Best Open-Source Productivity Apps
This ranking highlights seven open-source productivity apps for note-taking and knowledge management, ordered by GitHub stars. AppFlowy leads with 72,957 stars, offering cross-platform support under AGPL-3.0. Other notable options include draw.io Desktop for diagramming and Joplin for markdown notes, both exceeding 50,000 stars. All apps are self-hostable or run locally, with versions ranging from alpha releases to stable builds.
Licenses vary from MIT to AGPL-3.0, ensuring flexibility for different use cases. Platforms covered include Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android, with apps like Logseq and Anytype supporting multiple operating systems. Each entry lists current version numbers and license details for transparency. The ranking reflects community interest based on GitHub star counts.
| # | App | Stars | License |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | AppFlowy | 73.0k | AGPL-3.0 |
| 2 | draw.io Desktop | 61.8k | Apache-2.0 |
| 3 | MarkText | 57.9k | MIT |
| 4 | Joplin | 55.4k | NOASSERTION |
| 5 | Logseq | 43.6k | AGPL-3.0 |
| 6 | Trilium Notes | 36.6k | AGPL-3.0 |
| 7 | Anytype | 8.3k | NOASSERTION |
AppFlowy is an open-source productivity tool designed as a collaborative workspace with AI integration. It functions as an alternative to Notion, combining projects, wikis, and team management while prioritizing user data control. The platform supports organization and workflow without proprietary lock-in.
Draw.io Desktop is an Electron-based application offering a desktop version of the popular draw.io diagramming tool. It provides offline access to create and edit flowcharts, diagrams, and visual representations.
MarkText is a straightforward markdown editor with a clean interface, compatible with Linux, macOS, and Windows. It supports real-time preview and focuses on simplicity for writing in markdown.
Joplin is a privacy-focused note-taking application with synchronization capabilities. It is available for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS.
Logseq is a privacy-focused, open-source knowledge management tool for organizing notes and collaborative work. It supports bidirectional linking and local-first data storage. The project roadmap and downloads are available on its official site.
Trilium Notes is an open-source tool for creating and organizing a personal knowledge base. It helps users structure and manage notes in a hierarchical format.
Anytype is an official client available for MacOS, Linux, and Windows, designed to enhance productivity. It provides a unified platform for managing tasks and organizing information efficiently.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the top pick in “Best Open-Source Productivity Apps”?
- AppFlowy currently leads this list, which is ordered by GitHub stars among the 7 open-source options we track.
- Are these apps free?
- Yes. Every app on this list is free and open-source. Download links point to each project's official release.
- How is this ranking decided?
- The order reflects GitHub stars, a public measure of popularity. Data is pulled from official sources and last refreshed on Jun 26, 2026. We don't accept payment for placement.
How we rank:entries are ordered by GitHub stars, a public popularity signal. Versions, licenses and platform support are read from official release feeds. We don't accept payment for inclusion or position. Supported platforms reflect the latest release (Android, Linux, macOS, Windows).