Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

AFFiNE VS FrameRef

Compare AFFiNE VS FrameRef and see what are their differences

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AFFiNE logo AFFiNE

All in one KnowledgeOS, Open alternative to Notion&Miro.

FrameRef logo FrameRef

FrameRef is a modern reference board for creative professionals, combining images, videos, and PDFs in one infinite canvas.
  • AFFiNE Affine-Website
    Affine-Website //
    2024-07-25
  • FrameRef FrameRef Board Example and Toolbar
    FrameRef Board Example and Toolbar //
    2026-02-25

AFFiNE

Website
affine.pro
$ Details
free $6.75 / Monthly (Affine Cloud)
Platforms
Mac OSX Google Chrome Windows
Startup details
Country
Singapore
Founder(s)
Jiachen He,and other two founders.
Employees
20 - 49

AFFiNE features and specs

  • Write
    Notion like block-based page editor
  • Draw
    Miro like free style canvas
  • AFFiNE AI
    AI copilot for reading,drafting,reviewing,brainstorming,diagraming and more
  • Database
    Airtable like structured data management๏ผˆbeta๏ผ‰

FrameRef features and specs

  • Reference organization
    FrameRef allows filmmakers, photographers, and visual artists to organize and categorize visual references efficiently, making it easier to build mood boards and shot lists for creative projects.
  • Visual-first interface
    The app is built around visual content, making it intuitive for creative professionals to browse, compare, and curate images and stills without needing extensive text-based descriptions.
  • Streamlined workflow for film production
    It caters specifically to the film and video production workflow, helping directors, cinematographers, and production designers quickly find and share visual inspiration relevant to specific scenes or shots.
  • Collaboration potential
    Many reference tools like FrameRef support sharing boards or collections with team members, which can improve communication between creative departments during pre-production.
  • Niche specialization
    Unlike general-purpose reference tools like Pinterest, FrameRef is tailored specifically to cinematic and frame-based references, which can result in more relevant search and organization features for filmmakers.

Analysis of AFFiNE

Overall verdict

  • AFFiNE is a robust platform, particularly valuable for those seeking a well-rounded, adaptable productivity tool. It offers a wide array of features that support efficient project management through its intuitive interface. Overall, AFFiNE is considered a good choice for those in need of a reliable productivity and collaboration tool.

Why this product is good

  • AFFiNE is known for its user-friendly design, offering a range of productivity tools that streamline workflow processes. Its features cater to both individual and team-based tasks, making it versatile for various project management needs. The platform integrates well with other software, providing seamless communication and collaboration. Additionally, AFFiNE is consistently updated based on user feedback, ensuring it meets the evolving needs of its users.

Recommended for

    AFFiNE is recommended for freelancers, small-to-medium businesses, and project managers who require effective task management and team collaboration solutions. It is especially suited for organizations looking for an easy-to-use platform that can scale with their growth and adapt to various workflow requirements.

Analysis of FrameRef

Overall verdict

  • I don't have verified information about FrameRef (frameref.app) in my knowledge base, so I can't confirm its quality, features, or reliability. Before using it, I'd recommend researching independently through reviews, its official website, and user feedback.

Why this product is good

  • I don't have specific data on this product to cite genuine strengths
  • Claiming benefits without verified information would be misleading
  • It's important to verify legitimacy and functionality through primary sources

Recommended for

  • Users who have independently verified the app's features and reviews
  • Those willing to test it themselves with caution, especially regarding data privacy and payment info
  • Individuals who can find and check official documentation or user testimonials before committing

AFFiNE videos

AFFiNE AI: Notion Meets Infinite Canvas!

More videos:

  • Review - Work Culture Life At New Affine
  • Review - Affine - Notion Killer?!

FrameRef videos

FrameRef 1.0 โ€“ Organize All Your Reference Files in One Infinite Board

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to AFFiNE and FrameRef)
Note Taking
100 100%
0% 0
Productivity
88 88%
12% 12
Task Management
100 100%
0% 0
Digital Asset Management
0 0%
100% 100

Questions & Answers

As answered by people managing AFFiNE and FrameRef.

What makes your product unique?

AFFiNE's answer

AFFiNE is unique because it combines flexibility with strong privacy protections, making it ideal for users who value both control over their workspace and data security. The platformโ€™s canvas feature allows for a highly customizable layout, enabling users to visually organize information in a free-form, drag-and-drop manner. This flexibility supports diverse workflows, from brainstorming and project planning to note-taking and task management, making AFFiNE a versatile tool adaptable to personal and professional needs.

What sets AFFiNE apart even further is its commitment to privacy with a local-first approach. This means data is stored locally on usersโ€™ devices, safeguarding sensitive information and ensuring full offline access. As an open-source platform, AFFiNE also invites community contributions and customization, allowing users to shape the tool to fit their specific requirements. This blend of privacy, flexibility, and user-driven development creates a truly unique productivity solution.

FrameRef's answer:

In addition to supporting images and GIFs, FrameRef supports videos and PDFs, and even lets you drag and drop video links from platforms like YouTube, X, and Twitch to automatically download them into your board.

Why should a person choose your product over its competitors?

FrameRef's answer:

FrameRef does everything you expect from traditional reference boards, and goes much further.

How would you describe the primary audience of your product?

FrameRef's answer:

FrameRef is designed for visual creatives such as 3D artists, game developers, concept artists, and designers who need a powerful way to organize and work with large collections of reference images, videos, and PDFs.

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare AFFiNE and FrameRef

AFFiNE Reviews

15 Best Free Daily Planner Apps for 2024 (Features, Price)
AFFiNE is an innovative and comprehensive free daily planner app designed to help you organize, manage, and collaborate on tasks, projects, and information. As a next-generation knowledge base, AFFiNE combines the best features of most daily planner apps like Notion and Miro into one powerful, flexible, and user-friendly platform. It focuses on data security, privacy, and...
Source: affine.pro
5 Best Open Source Alternatives to Notion
One of the standout features of AFFiNE is its ability to seamlessly switch between paper mode and whiteboard mode (Page and Edgeless), making it a versatile tool for brainstorming, planning, and collaboration. AFFiNE has a sleek and intuitive interface that makes it easy to use, and it's highly customisable to suit your needs.
Source: affine.pro
The 5 Best Open Source Miro Alternatives in 2024
One of the standout features of AFFiNE is its ability to seamlessly switch between paper mode and whiteboard mode (Page and Edgeless), making it a versatile tool for brainstorming, planning, and collaboration. In addition to this, it creates different workspaces for managing various types of data. Whether itโ€™s your personal blog, a team repository, or a personal repository....
Source: affine.pro

FrameRef Reviews

We have no reviews of FrameRef yet.
Be the first one to post

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, AFFiNE seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 32 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

AFFiNE mentions (32)

  • Notion leaks email addresses of all editors of any public page
    I'd say Affine or Obsidian. Obsidian is built on-top of just markdown files, so you can do whatever you want with them. E.g. If you need multiplayer editing you could use 3rd party solutions or even something like HedgeDoc. Affine is more closer to Notion and self-hostable. Obsidian: https://obsidian.md/ Affine: https://affine.pro/. - Source: Hacker News / 4 months ago
  • Notion leaks email addresses of all editors of any public page
    I wrote a more detailed comparison of Notion vs Obsidian here: https://bryanhogan.com/blog/notion-obsidian-comparison I kinda dislike where Notion is heading though, forcing more and more things on their users without any ways to disable them. But yes, it's capable to do what you are looking for. Maybe Affine could also work though, you can self-host it and it's more customizable: https://affine.pro/. - Source: Hacker News / 4 months ago
  • AFFiNE vs AppFlowy: Open-Source Notion Clones
    AFFiNE is a workspace that merges docs, whiteboards, and databases into one tool. The editor supports block-based writing similar to Notion, but adds an infinite canvas (whiteboard) mode where blocks can be freely positioned. It's built with TypeScript/React and uses PostgreSQL and Redis for the self-hosted backend. - Source: dev.to / 6 months ago
  • Notion Releases Offline Mode
    I made the jump to AFFiNe (https://affine.pro/) a few months ago and have really liked using it. I am able to self host and have found it to be a _nearly_ 1:1 replacement for Notion. Affine's database implementation isn't nearly as nice though - but they are workable and they are improving. My biggest gripe is that the OSS project is very oriented around a hosted product rather than the self hosted - so things... - Source: Hacker News / 12 months ago
  • Tell HN: Notion Desktop is monitoring your audio and network
    Affine : https://affine.pro/ You can self host too if you like. Not all features as Notion but comes very close. Seems more private too compared to Notion. I am also looking for more private and secure Notion alternatives. My company doesnโ€™t allow using Notion. I like templates, tasks, scrum etc. Which I use for personal use. But I am reluctant on saving any personal information in it. - Source: Hacker News / about 1 year ago
View more

FrameRef mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of FrameRef yet. Tracking of FrameRef recommendations started around Feb 2026.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing AFFiNE and FrameRef, you can also consider the following products

Obsidian.md - A second brain, for you, forever. Obsidian is a powerful knowledge base that works on top of a local folder of plain text Markdown files.

PureRef - The simple way to view and organize your multiple reference images.

Logseq - Logseq is a local-first, non-linear, outliner notebook for organizing and sharing your personal knowledge base.

BeeRef - A Simple Reference Image Viewer

Craft Docs - The writing app you've been waiting for

Refbox - Your floating workspace for inspiration