# Notion alternatives for AI agents 8 alternatives to Notion. 8 have an interface an agent can drive. 6 are open source. Page: alternatives/notion.html ## BookStack Opinionated documentation wiki (shelves, books, chapters, pages) with .env config and a token REST API. - Listing: apps/bookstackapp--bookstack.html - JSON: apps/bookstackapp--bookstack.json - License: MIT - Agent interface: API, from the builder - Reach: 9 of 10 jobs - Last activity: 2026-09-02 - Effort: config-only - Agent cannot reach: Diagrams (diagrams.net drawings) and WYSIWYG editing - Use it when: you need an internal manual or client documentation site with roles and SSO, without a per-seat price - Use it when: you want an agent to write and file runbooks into books and chapters over a token API - Gotcha: Primary development moved to codeberg.org/bookstack/bookstack; GitHub is a mirror, and issues go to Codeberg - Gotcha: Needs PHP and MySQL/MariaDB; the docker-compose.yml in the repo is for development, and Docker images are community-maintained (linuxserver.io, solidnerd) - Gotcha: API tokens need the Access System API permission; default rate limit 180 requests per minute ## OpenKnowledge WYSIWYG markdown knowledge-base editor that ships a 21-tool MCP server and skills for coding agents. - Listing: apps/inkeep--open-knowledge.html - JSON: apps/inkeep--open-knowledge.json - License: GPL-3.0 - Agent interface: MCP server, from the builder - Reach: 8 of 10 jobs - Last activity: 2026-09-03 - Effort: config-only - Agent cannot reach: In-app AI chat and slides - Use it when: you keep specs and a team wiki as markdown in git and want agents to search, lint, and edit them with history - Use it when: you want an Obsidian-like editor that installs its own MCP and skills into Claude Code and Codex - Gotcha: GPL-3.0 - Gotcha: Semantic search sends content to the embeddings provider; off by default - Gotcha: Every MCP call takes a cwd; a globally registered server needs it unless the client advertises one root - Gotcha: Web app needs Node.js 24+ and git ## Outline Team knowledge base with a documented REST API and an in-repo MCP route, self-hostable under BUSL. - Listing: apps/outline--outline.html - JSON: apps/outline--outline.json - License: BUSL-1.1 - Agent interface: MCP server, from the builder - Reach: 7 of 10 jobs - Last activity: 2026-09-03 - Effort: config-only - Agent cannot reach: Slack, GitHub, Linear, Notion integrations; AI question answering - Use it when: your team needs a wiki with SSO and you want an agent to draft and file docs into the right collection - Use it when: you want Notion-style docs on your own Postgres without a per-seat bill - Gotcha: BUSL-1.1 Additional Use Grant forbids offering Outline as a Document Service to third parties; converts to Apache-2.0 on 2030-09-01 - Gotcha: Requires an external identity provider; there is no local email-and-password login - Gotcha: Maintainers reject AI-generated pull requests (README) - Gotcha: MCP tools are filtered by OAuth scopes; the client needs an OAuth token, not a plain API key ## SiYuan Block-based local-first knowledge base whose Go kernel ships a 30-plus tool MCP server and HTTP API. - Listing: apps/siyuan-note--siyuan.html - JSON: apps/siyuan-note--siyuan.json - License: AGPL-3.0 - Agent interface: MCP server, from the builder - Reach: 9 of 10 jobs - Last activity: 2026-09-03 - Effort: config-only - Agent cannot reach: Plugins and marketplace, AI writing UI - Use it when: you want block references and databases like Notion, stored locally, with an agent that can query them by SQL - Use it when: you run a Docker kernel on your NAS and want daily notes written by an agent from the terminal - Gotcha: AGPL-3.0 - Gotcha: Since v3.7.0 the Docker image needs an explicit serve subcommand - Gotcha: Official cloud sync and some features are paid; third-party S3/WebDAV sync needs PRO Features - Gotcha: Docker web UI is protected only by the access auth code unless OIDC is set ## Trilium Notes Hierarchical note tree with attributes and scripting, driven by the ETAPI REST API and an in-repo MCP route. - Listing: apps/triliumnext--trilium.html - JSON: apps/triliumnext--trilium.json - License: AGPL-3.0 - Agent interface: API and MCP server, from the builder - Reach: 8 of 10 jobs - Last activity: 2026-09-03 - Effort: config-only - Agent cannot reach: Scripting and widgets; Sync and protected (encrypted) notes - Use it when: you want a deeply nested personal or team knowledge tree that an agent can populate through a stable REST API - Use it when: you outgrew flat markdown folders and want attributes, relations, and saved searches - Gotcha: AGPL-3.0 - Gotcha: The desktop app and server versions must match for sync; disable auto-updates on the server when using TriliumDroid - Gotcha: ETAPI needs a token created in the UI (Options > ETAPI) or from POST /etapi/auth/login with the instance password - Gotcha: MCP route tool names were not read; they come from the core LLM tool registry (packages/core llm/tools) ## Anytype Local-first encrypted knowledge OS with an official MCP server (@anyproto/anytype-mcp) over its local API. - Listing: apps/anyproto--anytype-ts.html - JSON: apps/anyproto--anytype-ts.json - License: Any Source Available License 1.0 - Agent interface: MCP server, from the builder - Reach: 5 of 9 jobs - Last activity: 2026-09-01 - Agent cannot reach: Sync, encryption, and key management; Publish pages to the web - Use it when: you want a Notion-like object database that stays encrypted on your devices and an agent that can file objects into it - Use it when: you need offline-first notes that sync peer-to-peer without a server you run - Gotcha: Any Source Available License 1.0: modification and redistribution only for non-commercial use or within allowed networks; not open source - Gotcha: The desktop app (or anytype-cli) must be running; the MCP talks to 127.0.0.1:31009 and needs an API key from App Settings - Gotcha: API calls carry a version header (Anytype-Version 2025-11-08); bump it when the API changes - Gotcha: Membership prices could not be read from anytype.io (client-rendered page) ## Tolaria Files-first markdown second brain with git built in and an in-repo MCP server for Claude Code and Codex. - Listing: apps/refactoringhq--tolaria.html - JSON: apps/refactoringhq--tolaria.json - License: AGPL-3.0 - Agent interface: MCP server, from the builder - Reach: 4 of 8 jobs - Last activity: 2026-09-03 - Agent cannot reach: Git commit, push, and history; In-app AI chat over note context; Inbox and web-resource capture - Use it when: you want your notes as plain markdown in git and an agent that can search and write them from Claude Code - Use it when: you run a 10,000-note personal vault and want keyboard-first navigation with AI on the side - Gotcha: AGPL-3.0-or-later - Gotcha: The MCP server talks to the running desktop app over a websocket bridge; open_note and vault attach need the app open - Gotcha: No paid or hosted edition; sync is whatever git remote you choose ## Logseq Outliner knowledge graph whose desktop app embeds an MCP server over its local HTTP API. - Listing: apps/logseq--logseq.html - JSON: apps/logseq--logseq.json - License: AGPL-3.0 - Agent interface: MCP server, from the builder - Reach: 4 of 9 jobs - Last activity: 2026-09-03 - Agent cannot reach: Delete pages or blocks; Datalog and advanced queries; Whiteboards and flashcards; Sync and real-time collaboration - Use it when: you live in daily journals with block references and want an agent to search and append to your graph - Use it when: you want a local-first outliner with a plugin ecosystem and no account - Gotcha: AGPL-3.0 - Gotcha: The MCP server is on master (DB version); confirm it ships in the stable 0.10.x file-graph builds - Gotcha: The local HTTP API server must be enabled in settings with a token before MCP tools work - Gotcha: One tool is annotated 'must be called at most once per user request' ## Questions ### Is there an open source alternative to Notion? Yes. 6 of the 8 listings here are open source: BookStack (MIT), OpenKnowledge (GPL-3.0), SiYuan (AGPL-3.0), Trilium Notes (AGPL-3.0), Tolaria (AGPL-3.0), Logseq (AGPL-3.0). ### Which Notion alternatives have an MCP server? OpenKnowledge, Outline, SiYuan, Trilium Notes, Anytype, Tolaria and Logseq have MCP servers from their builders. ### Which Notion alternative can an agent do the most with? BookStack: 9 of 10 recorded jobs reachable. SiYuan: 9 of 10 recorded jobs reachable. Jobs differ by listing, so read each list before you choose.