Chances are, if you have tried to organize school, work, or personal projects all in one place, you have heard of Notion. Notion grew very quickly – in September 2024, Notion announced that it had more than 100 million users. I have to say that I understand why most users love it, as I have also used it for planning, writing down my ideas, and capturing tasks. It’s almost like a single app that can be used as a workspace, a planner, or a light note-taking tool when necessary.
However, a lot of people who have been using it for a while eventually decide to look for great Notion Alternatives. A study by the University of California, Irvine, indicates that slow or lagging digital tools can cause focus and productivity to be disrupted. The researchers also point out that these situations are what heavy users report most frequently. That is probably why people take the trouble to look for other apps that might have a better user interface, be quicker to load, or be more focused, even if you do not have a considerable amount of resources to invest.
This article assists you in deciding which tools will suit you better if you want to be faster, have more privacy, keep things simple, or have a platform with more features than Notion.
Many of us like the way Notion works and the fact that it is flexible, but it is not a perfect fit for every type of workflow. What I have observed after the use of the same tool across different teams and projects is that people voice the same issues in their studies, forums, and feedback that they provide as users.
These are the reasons that most people start to look for other options, notably when they compare Notion to simple note-taking tools, traditional planners such as Apple Notes, or even a dedicated project management tool that stays fast and predictable.
Read our review of Notion Calendar for more insights.
Combing through a mountain of different apps can be a bit stressful. That is why each of these apps assures extra speed, better structure, or “the perfect workspace”. I found out through my own tests of the various options that the best way is to consider your own needs instead of looking at the tool’s marketing page. This part assists you in identifying which factors are really important for your workflow and then provides you with a list of ideal Notion alternatives that best suit your working style.
Different people need different systems. Take this simple method to recognize your group and discover an excellent one that fits the way you understand:
When deciding on the best platform, concentrate on the features that impact your daily work routine. Some tools might have the same features as Notion, and others may provide a more feature-rich or specialized experience.
| If you want… | Recommended Tool |
| Fast and lightweight workflow | Nuclino or Tana |
| Strong project management | ClickUp or Asana |
| The best privacy-first setup | Anytype or AppFlowy |
| A visual, canvas-style workspace | Scrintal or Xtiles |
| Simple, personal note-taking | Obsidian or Google Keep |
| A full “all-in-one” replacement | Coda or Microsoft Loop |
| The closest open-source match | AppFlowy |
| Strongest mobile experience | Google Keep or OneNote |
There are some that try to match Notion mainly on its flexibility, but only a handful really manage to cover documents, databases, tasks, and collaboration in a smooth, unified experience. These options come closest while also having their own powerful features and workflows that attract people who are looking for just one tool instead of having to combine several tools.
Coda is like a natural progression if you have ever thought that Notion should work more like a powerful spreadsheet. Rather than creating simple pages, you create “docs that can work like apps.” Its formulas are more similar to what you would expect in Google Sheets, and Packs allow you to connect the popular services without any additional work.
The thing that makes Coda different from others is how everything seems to be very organized—there is no infinite nesting, no losing your way. Automations operate silently, and the platform can accommodate advanced features that are beyond the scope of the similar features of Notion. If your team is taking care of complex workflows or multiple projects, then Coda is an excellent choice that still keeps the order as your workspace expands.
Best for: Teams requiring well-structured docs and powerful database automation.
Tana is a product that changes the users’ mindset about data. Instead of building databases by hand, you assign “supertags” that automatically categorize your entries. It is very fast, surprisingly smooth, and very suitable for idea-intensive work.
Writing daily notes is no problem as they are automatically fed into well-organized dashboards, and the AI assistant can even help you formulate your text in an instant. When compared to native apps whose focus is only on writing, Tana provides writing structure simply by its presence.
Best for: Researchers, PKM enthusiasts, and knowledge-heavy workflows.
Loop is centered on little, reusable units that can be dropped into Teams discussions, Outlook messages, or Word files, and they are updated everywhere simultaneously. It is aimed at companies that are part of the Microsoft ecosystem, especially the ones that are heavy users of shared documents and real-time collaboration. With Copilot integrated, Loop becomes the logical workflow component for teams who are already on a Microsoft paid plan, Plus plan, etc., customers.
Best for: Businesses already using and dependent on Microsoft 365.
Nuclino is all about the speed and the clarity of the result. Instead of throwing endless customization options at you, it provides a neat area where everything stays straightforward. One can easily switch between files, a lightweight knowledge base, and a Kanban-style view without any delay.
The graph visualization feature is quite valuable for teams that like to see the relations. Sidekick, its AI assistant, is supporting you by drafting, rewriting, and even image generating, which is the perfect way when you want to accomplish your tasks without handling a complicated system.
Best for: Small teams that want a fast, minimal, and easy-to-adopt solution.
AppFlowy is a tool that is very close to Notion in terms of the user experience that it offers, while at the same time giving you total freedom over your data. It is an open-source project, a privacy-focused initiative, and quite surprisingly for a community-driven open source project, it is very polished. Unlike many open-source apps that are not very user-friendly, AppFlowy provides a neat interface, a familiar block editor, and good database functionalities. It allows you to create pages, handle tasks in a Kanban view, or visualize your ideas on an endless canvas without the need to constantly wrestle with the interface.
You have the option of hosting it yourself if you want to have absolute control over your data or you can use it locally if you like to have all your data saved on your device. It supports Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS; thus, it is accessible to more people than most of its competitors. And the best part of it: the free account comes with almost everything, unlike those tools that require you to upgrade to unlock key features.
Best for: Anyone who loves Notion’s style but wants privacy, control, and an open-source foundation.
Notion is okay for handling simple tasks, but when your workflow is going to involve teammates, dependencies, or deadlines, you will most likely wish to have a project management tool that is made specifically for that.
Besides a note-taking app or a light to-do list tool, a real project management tool offers you more defined structures, stronger scheduling options, and additional features designed for the tracking of the actual work that different teams perform. Moreover, these tools can scale better as compared to other tools that are in the same category as Notion.
ClickUp is a really good tool when your tasks become complex. The teams can easily get an overview of everything that happens in a project as the tool supports detailed dashboards, nested tasks, custom column types, and time tracking. The use of automations lessens the repetition of the same type of work, and ClickUp Brain (its AI system) may also provide help with summaries, meeting notes, task creation, and writing.
If you are managing multiple moving parts simultaneously, ClickUp will still be able to keep everything in order, and it will not make you feel that the situation is too much. It thus becomes a good choice for heavily flowing teams, in comparison with tools that only provide the basics.
Best for: Teams running multi-layered, fast-moving projects.
Read our comparison of ClickUp and Asana to know more.
Taskade is always tidy and quick, which is a factor that contributes to the need for haste. The application combines task lists, real-time chat, and shared workspaces into a single location. Its AI agents can perform automation of steps, improve task flow, and guide you in the preparation of complex plans.
Templates make the process of setting up easy, and the interface remains lightweight even when the project is big. Due to the fact that it works without hiccups between browsers and native apps, it is a powerful alternative for teams that are quick on the move.
Best for: Small teams that collaborate often and want built-in automation.
Asana is a tool designed for teams that require clarity and organization in their work. You can use timelines to plan your schedules and workload tools to see the amount of work that each member of the team can handle. Automations are used for the reduction of repetitive tasks, while forms are for capturing requests in a neat way.
It is a stable and mature product and a favorite of bigger enterprises that are looking for a solution that can be scaled across departments and complex processes without any issues, especially when teams are in need of more features than what Notion offers.
Best for: Enterprises or teams with strict workflows.
Trello is a very simple way of project management where the main operation is just dragging cards on a board. The visual layouts will be most helpful to you if you are a person who likes them, plus it will feel very natural and easy from the very beginning. There is no need for a learning curve, no complicated setup — just boards, lists, and cards that you can change the order of within a matter of seconds.
You can extend Trello with the help of Power-Ups when it is necessary, but the main experience is still simple and user-friendly, which means that it is more approachable than heavy tools or open source projects that require you to do the setup manually.
Best for: Visual thinkers and beginners who want a quick start.
Here’s our comparison between Trello and Monday for small teams and businesses.
nTask is a combination of project planning, meeting management, issue tracking, and Gantt charts that come all-in-one but without a high price. This product is the right one for small teams that require more than just a simple board, but at the same time, they do not want to be faced with an enterprise-level type of complexity.
The design of the layout is simple enough to grasp the idea quickly, but at the same time, it is sufficiently structured for detailed projects. nTask is a clean hub that consolidates everything that a team, which desires a pocket-friendly solution without tool switching, needs.
Best for: Small teams wanting an affordable all-in-one project management system.
If your primary use of Notion is as a wiki or a documentation hub, then you will require tools that simplify the process of organizing, searching, and updating information.
These services emphasize the permanence of knowledge storage as well as the dissemination of that knowledge throughout the team, and in addition to that, most of these platforms provide a better user interface than Notion in case when you only need the basic functionalities of a documentation system instead of a full note-taking app.
Slite is committed to assisting teams in having their docs neat and reliable. One of its most brilliant features is verified content, which marks outdated pages so that fragments that are lost are not overlooked or forgotten. The “Ask AI” feature interacts with your docs to get an answer to a query; hence, friends can hardly find what they want by just opening folders. Moreover, you can add more links and refine drafts by providing more information. Slite is full of features that are rarely found in teams that focus solely on documentation.
Best for: Teams that create and maintain large documentation libraries.
The question of whether to use Confluence for small businesses or large ones has long been considered solved, and the answer is big enterprises. It supports heavy documentation, allows for scalability, and integrates deeply with Jira, which makes it perfect for an engineering and product team environment.
The structure here is more traditional than in Notion, but that is precisely why a lot of companies are still sticking to it — everything stays consistent, predictable, and easy to audit. Its stability over time, as well as dependable native apps, turn it into an excellent alternative for organizations that require documentation as a necessity of their business and not as a separate work.
Best for: Large organizations and teams already connected to Jira.
Docmost is a reliable alternative if you prefer Notion’s editor but want to have full control of your data. The entire product is open source and offers you a similar writing style without the need for cloud storage. It can be installed on a server in the company where the team works, thus making it a stable solution for those who require private, internal wikis. Newbies will find it easy to get into documentation through its clean layout and simple navigation.
Best for: Teams wanting a Notion-style wiki with self-hosting and complete data ownership.
Those who prioritize privacy, data ownership, and open-source flexibility over the convenience of the cloud should look at this category of the strongest Notion replacements. Such tools have users of Linux, FOSS fans, developers, and anybody who prefers to have full control of their workspace. In fact, for some people, going back to a secure, local-first environment is like a fresh breeze in a room packed with heavy tools that require everything to be synced online.
AFFiNE integrates the power of structured documents with the flexibility of a visual canvas, thus allowing you to brainstorm and build concepts without the need for a cloud service. Your work is kept private as it is saved locally. Even if there are no native mobile apps for now, the platform’s whiteboard features make it feel more creative than most open-source platforms.
Best for: Creative users and privacy-first workflows.
AppFlowy recreates the block-based writing style of Notion, but this time it is a fully open-source project. The app runs on all popular platforms, and you can choose to either self-host or keep everything on your device. The implementation of Databases, Kanban views, and structured blocks means that there are more features here than in most lightweight tools of the same kind. Users who love control will find AppFlowy a great tool for long-term note-taking or even making internal meeting notes.
Best for: Anyone who wants Notion’s feel with complete data control.
Anytype is an app that reimagines the way we do things by not differentiating between notes, tasks, and pages, but considers them objects that can be linked. Besides encrypting all content, it is stored locally, and there is syncing that is both secure and serverless. With its constellation and graph views, the app visualizes the relationships and offers more insight than most apps in this niche.
Best for: Users who want maximum privacy and a powerful personal knowledge system.
Logseq’s popularity among PKM fans can be attributed to its outline-first model. Notes are linked automatically through backlinks, and the whole application is run locally so as to ensure data privacy. If you like the Roam or Obsidian way of thinking, then Logseq is a neat, open-source alternative.
Best for: Users building a long-term second brain or research notebook.
Focalboard is a lightweight option for people who want to organize their work visually but are reluctant to use online cloud services. The same team that created Mattermost is behind Focalboard, and thus, it can be entirely self-hosted and allows your workflow to be kept simple and free of distractions.
Best for: Kanban users who want privacy and on-premise control.
Some individuals need to see their ideas to understand them — not just list them. In case you are someone who sketches, maps, or connects concepts visually, these tools give the clarity that conventional planners or a simple note-taking tool can hardly provide. Apps that prioritize visualization are a great choice for those users who want to have a structure but do not want to be restricted by the rigid layouts of other tools.
How it works:
Scrintal merges the features of mind-mapping and card notes, enabling you to literally drag your ideas and see how everything is interconnected.
Why it stands out:
The best part is that you don’t follow a top-down manner of work — rather, you develop thoughts in an outward direction, which is very helpful when coming up with content, research, or product ideas.
When it’s ideal:
Suitable enough for visual learners who demand both structure and freedom on the same platform.
How it works:
Xtiles disassembles the material into tiles, which are blocks that can be grouped, shifted, color-coded, or even stretched across a versatile canvas.
Why it stands out:
One gets a feeling of putting sticky notes on a wall, but with the discipline of a digital workspace.
When it’s ideal:
Works perfectly well for moodboards, planning pages, as well as high-level brainstorming, particularly if you are a fan of using one tool for visual thinking.
How it works:
Miro provides you with an unlimited whiteboard space where you can make diagrams, flows, sprints, and team ideation.
Why it stands out:
Among its fortes are the easy scaling from small solo brainstorms to full product workshops with real-time collaboration, and its native apps that help teams stay updated across devices.
When it’s ideal:
Perfect for use in a visual-first workflow or when using Miro along with a simple notes/doc platform as part of your system.
Best for: Designers, product thinkers, creators, educators, and anyone who plans or learns better through visuals rather than text.
These tools are great if your main focus is just to take quick and well-organized notes without getting involved in database management or building workspaces. They prioritize the individual’s speed, simplicity, and workflow rather than complicated systems, so they are ideal if you want a note-taking tool or note-taking app that does not interfere with your work. Many people use these alongside lighter apps like Apple Notes when they need something even simpler.
Obsidian deeply dives into the subject. It works with local markdown files, hence your notes are kept on your device and are simple to back up or sync in any way you prefer. With the availability of hundreds of plugins, you can transform it into anything—a writing studio, research vault, or a full “second brain”. The graph view is very helpful in that it visually shows how your ideas are interconnected. For lots of users, Obsidian turns into their go-to tool because it can grow with them.
Standout strength: Unmatched customization and local-first data control.
Best for: PKM power users, researchers, and tinkerers.
Evernote is an old player but still offers a classic, easy-to-understand notebook experience. Making notebooks, clipping content, and organizing long-term notes all seem very natural and familiar, especially if you are somebody who likes a traditional layout. It is perfect for those who just want a well-defined structure without overloading themselves with unnecessary features.
Standout strength: Reliable, structured note-taking without complexity.
Best for: Users who just want clean notebooks that work.
OneNote will be your best ally if you enjoy writing manually or doodling your thoughts. It provides you with a free-form canvas where you can simply click anywhere and start typing, drawing, or inserting whatever media you like.
Along with the use of a stylus or tablet, the experience is almost like writing in a real notebook. Also, OneNote offers good native apps that make it easy for you to access your handwritten notes on different devices.
Standout strength: Strong handwriting support and flexible page layouts.
Best for: Students, tablet users, and visual notetakers.
If a user values speed, then Google Keep is the right tool for them. Once it is launched, whatever idea comes to the user’s mind, he/she write it down and move on. The aids, such as color-coded notes, labels, voice memos, and quick reminders, make it a perfect tool for capturing ideas wherever you may be.
Besides, it allows for a very smooth sync of all of your devices via your Google account, thus making it even more convenient than the majority of heavy note-taking apps.
Standout strength: Instant capture with a distraction-free interface.
Best for: Mobile-first users and anyone who wants effortless, lightweight note-taking.
Notion’s databases are versatile, but they are not designed for intensive calculations, multiple layers of relationships, or complex automations. If your job is data-centric, then these instruments can provide you with more capabilities, and they will be more dependable than Notion, especially when it comes to dealing with various data types or scenarios that require a real database instead of just the core features of Notion.
Basically, Airtable is the solution to all your problems if you have ever reached the limits of Notion’s databases (for example, very slow views, lack of formulas, limited relationships) and you want to get rid of them immediately. The behavior is like a spreadsheet visually, whereas the real thing is a relational database. Linking tables, creating filtered views, and automating steps code-free are some of the things you can do here.
Whatever your data is, Airtable can convert it into any of the five interface options you choose (Grid, Kanban, Form, Gallery, Calendar), thereby making it a breeze for you to check out your data from the perspective you want. With the support of automations, a team can do this and also cut down on repetitive work. The majority of the users who outgrow the simple tables in Notion usually end up switching to Airtable for the features that provide further scalability.
Best for: Teams managing structured, relational data at scale.
If you’re looking for some Airtable alternatives, here’s our guide for you.
Coda is worth reiterating because of the radical nature of its approach to data. Instead of having data as separate components, Coda integrates docs, tables, and formulas in one single system. The formulas are much closer to those in Google Sheets, which means you can make dynamic dashboards, automated tracking, and internal tools without using any programming language.
Operations, product management, workflow coordination, and any processes that depend on live data can benefit from Coda, which is a spreadsheet and document tool in one; thus, everything is packed in a single tool that can handle complexity without the user feeling lost.
Best for: Operational and cross-functional teams building internal tools or processes.
Any category we mention is not fine enough for some tool to fit well in, but they still come out with impressive, niche-friendly features. Such options are mostly discussed in community threads, PKM circles, and workspace reviews, that is, when users compare Notion with other apps to choose which has more specialized capabilities. Some of these can also be your open source alternative, depending on your configuration or preferences.
Capacities — A networked-PKM tool where each concept is turned into an “object”, excellent for those people who are more inclined to connections than pages.
Zenkit — An adaptable project management package that is very efficient in transitioning between lists, tables, mind maps, and Kanban views.
Roam Research — A bidirectional note-taking environment made for backlink lovers and heavy-thinking workflows.
Lark — A team collaboration suite by ByteDance that incorporates docs, messaging, meetings, and work management in one platform.
Bear Notes — An attractively designed, Apple-only notes app with great writing tools and Markdown support.
Craft — A document editor primarily for Apple users, famous for its refined design, linking without interruption, and the ability to export in various formats.
If you’re trying to choose between multiple alternatives to Notion, these tables give you a fast way to compare features, strengths, and ideal use cases.
| Tool | Databases | AI Tools | Offline Mode | Mobile App | Privacy / Local-First | Best For |
| Coda | ✔️ Powerful | ✔️ Integrated | ❌ | ✔️ | ❌ | All-in-one workflows |
| Tana | ✔️ Supertags | ✔️ Autofill | ❌ | ✔️ (basic) | ❌ | Knowledge workers |
| Microsoft Loop | ✔️ Basic | ✔️ Copilot | ❌ | ✔️ | ❌ | Microsoft users |
| Nuclino | ✔️ Simple | ✔️ Sidekick | ❌ | ✔️ | ❌ | Fast team docs |
| AppFlowy | ✔️ Strong | ✔️ Growing | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ Local-first | Open-source fans |
| Airtable | ✔️ Advanced | ✔️ | ❌ | ✔️ | ❌ | Data-heavy teams |
| Obsidian | ❌ (plugins only) | ✔️ Community | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ Local files | PKM users |
| Anytype | ✔️ Object-based | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ Fully encrypted | Privacy-first users |
| Taskade | ❌ | ✔️ AI agents | ❌ | ✔️ | ❌ | Small teams |
| Asana | ❌ | ✔️ | ❌ | ✔️ | ❌ | Enterprise PM |
Notion is an excellent tool, however, it is not the ideal solution for every individual, and that is totally fine. The positive aspect is that the workspace apps of today are even more diverse than before, and a lot of them are superior to Notion in certain areas like privacy, speed, project management, or visual thinking.
If you are looking for an all-in-one solution, Coda and Microsoft Loop are two powerful alternatives. ClickUp or Asana will be more structured and thus better suited for project work. Users concerned about privacy may be better off with Anytype or AppFlowy, while visual thinkers are more likely to choose Scrintal or Miro. And if you are only after a few simple personal notes, then Obsidian or Google Keep will make things very easy.
Before deciding on one, use two or three tools to find out which one fits your habits. The best system is the one that will still be valuable months from now and not just the one that looks thrilling today.
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