18 Best Notion Alternatives and Competitors in 2026

Explore the most popular paid and free Notion alternatives.

By Björn Michelsen · Updated on January 14, 2026

Notion is a productivity and organization tool that allows users to create notes, wikis, and tasks in one place. Founded in 2013 by Ivan Zhao, Notion was made available to the public in 2015. In the past few years, it has surged in popularity, gaining an almost cult-like following and becoming a go-to productivity and organization tool for individuals and teams around the world. And for good reason – few productivity tools are as versatile, flexible, and powerful as Notion.

Notion is packed with features and almost endlessly customizable. It was one of the very first apps to try and tackle the problem of tool overload, pioneering the concept of an "all-in-one workspace". Many teams and individuals found it to be a game-changer for their productivity. However, nothing is perfect and Notion also has some fairly significant drawbacks and shortcomings.

However, Notion may not be the perfect fit for everyone, and that's where alternatives come in. Whether you're looking for a tool similar to Notion but with a different pricing structure or need a different set of features, there are plenty of options.

In this article, we'll introduce you to some of the best alternatives to Notion and help you decide which one is the right choice for your needs.

Switch to a lightweight Notion alternative
Best Notion alternatives

18 Best Notion alternatives

The all-in-one workspace category is diverse and varied, making it challenging to find a single alternative to Notion that can be objectively considered to be the best. However, there are many great Notion competitors on the market that offer their own unique twists on the all-in-one workspace concept.

The key is to find an app that aligns with your specific needs and use case, rather than searching for a tool that will completely replace Notion in every way. Each of the alternatives on this list has something unique to offer, and each of them is better than Notion in some way. It's worth taking the time to explore them and determine which one is the best fit for you.

To make your evaluation process easier, we've evaluated dozens of options and put together a shortlist of the best alternatives to Notion:

Since Notion encompasses so many different product categories, the best choice depends on your unique use case and corresponding requirements. Are you mainly looking for a tool to create a wiki, manage projects, or take notes? Are you planning to use it alone or in a team? Do you find Notion too complex, or are you searching for an even more flexible tool? Depending on your answers, a different tool might be a better fit for your needs.

We hope this list helps you learn more about your options and find the Notion alternative that works for you.

Nuclino

Best Notion alternative Nuclino

Nuclino is a lightweight alternative to Notion. It offers much of the same core functionality as Notion and can be used as a knowledge base, a collaborative note-taking tool, or a Kanban board for project management. However, Nuclino brings it all together in a much lighter, faster, and simpler package.

While not as feature-packed as Notion, Nuclino focuses on the essentials, such as search, content organization, and collaborative editing. By doing away with the clunky menus and rarely-used options, Nuclino is able to offer a much cleaner and more intuitive interface, minimizing the learning curve for new users.

Editor of Notion alternative Nuclino

Where Nuclino stands out is speed. Search, editing, and navigation all feel instant, even with large amounts of content. You can switch between list, board, table, and graph views to structure information in whatever way makes the most sense.

Notion alternative Nuclino table view

Like Notion, Nuclino allows you to organize your documents visually. Need a structured overview of all your documents? Prefer to work on your projects using a Kanban board? Want to see how your documents relate to each other in a mind map? The list, board, table, and graph views help you keep your internal documentation structured in a way that works for you and your team.

Notion alternative Nuclino board view

Similar to Notion Sites, any Nuclino workspace can be turned into a public website, accessible to anyone on the web and discoverable via search engines. It's perfect for help centers, user documentation, changelogs, and much more.

Notion alternative Nuclino public documentation

If you're a fan of Notion AI, you will also appreciate Sidekick, the AI-powered assistant built into Nuclino. Like Notion AI, Sidekick can help you find information, generate ideas, create first drafts, improve your writing, summarize long documents, and more, streamlining your writing process.

Moreover, unlike Notion AI, Sidekick also allows you to instantly generate all kinds of unique images – 2D and 3D, abstract and photorealistic, detailed and simple.

Best Notion AI alternatives Nuclino Sidekick image generation

Nuclino also offers built-in visual collaboration and allows you to add an infinite collaborative canvas to any page. You can use it to create flowcharts and diagrams, brainstorm ideas using sticky notes, build moodboards, and much more.

Notion alternative visual collaboration

Learn more about how Nuclino compares to Notion: Nuclino vs Notion.

What users say about Nuclino:

"I use Nuclino to document the projects I work on. It serves as a wiki for the project, which helps anyone joining the project at a later stage understand what was done during the design process, and why certain decisions were made. It is definitely a big step up from using Google Docs and Google Sheets, which gets very messy during the course of a project."

— Capterra review

Confluence + Jira

Notion alternatives Confluence and Jira

Notion may be great for individuals and smaller teams, but it doesn't scale well. If your company is growing fast and dealing with large amounts of content, a combination of Atlassian Confluence and Jira may be a great alternative.

Confluence is the documentation side: pages, meeting notes, and knowledge bases. Jira handles project and task management with advanced tracking, boards, and workflows. The two integrate tightly, so you can document decisions in Confluence and link them to Jira tickets.

These tools are more rigid than Notion, but they've been refined over more than a decade and are designed with scaling in mind. If your company is hitting limits with Notion, a combination of Confluence and Jira is one of the most reliable alternatives.

Learn more about how Confluence and Jira compare to Notion:

Looking for more tools similar to Jira and Confluence? Check out this list of Jira alternatives and Confluence alternatives.

What users say about Confluence:

"Confluence is a great tool for keeping track of team discussions, meetings, decisions, etc. As a standalone product, it works well in assisting teams in being more collaborative and organized. When combining it with other Atlassian applications like Jira, you are able to use its full feature set. We use it to have a single repository for all project artifacts, including documents, meeting notes, change control, project requirements, etc."

— Capterra review

Coda

Notion alternative Coda

Coda is a document platform that blends text, tables, and interactive elements into one workspace. Instead of separate apps for docs, spreadsheets, and workflows, everything lives in a single “doc” that can be expanded with buttons, formulas, filters, and integrations. It's flexible enough to feel like a mix of Notion, Airtable, and lightweight app-building tools.

As an alternative to Notion, Coda is better suited for teams that want their documents to behave more like custom tools. Its table system is more powerful than Notion's databases, and many people use it to run project trackers, content calendars, internal tools, or more automated workflows. The document editor is plain and structured, without Notion's block-based feel, which some users find easier for longer writing.

Where Coda can be tougher is the learning curve. If you mostly need clean notes, simple pages, or a place to organize information, Notion is easier to pick up. Coda makes more sense when you want your workspace to behave less like a notebook and more like a custom system you can tweak and automate.

Learn more about how Coda compares to Notion: Notion vs Coda.

Looking for more tools similar to Coda? Check out this list of Coda alternatives.

What users say about Coda:

"Notion did not provide the functionality I needed. Coda is more versatile. If you like playing around with software or do you need to customize functionality to various projects, Coda is a serious contender. There are so many uses and possibilities that it replaces a lot of other software."

— Capterra review

ClickUp

Notion alternative ClickUp

ClickUp is a project management platform with a lot of built-in structure. Tasks, subtasks, timelines, calendars, and dashboards come first, and everything else sits around that core. Many teams use it as their central place for planning work because it offers more advanced views and workflow options than most general-purpose workspace tools.

It's one of the best Notion alternatives for managing projects, especially if your team needs a system that already feels organized when you open it. You get ready-made ways to track work, assign responsibilities, and check progress without having to design the setup yourself. Larger teams often appreciate that ClickUp handles roles and workflow complexity without much extra effort.

People who mainly use Notion for writing, note-taking, or flexible page layouts tend to find ClickUp heavier than they need. The interface can feel busy if you're not managing detailed projects. But for teams whose daily work revolves around tasks and timelines, ClickUp often fits better than Notion because it leans into structure instead of asking you to build it from scratch.

Learn more about how ClickUp compares to Notion: Notion vs ClickUp.

Looking for more tools similar to ClickUp? Check out this list of ClickUp alternatives.

What users say about ClickUp:

"When I first started using it, I would keep track of each and every task given to me in ClickUp. This evolved from only a to-do list to an agenda and company document and template library. I loved how easy it was to navigate, as a business alternative to Notion (which I was using for personal reasons) with similar features."

— Capterra review

Obsidian

Notion alternative Obsidian

Obsidian is a note-taking and knowledge management tool that is designed to be highly customizable and extendable. It allows users to create and organize their notes using Markdown and link them together to create a visual representation of their thoughts and ideas in a knowledge graph.

Obsidian stores all of your notes locally on your computer and does not rely on a cloud server. It's also one of the few Notion alternatives with an offline mode. It provides a range of first-party plugins that allow users to extend the functionality of the app, such as adding a slash command menu and the ability to set up Kanban boards, calendars, and to-do lists.

Collaborating with others on Obsidian requires some additional setup, as the app does not currently have built-in collaboration features. One way to do this is to create a vault, upload it to a cloud file storage service such as Google Drive, and share it with your team.

Overall, Obsidian is a good alternative to Notion for users who value having complete control over their data and the ability to customize their workspace to their specific needs. It may require more time and patience to set up and customize, and may not have all of the collaboration and database features that Notion offers out of the box.

Learn more about how Obsidian compares to Notion: Notion vs Obsidian.

What users say about Obsidian:

"I love how fast it is. Since everything lives locally, you don't have to worry about pages not loading or missing internet access. Pages are cached in the background and can load instantly when you want to, making context switching instant and producing content super fast."

— Capterra review

Anytype

Notion alternative Anytype

Anytype takes a different approach than most Notion alternatives. Instead of working with pages and databases, everything you create is treated as an "object" (a note, a book, a task, even a person). These objects can be linked together in both directions, so your workspace gradually grows into a web of connections rather than a stack of folders. It feels a bit like building your own personal internet of ideas.

One of its biggest strengths is that it works fully offline. Your data is stored on your device, encrypted, and only you hold the keys. If you want to sync across devices or collaborate, you still can, but the app doesn't depend on the cloud to function.

That said, Anytype is still in beta and has some rough edges. Cloud storage is limited unless you pay, and collaboration features aren't as polished as Notion's (at the moment, at least). But if you like the idea of owning your data, working offline, and exploring a more networked way of organizing knowledge, you may want to give Anytype a chance.

What users say about Anytype:

"I spend a long time looking for a single source of truth for my data. The privacy offered with Anytype coupled with the community-based updates made this the perfect option."

— Capterra review

Microsoft Loop

Notion alternative Microsoft Loop

Microsoft Loop is a newer workspace tool built around small, reusable components that stay in sync wherever you use them. A table or checklist you create in Loop can also live inside Outlook, Teams, or Word, and any change updates everywhere instantly. The idea is to keep information fluid instead of locking it inside a single document.

For teams already working in Microsoft 365, Loop can be one of the best Notion alternatives for managing projects. Tasks, ideas and notes flow naturally into the tools people use every day, and you can build lightweight project hubs without asking everyone to switch platforms. The collaboration feels fast, and the interface is simple enough for people who do not want to learn a new system from scratch.

Loop is still growing, so it may feel limited if you need complex databases, heavy customization, or large document hierarchies. It fits best in teams that spend most of their time in Microsoft apps and want a shared space that blends into their existing workflow rather than a standalone workspace like Notion.

Learn more about how Obsidian compares to Notion: Notion vs Microsoft Loop.

Looking for more tools similar to Microsoft Loop? Check out this list of Microsoft Loop alternatives.

Basecamp

Notion alternative Basecamp

Like Notion, Basecamp is designed as an all-in-one team collaboration tool. It brings together to-do lists, calendars, instant messaging, document and file management, and more, allowing any team to collaborate and manage their work in one place.

Basecamp is less versatile and flexible than Notion, by design. While the drag-and-drop editor of Notion allows you to essentially build your own tools, Basecamp is more rigid and offers you a fixed interface. This simplicity is also what eliminates the learning curve and makes Basecamp so easy to get the hang of, allowing even non-technical users to be productive from day one. Whether that's the right trade-off for you depends on your requirements and preferences.

The flat-rate pricing is attractive for larger organizations, since you can bring in unlimited users without rising costs. If you’re looking for an all-in-one collaboration tool that “just works” out of the box, Basecamp is worth a look.

Learn more about how Basecamp compares to Notion: Notion vs Basecamp.

Looking for more tools similar to Basecamp? Check out this list of Basecamp alternatives.

What users say about Basecamp:

"We've been using Basecamp for years. It's kind of an all-in-one piece of software, great for task and project management. You can upload files seamlessly and choose who and who not to alert. The message board feature is great for sharing progress and keeping everyone in the loop on the status of a project."

— Capterra review

Trello

Notion alternative Trello

If your primary use case is project management, then Trello can be a great alternative to Notion. While Notion tries to do many things at once and has a much more extensive feature set, Trello is fully optimized for Kanban-style project planning.

This laser-sharp focus has allowed Trello to become one of the most popular Kanban tools on the market. It may not have any of Notion's bells and whistles, but it makes up for it with a much lower learning curve. Anyone, regardless of technical skills, will likely get the hang of Trello in no time.

Learn more about how Trello compares to Notion: Notion vs Trello.

Looking for more tools similar to Trello? Check out this list of Trello alternatives.

What users say about Trello:

"I think the main advantage of using Trello is that it is becoming an industry standard. Most people are familiar with it; it has all types of connectors and integrations (Gmail, Calendar, Zapier, Integromat) and when it comes to collaborating with other teams it is so much easier to use the same tool. Its simplicity and amazing UX are also a great advantage of this tool."

— Capterra review

Asana

Notion alternative Asana

If you're primarily using Notion to manage your tasks and projects, then Asana may be a great alternative. Compared to Notion, Asana is a productivity tool in a more traditional sense — it's designed to help your team manage projects and doesn't dilute its focus with docs, wikis, or databases.

Like Notion, Asana offers various ways to visually organize your tasks using the List, Board, or Timeline view. Its interface is modern and intuitive, making it easy for any team to adopt the tool and quickly get the hang of it. Asana also offers an extensive set of advanced project management features that Notion lacks, such as workflow automation, dashboards, forms, and so on, making it easier to manage more complex and large-scale projects.

Learn more about how Asana compares to Notion: Notion vs Asana.

Looking for more tools similar to Asana? Check out this list of Asana alternatives.

What users say about Asana:

"It's so easy to get started with Asana and easy to import spreadsheets from other tools. For less tech-savvy and project management averse, it's a really pleasant experience. Notion really didn't offer the ease of scale, and I found it frustratingly time-consuming to set up and use for more than documentation purposes."

— Capterra review

Quip

Notion alternative Quip

Like Notion, Quip is a multi-functional collaboration app. It combines documents, spreadsheets, checklists, presentation slides, and chat, all in one platform. It is owned by Salesforce and truly shines when used in combination with the Salesforce CRM.

Quip is mainly geared toward sales teams at large enterprises. Note that it's also considerably more expensive than most other alternatives on our list, with its cheapest subscription plan starting at $10 per user per month.

Learn more about how Quip compares to Notion: Quip vs Notion.

What users say about Quip:

"Quip is a great collaboration tool that is something similar to Slack, Google Docs, and Google Sheets all wrapped up into one. It integrates well with Salesforce, so if you are using Salesforce, this is a good option."

— Capterra review

Zoho

Notion alternative Zoho

Zoho offers a diverse suite of business, collaboration, and productivity apps, including an HR platform, a project management tool, chat, and more. A combination of Zoho Projects, Zoho Docs, and Zoho Wiki can largely cover the functionality of Notion.

Unlike the unified workspace of Notion, the Zoho Suite is made up of individual apps that can be integrated with each other. While that allows for more flexibility, note that each app will require a separate subscription.

What users say about Zoho:

"Zoho has never stopped developing new features throughout their productivity suite. Support is awesome and the ease of use is great for newbies. I've been using Zoho Apps for more than ten years and I am still loyal."

— Capterra review

Evernote

Notion alternative Evernote

When Notion first launched, the note-taking app Evernote was one of its main competitors. And though since then Notion has undergone a significant overhaul, considerably expanding its feature set and positioning itself as an "all-in-one workspace for all your work", Evernote remains a Notion alternative worth considering.

Evernote follows the approach of Trello: focus on one task and execute it perfectly. If you need a simple, straightforward note-taking app for work or personal projects, there is no beating Evernote. Its user-friendly interface, easy setup, and diverse set of specialized note-taking features, such as sketching and document scanning, make it a solid choice for many users.

What users say about Evernote:

"Evernote is perfect for traditional and meeting notes. I found its dashboard so clean and simple yet features and functions are accessible easily. To some users, the price may be pinching a bit. If price is a major decider for you, then you might like to use Notion."

— Capterra review

Todoist

Notion alternative Todoist

Todoist is a great alternative to Notion for those who are looking for a simpler, more streamlined tool for task management. It has a straightforward interface that is easy to use, and it offers a range of features to help you stay organized and on top of your tasks, including the ability to create to-do lists, set deadlines and reminders, and track your progress.

Todoist is focused on task management and doesn't require a lot of setup or customization. It's a good Notion replacement for those who don't need the more robust set of features offered by Notion, such as the ability to create notes, wikis, and databases, and who prefer a more focused interface that doesn't have the distractions of other features.

Learn more about how Todoist compares to Notion: Notion vs Todoist.

Looking for more tools similar to Todoist? Check out this list of Todoist alternatives.

What users say about Todoist:

"Even though Notion is a great software, with so many tools and uses, Todoist is a way better platform for task management and productivity. Notion was very limited for this use and I felt like it wasn't as easy to create and manage my tasks, as it is in Todoist. I'm very happy I made the switch."

— Capterra review

Google Keep

Notion alternative Google Keep

Google Keep is a practical alternative to Notion for those who are looking for a simple, easy-to-use tool for taking notes and organizing information.

Google Keep offers a number of unique features that Notion lacks. For example, you can make voice memos and have them automatically transcribed. Google Keep also supports handwriting notes, location and time-based reminders, the ability to add notes, lists, and photos, and more.

If you mainly use Notion for simple note-taking and don't need all of the extra features, such as databases and Kanban boards, then Google Keep can potentially be a great Notion replacement for you.

What users say about Google Keep:

"My overall experience with Google Keep has been really positive and I would recommend it to others for quick note-taking and management. There are a few areas that can be improved, but overall, Google Keep is a really strong product."

— Capterra review

Airtable

Notion alternative Airtable

If you're looking for a more flexible and customizable tool for organizing and managing data, then consider replacing Notion with Airtable. Airtable has earned popularity for its modern interface, colorful design, and ease of use. Airtable offers a range of views for organizing data, including spreadsheet-style tables, calendars, Kanban boards, galleries, and timelines.

Airtable is particularly well-suited for building relational databases and is more powerful and flexible than Notion in this regard. It also offers extensive automation features, including the ability to trigger notifications, streamline redundant work, integrate with other tools, and run custom code.

If you like the idea of a low-code platform that can be used to build custom collaboration apps and are willing to put in the time to learn it, then Airtable may be the Notion alternative for you.

Learn more about how Airtable compares to Notion: Notion vs Airtable.

Looking for more tools similar to Airtable? Check out this list of Airtable alternatives.

What users say about Airtable:

"When I had to add inventory management to my daily routines, I knew I needed a dedicated database structure and tried several on the market. After making my rounds through many, I chose Notion for its price. A few months later, I realized how much more efficient Airtable was for my needs and took the plunge. The upgrade was worth it. I am more productive now and getting more data organized than ever before with 10 other tools."

— Capterra review

Microsoft OneNote

Notion alternative Microsoft OneNote

If you mainly use Notion for taking notes, then you may want to evaluate Microsoft OneNote as an alternative. It is a part of the Microsoft Office suite and integrates with a number of other Microsoft apps and services, such as Word, Excel, and Outlook.

OneNote allows you to take notes in a variety of formats, including text, audio, and video, and offers a range of tools for organizing and formatting your notes. It's also well-suited for teams that need to collaborate on notes and documents, as it allows you to share your notebooks and work on them collaboratively in real time.

Learn more about how Microsoft OneNote compares to Notion: Notion vs OneNote.

Looking for more tools similar to Microsoft OneNote? Check out this list of OneNote alternatives.

What users say about OneNote:

"I think my favorite thing about OneNote is the ability to password-protect certain notebooks. Notion or Evernote doesn't allow that, so I keep OneNote running as a backup specifically for this option. Once you dig in, the interface is intuitive and simple and just makes sense. Being able to highlight, draw, and annotate is really great as well. I love Notion, but it doesn't allow that quite yet so, again, OneNote has been a keeper for that reason as well."

— Capterra review

nTask

Notion alternative nTask

Another great Notion alternative is nTask, a modern and powerful task and project management platform. Compared to Notion, nTask is a fairly intuitive and easy-to-use solution that allows you to manage all your tasks in a productive and secure way.

Like Notion, nTask has an extensive feature set, which includes project management, risk management, meeting management, Kanban boards, Gantt charts, calendar integration, document management, and issue tracking, among many others.

What users say about nTask:

"It's really a hidden jewel because you can take advantage of most of the features for free, and it offers many of the same functions as larger and much more expensive project management tools."

— Capterra review

Other tools similar to Notion

There are more Notion-style tools than ever, and the lines between them are getting blurry. If you're trying to figure out how Notion stacks up against tools outside the main list, these guides are a good place to start.

How we evaluated alternatives

We tested every Notion alternative in this guide by actually using it. We set up pages, build small projects, try collaboration features, and see how each app handles everyday work. We also look at real user feedback from places like Reddit, Capterra, and G2 to understand how these tools hold up outside of a quick demo.

We do not accept payment for placement, and no company can buy its way into the list. The recommendations come from hands-on testing and real user experience, nothing else.

What are some limitations of Notion?

There are many reasons why you may be looking for a Notion alternative.

Complexity and learning curve

The learning curve is extremely steep. Figuring out how to use Notion on your own is challenging enough, let alone having to onboard your entire team (source).

Navigating your content can also be very unintuitive (source).

Performance issues

Notion can be quite slow, especially when you accumulate a lot of content (source).

Pricing

Notion is free for personal use, but for teams, the price can be quite steep (source). Learn more about the pricing plans offered by Notion: Notion free vs paid.

FAQs about Notion alternatives

What is the Microsoft alternative to Notion?

Microsoft doesn't have a one-to-one Notion replacement, but there are tools that cover similar ground.

OneNote is the closest match for note-taking, organizing research, and capturing ideas. If you pair it with Microsoft Loop, which adds collaborative pages and task tracking, you can recreate some of Notion's flexibility. Teams that already use Microsoft 365 often find this combination works well, since it connects smoothly with Outlook, Teams, and other apps.

Is Microsoft Loop like Notion?

Loop feels a bit like Notion, but it is still early in development. You can create collaborative pages, drop in content blocks, and work on tasks together.

The main difference is that Loop is tightly integrated into the Microsoft 365 ecosystem. It works best if you are already using Outlook, Teams, or Word every day. Notion is still more feature-rich and flexible, but Loop is improving quickly and may become a stronger competitor over time.

What are some good Notion alternatives with AI?

The list of Notion alternatives that include AI is still short, but growing. Nuclino has an AI assistant called Sidekick that can generate text, summarize content, answer questions, and even create images from prompts. Obsidian supports AI through plugins. Coda offers AI features that can automate content and data tasks.

For now, built-in AI is not standard in most Notion competitors, but the trend is moving in that direction.

How does Notion AI compare to other AI tools like ChatGPT?

Notion AI is designed to stay inside your workspace. It can help you brainstorm, summarize meeting notes, or rewrite text without switching tools. That makes it convenient if you already spend most of your time in Notion.

ChatGPT and other AI assistants are broader in scope. They can be used for anything from drafting emails to writing code. If you want a general-purpose AI tool, ChatGPT is more powerful. If you want writing support directly in your notes or documentation, Notion AI is the more seamless option.

What is the best open-source Notion alternative?

For privacy and flexibility, Obsidian and Logseq are two of the strongest open-source options. Both store content locally on your device, which gives you full control of your data. They support backlinks, graph views, and plugins that let you customize almost everything.

These tools are great for personal knowledge management, research, or writing. They are less team-friendly out of the box, so collaboration usually requires extra setup or third-party services.

What is the best free Notion alternative?

Several Notion-like tools offer generous free plans. Nuclino's free plan works well for individuals and small teams. Trello is great if your main focus is task tracking. Google Keep is a solid choice for quick notes and reminders. Obsidian gives you powerful note-taking and linking features without any cost if you are working locally.

What are the best Notion alternatives for personal use?

For personal use, most people want something straightforward. Evernote, Google Keep, and Microsoft OneNote are solid options for quick note-taking and personal projects. If you like linking ideas together, Obsidian is a strong choice. If you want something closer to Notion but simpler, Nuclino lets you create structured documentation without the steep learning curve.

What are the best Notion alternatives for students?

Students often need a tool that is free, easy to set up, and flexible enough for group work. Nuclino is a good fit for team projects and keeping notes organized across different classes. OneNote is strong for handwritten notes or if you are already using Office 365 at school. Google Docs and Google Keep also make a good combination for essays, group assignments, and quick reminders.

Are there any apps like Notion but simpler?

Several Notion alternatives focus on being simpler and faster. Nuclino has a similar structure to Notion but leaves out the complexity and database features that some people find overwhelming. Trello is even more straightforward, with its card-and-board system for tasks and projects. Google Keep is the simplest option of all, great for quick notes and reminders without any setup.

What are some good note-taking apps like Notion?

Evernote is well-established and strong at organizing notebooks and tags. OneNote is free, flexible, and works well if you like writing or sketching by hand. Obsidian is popular among power users who want to connect notes with backlinks and graph views. Google Keep is lightweight, fast, and ideal for simple checklists or quick thoughts. Each of these tools is easier to use for pure note-taking than Notion.

Summary: Which Notion alternative is right for you?

So what is the best alternative to Notion? The short answer is "it depends".

If you are looking for a faster and more intuitive solution, Nuclino can be a great option. If you need a more mature and scalable platform, give Confluence and Jira a try. If you are looking for a simpler and more mature app, Basecamp is worth evaluating. If you're primarily using Notion as a Kanban tool, consider Trello. Quip and Zoho can be adequate Notion alternatives for larger teams and enterprises. And if you're looking to replace Notion as your personal note-taking app, take a look at Evernote, OneNote, or Obsidian.

Other Notion competitors to consider include Todoist, a task management and productivity app that is designed to be simple and easy to use, Airtable, a flexible and customizable tool for organizing and managing data, and Google Keep, a free Notion alternative for those who are always on the go and need a tool for taking notes.

The easiest way to decide is to try a couple that look right for you. Most of these tools let you start for free, so you can see how they feel in day-to-day use. If Notion feels too slow, too complex, or just not the right fit, one of these alternatives will likely suit you better.

Written by Björn Michelsen

Björn is the CEO and co-founder of Nuclino. His writing draws on 10+ years of experience designing collaboration and productivity software used by teams of all sizes, across many industries.

Character illustration

Product

Company

Resources

Follow us

© 2026 Nuclino