- What is Notion
- The limitations of Notion
- Best Notion alternatives & competitors
- So, what is the best alternative to Notion?
Notion is a popular productivity and project management tool. However, it’s not without its drawbacks, especially when dealing with complex projects or large datasets. These limitations may be particularly restrictive for larger teams and organizations where Notion may not satisfy their diverse needs.
In such cases, it’s important to find an alternative tool that can cater to your specific requirements. Whether it’s a dedicated note-taking tool, a robust task management software, or a no-code platform for creating custom databases, there are numerous Notion alternatives that can provide the functionality you need.
So, if you’re thinking about switching from Notion or you’re looking for a more tailored toolset, this guide will help simplify your search. We’ve reviewed an array of platforms to help you find the best alternatives to Notion for your needs.
What is Notion
Notion is an all-in-one workspace where you can write, plan, collaborate, and organize. It’s essentially a note-taking app with database functionality, a project and task manager, and a collaboration tool.
One of Notion’s biggest strengths lies in its versatility. Users can create pages and sub-pages, which can be structured as per their needs using pre-set blocks or templates. These blocks can include text, to-do lists, images, links, files, code snippets, embedded web content, databases, and more.
In terms of project management, Notion lets users create and manage a project timeline, tasks, goals, and deadlines. It supports a Kanban board view, calendar view, list view, and gallery view for tasks, making it easier to track project progress. The platform also enables collaboration through features such as real-time editing, comments, and @mentions.
Notion offers a template gallery with various pre-made page layouts for tasks like design specifications, reading lists, meeting notes, and more, which can be a quick starting point for users. The software also supports integration with various third-party apps, such as Google Calendar, Google Drive, and Evernote, providing more versatility in how users can manage their work.
Notion provides a variety of plans: the Free plan with basic features, Plus ($8/user/month) with enhanced features like 30-day page history, Business ($15/user/month) for connecting several teams and tools, and an Enterprise plan (pricing on request) with advanced security and support.
The limitations of Notion
Despite Notion’s many features and versatility, it does have some limitations that may lead users to seek alternatives:
- A wiki-type tool: Notion is a wiki-type tool that focuses explicitly on small teams. It’s used for writing documents, noting ideas, and creating to-dos. It’s much less structured as a database and can be messy at scale. For instance, in Docs, you can’t collaborate directly on the text of a draft document and tag people like you can in a platform like Google Docs.
- Scalability for large teams: While effective for individual use or small teams, it can struggle with performance when used by larger teams. As the number of collaborators and quantity of content grows, users may encounter issues with organization, access speed, and real-time collaboration.
- Complex data handling: Notion is equipped to handle basic databases and spreadsheets, but it may not be the best fit for managing complex datasets. Users needing advanced data analysis or processing capabilities might find Notion’s database features limited.
- Not open-source: Notion’s closed-source nature can limit customization and lead to dependence on a single company. Furthermore, the inability to view or modify the source code limits transparency, making it difficult to ensure data privacy or security.
- Pricing: While Notion is free for personal use, the per-person pricing can escalate quickly for team usage, which could be a financial barrier for some organizations.
So, even though Notion offers a range of capabilities for content management, project management, and collaboration, the limitations around scalability, complex data handling, and pricing for large teams could make alternatives worth considering for some users.
Best Notion alternatives & competitors
1. Baserow
Baserow is a no-code database platform with a different core product focus than Notion. With Baserow, you can structure data, visualize it and empower people to collaborate around data. Being open-source, it offers users the freedom to modify, improve, or tailor the software to meet their unique needs. It also allows users to integrate it with other systems, develop custom features, and adapt the software in ways that closed-source solutions like Notion don’t permit.
Baserow combines the power of a traditional relational database with the user-friendly interface of a spreadsheet. It lets you easily build, customize, and manage databases of all kinds, from product and operations to IT, finance, sales, and more. The no-code platform works in a visual way that feels more like Excel or Google Sheets, making it more approachable for non-technical users.
With Baserow, it’s easy to store, manage, and organize your data all in one place, meaning you can say goodbye to the hassle of having multiple tools and work in a simple and efficient way. Automate manual processes to reduce repetitive work, and collaborate with your team members in real-time, easily assigning roles and permissions, sharing updates, providing documentation, and tracking progress.
You can visualize your data with views like Kanban, Gallery, and Calendar, and use Form view to share with respondents, gather data, or run surveys. As an API-first platform, Baserow can be integrated with an array of other applications and automation tools. Its open-source nature allows developers to expand its functionality with custom plugins and integrations as needed.
If you’re looking for free open-source alternatives to Notion, Baserow offers free pricing plans for its hosted and self-hosted versions. The Enterprise plan, priced based on your specific requirements, is tailored for larger teams, offering enterprise-grade deployment, security, and data governance, all within a single platform. Sign up for a free trial.
2. Evernote
Evernote is a popular note-taking app that makes it easy to create, edit, and share notes. Though its feature set is less broad compared to Notion, its note-taking, organizing, and archiving offerings make it an attractive option for those who want to stay on top of their tasks and to-dos.
The app allows users to create notes, which can be formatted text, web pages, images, sketches, voice memos, or even handwritten notes. Notes can be organized into a system of notebooks, tasks, and calendars, and any note is just a quick search away.
Evernote boasts several great features, including a web clipper, document scanning, PDF annotation, character recognition, and handy search and keyword tags to help you search. It’s easy to add due dates, reminders, and flags to tasks, and keep all your project materials in one place, including checklists, emails, and PDFs.
It’s available in a free version for basic tasks and to-do lists. There’s also a personal plan to keep home and family on track, and a professional plan with additional features like more storage capacity, geographic search, and integration with Slack, Salesforce, Microsoft Teams, and others.
3. Microsoft OneNote
Part of Microsoft’s Office Suite, OneNote is a free alternative to Notion with many similar functionalities. Available on Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android, it allows users to jot down thoughts, make lists, save links, and attach documents, similar to a digital version of a physical notebook.
Notes can be typed, handwritten, or drawn, and can include images, audio, and video. You can also clip web content directly to OneNote, and add screen clippings, pictures, digital handwriting, or renderings of symbols and equations. Notes can be divided into sections (like tabs in a physical notebook) and pages within those sections, allowing for easy categorization and navigation of notes.
The platform is designed for collaborative work, allowing multiple users to work on a document simultaneously, making it useful for team projects, meetings, and shared note repositories. It integrates seamlessly with other Microsoft Office applications and lets you pull data from Outlook email, or embed an Excel table.
4. Coda
With advanced database capabilities and robust integrations, Coda excels when compared to Notion. It combines these with the functionalities of a document editor and a spreadsheet, allowing users to create, share, and work on interactive documents and complex data structures within the same space.
The tool is designed with an all-in-one workspace concept in mind, aiming to reduce the need for multiple separate applications. It features a multitude of database functionalities, project management tools, and customizable views so that you can create tailor-made workspaces according to your team’s specific needs.
With Coda, users can build documents that include text, images, checklists, tables, and more. It also lets you use interactive elements, such as buttons and sliders, that can automate workflows, manipulate data, or interact with external apps.
The platform supports real-time collaboration and offers powerful integration capabilities with other applications like Google Calendar, Slack, and Zapier, among others. Its flexibility is also reflected in Coda’s AI, which can interact with databases and tables to automate tasks such as idea generation and summarization.
In terms of pricing, Coda’s Free plan provides up to 50 objects such as pages and tables, and up to 1,000 rows per document, while the Team plan, starting at $30 per document maker per month, allows for an expanded use of the platform, with unlimited documents, attachments, and automation.
5. Workflowy
Workflowy is a cloud-based, note-taking application, offering a flexible, user-friendly interface for capturing ideas and organizing data. While Notion offers more advanced features, WorkFlowy’s simplicity provides a minimalist, distraction-free environment for task management and note-taking.
Built to launch quickly, Workflowy features a bullet-style interface for creating outlines, lists, paragraphs, and attaching files. Its interface is simple, built around an infinite list that can be collapsed or expanded as needed. It operates on all platforms - desktop, web app, and mobile - and includes handy keyboard shortcuts for note-taking and data retrieval.
The application offers the ability to zoom in on any bullet, tag items to quickly filter and search for them, and create live copies of anything to view and update from anywhere. Other features include Kanban board views and backlinking, with shortcuts to handle tasks like changing text, moving items around the workspace, checking off a to-do list, and more.
Teams can collaborate easily with simple sharing permissions that let you control who sees what and easily collaborate with anyone. It also supports link sharing for selected parts of lists, and access to a range of templates for categories including design, product, marketing, sales, and more.
Workflowy pricing includes a free plan for individuals and a Pro plan at $4.99/user/month. The Pro plan provides premium features like unlimited bullets, unlimited file uploads, full sharing options, and auto-backup to Dropbox, in addition to all Free plan features.
6. Confluence
Confluence is a collaborative workspace offering a unified platform where teams can construct, organize, and collaborate on their projects. It’s used for project planning, knowledge sharing, and documentation within teams and organizations. It’s a great Notion alternative thanks to its feature-rich interface that includes a straightforward text editor, approval workflows for documents, extensive audit trails, and an array of pre-built templates.
Confluence supports creating content-rich pages with dynamic content blocks, such as tables, file lists, macro scripts, and more. You can create spaces for individual projects or teams, and pages within those spaces for specific topics or tasks. It’s also possible to attach files, link to other pages, and embed content from other Atlassian apps.
Confluence’s collaboration features allow for real-time editing, commenting, and liking. This can make it easier for teams to provide feedback, make decisions, and keep track of changes. You can also use @mentions to notify specific people or teams within a page or comment.
Being a product of Atlassian, Confluence integrates seamlessly with other Atlassian software like Jira, Trello, and Bitbucket, making it easier for teams to stay aligned and work effectively. And with its robust access controls, teams can manage permissions to keep information secure.
Confluence offers a Free tier for up to 10 users, a Standard plan at $5.75/user/month, and a Premium plan at $11/user/month, each with increasing levels of features. For larger organizations, the Enterprise plan offers expanded features and support, with pricing available on request.
7. Google Keep
Another free alternative to Notion, Google Keep is Google’s note-taking application designed to capture quick thoughts, create checklists, and set reminders on-the-go. It seamlessly syncs with Google Drive, allowing you to access and edit your notes from any device that you use with your Google account.
The platform features a variety of functionalities to improve your note-taking process. Its key features include the ability to transcribe spoken notes, making it easier to search for them later. It can be used for creating and sharing notes with coworkers, and adding collaborators to your notes via their email addresses, so you can quickly share ideas or tasks and keep track of progress in real-time.
Easily add reminders to your notes, set repeat times, or even have reminders pop up when you reach a certain location. These also appear in your Google Calendar. What’s more, you can add various elements to notes, such as photos, drawings, recordings, and checkboxes.
Notes can be viewed as a list or grid and can be manually reordered as per your preferences. Other organizational tools include color-coding, labels, pinning, and archiving, all of which facilitate an easier search for the required note.
Google Keep is accessible through any web browser, its mobile app (available for both Android and iOS devices), or directly within Gmail. It also offers a Chrome browser extension for added convenience. Best of all, it’s offered free of charge to all users.
8. Basecamp
Basecamp is a popular project management tool that provides a set of features for task organization, team communication, and file sharing. While Notion amalgamates databases, wikis, and task management tools into a unified workspace, Basecamp adopts a different approach by dividing its workspace into distinct spaces tailored to varied types of interactions.
Key features that make Basecamp a viable alternative to Notion include its distinctive project management capabilities. Each Basecamp project boasts a dedicated space designed for team collaboration, with tools such as message boards for important updates, ‘Campfire’ for real-time chats, ‘Pings’ for quick, private conversations, and a feature called ‘Hey!’ which is an inbox for all notifications, chats, and updates.
Similar to Notion, Basecamp offers an area for document and file sharing, enabling team members to quickly locate necessary information. In addition, it has a scheduling feature for significant dates, automatic check-ins for regular progress reports, and Hill Charts for visually tracking the progress of projects or tasks.
Basecamp offers a basic plan priced at $15/user/month and a Pro plan priced at $299/month for unlimited users and projects.
8. Microsoft Loop
Microsoft Loop, a app within Microsoft 365, streamlines tasks like note-taking, lists, and task management. Its components are designed to be portable, allowing users to embed parts of Loop in other Microsoft apps such as Outlook, Teams, or OneNote, and then collaborate in real-time within those apps.
Seen as Microsoft’s answer to wiki-style tools like Notion, Loop simplifies workspace creation with AI-guided suggestions, ready-to-use templates, and keyboard shortcuts that let you quickly insert anything. The built-in AI helper can also assist with creating content, brainstorming ideas, summarizing data, and responding to queries.
Loop is focused on providing a flexible approach to teamwork, encouraging users to collaborate wherever, despite time zone differences, commutes, and work style preferences. It’s available via web browser or on iOS and Android, and also offers an iOS and Android app.
When considering Loop as a Notion alternative, there are some important distinctions. Notion is a standalone platform geared towards task management with its note-taking, databases, and tailored workspace tools. While Loop is bundled into Microsoft 365 so you can’t use it unless you have a subscription. This is an important downside to Loop because Microsoft is locking you into their ecosystem to use Loop.
In terms of pricing, if you already subscribe to a qualifying Microsoft 365 plan, you’ll have access to Microsoft Loop without any additional cost. Microsoft has a history of bundling new features and applications within its Microsoft 365 subscriptions, making the suite more valuable over time. However, this is a form of vendor lock-in, which leads to business continuity risks as you’re dependent on the Microsoft 365 ecosystem.
9. AppFlowy
AppFlowy is an open-source alternative to Notion that can be self-hosted. Because it’s open source, its code is publicly available, meaning that you can customize the software, keep full ownership over your data, and reduce dependencies on external servers or platforms.
Like Notion, Appflowy offers a full suite of productivity tools and features, from note-taking and task management to databases, Kanban boards, and more. Additionally, its integration with OpenAI’s ChatGPT aids users in tasks like content creation, spell-checking, and summaries.
The platform’s technical foundation is built on the advanced frameworks of Flutter and Rust, promising faster development cycles and a consistent experience across devices. Beyond its core features, AppFlowy has an active community that continually develops and shares a plethora of templates, plugins, themes, and knowledge.
While Notion has made significant strides in the productivity space, AppFlowy’s open-source framework offers infinite customization potential, giving you the freedom to adjust and refine the code whenever and however you want. This can be particularly beneficial for those who have specific requirements or who are concerned about data privacy. Plus, it’s free to use!
10. ClickUp
ClickUp is a task-based productivity platform designed to help you unify work tasks and processes into a single system. Catering to both individual users and teams across various industries, it provides a wide range of tools and functionalities to streamline work and enhance collaboration.
The same way that everything is a document in Notion, everything is a task in ClickUp. You can easily create tasks, assign them to team members, set priorities, establish deadlines, and track progress. Tasks can be further broken down into sub-tasks, and the platform supports the addition of checklists, document attachments, and comments.
It offers multiple views for tasks and projects, such as List, Kanban, Calendar, Gantt chart, and more. And it can integrate with your existing work tools through native and third-party integrations. It’s easy to sync your team calendars, messaging apps, cloud storage, and more to simplify your work and keep everything in one place.
ClickUp offers a free version with basic features, along with several paid plans starting from $7 per member per month, that unlock more advanced capabilities. ClickUp AI can be added on for $5 per member per month to assist with tasks such as content creation, documentation, and more.
11. Logseq
Logseq is a personal knowledge management tool designed to help users capture, organize, and review vast amounts of information. As an open-source platform with a local-first philosophy, it offers a unique blend of privacy and customization, allowing users to retain control over their data and store it securely on their own devices.
Logseq’s block-based structure makes it easy to interlink and nest information, notes, ideas, and tasks, creating a comprehensive knowledge web. This structure, coupled with features like flashcards, PDF annotations, and advanced search capabilities, makes it a versatile choice for students, professionals, and anyone looking to enhance their data organization and retrieval.
While Notion serves as a multi-functional tool for note-taking and databases, Logseq stands out with a focus on privacy, user control, and data management. On top of its main features, Logseq has a dedicated community of users who help to develop new features and add to the platform’s knowledge base.
One thing that’s missing with personal knowledge management apps like Logseq is that they’re just that—personal. It’s tougher to collaborate with others on these platforms because they’re essentially interfaces for working with Markdown files. They can’t be used easily for the type of collaboration as you’d find in Notion, where multiple users can be working simultaneously on the same project, with all changes updated in real-time.
LogSeq is free to use but does offer a couple of options if you want to support the development directly. For $5/month, you can get access to insider builds and special badges on the LogSeq Discord server.
12. Slite
Slite is a collaborative knowledge base platform used for centralizing, sharing, and managing data. It provides tools for documenting all types of information, ranging from onboarding guides to meeting notes and much more. It’s designed to be a “shared brain” for businesses, ensuring that all team members have access to accurate and up-to-date information.
One of Slite’s standout features is its AI-powered capabilities which streamline knowledge management and improve data retrieval. The platform’s AI-driven assistant can instantly surface relevant answers from the knowledge base, drastically reducing the time spent searching for information. This AI integration also provides insights and recommendations to keep documents up-to-date.
The platform offers various tools and features to enhance the user experience, including document verification to ensure the reliability of the data without the need for double-checking, a management panel for overseeing large numbers of documents, and integrations with other popular platforms and tools.
When considering Slite as an alternative to Notion, there are both similarities and differences. While both platforms serve as collaborative tools, Slite zeroes in on creating a centralized knowledge base with AI-powered capabilities, which provide instant answers and recommendations. On the other hand, Notion offers a broader array of functionalities such as task management and database functionalities in a more flexible environment.
13. Anytype
For those seeking a privacy-centric alternative to Notion, Anytype is an all-in-one workspace app designed with privacy at its core. While Notion relies on centralized servers for data storage, Anytype gives users the power to store data directly on their device. This approach not only enhances privacy but also speeds up searching for data. Its peer-to-peer syncing further bypasses the need for central servers.
At its heart, Anytype is a modular workspace, allowing users to create, edit, and manage tasks seamlessly. It’s easy to design custom templates and layouts, and teams can collaborate in real-time, share projects, and monitor revisions and comments. Essential features such as bookmark, file, and contact managers are integrated, making data storage and retrieval systematic and intuitive.
Anytype’s offline functionality guarantees uninterrupted workflow, regardless of internet connectivity. And being open-source, it offers the added advantage of customization, without the constraints of vendor lock-in. The entire system, from its code to its protocols, is open, so users don’t have to rely on developers.
In short, while Notion has become a popular digital workspace tool, Anytype offers a fresh, privacy-focused alternative. It’s an ideal choice for those who value data security and open-source transparency. Real-time collaboration is expected to be shipped this year, keep an eye on the feature roadmap.
14. Obsidian
Obsidian is a note-taking and knowledge management application aimed at those seeking a robust and flexible platform for their thoughts and ideas. Unlike some of its cloud-based counterparts, it lets users store all notes directly on their device ensuring both quick offline access and privacy.
Central to its functionality is its interconnected system of note-taking. Users can create links between different notes, forming a web of interconnected thoughts and ideas. This “personal Wikipedia” approach is visualized through an interactive graph view, showing the relationships between notes and offering insights into patterns or potential areas for deeper exploration.
Beyond note-taking, Obsidian is immensely customizable. It offers a wide range of plugins and an open API, enabling users to tailor the platform to their specific needs and workflow preferences.
It offers features like seamless note syncing across devices with encryption, collaborative capabilities for shared projects, and the option to publish notes online, transforming them into wikis, knowledge bases, or digital gardens, all customizable, performance-optimized, and SEO-ready.
What’s more, the software has an active community on Discord and a separate discussion forum where users can share insights, ask questions, and collaborate.
Although Obsidian might not be the first choice for those seeking the type of collaborative tools found in Notion, its distinct features, especially the knowledge graph, make it a top pick for many who want to visualize and manage their notes efficiently.
15. Notesnook
Notesnook is a privacy-centric note-taking application that places a strong emphasis on safeguarding user data. With its foundation built on open-source principles, the platform offers a transparent and modifiable framework, giving you complete control and insight into the software you’re using.
The platform is not just about passive note storage, rather it’s a dynamic ecosystem tailored for various needs. Whether on mobile, desktop, or browser, it ensures accessibility to your notes anytime, anywhere. Features like encrypted monographs provide the means for secure data sharing, and the open-source Web Clipper allows you to save web content while preserving privacy.
Notesnook’s rich text editor offers a myriad of tools from basic formatting and markdown support to embedding images, files, and complex formulas. It offers an extra layer of security with its notes vault, allowing users to password-protect crucial notes. And it provides tools for task and reminder management, ensuring you stay on top of everything.
The platform has a vibrant community, with over 60,000 daily users. These users not only benefit from the app’s features but also actively contribute to its growth and refinement.
If you prioritize privacy, data security, and open-source transparency in a note-taking app, then Notesnook is a good alternative to Notion. However, for those seeking extensive collaborative tools, databases, and a highly customizable workspace, Notion might be a more fitting choice.
16. Craft
Unlike many traditional note apps, Craft offers a desktop-like approach to note taking. It lets you make and organize pages using blocks to add a range of elements from text, images, links, and other media, into your notes. It essentially melds the functionalities of note-taking, word processing, and desktop publishing into a unified, user-friendly experience.
Within Craft, notes are organized into pages that can be further nested within one another as sub-pages. This nested structure ensures that your notes are always organized and accessible. Beyond these, Craft boasts a user-friendly interface, the ability to export notes in various formats like PDF and MS Word, and offers collaborative features for team projects.
In terms of pricing, Craft offers a range, from a free starter pack to more advanced business and enterprise options. The free version is a great starting point to give you a feel of what Craft brings to the table. Paid plans start at $5/member/month with annual billing. Discounts are available for students and educators.
While both Craft and Notion are powerful tools, the choice between them depends on specific needs. If you’re looking for a streamlined, visually appealing note-taking experience, Craft might be the way to go. However, if you need a versatile all-in-one workspace that can adapt to bigger tasks and projects, Notion could be the better fit. As always, individual preferences and work styles play a significant role in determining the right tool.
So, what is the best alternative to Notion?
Choosing the best alternative to Baserow depends on your specific needs, workflows, and preferences. Whether you prioritize open-source flexibility, comprehensive project management features, or a minimalist focus, there’s a Notion alternative out there for you.
Open-source enthusiasts might find Baserow to be the best choice. As an open-source Notion alternative, it offers robust database functionalities and a high degree of customizability and scalability, giving users the flexibility to shape the tool to fit their specific needs. It offers both SaaS and self-hosted options, making it ideal if you’re dealing with large amounts of data, need to comply with data governance and security policies, and want freedom from vendor restrictions.
For those with basic needs, Google Keep is one of the most simple Notion alternatives. It’s primarily a note-taking app that allows users to make quick notes, reminders, and lists, making it quite easy to use. The other tools on this list, while they may include note-taking capabilities, also offer more complex functionalities like project management, collaboration features, and custom database creation. The choice is yours!
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