Most paid productivity tools have a free option.
Free and open-source alternatives to the productivity and no-code tools you're paying for. Some are free plans from the same companies. Others are open-source tools that run on your own computer.
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Airtable from $20/user/mo
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Zapier from $19.99/mon8nFree
Free and unlimited workflows when self-hosted, with a visual editor and code steps when you need them.
Prices are monthly starting prices from mid-2026 reporting and they change often. Check the tool's own site before you decide.
Find the right one
Instead of a paid tool
For the work you do
All tools
Showing 21 of 21 tools
Know one that's missing? Suggest a tool.
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AFFiNE
Open sourceRuns on your computerSelf-hostableAn open-source, all-in-one workspace combining docs, a whiteboard and databases, built as a genuine Notion alternative rather than a clone.
Free plan: Free to self-host with no usage caps. A hosted cloud version also exists with its own free tier.
MIT licensed, actively developed, around 70k GitHub stars.
Instead of Notion (Plus/Business).
Checked 23 Sep 2026
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Anytype
Open sourceRuns on your computerA local-first, privacy-focused workspace for notes, wikis and databases that stores data on your device by default.
Free plan: Free with no usage caps on the core app. Optional paid tiers add extra sync storage.
Instead of Notion (Plus/Business).
Checked 23 Sep 2026
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Automatisch
Open sourceRuns on your computerSelf-hostableA fully open-source Zapier alternative for connecting apps and automating repetitive tasks, built to be self-hosted from the ground up.
Free plan: Free and unlimited when self-hosted. AGPL licensed.
Smaller integration library than n8n or Zapier, but growing.
Instead of Zapier.
Checked 23 Sep 2026
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Baserow
Open sourceRuns on your computerSelf-hostableAn open-source, Airtable-style no-code database with tables, views, forms and an API-first design.
Free plan: Free and unlimited rows when self-hosted. The cloud free tier caps at 3,000 rows per workspace with 2GB storage.
Some views (like Kanban and calendar) sit behind a paid license even when self-hosted — check the feature matrix first.
Instead of Airtable.
Checked 23 Sep 2026
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Cal.com
Open sourceSelf-hostableAn open-source scheduling tool for booking meetings, built as a direct Calendly alternative with the same event-link workflow.
Free plan: Free and unlimited when self-hosted. The hosted cloud free tier allows unlimited event types, unlike Calendly's one-event-type limit.
Instead of Calendly.
Checked 23 Sep 2026
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ClickUp's own free plan, covering tasks, docs, and basic automation without a subscription.
Free plan: Unlimited users and tasks on the free plan, but capped at 100MB storage and limited automation/integration actions per month.
Instead of Asana and monday.com.
Checked 23 Sep 2026
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CryptPad
Open sourceSelf-hostableAn open-source, end-to-end encrypted office suite for collaborative documents, spreadsheets and kanban boards, usable straight from the browser.
Free plan: Free to use on the hosted instance with storage limits, or unlimited when self-hosted.
Instead of Google Workspace.
Checked 23 Sep 2026
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Focalboard
Open sourceRuns on your computerSelf-hostableAn open-source kanban and project board tool from the Mattermost team, similar to Trello or a Notion database view.
Free plan: Free and unlimited when self-hosted or run as a personal desktop app.
Instead of Asana and monday.com.
Checked 23 Sep 2026
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Google's own free document and spreadsheet tools, usable by anyone with a free Google account, no Workspace subscription needed.
Free plan: Free with a personal Gmail account. 15GB shared storage across Gmail, Drive and Photos; no custom email domain.
Instead of Google Workspace.
Checked 23 Sep 2026
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Joplin
Open sourceRuns on your computerSelf-hostableAn open-source note-taking app with Markdown support, and sync via your own cloud storage instead of a company server.
Free plan: Free with no usage caps. Sync uses storage you already have (Dropbox, OneDrive, WebDAV, or self-hosted).
Instead of Evernote.
Checked 23 Sep 2026
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LibreOffice
Open sourceRuns on your computerA free, open-source desktop office suite covering documents, spreadsheets and presentations, compatible with Microsoft and Google file formats.
Free plan: Completely free with no usage caps. Desktop app, not cloud-based, so no built-in real-time collaboration.
Instead of Google Workspace.
Checked 23 Sep 2026
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Mattermost
Open sourceSelf-hostableAn open-source, self-hostable team messaging platform built with security and compliance-heavy teams in mind.
Free plan: Free and unlimited when self-hosted on the free tier.
Instead of Slack.
Checked 23 Sep 2026
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n8n
Open sourceRuns on your computerSelf-hostableA workflow automation tool connecting apps together, similar to Zapier, with a visual node-based editor and code steps when you need them.
Free plan: Free and unlimited workflows when self-hosted (fair-code license, free for internal use). A paid cloud version also exists.
Instead of Zapier.
Checked 23 Sep 2026
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NocoBase
Open sourceRuns on your computerSelf-hostableAn open-source no-code platform for building internal tools and apps on top of your own data model, more flexible than a spreadsheet-style database.
Free plan: Free and unlimited when self-hosted.
Steeper learning curve than Baserow or NocoDB.
Instead of Airtable and Notion (Plus/Business).
Checked 23 Sep 2026
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NocoDB
Open sourceRuns on your computerSelf-hostableTurns any MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQL Server or SQLite database into a spreadsheet-style interface with grid, kanban, form and gallery views.
Free plan: Free and unlimited when self-hosted. The hosted cloud version caps free usage at 1,000 records per base.
Sits on top of your existing database, so no data migration needed.
Instead of Airtable.
Checked 23 Sep 2026
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OnlyOffice
Open sourceRuns on your computerSelf-hostableAn open-source office suite (documents, spreadsheets, presentations) with real-time collaborative editing, self-hostable for full control.
Free plan: Free and unlimited when self-hosted (Community Edition). A hosted cloud plan also has a free tier for small teams.
Instead of Google Workspace.
Checked 23 Sep 2026
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Rocket.Chat
Open sourceSelf-hostableAn open-source team chat platform with channels, video calls and integrations, built as a self-hostable Slack alternative.
Free plan: Free and unlimited when self-hosted. A hosted cloud version also has a free tier for small teams.
Instead of Slack.
Checked 23 Sep 2026
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Standard Notes
Open sourceRuns on your computerSelf-hostableAn end-to-end encrypted note-taking app focused on long-term simplicity and privacy over feature sprawl.
Free plan: Free plan covers basic notes and sync across devices. Advanced features (file attachments, themes) need a paid plan.
Instead of Evernote.
Checked 23 Sep 2026
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Trello's own free plan for simple kanban-style task boards.
Free plan: Unlimited cards, but capped at 10 boards per workspace and limited automation runs per month.
Instead of Asana and monday.com.
Checked 23 Sep 2026
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Vikunja
Open sourceRuns on your computerSelf-hostableAn open-source to-do and task management app with lists, kanban boards, Gantt charts and team sharing.
Free plan: Free and unlimited when self-hosted. A small hosted free tier also exists for trying it out.
Instead of Asana, monday.com and ClickUp (paid tiers).
Checked 23 Sep 2026
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Zulip
Open sourceSelf-hostableAn open-source team chat app organized around topic threads within channels, aimed at keeping conversations easier to follow than a flat stream.
Free plan: Free and unlimited when self-hosted. A hosted cloud plan has a free tier with message history limits.
Instead of Slack.
Checked 23 Sep 2026
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