Notion is a great productivity tool that offers powerful features for team collaboration and project management. However, when it comes to note-taking, Notion falls short in a few key areas that make it less than ideal for this purpose.
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One of the biggest drawbacks of Notion is that it takes a long time to get used to. Getting used to the app takes time and effort, but even then, taking notes on the app is a difficult, rather than a smooth experience. Especially when you have a lot of notes to take.
This is because the app is heavily geared towards team management, with the UI and features designed around that purpose. As a result, what should be a simple note-taking process often becomes a complex experience that requires a lot of effort and tweaking to fit the app’s workflow.
A year ago, the author decided to try Notion for note-taking. From the moment he opened the app, he found it difficult to navigate. Determined to use it, he even took an intensive course to master Notion, hoping it would help him take better notes. Unfortunately, his efforts did not pay off.
After a month of frustration and struggling to adapt, the author realized that it was not for him, because the entire app revolves around creating Notion databases and not everyone wants to create them. Some people just want an app that is simple, so it is understandable why they decided to move on to another option.
Notion certainly has a lot of features, offering a lot of customization options. However, for a simple note-taking task, the abundance of these features makes things unnecessarily complicated.
For example, database-centric apps, customizable templates, drag-and-drop functionality, and analytics tools may be useful for project management, but are overwhelming and irrelevant for those who just want to jot down their thoughts. Rather than simplifying the process, these features can become a source of confusion.
A good note-taking app should strike a balance between customizability and simplicity. What you write is what matters most, and any extra features, complicated UI elements, or pop-ups will only distract from the main goal: taking notes.
Notion is a block-based editor, meaning that every piece of content — whether it’s text, images, lists, or even spaces — is treated as a standalone block that can be dragged around freely. While this is incredibly useful for rearranging and customizing content in Notion, it makes taking notes disjointed and difficult.
In contrast, the linear editor, where you have to copy and paste content to rearrange it, feels more intuitive and provides the right amount of rigidity. It mimics the natural flow of writing on paper, without having to worry about different block types or accidentally rearranging them. It’s just you and a long canvas to write freely on.
If you just want to take simple notes, without any views or databases, Notion can make things difficult for you. When you add an element, you are prompted with different block types like text, to-do, image, database and different parameters for that element. This adds clutter, complexity and decision fatigue to tasks that should be quick and easy.
For example, creating a simple checklist involves selecting a to-do block from a long list of options before you can even start typing. This not only adds unnecessary steps, but also increases the chance of selecting the wrong option, making your notes unrecognizable. It often feels like tinkering with a ticking time bomb — one wrong move and your simple notes become an unintelligible mess.
In contrast, apps like Apple Notes or Google Keep are much simpler. They have a visible checklist button that lets you start writing right away. It’s intuitive, hassle-free, and perfect for people who want to take quick notes.
Another drawback is the lack of a quick note-taking feature. Say you have a fleeting thought that you want to jot down before it slips away. In Notion, you have to open the app, navigate through the interface, and then create a new note. By the time you’re ready to type it out, the thought may be gone.
In contrast, an app like Apple Notes makes this seamless. Just move your cursor to the lower right corner of the screen and the app opens instantly, ready for you to type.
Some of the key features for a good note-taking experience include quick formatting options, easy navigation, and most importantly, offline capabilities. You'll have peace of mind knowing that your notes will be saved every time you jot something down, regardless of whether you have an internet connection or not.
However, in Notion, this is not always the case. First of all, you need to be connected to the Internet to work properly, and if you are offline, you can only work with the last note you opened and there is no option to add new notes.
Additionally, notes require basic text formatting options like bold, italics, or bullet points. However, Notion doesn’t provide a dedicated toolbar for quick access to these features. Instead, you have to select the text and only then can you see the formatting options.
Another downside to Notion is its approach to note organization. Instead of traditional folders, Notion relies on nested pages and databases to organize notes. While this system works well for complex workflows, it’s not intuitive for users who are used to the simplicity of folder-based organization.
For example, when you use Apple Notes, you can navigate to any note just by using the sidebar or move your note anywhere. In Notion, you would have to create a page, then a database, then create pages inside the database.
When it comes to note-taking, your notes should truly be yours. Unfortunately, that's not the case with Notion. All of your notes are locked within the app, meaning you need to access the app with an active internet connection to view or edit them.
Additionally, the price, features, or availability of Notion's services may directly impact your ability to use your notes. If Notion experiences server issues or your home Internet connection goes down, you will be blocked from accessing your notes. If Notion removes the free option in the future, you will have no choice but to pay for the app.
If you own an Apple computer, Apple Notes is one of the best options. However, if you are looking for an even better alternative that is primarily designed for note-taking, local file storage but also has a lot of built-in features, then Obsidian is a great choice.
You get some great features, like a chart view that visually maps connections between notes, helps you see relationships, and builds knowledge networks. You can link notes and ideas together for a much deeper knowledge network. Obsidian also supports a lot of plugins that can add more functionality. For example, installing the Kanban and canvas plugins allows you to create boards and flowcharts.
Finally, Obsidian is the first offline app and is completely free for personal use. With this app, you can take as many notes as you want and they are also stored locally on your computer as plain text files in Markdown format. If I want to switch to another app in the future, I am free to do so or even sync my notes to Google Drive or any cloud storage option.
While Notion can technically be used for note-taking, it's not ideal. It takes a long time to get used to, combined with an interface optimized for team management and collaboration, making it impractical and overkill for note-taking.
You may not need a Notion subscription if you are an individual user or a small team. As long as you are aware of the limitations of the free plan for day-to-day use, it may be all you need.
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