Notion

Overview

Notion launched publicly in 2016 after co-founders Ivan Zhao and Simon Last spent several years rebuilding the product from scratch, having scrapped an earlier version that nearly bankrupted the company. Its core idea — a small set of composable content “blocks” that can represent text, tables, kanban boards, or embedded media — let it replace a mix of separate note-taking, wiki, and project management tools with a single flexible workspace, which drove rapid adoption among startups and individuals alike.

Notion is closed source and cloud-hosted; there is no self-hosted or on-premises version, and all data lives on Notion’s servers unless exported manually. It’s offered under a freemium model, with paid tiers unlocking unlimited file uploads, version history, and team administration features. Because Notion controls the entire stack, users depend on the company for uptime, pricing changes, and the pace of feature development.

Key Features

• Block-based editor — Pages built from composable blocks (text, tables, embeds, to-dos)
• Databases — Structured tables with filters, views (board, calendar, gallery), and relations between pages
• Wikis — Nested pages for team knowledge bases and documentation
• Templates — A large library of community and official templates for common workflows
• Collaboration — Real-time multi-user editing and commenting
• AI features — Full AI suite (agent, workspace search, meeting notes) bundled into the Business plan; Free and Plus get a limited trial, and Custom Agents bill separately via credits

Use Cases

• Personal knowledge management — Notes, journals, and reading lists in one place
• Team wikis — Company documentation and onboarding materials
• Lightweight project tracking — Kanban boards and task databases for small teams
• Note-taking with structure — Combining freeform notes with structured databases

Who It’s For

Notion is aimed at individuals, startups, and teams who want a single flexible tool instead of separate apps for notes, docs, and light project management. It’s browser-first with native apps on desktop and mobile, and requires an internet connection and a Notion account for most functionality.