AFFiNE vs Dropbox Paper

AFFiNE combines documents, whiteboards, databases, and AI in a local-first workspace. Its AI tools can draft and summarize content, adjust tone, generate mind maps, and create presentations. AFFiNE AI runs through AFFiNE Cloud and requires sign-in; each Cloud user receives 10 trial experiences, and the page says users can bring their own API key starting with version 0.27.

A built-in MCP server lets compatible clients such as Claude and Cursor search a workspace and read documents. Its credentials are limited to one workspace, can be revoked, and default to read-only access. The desktop app stores documents and whiteboards on the device for offline reading and editing without an account. Mobile apps focus on capturing and reviewing notes, while the full Edgeless whiteboard and local file control are on desktop. The free cloud tier includes up to 3 workspace members, 10 GB of storage, and 7 days of version history. The editor, desktop app, and most of the codebase are MIT-licensed; the backend uses the AFFiNE Enterprise Edition license. AFFiNE serves individual creators, small teams, and enterprise teams seeking self-hosting or custom deployment.

Dropbox Paper is a collaborative document tool for teams, built around documents with timelines, to-dos, and tables. To-dos can be assigned and given due dates, then viewed in a Things to do sidebar. Timelines collect deadlines, files, and to-dos and can be viewed by week, month, quarter, or year; on mobile, timelines are read-only. Paper is free, and a Dropbox account with sign-in is required to create or access documents. There is no limit on the number of Paper documents in an account, and each uses less than 100 bytes of Dropbox storage. The separate Dropbox Paper mobile app was discontinued on October 9, 2025, while Paper remains available on the web. In the Dropbox desktop app, Paper documents open on dropbox.com unless exported as PDF, DOCX, or Markdown. Paper supports real-time collaboration, track changes, and offline editing. Some users can connect Paper with Google or Outlook calendars to link documents to events and make meeting notes. Documents are encrypted at rest with 256-bit AES and in transit with SSL/TLS.