What AlternativeTo is, in its own terms
AlternativeTo (alternativeto.net), run by 27 Kilobyte AB in Stockholm, describes itself as a site for finding the right software for your computer, phone or tablet, and says almost every recommendation on it comes from people who use the software. As of September 2026, a popular app has hundreds of listed alternatives — Notion's page counted 425 — each with its licence (free, freemium, open source, proprietary), its platforms and a count of likes from users, and a short "Is it a good alternative?" panel noting where the two differ according to users.
For discovering options you did not know existed, that is hard to beat, and nothing below argues otherwise.
Where it stops
- It is about software. A bank, a course, a phone, a moving company or a dentist has no page there.
- It finds options; it does not choose between them. A list of 425 alternatives ordered by likes is the start of a decision, not the end of one — the most-liked tool is the one most people like, not necessarily the one that fits you.
- There is no written verdict for your situation, and no way to ask "which of these three works offline and costs nothing for a team of four?"
How the two fit together
- Use AlternativeTo to find the field: look up the tool you have now and skim the alternatives with the licence and platform you need.
- Pick the three to six that look plausible.
- Paste them into compare⁄io and say what matters — budget, team size, offline use, whatever it is. You get a verdict, a table in which every value says where it was found, and the pages that were read.
- Ask the follow-up chat what the table did not cover, and eliminate the weakest until one is left.
Side by side
| AlternativeTo | compare⁄io | |
|---|---|---|
| The question it answers | "What else is like this?" | "Which of these, for me?" |
| What it covers | Software and apps | Anything you can name — software, products, services, places, courses |
| Where the information comes from | Recommendations and likes from users | A live web search when you compare, with the pages it used listed |
| A verdict | No — a ranked list by likes | Yes — written for the needs you describe |
| Follow-up questions | No | Yes — a chat under every comparison |
| Discovering options you have never heard of | Yes — its strength | Only by asking the chat to suggest some |
| Cost | Free | Free for 5 comparisons a day; Pro is $5 a month |
Compare some common alternatives
Questions people ask
Is compare⁄io connected to AlternativeTo?
No. AlternativeTo is run by 27 Kilobyte AB, an independent company, and compare⁄io has no relationship with it. It is named here only to explain how the two differ.
Can compare⁄io find alternatives for me?
Not as a directory does. Compare the thing you use now with anything else, then ask the follow-up chat what else is worth considering — it will suggest options, which you can then compare properly.
Does compare⁄io only compare software?
No. It compares anything you can name: apps, phones, laptops, banks, courses, cities, businesses. Nothing has to be listed anywhere first.