
- Your team is 10+ people and per-seat pricing matters. Docmost at $6/seat is cheaper than Affine at $10/seat until you hit scale.
- You need SSO, SAML, LDAP for enterprise security. Docmost has it (Enterprise tier). Affine doesn't.
- You want a clean hierarchy for documentation. One clear place for every doc. Not "where did I put this in the canvas?"
Choose Affine if:
- Your workflow is visual and spatial. You sketch, mindmap, and brainstorm on a canvas. Affine's infinite canvas is its core feature.
- You want one tool for everything. Docs, whiteboards, databases, Kanban, no app-switching.
- Your team is small (under 10) and self-hosting feels right. Affine's free self-hosted tier has no seat limit.
- You value local-first encryption. Data on your device first; cloud is optional. Docmost is always server-first.
- You need Miro + Notion in one editor. Affine's edgeless canvas merged with block-based docs is unique.
The real question
Do you think in hierarchy (wikis, structure, search)? Or in space (canvas, sketches, mind maps)? Pick the tool that matches your brain.
Why run Docmost on Opsily?
Stop managing servers. We handle Docmost for you.
One-click deployment
Docmost runs with a single click. No Docker knowledge required. No configuration files. No SSH access. You get a URL. Your team logs in. Done.
Backups and updates automatic
We back up your data every night, encrypted. Security patches roll out automatically. You never wake up to a failed server or a missed update.
GDPR-compliant German hosting
Your data stays in EU data centers. ISO 27001-certified infrastructure. No vendor lock-in: export your data anytime. Your server. Your rules.
Built for teams who need reliability
Simple pricing. Everything included.
All Opsily servers come with nightly backups, automatic updates, GDPR-compliant EU hosting, and 99.9% uptime. No hidden fees. No per-seat charges.
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Questions about Docmost vs Affine
Click deploy, and Docmost is live. You get a URL within minutes. Your team signs in with email or SSO. No server setup. No Docker knowledge needed. If you've ever clicked a button to launch an app, you can deploy Docmost.
Stop paying for wikis. Run Docmost yourself.
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