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Notion is a versatile web app for text-based note-taking developed by Notion Labs Inc. It can be accessed on any device through a web browser, and it also offers downloadable apps for iOS, iPadOS, macOS, Windows, and Android. Notion includes a web clipper extension for Chrome, Safari, and Firefox browsers. The app costs $8 per month for individuals, $15 per month per user for businesses, and $20 per month per user for enterprises when billed annually. Monthly billing is available at a higher rate. Fortunately, Notion also offers a free version with significant functionality, which is the focus of this review.
Generally, we’re not fans of web apps for several reasons. They typically require an internet connection to load, making them slower than native apps that store documents locally. Online notes can be particularly inconvenient if you travel frequently, as reliable internet access isn’t always guaranteed. Additionally, the need to manage multiple accounts for various web apps can be overwhelming. With that said, let’s explore what Notion has to offer.
Notion’s user interface is minimalist and clean, making it less overwhelming than many other note-taking apps. You can choose from three different styles and a few font options, which is fine if you don’t prioritize working with fonts. However, if fonts are crucial to your work, Notion might not be the best fit. You can also adjust the size of your notes and reduce their left margin, but the app is so minimalist that there’s not much customization available. We appreciate this simplicity, especially in minimalist apps.
Creating new pages in Notion is straightforward. You can name your pages, add an icon, cover, and comments. Icons can be emojis, built-in app icons with various colors, or images uploaded from your device. These options allow you to replace the default icons and add some personality to your pages. The page cover can be a solid color, gradient, custom image, or one sourced from Unsplash.
Notion allows you to add notes in blocks, offering various types to choose from. You can add paragraphs and headings, both of which can be formatted with italics, underlining, or strikethrough. Paragraphs can also be bolded, while headings are bold by default to stand out. You can change the color of paragraph text and headings, and also highlight them. However, the color options in Notion are quite dim, and with no custom color options, it can be frustrating to work with. The highlighter is especially light, making it easy to miss. While Notion’s commitment to minimalism is admirable, adding custom colors or primary color options would greatly enhance usability.
Notion lets you convert text to inline code and change its font color, though options are limited. The app also includes a callout feature, which is a paragraph with an emoji and background color. Callouts are commonly used to annotate PDFs with text boxes and arrows, but Notion’s implementation offers a fresh take.
You can add quotes to your notes, which can be either small or large, though the size difference is minimal. You can also change the color of quotes to make them stand out. Notion supports four types of lists: numbered, unnumbered, toggle, and checklists. Each list item is its own block, allowing for easy rearrangement and mixing of different list types. You can add up to six levels within a single list, and different numbering and bullet options provide additional flexibility.
If you enjoy managing tasks alongside your notes, you’ll appreciate Notion’s functionality. You can add dates to any block, but it’s especially useful for checklists. You can set a to-do with start and end dates, as well as a time, and even set reminders—all without leaving your notes. The app automatically strikes out and dims completed tasks, making it one of the most complete checklist features we’ve seen in a text-based note-taking app.
Toggle lists are rare, but Notion makes them easy to use. They’re perfect for minimalists who want to tuck away content they don’t need to see. You can even do this with headings, which is a great feature. Additionally, Notion allows you to apply the same formatting options available for paragraphs to your list items, helping them stand out.
Notion supports both inline and block code for many programming languages. You can customize your code by changing its color and adding highlights. It’s easy to copy your code or add a caption to it. Notion also supports inline and block equations using TeX code, though these are less customizable than other elements in the app.
You can add images, audio files, and videos to your notes from your computer or by embedding links. Images can also come from Unsplash or Giphy. For the free version, files must be 5 MB or less, which is particularly limiting for videos. Resizing images and videos is simple, and you can align them to the left, center, or right. Notion supports captions for these media files. However, there’s no option to rotate images, which could have been an interesting feature given the app’s block system. Videos can be played at different speeds, in picture-in-picture mode, or full-screen. Audio files have playback speed options and can be skipped through.
You can attach any file to your notes as long as it’s under 5 MB. PDFs can be scrolled through and resized, but they can’t be annotated within Notion. This limitation means Notion isn’t a full-fledged PDF reader.
Tables are a feature we love in note-taking apps, and Notion makes it easy to add and expand tables by adding more rows and columns. The table can extend to fill the entire page width, which improves its appearance. You can add header rows and columns for better organization. While it’s possible to change the background color of individual rows and columns, there’s no simple way to color the entire table. Doing so would require manual changes to each row and column, which is time-consuming in a digital workflow.
Notion allows for text formatting within tables, letting you customize text with different colors, highlighters, and more. Creating and editing hyperlinks is straightforward. You can link to other pages in your notes by searching for them, and the app allows you to add links to nearly any text, whether it’s simple text, headings, or code. However, hyperlinks can’t be added to math equations, multimedia files, or attachments. Links within code blocks are hard to see, so you may need to underline them or find another way to make them stand out. For regular text, hyperlinks are easy to spot, as they are underlined and lighter than the surrounding text. Hovering over a link gives you a quick preview of the linked subpage.
Notion also allows you to link to specific blocks within your notes, and every block has a link that you can copy and paste anywhere. You can even create a table of contents for notes with headings, which is especially useful for long documents. However, it would be nice to have a quicker way to return to the contents page.
Webpage links can be added by typing or pasting URLs, and embedding them often looks better. Embedded links provide a preview of the website’s content, allowing you to read it without leaving your notes.
Organization in Notion starts on your page. Links are a subtle yet effective way to connect notes across the app. A more straightforward organization method is through synced blocks, which are reusable blocks of information that appear the same on different pages. For example, you could create a daily quote at the top of each page, and any changes you make to it will sync across all pages containing that block. This feature offers creative possibilities for organizing information in your notes.
You can also organize your page content using columns. Notion supports up to five columns, which is ideal for large screens, though two or three columns are probably sufficient for smaller screens. Once you’ve added columns, you can’t add more, but you can reduce the number if needed. You can resize the columns and add blocks of content within them, allowing for easy rearrangement across different columns. This flexibility in moving blocks of information is a distinct advantage Notion has over traditional word processors and writing apps.
In Notion, notes are created on a page, but you can add subpages with the same content-editing options as top-level pages. You can name subpages, add icons and covers, and take notes using all the available features. We’ve created more than seven levels of subpages within subpages without any noticeable slowdown, providing a hierarchical structure for organizing information. While this can be helpful, it can also become confusing if you don’t organize your notes well.
If a notebook in Noteful, for example, contains many pages, the equivalent in Notion would be a database with multiple pages. Notion’s databases can take the form of tables, boards, galleries, lists, calendars, or timelines. Each database has properties that are consistent across all types, meaning they can hold the same type and amount of information. The main difference lies in how the information is presented. Once you get the hang of it, databases can be incredibly useful for viewing information from different perspectives without additional effort. Databases or views can be tabbed in one place, inline with your notes, or standalone like pages. Databases are one of the main reasons to consider using Notion.
Collaboration is essential in 2024, and Notion offers limited permissions in its free version. You can’t allow people to edit your notes without also giving them the ability to share them. However, you can restrict collaborators to commenting or viewing only, or grant them full access. These options work, but if you want others to edit your notes without giving them too much control, you might need to upgrade to a paid plan. If collaboration isn’t a big part of your workflow, the free version of Notion is more than sufficient.
In Notion, you can comment on almost anything: standalone databases, pages, paragraphs, equations, and more. These comments aren
