You have a mountain 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 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. 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? That works too. A recipe database with photos and tags? No problem. That freedom is both their greatest strength and their biggest challenge.
Who is Notion actually 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 do 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:
- Unlimited pages and blocks – As an individual user, you can create endless amounts of content. Each page consists of blocks: text, images, lists, databases. You drag them wherever you want. It feels like building with digital Lego.
- Customizable databases – This is where Notion really shines. You create a database and view it as a table, kanban board, calendar, list, or gallery. The same data, five different views. Perfect for projects you want to see in multiple ways.
- Real-time collaboration – You see team members’ cursors moving, can leave comments, and tag people. It works smoothly, as long as your database doesn’t get too large.
- Notion AI – The writing assistant helps you improve texts, create summaries, or generate ideas. It’s a separate add-on, not included in your subscription. Useful, but not revolutionary.
- Web publishing (Notion Sites) – Put your pages online with one click. No hosting needed. Ideal for documentation, portfolios, or simple websites. It looks clean, but customization options are limited.
- Synchronization across devices – Works on web, iOS, Android, Windows, and macOS. Your data is always up to date. But note: the mobile apps are slower than the desktop version.
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 due this week that are linked to project X? Two clicks.
But this is also where the learning curve comes in. 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 the file upload is 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 $ 12 per month with monthly payment, or $ 10 per month if you pay annually (so $ 120 per year). Then you get unlimited file uploads and 30 days of history. The Business plan costs $ 24 per month (monthly) or $ 20 per month with annual payment ($ 240 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. But for larger teams, it can add up quickly. Ten people on the Plus plan? That’s $ 1200 per year. Then you could 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. Are you on the train without WiFi? Then you’d better grab 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 relations 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 a lot of 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 too 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 fit what you’re looking for?
- Obsidian – Works completely offline and stores files locally. Choose this if you find privacy and offline access more important than real-time collaboration. Perfect for people who want control over their data.
- Coda – Has more powerful formulas and automations than Notion. Choose this if your documents need to function more like apps with advanced data logic. Think complex calculations and workflows.
- ClickUp – Offers more structured project management with built-in workflows. Choose this if you’re looking for a ready-made project management tool without having to build everything yourself. Less flexible, but productive faster.
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 $ 10 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’ve recently opened without internet, but it’s not made for offline use. Synchronization only happens again when you’re online, and sometimes changes get lost. Do you have a lot of offline moments? Then Obsidian is a better choice.
Is Notion AI included in the paid plans?
No, and that’s something many people find annoying. Notion AI is a separate add-on that you pay for on top of your subscription. It costs approximately $ 10 per month extra per user. You then get an AI assistant that can help with writing, summarizing, and brainstorming. Useful, but not essential for most users.
Conclusion
Notion is kind of 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 has 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 who want to define 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 working 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 probably 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 on the go? I prefer not to 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.
