You want to create a document, but it feels too static. You open a spreadsheet, but that’s too bare. And project management tools? They force you into a straitjacket. Coda promises to combine all three in one platform. I’ve used it intensively for three months on various projects, and can tell you exactly where it’s brilliant and where you’ll run into issues.
Coda: the company
Coda was founded in 2014 by Shishir Mehrotra, a former executive at YouTube. He had a frustration: why did teams have to spread their work across dozens of different tools? A document in Google Docs, data in Excel, projects in Jira, wikis in Confluence. His idea was simple but ambitious: what if you could build everything in one flexible canvas?
It took until 2019 for Coda to become publicly available. You can see that long development time reflected in the product. This isn’t a hastily thrown-together tool. The formula engine, for example, is more powerful than what you’ll find in most spreadsheet apps. And the way tables and documents flow together? That feels unique.
What sets Coda apart is their philosophy: a doc shouldn’t be a static thing. It should be able to calculate, store data, have buttons that do things. They call it “docs as powerful as apps”. And honestly? That sounds marketing-heavy, but it’s accurate.
Who is Coda actually for?
Coda is for you if you regularly think: “Why can’t this document just… do more?” You’re probably a project manager, product owner, or team lead who wants to combine data with text. Someone who wants to automate processes without immediately bringing in a developer.
It works well for teams that need customization. A marketing team that wants to connect their content calendar to their social media planning? Perfect. A sales team that wants to generate quotes from a database? Can do. A startup that wants to run their entire operation in one tool? I see that regularly.
But it’s not for you if you’re looking for a simple note-taking app. Or if your team isn’t technically savvy. Coda requires onboarding time. Those used to Word or Google Docs will get lost at first. And if you mainly work solo on simple documents? Then you’re paying for power you don’t use.
Also important: it works best for teams that are already digitally proficient. You won’t get your grandma’s bridge club going with this. But a tech-savvy team that likes to experiment? They’re going to have a lot of fun with this.
Coda features
Let’s be honest: Coda is packed with possibilities. Sometimes too packed. Here are the features that really make the difference.
- Interactieve documenten en tabellen – Dit is de kern van Coda. Je schrijft een document, maar halverwege plaats je een tabel die kan rekenen, filteren en sorteren. Die tabel kan vervolgens weer data tonen uit een andere tabel. Het voelt als Excel en Word die eindelijk vrienden zijn geworden. In de praktijk betekent dit dat je bijvoorbeeld een projectplan kunt schrijven met daaronder een live dashboard van alle taken.
- Coda AI assistent – De AI helpt je met teksten schrijven, tabellen vullen en formules maken. Handig, maar niet revolutionair. Het scheelt vooral tijd bij repetitieve taken zoals het samenvatten van meeting notes of het genereren van eerste versies van teksten. Verwacht geen wonderen, maar het werkt goed genoeg om regelmatig te gebruiken.
- Packs (integraties) – Dit is waar Coda echt schittert. Packs zijn integraties met andere tools, maar dan anders. Je kunt bijvoorbeeld Slack-berichten ophalen in een tabel, Jira-tickets synchroniseren, of Google Calendar events tonen. En dan kun je die data manipuleren alsof het gewoon Coda-tabellen zijn. Ik gebruik het om automatisch updates naar Slack te sturen wanneer iemand een rij in een tabel aanpast.
- Geavanceerde formules en automatiseringen – De formule-taal lijkt op Excel, maar dan uitgebreider. Je kunt rijen toevoegen, emails versturen, data ophalen uit andere tabellen. Het duurt even voordat je de syntax door hebt, maar dan kun je complexe workflows bouwen. Bijvoorbeeld: als een taak op “Done” wordt gezet, voeg dan automatisch de voltooiingsdatum toe en stuur een notificatie naar de projectmanager.
- Aanpasbare views – Eén tabel, meerdere weergaves. Je kunt dezelfde data tonen als Kanban-bord, Gantt-chart, kalender of gewoon een lijst. Handig voor verschillende teamleden die verschillende voorkeuren hebben. De designer wil een visueel bord, de projectmanager een tijdlijn, de developer een simpele lijst. Kan allemaal vanuit dezelfde databron.
- Knoppen en interactieve controls – Je kunt knoppen maken die acties uitvoeren. Een knop om een nieuwe taak aan te maken, een knop om een status te updaten, een knop om een email te versturen. Dit maakt documenten interactief op een manier die je nergens anders ziet. Het voelt alsof je een mini-app bouwt zonder te programmeren.
What particularly strikes me is how these features come together. You’re not building separate components, but a cohesive system. A document that works like a dashboard. A table that automatically sends updates. A calendar that syncs with your real agenda. It feels like building with Lego, but for workflows.
The formula engine deserves extra attention. In the beginning it feels unfamiliar. You have to get used to the syntax, to how you reference tables, to how filters work. But once you get through that learning curve? Then you can build things that are impossible in other tools. For example, I created a system that automatically generates quotes based on selected products, with dynamic price calculations and PDF export. In Notion or Google Docs? Forget about it.
Coda pricing
Coda’s pricing model is different than what you’re used to. You only pay for “Doc Makers” – people who create and edit documents. Editors and viewers are always free. Smart thinking, because this way you can give your entire team access without costs exploding.
There’s a free plan with unlimited users. The limitations? Maximum 50 objects and 1000 rows per document, and limited automations. For small teams or for testing that’s fine. But if you get serious about using it, you’ll quickly hit these limits.
The Pro plan costs $1 per month per Doc Maker with annual billing, or $1 per month if you pay monthly. That’s $1 per year versus $1. You then get unlimited objects and rows, more automations and priority support. For freelancers or small teams this is the sweet spot.
The Team plan costs $1 per month per Doc Maker with annual billing ($1 per year), or $1 per month. Here you get advanced permissions, two-factor authentication and more Pack credits. This is interesting for larger teams building serious workflows.
And then there’s Enterprise with custom pricing. You need to contact them for a quote. Expect additional security features, dedicated support and probably a significant price increase.
Is it worth the price? That depends on your use case. If you use Coda as a simple note-taking app? Absolutely not. Then you’re paying too much for features you don’t use. But if you replace multiple tools with it – a project management tool, a database, a wiki – then it becomes interesting. Compare $1 per month with the costs of Notion + Airtable + Monday.com, and suddenly Coda is competitive.
There’s a 14-day free trial for the paid plans. Enough time to test if it fits your workflow. My advice: start with the free plan, build something concrete, and only upgrade when you hit the limits.
What should you watch out for?
The learning curve is steep. Really steep. The first week I regularly felt stupid. How do you create a relationship between tables? Why isn’t this formula working? How do I get this view right? There are tutorials, but you need to invest time in them. Count on at least a few days before you’re productive.
There’s no desktop app. Everything happens in the browser. For some people that’s not a problem, but I miss it. A dedicated app feels faster, has better keyboard shortcuts, and works better with multiple screens. Coda sometimes feels like “just another browser tab” instead of a real workplace.
The mobile experience is disappointing. The apps for iOS and Android exist, but feel slow and limited. Complex documents load slowly. Editing is difficult on a small screen. Writing formulas on your phone? Forget it. This is really a desktop-first tool, and you notice it.
Documents become slow with lots of data. I had a doc with about 5000 rows spread across multiple tables. Loading sometimes took 10 seconds. Scrolling stuttered. Formulas calculated with delay. Coda warns you about this, but it remains frustrating. You need to be conscious of performance and sometimes split data across multiple docs.
Offline functionality is limited. You can edit open documents if your connection drops, but you need internet for full functionality. Packs don’t work offline. Automations don’t run. For people who work a lot on trains or planes, this is frustrating.
The community is smaller than Notion’s. Fewer templates, fewer tutorials, fewer online discussions. When you’re stuck with a complex problem, it’s harder to find help. The official documentation is good, but sometimes too technical. You miss that vibrant community of people enthusiastically sharing their setups.
What do others think?
The general sentiment is positive, but with reservations. People who take the time to learn Coda are often enthusiastic. It’s seen as a more powerful alternative to Notion, especially for teams with data-intensive workflows.
The Packs are highly praised. Users love how you can fetch and manipulate external data as if it’s native Coda data. The integration with Slack, Jira and Google tools is often mentioned as a reason to stay.
The pricing model is popular. Teams appreciate that they don’t have to pay for every user. “Finally a tool where we can give everyone access without going bankrupt” is a frequently heard comment.
But the complaints are consistent. The mobile app is a recurring pain point. “Unusable on phone” you read regularly. The lack of offline functionality frustrates people. And performance with large documents is often mentioned as a dealbreaker for larger projects.
In YouTube reviews you often see comparisons with Notion. Coda wins on project management and automation, but loses on simplicity and offline access. Reviewers emphasize that Coda is more of an “app builder” than a note-taking tool. If you don’t have that mindset, you’re going to be disappointed.
Coda alternatives
Coda isn’t for everyone. Here are the alternatives you should consider.
- Notion – Beter voor wiki’s en notities, maar minder krachtige database-formules. Kies hiervoor als je prioriteit ligt bij kennisbeheer en design in plaats van complexe data-manipulatie. Notion voelt toegankelijker en heeft een grotere community.
- Airtable – Sterkere relationele database, maar minder goede tekstverwerking. Kies hiervoor als je voornamelijk een database nodig hebt en geen document-achtige structuur. Airtable is krachtiger voor pure data-management, maar minder flexibel als werkdocument.
- Monday.com – Meer gefocust op projectmanagement out-of-the-box, minder flexibel als ‘doc’. Kies hiervoor als je een kant-en-klare projectmanagement tool zoekt zonder zelf te hoeven bouwen. Monday geeft je sneller resultaat, maar minder aanpasbaarheid.
Frequently asked questions
How does the ‘Maker’ pricing model work?
You only pay for people who create documents and can modify the structure. Those are your Doc Makers. Everyone else – people who can only edit or view – are free. Unlimited. This means you can have a team of 50 people, but only pay for the 5 people who actually build docs. Smart for the wallet.
Is there a desktop app available?
No, and that’s unfortunate. Coda is designed as a web application that you use in the browser. There are mobile apps for iOS and Android, but on your computer you’re limited to Chrome, Safari, or another browser. Some people find this fine, others miss the speed and integration of a native app.
Does Coda work offline?
Limited. If you have a document open and your connection drops, you can continue editing. Those changes will sync once you’re back online. But for full functionality – Packs, automations, opening new docs – you need internet. This isn’t a tool for those who often work offline.
Conclusion
Coda is powerful, no doubt about it. If you’re willing to invest time in the learning curve, you get a tool that lets you build complex workflows that are impossible in other apps. The combination of documents, databases, and automations is unique and well thought out.
But it’s not a tool for everyone. If you’re looking for a simple note-taking app, choose Notion. If you work primarily mobile, look for something else. And if your team isn’t technically savvy, prepare for frustration during onboarding.
So who is it for? For teams that need customization and want to invest the time. For project managers who want to combine data with documentation. For people who are frustrated by the limitations of traditional tools and are willing to learn something new.
My advice: try the free plan. Build something concrete – a project dashboard, a content calendar, a CRM. If after two weeks you think “this could be easier in [other tool]”, then Coda isn’t for you. But if you think “wow, I can expand this to…”, then you’ve got gold in your hands.
I still use Coda, despite the frustrations. That says enough.
