Open-Source Notion AI Alternative (2026, RAG)
Identifying Notion AI · Mark source
This hub lists open RAG and workspace-AI tools people compare with Notion AI. It is distinct from the Notion workspace hub (AppFlowy, Logseq). Notion AI is named only to identify that product class. We do not rank answer quality against Notion AI.
- AnythingLLM — MIT local-first workspace for chatting with docs, agents, and attached LLMs.
- RAGFlow — Apache-2.0 RAG engine that combines retrieval with agent workflows for LLM context.
- Khoj — AGPL-3.0 self-hostable “second brain” for docs, web answers, agents, and local or API LLMs.
How we pick
- Public GitHub repository we could open.
- License copied from that file, including ee/ carve-outs.
- Document Q&A, RAG, or workplace AI chat — not a Notion UI clone.
- No unsourced “beats Notion AI” claims.
Comparison
| Name | License | Stars (GitHub) | Platforms | Runs locally | Key strengths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AnythingLLM | MIT | 67,316 | macOS, Windows, Linux, Docker | Yes | MIT local-first workspace for chatting with docs, agents, and attached LLMs. |
| RAGFlow | Apache-2.0 | 92,473 | Docker, Linux | Yes | Apache-2.0 RAG engine that combines retrieval with agent workflows for LLM context. |
| Khoj | AGPL-3.0 | 37,748 | Docker, Linux, macOS, Windows | Yes | AGPL-3.0 self-hostable “second brain” for docs, web answers, agents, and local or API LLMs. |
| Onyx | MIT | 32,583 | Docker, Linux | Yes | Open-source AI chat over company knowledge. MIT core; ee/ is separately licensed. |
Lead tools: AnythingLLM, RAGFlow, Khoj, Onyx. Workspace clones stay on Notion alternatives. Chat UIs: ChatGPT alternatives (Open WebUI). Memory weights: Hy-Memory. Agent memory services (not document RAG): Hindsight on Mem0 alternatives. Retrieval embeddings are a different job: EmbeddingGemma 2 vs BGE-M3.
Sourced snapshot (2026-10-19)
| Field | AnythingLLM | RAGFlow | Khoj | Onyx |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Repository | Mintplex-Labs/anything-llm | infiniflow/ragflow | khoj-ai/khoj | onyx-dot-app/onyx |
| Stars / forks | 67,316 / 7,538 | 92,473 / 11,036 | 37,748 / 2,523 | 32,583 / 4,583 |
| License | MIT | Apache-2.0 | AGPL-3.0 | MIT core; ee/ Enterprise |
| Last push | 2026-10-17 | 2026-10-19 | 2026-08-02 | 2026-10-19 |
| Latest release used | v1.18.0 (2026-10-13) | not used as a lead figure | — | — |
| Quality vs Notion AI | Not independently tested | Not independently tested | Not independently tested | Not independently tested |
How to choose
- Need MIT desktop/local workspace: AnythingLLM.
- Need Apache-2.0 RAG engine: RAGFlow.
- Need AGPL second brain: Khoj.
- Need workplace connectors and can accept an ee/ split: Onyx.
- Need blocks-and-pages, not AI Q&A: Notion alternatives.
See also Writing & Office and Gamma alternatives.
Listed options
AnythingLLM
MIT local-first workspace for chatting with docs, agents, and attached LLMs.
RAGFlow
Apache-2.0 RAG engine that combines retrieval with agent workflows for LLM context.
Khoj
AGPL-3.0 self-hostable “second brain” for docs, web answers, agents, and local or API LLMs.
Onyx
Open-source AI chat over company knowledge. MIT core; ee/ is separately licensed.
FAQ
What is the best open-source Notion AI alternative?
It depends on the job. AnythingLLM (MIT, 67,316 stars, v1.18.0) is a local-first desktop workspace. RAGFlow (Apache-2.0, 92,473 stars) is a RAG/agent engine. Khoj (AGPL-3.0, 37,748 stars) is a self-hostable second brain (last push 2026-08-02). Onyx (MIT core, 32,583 stars) is workplace AI chat with an Enterprise ee/ tree. We do not rank them against Notion AI.
Is this the same as Notion alternatives?
No. Notion alternatives lists workspace clones (AppFlowy, Logseq). This page is AI Q&A over docs.
Can I run these locally?
All four publish self-host or desktop paths. “Locally” means the code is downloadable. We have not measured VRAM or ingest quality.
What about Hy-Memory?
Hy-Memory is a 30B-A3B memory-writer model attached as a related weight, not a Notion UI.
Sources & verification
- https://www.notion.com/product/ai
- https://github.com/Mintplex-Labs/anything-llm
- https://github.com/infiniflow/ragflow
- https://github.com/khoj-ai/khoj
- https://github.com/onyx-dot-app/onyx
- https://github.com/onyx-dot-app/onyx/blob/main/LICENSE
License notes are not legal advice. Read the original LICENSE. Trademark & disclaimer.