Notion
What it is: All-in-one workspace combining notes, docs, databases, wikis, and project management. Everything in one place.
What It Does Best
Flexible workspace. Build any system you need using blocks. Databases, docs, kanban boards, calendars - all interconnected.
Knowledge management. Company wikis, documentation, meeting notes. Powerful search and linking between pages.
Databases everywhere. Tables, boards, lists, galleries. Filter, sort, relate data. Embed databases in docs.
Key Features
Blocks: Everything is a block - text, images, databases, code
Databases: Multiple views (table, board, calendar, timeline, gallery)
Relations: Link databases together
Templates: Pre-built systems and page templates
AI assistant: Write, summarize, translate (extra cost)
Pricing
Free: Personal use, unlimited pages and blocks
Plus: $10/user/month (unlimited file uploads, version history)
Business: $15/user/month (advanced permissions, SAML SSO)
Enterprise: Custom pricing (advanced security, support)
When to Use It
✅ Need all-in-one tool (docs + databases + wikis)
✅ Building team knowledge base
✅ Want flexible, customizable workspace
✅ Mix of structured (databases) and unstructured (docs) data
✅ Personal productivity system (free tier excellent)
When NOT to Use It
❌ Need specialized tool (dedicated CRM, PM tool better)
❌ Large datasets requiring complex queries
❌ Real-time collaboration on docs (Google Docs better)
❌ Offline work critical (limited offline mode)
❌ Simple use case (too much complexity)
Common Use Cases
Team wiki: Company docs, processes, onboarding
Project management: Tasks, roadmaps, sprints
CRM: Lightweight customer/contact management
Content planning: Editorial calendars, content strategy
Personal dashboard: Goals, habits, notes, tasks
Learning Curve
Easy to start: Create pages, write notes immediately
Deep to master: Databases, relations, formulas take time
Highly customizable: Can be overwhelming - resist over-engineering
Notion vs Alternatives
vs Airtable: Notion better for docs/wikis, Airtable better for pure data
vs Confluence: Notion more modern UI, Confluence more enterprise features
vs Coda: Very similar, Coda has stronger formulas
vs Obsidian: Obsidian better for local-first, Notion better for teams
Unique Strengths
Embed everything: Databases in docs, docs in databases
Synced blocks: Update content once, appears everywhere
Public pages: Share as website, no login required
Beautiful templates: Huge community template library
Bottom line: Best all-in-one workspace tool. Perfect for teams and individuals who want flexibility. Can replace 5+ tools. Warning: easy to over-complicate. Start simple, add complexity as needed. Free tier is genuinely useful.