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Craft vs AFFiNE Pro: Top Brainstorming Tool Showdown in 2026

by | Last updated Jul 5, 2026

Winner
craft
4.3
  • Beautiful Docs & Notes
  • Built-in AI Assistant
  • Built-in Presentation Mode
  • Real-Time Collaboration
  • Cross-Device Sync
  • Free Plan Available
  • Paid Plans from $4.79/month
Runner Up
affine pro
4.1
  • Docs, Whiteboards & Databases
  • Open Source & Local-First
  • Edgeless Canvas
  • Built-in AFFiNE AI
  • Kanban Project Boards
  • Free & Open Source Tier
  • Paid Plans from $6.75/month

⚡ Quick Verdict:

  • Pricing: Craft paid plans start at $4.79/month. AFFiNE Pro paid plans start at $6.75/month.
  • Best for: Craft suits polished notes and a compelling product story. AFFiNE Pro suits an all in one workspace with whiteboards and databases.
  • Key difference: Craft is a design-first note taking app. AFFiNE Pro is an open source project that mixes docs whiteboards and advanced databases.
  • Our pick: Craft for most users, thanks to its higher rating and cleaner writing focus.
Craft vs AFFiNE Pro Comparison

Both Craft and AFFiNE Pro help you write, plan, and stay organized.

But they take very different paths to get there.

Craft leans into beautiful documents and simple note taking.

AFFiNE Pro packs docs, whiteboards, and databases into one app.

This guide breaks down both tools so you can pick with confidence.

Overview

This Craft vs AFFiNE Pro comparison covers pricing, features, and ease of use.

We also show who each platform works best for.

Our sources include published specs, documentation, and user reviews.

By the end, you will know which tool fits your specific needs.

What is Craft?

Craft is a note taking app for writing clean documents and notes.

It helps writers, students, and small teams stay organized.

The platform mixes blocks, style controls, and a built-in AI assistant.

Most users pick Craft for its polished design and simple workflow.

Watch the walkthrough below to see how it works.

Craft 3 Impresses Me: Tasks, Collections & More!

Craft

⭐ 4.3/5 | 💰 From $4.79/month

Craft turns plain notes into documents you want to share. The AI assistant helps you draft, edit, and shape ideas fast.

Craft Pricing

Here is what Craft costs in 2026. Let’s break it down.

PlanPriceBest For
Free$0 per monthSolo notes and light use
Personal$4.79 per monthWriters who want full features
Friends & Family$8.99 per monthShared household or small groups

Pricing verified January 2026.

Craft Pricing Image

Free trial: The free plan lets you test core features with no credit card.

Money-back guarantee: Paid plans bill monthly, so you can cancel before the next cycle.

📌 Note: The Personal plan unlocks unlimited documents and the AI assistant. The free tier is enough to test the writing focus first.

⚠️ Warning: Some research online lists Craft.io product management pricing near $49 to $109. That is a different company. The figures above match the Craft notes app.

Key Benefits of Craft

Here is what makes Craft worth considering:

  • Design-first documents: Craft makes notes look sharp with little effort. This helps you tell a compelling product story to any audience.
  • Built-in AI assistant: Draft, rewrite, and summarize inside your notes. It speeds up planning and various tasks.
  • Backlinks and structure: Link pages to build a small knowledge base. Ideas connect without extra tools.
  • Presentation mode: Turn a document into slides in one click. Good for sharing a product vision quickly.
  • Real time collaboration: Invite your team to edit together. Feedback collection stays in one place.
  • Cross-device access: Notes sync across Mac, iOS, Windows, and web. You stay organized on every device.
Craft Top Benefits Image

What Our Team Noticed

Our writer signed up for Craft and spent several days building notes and docs. Here is what stood out from that hands-on time:

Craft Personal Experience Image

Craft Pros & Cons

✅ Pros
  • Clean design makes documents look polished fast
  • Built-in AI assistant helps you draft and edit
  • Presentation mode shares ideas in one click
  • Affordable Personal plan at $4.79 per month
❌ Cons
  • No whiteboard or advanced databases
  • Not open source, so you cannot self-host
  • Fewer project planning tools than rivals

What is AFFiNE Pro?

AFFiNE Pro is an open source note taking app and all in one workspace.

It combines documents, whiteboards, and databases in one place.

Users write, draw, and plan without switching between different tools.

The app is local first and privacy focused, so your data stays with you.

See the platform in action below.

AFFiNE Pro Review: Notion & Miro's Baby

AFFiNE Pro

⭐ 4.1/5 | 💰 From $6.75/month

AFFiNE Pro brings docs, whiteboards, and databases together. This hyper fused platform is open source and privacy focused.

AFFiNE Pro Pricing

Here is what AFFiNE Pro costs in 2026. Let’s break it down.

PlanPriceBest For
FOSS + BasicFree foreverSolo users and the open source community
Pro$6.75/monthPower users who want more storage
Team$10/seat/monthTeams managing projects together

Pricing verified January 2026.

AFFiNE Pro Pricing Image

Free trial: The FOSS and Basic tier is free forever with no credit card.

Money-back guarantee: Paid plans bill monthly, so you can stop anytime before renewal.

📌 Note: Because AFFiNE Pro is an open source project, you can self-host the free version. Paid tiers add cloud sync and more storage.

⚠️ Warning: The Team plan bills per seat, so costs grow with each member. Check your team size before you upgrade.

Key Benefits of AFFiNE Pro

Here is what makes AFFiNE Pro worth considering:

  • All the features in one app: Docs, whiteboards, and databases share one workspace. You combine documents and boards without other apps.
  • Edgeless canvas: A whiteboard feature lets you brainstorm ideas and sketch freely. Great for visual planning and creativity.
  • Open source and local first: The community can contribute to this open source project. Your notes stay private on your device.
  • AFFiNE AI: Intelligent assistance helps with writing, drawing, and planning. It supports better organization across projects.
  • Advanced databases: Build tables and Kanban boards to track progress. This is a feature rich way to manage projects.
  • Cross-platform support: Works on Windows, macOS, and Linux, plus browser access. AFFiNE fits many workflow and operating system setups.
AFFiNE Pro Top Benefits Image

What Our Team Noticed

Our writer installed AFFiNE Pro and tested its docs, whiteboards, and databases. Here is what stood out from that hands-on time:

AFFiNE Pro Personal Experience Image

AFFiNE Pro Pros & Cons

✅ Pros
  • Combines docs, whiteboards, and databases in one workspace
  • Open source and local first for strong privacy
  • Free forever tier with no credit card
  • Edgeless canvas for visual brainstorming
❌ Cons
  • Interface feels busy for pure note taking
  • Still maturing, so some features change often
  • Team plan cost grows with each seat

Feature Comparison

Ready to dig into Craft vs AFFiNE Pro? We will walk through six key areas so you can match each platform to your workflow.

FeatureCraftAFFiNE Pro
Starting Price$4.79/month$6.75/month
Free Plan
Note Taking
Whiteboard
Advanced Databases
Open Source
AI Assistant
Presentation Mode
Best ForPolished notesAll in one workspace

1. Note Taking and Documents

Craft: Craft treats each note as a block-based document. The design is clean, so your notes and docs look ready to share. It is one of the tidiest note taking apps for writers.

Craft Notes Image

AFFiNE Pro takes a broader view of the same job.

AFFiNE Pro: AFFiNE Pro uses a page and block structure much like Notion. You can combine documents, notes, and blocks in one flow. Handwriting and typing both work on the same page.

AFFiNE Pro AI Notes Image

2. Whiteboards and Databases

Craft: Craft has no whiteboard or advanced databases. It focuses on documents and light structure. If you only need notes, that focus is a plus.

AFFiNE Pro: AFFiNE Pro adds an edgeless canvas for whiteboards and databases. This unique combination lets you sketch, plan, and store data in one app. It is a hyper fused platform for docs whiteboards and tables.

AFFiNE 0.11.0 - Launch Week - Day 4/5: Navigating the Canvas of Complexity: Templates for Clarity

⚠️ Warning: If a whiteboard feature is central to your work, Craft will feel limited. This is the clearest gap between the two tools.

3. AI Assistance

Craft: Craft’s AI assistant drafts, rewrites, and summarizes inside your notes. It keeps the writing focus front and center. This suits quick edits and clean copy.

Craft AI Assistant Image

AFFiNE Pro spreads its AI across more surfaces.

AFFiNE Pro: AFFiNE AI helps with writing, drawing, and planning. This intelligent assistance reaches into whiteboards and databases too. It fits users who want AI beyond plain text.

4. Collaboration

Craft: Craft supports real time collaboration on shared documents. Your team can collaborate, comment, and edit together. Feedback collection stays neat inside each doc.

Craft Collaboration Image

AFFiNE Pro handles group work on a wider canvas.

AFFiNE Pro: AFFiNE Pro allows live real time collaboration on docs and whiteboards. Teams can align on goals and timelines together. This helps product teams keep progress visible.

5. Databases and Project Tracking

Craft: Craft leans on backlinks and folders for structure. It is light on project planning tools. You can stay organized, but complex tracking needs another app.

AFFiNE Pro: AFFiNE Pro adds database collections and Kanban boards. You can assign tasks, set deadlines, and track progress. This makes it stronger for managing projects.

How to Use AFFiNE's Database to Unleash Organizational Brilliance?

6. Platform and Privacy

Craft: Craft works across Mac, iOS, Windows, and web. It is a polished, closed-source app. Data lives in Craft’s cloud rather than on your machine.

AFFiNE Pro: AFFiNE Pro is local first and privacy focused. The open source project runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux, plus browser. You can even self-host the latest version.

7. Pricing & Cost

Let’s compare the pricing plans side by side.

PlanCraftAFFiNE Pro
Free$0 per monthFree forever
Entry Paid$4.79/month (Personal)$6.75/month (Pro)
Higher Tier$8.99/month (Friends & Family)$10/seat/month (Team)

Craft: Craft is cheaper to start at $4.79 per month. The Personal plan unlocks the AI assistant and unlimited docs. It is strong value for solo writers.

AFFiNE Pro: AFFiNE Pro gives more in its free tier since it is open source. Paid plans cost a bit more, but you get whiteboards and databases. Teams pay per seat, so plan for growth.

Different Scenarios

If You Need…ChooseWhy
Lowest starting priceCraftPaid plan is cheaper
Whiteboards and databasesAFFiNE ProCraft lacks both
Polished documentsCraftDesign-first notes
Open source and privacyAFFiNE ProLocal first, self-host
Beginner-friendly notesCraftSimple, focused workflow

💰 Your Budget

Craft starts cheaper at $4.79 per month. AFFiNE Pro gives more in its free tier, which helps tight budgets.

🔌 Your Tech Stack

AFFiNE Pro fits people who want one app for many jobs. Craft works best beside other apps you already use.

📝 Your Writing Style

Craft rewards writers who care about clean layout. AFFiNE Pro suits people who mix notes with visual planning.

🎓 Your Experience Level

Beginners find Craft easy to learn. AFFiNE Pro has more capabilities, so it takes longer to master.

🆓 Free Trials and Demos

Both offer a free plan with no credit card. Test each one on a real project before you commit.

🛟 Support Options

Craft offers standard help docs and email support. AFFiNE Pro adds an active open source community that can respond fast.

Switching Guide

Already using one of these tools? Here is what to expect if you switch.

🔄 Switching from Craft to AFFiNE Pro?

✅ What you’ll gain:

  • Whiteboards and advanced databases in one workspace
  • An open source, local first app you can self-host
  • Kanban boards to manage projects and track progress

❌ What you’ll lose:

  • Craft’s ultra-clean document design
  • The simpler, distraction-free writing focus
  • The lower $4.79 starting price

📋 How to switch:

  1. Export your Craft documents as Markdown
  2. Create a free AFFiNE Pro account
  3. Import notes and rebuild structure in the workspace
🔄 Switching from AFFiNE Pro to Craft?

✅ What you’ll gain:

  • Cleaner, more polished documents and notes
  • A simpler interface with less clutter
  • One-click presentation mode for sharing ideas

❌ What you’ll lose:

  • The edgeless canvas whiteboard feature
  • Advanced databases and Kanban boards
  • Open source, self-host, and local first control

📋 How to switch:

  1. Export your AFFiNE Pro pages as Markdown
  2. Create a Craft account and pick a plan
  3. Import documents and tidy up formatting

What Our Review Didn’t Cover

This comparison focused on solo users and small teams. We did not test large enterprise rollouts or deep API work. Our notes reflect the January 2026 versions, so features may change with the latest version. If you manage a big company or need heavy automation, your priorities may differ from what we cover here.

Final Verdict

CategoryWinner
💰 PricingCraft
🚀 Core FeaturesAFFiNE Pro
✍️ Writing FocusCraft
🎨 Visual PlanningAFFiNE Pro
👶 Ease of UseCraft
🔒 Privacy & Open SourceAFFiNE Pro
🏆 Overall WinnerCraft

🏆 WINNER: CRAFT

Craft wins on price, writing focus, and ease of use.

Best for: Polished notes, quick documents, and a compelling product story.

Craft and AFFiNE Pro solve related but different problems.

Craft is a design-first note taking app for clean documents.

AFFiNE Pro is an open source, all in one workspace for docs whiteboards and databases.

AFFiNE Pro is excellent for visual planning, privacy, and managing projects.

But if you mainly want beautiful notes at a lower price, Craft is the better pick for most users.

More of Craft Compared

Here is how Craft stacks up against other note taking tools:

Craft vs Notion

Craft wins on: cleaner document design, faster startup, one-click presentation mode

Notion wins on: deeper databases, more integrations, a larger template library

Craft vs Obsidian

Craft wins on: polished visuals, easier onboarding, built-in AI assistant

Obsidian wins on: local Markdown files, a bigger plugin library, free personal use

Craft vs Capacities

Craft wins on: simpler writing focus, sharper document export, lower entry price

Capacities wins on: object-based linking, a stronger personal knowledge base, flexible tagging

More of AFFiNE Pro Compared

Here is how AFFiNE Pro stacks up against other apps. The video below adds more context.

Top 5 BEST AI Note-Taking Apps (Better than Notion?)

AFFiNE Pro vs Notion

AFFiNE Pro wins on: open source code, local first storage, a built-in edgeless canvas

Notion wins on: a mature interface, more integrations, wider third-party support

AFFiNE Pro vs Obsidian

AFFiNE Pro wins on: built-in whiteboards and databases, real time collaboration, an all in one workspace

Obsidian wins on: a lighter app, a huge plugin community, pure Markdown control

AFFiNE Pro vs Anytype

AFFiNE Pro wins on: a visual whiteboard, richer databases, easier docs whiteboards blend

Anytype wins on: end-to-end encryption, an object graph model, offline-first design

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Craft app good?

Yes. Craft is a strong note taking app for clean documents and simple planning. Its 4.3 rating reflects a polished design and helpful AI assistant.

Is AFFiNE Pro open source?

Yes. AFFiNE Pro is an open source project, so the community can contribute and self-host it. This supports privacy and long-term trust.

Does AFFiNE work offline?

Yes. AFFiNE Pro is local first, so it works offline and keeps your data on your device. Cloud sync is optional on paid plans.

Can you use Craft for free?

Yes. Craft has a free plan with no credit card. It covers core notes, while paid plans add unlimited docs and the AI assistant.

Which is the best note taking software?

It depends on your needs. Craft wins for polished writing at a low price. AFFiNE Pro wins for an all in one workspace with whiteboards and databases.

Fahim Joharder, Founder

Fahim Joharder, Founder

Tested 900+ AI tools. 250K+ monthly readers.

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