You have a pile of notes, a few projects you want to track, and you’d actually like to set up a wiki for your team too. Three different tools? Or everything in one? I’ve been using Notion for over two years now, and I can tell you exactly where it’s brilliant and where you’ll run into issues.
Notion: the company
Notion was founded in 2016 by Ivan Zhao and Simon Last in San Francisco. The story actually started earlier – Zhao had been working for years on building the “perfect” workspace. He wanted a tool that was as flexible as Lego, but for your work.
The first versions were a disaster. Too slow, too buggy. But they kept working on it. In 2018, they released a version that finally did what they promised: a workspace where you could build anything you wanted. No predetermined structure, no forced workflow.
What makes Notion different? They give you building blocks instead of a ready-made system. Want a task list? Build it. A CRM? You can do that too. A recipe database with photos and tags? No problem. That freedom is both their greatest strength and their greatest challenge.
Who is Notion really for?
Notion is ideal for people who like to experiment with their systems. Think of product managers who want to visualize their roadmaps, content creators who track their ideas and publications, or small teams who want a wiki and project management in one.
Students love it. You can organize your notes by subject, track deadlines, and even build a study schedule. The free Plus plan for students helps too.
But honestly? If you’re just looking for a simple note-taking app, Notion is overkill. And if you work in a large corporate environment with strict compliance requirements? Then you’ll probably run into limitations. Notion is built for flexibility, not for enterprise security or complex permission structures.
Also not ideal: if you want a ready-made project management system. Notion gives you the tools, but you have to build the system. That takes time.
Notion features
Let’s look at what you can do with it:
- Onbeperkte pagina’s en blokken – Als individuele gebruiker kun je eindeloos veel content maken. Elke pagina bestaat uit blokken: tekst, afbeeldingen, lijsten, databases. Je sleept ze waar je wilt. Het voelt als bouwen met digitale Lego.
- Aanpasbare databases – Dit is waar Notion echt schittert. Je maakt een database en bekijkt hem als tabel, kanban-bord, kalender, lijst of galerij. Dezelfde data, vijf verschillende weergaven. Perfect voor projecten die je op meerdere manieren wilt zien.
- Real-time samenwerking – Je ziet cursors van teamleden bewegen, kan comments achterlaten, en mensen taggen. Het werkt soepel, zolang je database niet te groot wordt.
- Notion AI – De schrijfassistent helpt je teksten verbeteren, samenvattingen maken, of ideeën genereren. Het is een aparte add-on, niet inbegrepen in je abonnement. Handig, maar niet revolutionair.
- Web publishing (Notion Sites) – Zet je pagina’s online met één klik. Geen hosting nodig. Ideaal voor documentatie, portfolio’s of eenvoudige websites. Het ziet er clean uit, maar aanpassingsmogelijkheden zijn beperkt.
- Synchronisatie tussen apparaten – Werkt op web, iOS, Android, Windows en macOS. Je data staat altijd bij. Maar let op: de mobiele apps zijn trager dan de desktop-versie.
Those databases deserve extra attention. You can create relationships between databases – for example, link your tasks to projects, and projects to clients. Filters and sorting options are powerful. Want to see only tasks that are due this week and linked to project X? Two clicks.
But here’s where the learning curve comes into play. It takes a while before you understand how relationships work, what rollups do, and how to use formulas. The first week you’ll regularly be googling: “How do I do X in Notion?”
Notion pricing
The free plan is generous for individual users. Unlimited blocks, all features. Only file uploads are limited to 5MB and you only get 7 days of page history. Fine for personal use.
For teams, it gets more expensive. The Plus plan costs $1 per month with monthly billing, or $1 per month if you pay annually (so $1 per year). Then you get unlimited file uploads and 30 days of history. The Business plan costs $1 per month (monthly) or $1 per month with annual billing ($1 per year), with additional admin tools and SAML SSO.
Is it worth it? For small teams that want their entire workflow in Notion: yes. You’re replacing multiple tools then. But for larger teams, it can add up quickly. Ten people on the Plus plan? That’s $1 per year. Then you might also look at ClickUp or Monday.com which offer more out-of-the-box functionality.
Nice: there’s a 30-day trial for the paid plans. And students get the Plus plan free with a valid school email address.
What should you watch out for?
The mobile app is slow. Really slow. Especially on Android. Pages don’t load quickly, scrolling feels choppy, and large databases are just frustrating to use on your phone. If you work on the go a lot, this is a problem.
Working offline? Forget it. Technically you can edit recently opened pages without internet, but it’s not reliable. Stuck on a train without WiFi? You’re better off grabbing a book. Apps like Obsidian are miles ahead of Notion here.
The learning curve is steep. Notion gives you all the freedom, but also all the responsibility. You have to figure out how to set it up yourself. For some people that’s great, for others it’s paralyzing. I have friends who spent weeks building their “perfect system” instead of just working.
Large databases become sluggish. Do you have more than a thousand items in a database? Prepare for wait times. Applying filters takes longer, pages load slower. Notion is built for flexibility, not for speed with large datasets.
And then there’s the setup time. Adding a new team member? They first need to understand how your Notion system works. Where are the templates? Which database is for what? How do the relationships work? You basically need an onboarding document for your onboarding tool.
What do others think?
Opinions are divided, but lean toward positive. People are enthusiastic about the endless customizability and the fact that you have everything in one place. The minimalist design gets many compliments – it just looks good.
The database functionality is often mentioned as a game changer. Especially people switching from separate tools (Trello for projects, Google Docs for notes, Airtable for databases) appreciate being able to combine everything.
But the complaints are consistent. The slow mobile app is at the top of the list. Additionally: no full offline mode, lag with large databases, and the complex initial setup. Many users say they needed weeks to set up their system the way they wanted.
Interesting: many people who leave Notion don’t do so because it’s bad, but because they find the freedom overwhelming. They just want a tool that says: “This is how you do project management” instead of “Build it yourself.”
Notion alternatives
Doesn’t this quite match what you’re looking for?
- Obsidian – Werkt volledig offline en slaat bestanden lokaal op. Kies hiervoor als je privacy en offline toegang belangrijker vindt dan real-time samenwerking. Perfect voor mensen die controle willen over hun data.
- Coda – Heeft krachtigere formules en automatiseringen dan Notion. Kies hiervoor als je documenten meer als apps moeten functioneren met geavanceerde data-logica. Denk aan complexe berekeningen en workflows.
- ClickUp – Biedt meer gestructureerd projectmanagement met ingebouwde workflows. Kies hiervoor als je een kant-en-klare projectmanagement tool zoekt zonder zelf alles te moeten bouwen. Minder flexibel, maar sneller productief.
Frequently asked questions
Is Notion free for students?
Yes, and that’s one of the better deals out there. If you have a valid school email address (usually ends in .edu or a school domain), you get free access to the Plus plan. That’s normally $1 per month. You then get unlimited file uploads, longer page history, and all premium features. Teachers are also eligible for this.
Does Notion work offline?
Limited, and not really reliable. You can still edit pages you recently opened without internet, but it’s not built for offline use. Synchronization only happens again when you’re online, and sometimes changes get lost. Do you have many offline moments? Then Obsidian is a better choice.
Is Notion AI included in paid plans?
No, and many people find that annoying. Notion AI is a separate add-on that you pay for on top of your subscription. It costs about $1 per month extra per user. You then get an AI assistant that can help with writing, summarizing, and brainstorming. Handy, but not essential for most users.
Conclusion
Notion is a bit like a blank canvas. Brilliant if you know what you want to paint, frustrating if you don’t know where to start. The power lies in its flexibility – you can really build anything you want. But that freedom comes at a price: time and learning curve.
Use it if you like experimenting with systems, if you want to combine different types of information, and if you take the time to set it up properly. It’s perfect for small teams that want to determine their own workflow, students who want an all-in-one system, and people who like to customize their tools to their way of working.
But skip it if you want something that works quickly, if you work offline a lot, or if you need a fast mobile app. And if you work in a large company with strict IT requirements, you’ll likely run into limitations.
My honest opinion? I still use Notion daily, but not for everything. My projects and wiki are in it. My quick notes aren’t – those go to a simpler app. And when I’m on the go? I’d rather not work in Notion. The desktop experience is good, the mobile experience isn’t. Know what you’re getting into, and it can be a powerful tool.
