Introduction

Notion is a well-known all-in-one workspace that combines note-taking, project management, and databases in a flexible and visually appealing interface. It allows users to create and organize information in a highly customizable way, making it a popular choice for individuals and teams who need a powerful tool for productivity and collaboration.

However, Notion isn't perfect for everyone. Some users find it slow, especially when working with large databases or offline. Others may prefer a simpler, more focused tool or one that offers better local storage and privacy. If you're looking for an alternative that better suits your needs, there are plenty of great options available.

In this article, we'll explore 10 of the best Notion alternatives in 2025, helping you find the right tool for your workflow and preferences.

List of the Best Notion Alternatives

Noteey

Noteey is a local-first knowledge management tool designed to help users organize notes, ideas, and content in a clean and intuitive way. It features a whiteboard function, allowing users to visually map out and connect ideas—a standout feature that differentiates it from Notion’s more structured, block-based system. Noteey also emphasizes local file management, giving users full control over their data without relying on cloud storage. This makes it a great choice for those who prioritize privacy and offline accessibility.

One of Noteey’s key strengths is its ability to handle diverse content types, such as annotating PDFs and videos, making it a versatile tool for managing multimedia resources. Its offline functionality ensures that users can access and work on their notes anytime, even without an internet connection. While Notion excels in collaboration and database functionality, Noteey is ideal for users who value simplicity, visual organization, and a local-first approach. It’s a lightweight, privacy-focused alternative to Notion’s more complex and cloud-dependent ecosystem.

Here are some key features in Nottey:

Visual Organization

Noteey makes it easy to organize notes in a visual way. The infinite canvas lets you place text, images, PDFs, and videos wherever you want. You can move things around and arrange them to see how different ideas connect. This is great for users who like to work visually and need a flexible space to organize their thoughts.

Local File Integration

Noteey seamlessly integrates with local files, allowing you to store and access them directly within the app. This ensures your data stays secure and private, perfect for users who prefer offline storage. With everything in one place, you won’t need to switch between different tools or apps, making file management simpler and more efficient.

Complete Whiteboard Functionality

Although Obsidian offers a basic whiteboard feature for organizing notes and files, Noteey provides a more flexible approach with its customizable infinite canvas. This canvas allows you to organize and arrange your ideas in a non-linear way, giving you more freedom than the simple file arrangement options in Obsidian.

Highlighting Functionality

In Noteey, you can highlight content in PDFs and videos, enhancing your learning and review process. PDF highlights support both text and area highlights, allowing you to mark specific sections or regions within the document. For videos, highlights are linked to precise time stamps, making it easy to reference key moments.

Pricing

• Free, one-time payment of $99

Obsidian

Obsidian is a local-first note-taking app focused on privacy and personal knowledge management (PKM). Unlike Notion, which is cloud-based and collaboration-driven, Obsidian stores notes as plain-text Markdown files offline, ensuring data security and offline access. Its graph view visually maps connections between notes, ideal for networked thinking, while the Canvas feature offers a whiteboard-like space for visual brainstorming.

While Notion excels in team collaboration and databases, Obsidian is better for individuals who value privacy, offline access, and interconnected note-taking. It’s highly customizable with plugins but lacks project management and database features, making it less suited for team workflows.

Pros of Obsidian

• Notes are stored offline, ensuring privacy and quick access.
• Combines notes and visuals on a whiteboard-like interface.
• Supports plugins and themes to adapt to your workflow.
• No cost for basic use, with optional paid sync and collaboration features.

Cons of Obsidian

• Lacks tools for task tracking or team collaboration.
• Not ideal for managing structured data like Notion.
• Requires time to master advanced features like graph view and plugins.
• Less visually intuitive compared to Notion’s drag-and-drop design.

Pricing

• Free
• Sync: $3 per month billed yearly
• Publish: $8 per month billed yearly

Evernote

Evernote is a versatile note-taking app designed to help users capture, organize, and access their notes across all devices. It supports multiple formats, including text, images, audio, and scanned documents, making it ideal for users who need to manage various types of information. Unlike Notion, which focuses on an all-in-one workspace with advanced databases, Evernote excels in simplicity and multimedia support.

While Notion is ideal for structured workflows and team collaboration, Evernote is better suited for individuals who need a straightforward, cross-platform solution for personal organization. However, it lacks Notion’s advanced database and project management capabilities, making it less suitable for complex team projects.

Pros of Evernote

• Create notes in text, images, audio, and scanned documents.
• Save web pages, articles, and PDFs directly to Evernote.
• Find notes quickly, even within scanned documents and images.
• Access notes on desktop, mobile, and offline.

Cons of Evernote

• Free plan restricts monthly uploads and storage space.
• Lacks advanced database functionality for structured data.
• Limited team features compared to Notion.

Pricing

• Free
• Personal: $10.83 per month
• Professional: $14.16 per month
• Teams: $20.83 per month

Logseq

Logseq is an open-source outliner for personal knowledge management (PKM), using local plain-text Markdown and Org-mode files to store all data on your device. This makes it ideal for those who prioritize privacy and control over their information. Users can take notes, organize tasks, and visualize connections between ideas with its graph view.Unlike Notion, which offers a flexible all-in-one workspace with rich customization, Logseq is focused on offline functionality and simplicity.

Logseq’s new whiteboard feature adds flexibility, allowing users to sketch, add PDFs, embed YouTube videos, and more. This makes it great for visual thinkers and those seeking a decentralized, offline-first note-taking experience. While Notion is a more feature-rich tool for collaborative work and project management, Logseq excels in providing a private, personalized knowledge base.

Pros of Logseq

• Visualize ideas by sketching, adding PDFs, videos, and more.
• Works without an internet connection, ensuring data control.
• Create flashcards for easy review, ideal for students and researchers.
• No cost for using the core features, with full control over your data.

Cons of Logseq

• The interface and features can be difficult to learn.
• Less suitable for team-based projects compared to Notion.
• Does not have complex database functionalities like Notion.
• Some features require manual configuration, which may be time-consuming.

Pricing

• Free

Scrintal

Scrintal is a visual note-taking app designed for researchers, academics, and visual thinkers. It allows users to create notes on a canvas-like layout, connecting ideas using interactive cards and linking arrows. Unlike tools like Notion, Scrintal focuses more on visual collaboration and idea generation, offering a seamless way to organize and connect thoughts. However, it lacks mobile applications, which limits its accessibility compared to more versatile tools like Notion.

Scrintal's design is highly praised for its clean interface and the ability to upload and manage PDFs and media. Its canvas view makes it ideal for brainstorming and visually connecting ideas. While Notion excels in managing structured data and databases, Scrintal is better suited for those who want to focus on visual organization and real-time collaboration.

Pros of Scrintal

• Ideal for organizing and linking research ideas visually.
• Create, move, and organize ideas on the canvas.
• Upload and manage PDFs, images, and other media.
• Connect notes and cards to visualize concepts and relationships.

Cons of Scrintal

• Less suited for linear or text-heavy note-taking.
• Requires a subscription to access the full functionality.
• Lacks mobile access, limiting on-the-go use.
• Less effective for users who prefer more structured data management.

Pricing

• Pro: $9.9 per month billed yearly or $19.9 per month billed monthly
• Beliver：$6.9 per month billed every 3 years

Heptabase

Heptabase is a visual note-taking tool designed for researchers and visual learners, allowing users to organize notes and ideas using a canvas view. It enables deep, networked thinking by connecting disparate ideas and concepts, making it especially useful for academic and research-focused tasks. While Heptabase excels in visual note-taking and project management features, it might not suit everyone due to its complex interface and focus on a canvas-based approach.

Heptabase's whiteboards, mind maps, and Kanban views make it perfect for visual thinkers, researchers, and students. Unlike tools like Notion, it focuses on visualizing and linking notes, offering a dynamic workspace but might overwhelm users who prefer a more structured, traditional setup.

Pros of Heptabase

• Excellent for connecting and visualizing complex information.
• Access and edit notes without an internet connection.
• Real-time sync across desktop, mobile, and web.
• Organize ideas and research using virtual whiteboards.

Cons of Heptabase

• The canvas-based approach may be too complex for some users.
• Requires a paid subscription with no free access option.
• Lacks advanced project management features compared to dedicated tools.

Pricing

• $8.99 per month billed yearly or $11.99 per month billed monthly

Anytype

Anytype is an all-in-one, decentralized knowledge management app that offers users full control over their data. It allows users to create structured, interconnected notes, tasks, and projects with a focus on privacy and offline access. Anytype's unique approach combines elements of note-taking, task management, and database functionality, allowing users to build a customized workspace.

Unlike Notion, Anytype is designed to be completely offline-first and decentralized, meaning that your data is stored locally and never sent to external servers. This makes it a great alternative for users who prioritize privacy while still needing powerful organizational tools like databases and links between notes. However, it lacks some of the collaborative and web-based integrations that tools like Notion offer.

Pros of Anytype

• All data is stored locally, ensuring full control over your notes.
• No data is sent to external servers, prioritizing user privacy.
• Combines note-taking, project management, and databases in one app.
• Available on desktop and mobile, syncing data seamlessly.

Cons of Anytype

• Lacks real-time collaboration features found in tools like Notion.
• The customizable structure may take time to understand and set up.
• Completely offline; lacks cloud-based integration.

Pricing

• Free
• Builder: $99 per year billed yearly
• Co-Creator: $299 per year billed every 3 years

Remnote

RemNote is a note-taking and knowledge management tool designed to help users learn, organize, and connect ideas efficiently. Unlike Notion, which focuses on a block-based system for notes and databases, RemNote emphasizes spaced repetition and bidirectional linking to enhance long-term memory retention. It allows users to create flashcards directly within their notes, making it ideal for students, researchers, and anyone who wants to combine note-taking with active learning.

While Notion excels in team collaboration and project management, RemNote is better suited for individuals who prioritize learning and knowledge retention. Its structured approach to organizing information and built-in spaced repetition system sets it apart, though it lacks Notion’s visual flexibility and database capabilities.

Pros of Remnote

• Built-in flashcards for effective long-term learning.
• Connect ideas and notes seamlessly.
• Ideal for students and researchers.
• Work without an internet connection.

Cons of Remnote

• Lacks advanced database functionality like Notion.
• Fewer visual customization options compared to Notion.
• Requires time to master advanced features.
• Primarily tailored for learning, not general project management.

Pricing

• Free
• Pro: $8 per month billed yearly
• Pro with AI: $18 per month billed yearly

Clickup

ClickUp is a great alternative to Notion, especially for project management. While Notion is known for its flexibility in organizing personal knowledge, ClickUp is designed to streamline task management, team collaboration, and project coordination. It provides a centralized workspace for organizing tasks, tracking deadlines, and managing workflows.

When it comes to note-taking, ClickUp offers a more structured approach. It integrates note-taking with project management, featuring tools like Notepad, Docs, and Whiteboard, which are more focused than Notion’s freeform note system. If you're looking for a tool that blends project management with note-taking, ClickUp is the better choice, while Notion is better suited for flexible personal organization.

Pros of ClickUp

• Excellent for organizing complex projects with task tracking, deadlines, and automation.
• Personalize your workspace with drag-and-drop cards for tasks, workloads, and more.
• ClickUp Brain integrates AI for increased productivity, including transcription and task automation.

Cons of ClickUp

• The wide range of features may be overwhelming for new users.
• Primarily a project management tool, so it may not suit users looking for a simple note-taking app.
• The app can be slow on mobile devices with heavy use.
• The extensive features might be overkill for smaller, less complex teams.

Pricing

• Free
• Unlimited: $7 per month billed monthly
• Business: $12 per month billed monthly

Craft

Craft is a beautifully designed note-taking and document creation tool that combines simplicity with powerful features. Craft emphasizes clean, visually appealing documents with real-time collaboration. It supports nested pages, rich media embedding, and a unique block-based editor that makes it easy to create professional-looking content. Craft also offers offline access and cross-device syncing, making it a versatile choice for individuals and small teams.

While Notion excels in structured workflows and database management, Craft is better suited for users who prioritize aesthetics and seamless document creation. Its focus on design and ease of use makes it a strong alternative for those who want a more refined note-taking experience, though it lacks Notion’s advanced project management and database capabilities.

Pros of Craft

• Clean, visually appealing interface for creating polished documents.
• Create and edit notes without an internet connection.
• Access your notes on desktop, mobile, and web.

Cons of Craft

• Lacks advanced database functionality like Notion.
• Not ideal for complex task tracking or team workflows.
• Limited third-party app support compared to Notion.

Pricing

• Free
• Plus: $8 per month billed yearly or $10 per month billed monthly

Conclusion

When selecting a Notion alternative, the key is to find a tool that aligns with your unique goals and working style. For those who need robust collaboration and database features, options like ClickUp provide powerful solutions. If privacy and offline functionality are your top concerns, tools like Obsidian or Anytype offer secure, local-first environments. On the other hand, if you’re drawn to visually-driven workflows, apps like Craft or Heptabase can help you bring ideas to life in creative ways.

The best tool for you will depend on what matters most—whether it’s seamless teamwork, deep customization, or a focus on design. By choosing the right platform, you can streamline your workflow, boost productivity, and make your ideas more actionable.

Discover Noteey for a Fresh Approach to Knowledge Management

If you’re looking for a tool that combines simplicity with powerful features, Noteey is worth exploring. With its card-based organization, whiteboard functionality, and offline-first design, Noteey offers a unique way to manage your ideas and projects. Whether you’re working solo or with a team, Noteey can help you stay organized and inspired. Try it today and see how it can transform the way you work.