NextChat vs NotionNext
Which should you use? A side-by-side look at what each one does, who it suits, what it costs, how hard it is to set up, and where each falls short.
Open source · MIT
Open-source chat app for talking to many AI models, with a web and desktop version.
Open source · MIT
Publish Notion pages as a website using Next.js, with no server of your own to run.
The short answer
Choose NextChat if you need…
- People who want one chat window for several AI models
- Developers who want a self-hosted chat front end for their own API keys
- Users who want local storage of chat data in the browser
- Teams interested in the README's enterprise edition for private deployment
Choose NotionNext if you need…
- Writers who already keep their posts in Notion and want a website without moving content
- Developers who want a customizable Next.js site they can modify and extend
- Small teams that need a product landing page or knowledge base quickly
- Creators who want a photo or portfolio site using one of the built-in themes
Side-by-side
| NextChat | NotionNext | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | App | App |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 88.9k | 11.9k |
| Setup difficulty | Beginner | Intermediate |
| How you get it | Use it in the browser (or self-host) | Clone and build from source |
| Main language | TypeScript | JavaScript |
| Last code update | 17 days ago | 4 days ago |
What each one is
NextChat
NextChat is a chat interface for AI language models such as GPT, Claude, Gemini and DeepSeek. You can use it in a browser as a web app, or install it as a desktop app on Windows, macOS and Linux. The README also describes self-hosting it, for example on Vercel, and connecting it to self-deployed models.
NotionNext
NotionNext is an open-source site system that turns content you write in Notion (posts, categories, tags, menus, pages) into a public website. It is built with Next.js and the Notion API, and the README describes deploying it to Vercel after forking the repository. People use it to run blogs, portfolios, documentation sites, product landing pages and link directories while keeping Notion as their writing tool.
Best for
NextChat
- People who want one chat window for several AI models
- Developers who want a self-hosted chat front end for their own API keys
- Users who want local storage of chat data in the browser
- Teams interested in the README's enterprise edition for private deployment
NotionNext
- Writers who already keep their posts in Notion and want a website without moving content
- Developers who want a customizable Next.js site they can modify and extend
- Small teams that need a product landing page or knowledge base quickly
- Creators who want a photo or portfolio site using one of the built-in themes
Strengths
NextChat
- Runs on web, Windows, macOS, Linux and iOS according to the README
- Stores data locally in the browser, per the README's privacy note
- Open source under the MIT license with a large community
NotionNext
- Keeps writing in Notion while the site handles publishing
- Ships with 26 built-in themes according to the README
- Source code and configuration live in your own repository, so it can be modified
Not ideal for
NextChat
- People who want a fully offline assistant, since the README centers on connecting to hosted or self-deployed model services
- Users who need the iOS app's source code, since the README says it is coming soon
- Anyone expecting a guaranteed no-cost service, since the README mentions pay-as-you-go and a sponsor platform
NotionNext
- People who want a no-code site with no setup, since the README describes forking a repo and configuring environment variables
- Users who need to run everything on their own server, because the README's deployment path centers on Vercel
- Anyone unwilling to install Node.js 22 for local development, since the README says Node 20 cannot install current dependencies
Trade-offs
NextChat
- The README is truncated and says little about setup beyond Vercel deployment and build flags
- Several features, such as MCP support, require building with environment flags
- Some links and release downloads point to a different repository name than the one listed
NotionNext
- Setup requires forking, connecting Vercel and filling in environment variables, which takes technical comfort
- README is primarily in Chinese; the English version is a separate file (README_EN.md) not included in the excerpt
- Local development needs Node 22 and Yarn 1, and deployment platforms must also be set to Node 22
Getting started
NextChat
Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/ChatGPTNextWeb/NextChatNotionNext
Use Node 22
nvm use || nvm installInstall Yarn
npm i -g yarnFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between NextChat and NotionNext?
NextChat: Open-source chat app for talking to many AI models, with a web and desktop version. NotionNext: Publish Notion pages as a website using Next.js, with no server of your own to run. NextChat suits people who want one chat window for several ai models, while NotionNext suits writers who already keep their posts in notion and want a website without moving content.
Are NextChat and NotionNext free?
NextChat: Free and open source. NotionNext: Free and open source.
Which is easier to set up, NextChat or NotionNext?
NextChat is easier to get started with (rated beginner); NotionNext is rated intermediate and usually needs more setup.
Is NextChat or NotionNext more popular?
NextChat has more GitHub stars (88.9k) than NotionNext (11.9k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
What are other alternatives to NextChat and NotionNext?
Other options people compare them with include LibreChat, Taxonomy, AI Website Cloner, AriaNg, Cal.diy.
Keep comparing
Built from our catalogue entries for both products: open-source details come from each project's README (AI-assisted, refreshed weekly) and GitHub data; AI-tool details are editorial. Spotted something wrong? Let us know from either product's page.