Notion Vs. Monday: Which Software Is Best For You?
Getting a project up and running, ensuring daily deliverables are on time, and maintaining sprint efficiency is a challenging task (just ask the Project Management Office at Software Finder). Without good project management software at your disposal, you are bound to run into hurdles.
Two highly regarded software are Notion and Monday.com. However, deciding which software fulfils your needs can be daunting.
Considering the time and investment required to get started with any project management (PM) software, your entire project can be at risk if you end up selecting the wrong one.
Keeping that in mind, Software Finder has curated this comparison between Notion and Monday.com to ensure you find the right PM tool for your requirements.
| Feature | Notion | Monday.com |
| Project Views | Highly customizable views that can be tailored to your workflow | Offers pre-built calendar, tables, Kanban boards, and more but lacks customization |
| Project Management | Offers some features but lacks advanced functionality | Offers specific PM features like Gantt charts, project portfolios, and resource management |
| Note-Taking | Offers documents, databases, and wikis for detailed notes and team collaboration | Lacks a native documentation feature but external documents can be uploaded |
| AI-Assistance | Assists with writing tasks but requires an add-on purchase for full functionality | AI-assistant for task automation and more included as part of all plans |
| Templates | Has pre-built templates for a variety of scenarios that can be further customized | Offers a template library for different industry uses but lacks further customization |
| Collaboration | Offers collaborative workspaces for team communication | Allows team collaboration via agile boards |
| Integrations | Around 100 integrations with third-party tools | 200 integrations with third-party tools |
Notion Software is an all-in-one workspace that combines the functionality of your team’s daily software stack in one platform. Unlike traditional project management tools like monday.com where users must create separate boards for tables, docs, and spreadsheets, Notion lets you do it all on a single board.
With more than 50 blocks for text, images, tables, lists, videos, audio, etc., users can tailor pages to meet their specialized needs.
With numerous configuration and customization options, Notion is ideal for teams with unique workflows who are willing to invest time in mastering the tool.
Pricing: Free, with advanced features starting from $12/seat/month
Disclaimer: Pricing is subject to change.
Rating on Software Finder: 4.5/5
Notion’s Unique Features
Characterized by its workspace flexibility, some of Notion’s key features include:
- Wikis that act as a centralized database
- AI writing features for fast text generation
- Enterprise plans with admin control features
- Customizable databases with multiple views
- Integrations with up to 100 third-party tools
- Offline editing for mobile and desktop app
- Project templates for every category
Pros: What People Like About Notion
Integrated Solution For Diverse Use Cases
Notion’s biggest strength lies in its diverse use cases, elevating it above traditional project management software. With its customizable templates, you no longer have to switch between spreadsheets, presentations, and note-taking apps. Instead, you have an integrated interface for all your tasks.
- Client management
- Online catalog
- Internal Wiki/Company training portal
- Creative portfolio
- Marketing management hub
- Sales and lead management
- Task manager
- Note-taking
- Objectives and key results (OKRs)
- Project management tool
- Event coordination
- Social media content calendar
- HR system
- Educational course management
Streamlined Workplace Hierarchy
Notion’s interface comes with ‘Breadcrumbs’ that makes it easy to view the path between linked pages and situate yourself within the workspace hierarchy.
Backlinks
Users can create backlinks to connect pages within the workspace. For example, if you have a page tracking a certain project, you can easily link it to related pages such as meeting notes, task lists, or research documents. This simplifies navigating between related content without losing context.
Nested Pages
Additionally, there’s an option to create subpages within any page, effectively building a hierarchical structure of information. For example, under a main project page, you might have subpages for tasks, milestones, and resources, creating a seamless flow of information.
Interlinked Databases
The databases themselves can also be interlinked, allowing users to connect related data across different tables.
For instance, you might have one database for projects and another for tasks, with each task linked to a specific project. In this scenario, updating information in one project will automatically update it for the other projects.
AI Writing
With Notion’s AI users have a built-in support system that can assist them with writing by providing insights, brainstorming new ideas, and suggesting actionable steps to achieve milestones.
Users can also use Notion AI for fast text generation, making notetaking, email writing, and brief-making easier.
Combine that with the live document editing feature, and you can have multiple people accessing and editing a document in real time. That said, this feature is not available in the free plan.
Cons: What People Dislike About Notion
Limited Project Management Features
Notion’s extensive range of features means it is spread too thin when it comes to delivering targeted project management features.
While users can access a timeline view, the software lacks native advanced features like milestone tracking, timesheets, portfolio views, risk register, and dependency tracking. You will have to rely on using custom-built templates from other users.
These templates do boost its PM capabilities; however, Notion still cannot compete with purpose-built project management tools like Monday.com in this area.
Slow Loading Speed
Despite ongoing efforts by the company to fix it, another common issue is that Notion’s web app may become slow and sluggish when used to manage large or content heavy databases.
As your database continues to build up and become more complex, it can take a few seconds to load, sync, or navigate.
The delay might frustrate users and reduce productivity.
monday.com is a well-known project management solution that improves workflows and team collaboration.
It comes with advanced features such as task dependencies, automation, time tracking, capacity planning, and multiple dashboard views (Kanban, Gantt, Calendar, and more).
Unlike Notion, these project management capabilities are built into the program so users don’t have to rely on integrations with other tools.
With over 27 views and 217 integrations available, users can customize monday’s interface as required for their intended goals.
Pricing: Free, with advanced features starting from $12/seat/month
Disclaimer: Pricing is subject to change.
Rating on Software Finder: 4.6/5
Monday.com’s Unique Features
A comprehensive project management solution, monday.com offers advanced features such as:
- Built-in automations with multiple templates
- Comprehensive reporting that tracks milestone and per-user progress
- Integrations with 200+ third-party tools
- Extensive workflow management options
- Gantt charts for project management and planning
Pros: Why People Prefer Monday
Integrated Automation Templates
monday.com lets users plug custom automation directly into their boards with easy-to-use, pre-made templates.
Teams can automate routine tasks, move items to different groups or boards, update statuses, and even send team-wide reminders.
All you need to do is select your variables and define the action. However, this feature is not available in the free plan.
Built-In Reporting
The reporting features in monday.com make it a widely used PM software, allowing users to track milestones and generate per-user reports directly within the app.
What stands out about the reporting feature is its flexibility in generating both basic (macro) and advanced reports.
For teams that need real-time data visibility, monday.com's easy-to-use metrics offer a compelling solution for maintaining work transparency and improving productivity.
Search Feature
For teams managing large-scale projects, monday.com’s search tool brings a lot to the table. With this feature users can search for a specific file across their entire workspace. The Search Everything feature can be used to scan across all your work boards to look for the specified keyword. Users can set filters to search for a specific file type, narrowing their search to jpg, ppt, excel, etc.
Cons: Why People Dislike Monday
No Wiki Feature
For companies that want to build an in-house training database or a Wiki, this can be a disadvantage of picking monday.com.
A potential workaround is to use Google Docs files and link them with your workflow. On the other hand, Notion offers a wide variety of Wiki templates, including options for personal, sales, engineering, and product management pages.
No Offline Mode
The monday.com desktop app does not offer an offline mode, which can be a significant concern for users with unreliable internet connections. While the mobile app does support offline usage, the lack of this feature on desktop can still pose challenges.
Notion and monday.com are both powerful tools for enhancing productivity. However, depending on your needs, one might be better for you than the other.
Considering the time required and costs associated with setting up a project, it would be beneficial to have a breakdown of where each tool excels before you invest in it.
1. Pricing
How Much Does Notion Cost compared to monday.com?
Notion is ideal for individuals and small teams with its affordable pricing. It offers a free plan that includes unlimited pages and blocks, which is sufficient for personal use.
Paid tiers focus on adding collaboration features and advanced tools. You can also get Notion’s AI tool as an add on for all these plans.
Notion offers the following pricing plans:
- Free basic plan to get you started
- Plus plan at $12/seat/month with the option to invite up to 100 guests
- Business plan at $18/seat/month with up to 250 guests
- Enterprise plan with custom pricing
Disclaimer: Pricing is subject to change.
How Much Does monday.com Cost compared to Notion?
monday.com scales with team size and business complexity, making it better for larger teams that need structured workflows.
Currently, monday.com offers the following pricing plans based on the features you require
- Free plan for two users
- Basic plan at $12/seat/month
- Standard at $14/seat/month
- Pro plan at $24/seat/month
- Enterprise plan with customized pricing based on team size
Disclaimer: Pricing is subject to change.
Plans above Basic offer extra features like Gantt view, guest access, and more. Unlike Notion, a great thing about monday.com’s pricing is the inclusion of its AI assistant with all plans.
Winner: It’s difficult to declare whether Notion would be better for you or monday.com when it comes to pricing. The right choice will depend on your organization’s needs.
2. Ease Of Use
Notion
Notion is highly customizable; however, this is also a double-edged sword. While the user-interface is intuitive, it provides numerous customization options, which can be overwhelming for new users.
The initial time investment in setting up your ideal workflow can be significant, but the payoff is worth it. Once everything is set up, users have access to Kanban boards and databases that are uniquely tailored to their usage.
Monday.com
monday’s focus on project management makes it more straightforward and easier to adapt for teams of all sizes.
Pre-built templates and project automation tools allow users to get started quickly, without needing excessive customization.
Winner: monday is more intuitive and ready to use for teams focused on project management. While Notion offers flexibility, the initial setup requires extra effort. This clearly gives monday.com an edge over Notion in terms of ease of use and accessibility.
3. Project Management
Notion
Notion is excellent for light project management through customizable views including databases, calendars, and Kanban boards.
However, it lacks features found in dedicated project management software, such as advanced reporting, so users have to rely on external tools.
Monday.com
monday.com stands out in project management, offering Gantt charts, task dependencies, and automation to streamline workflow management.
With highly customizable team collaboration tools, monday.com offers a clear overview of project status and is better equipped for large-scale projects.
Winner: monday.com is the right choice for you if you require a feature-packed project management tool.
Its detailed task tracking and process automation surpasses Notion, which is more adaptable for personal and small team use.
4. Databases
Notion
Since Notion is focused on writing and offering creativity tools, it offers users the option to create databases, which act as separate pages of their own, complete with sections to add notes, to-do lists, and more.
It also has the option to build Wiki pages to create a knowledge base for your project.
Monday.com
Monday lacks specific features focused on notetaking. Although, it does provide note boards through its integration with Evernote and Google Keep.
In contrast to Notion, it is more focused on organizing project views through Kanban boards.
Winner: Notion is the clear winner here as it allows the creation of databases and Wikis.
5. Project Views
Notion
Since Notion doesn’t exclusively cater to project management, it offers a functional albeit limited project view board.
Users have access to board, table, list, gallery, calendar, and timeline views, which are further customizable.
Monday.com
monday.com offers several viewing options for your project, namely: Timeline, Calendar, Cards, Gantt, and Kanban.
Gantt charts are what truly set monday apart from Notion, considering how important and useful they can be in project management.
Winner: monday.com takes the lead here, even if it’s only by a slight margin. Even though you have to pay extra to get access to Gantt view in monday.com, its inclusion provides a lot of benefits that Notion misses out on.
6. Templates
Notion
Notion offers a library of pre-built templates for various use cases and project types, from personal productivity to marketing, management, and even HR.
The template customization is virtually limitless, allowing users to add a personal touch to each one.
monday.com
monday.com offers specialized templates that are focused on team workflows, project tracking, CRM, and operations management.
Given monday’s focus on getting projects up and running as quickly as possible, these templates are designed for immediate use without requiring any further input from the user.
Unfortunately, that also means less creative flexibility.
Winner: Despite the initial time-consuming setup process, Notion offers a wide variety of templates for different use cases instead of just focusing on project management.
This makes Notion a far better choice than monday.com software.
7. AI Assistant
Notion
Notion's AI helps with tasks related to content, such as writing, helping you create a knowledge base, and transforming databases into actionable insights.
It’s primarily beneficial for individual productivity, assisting with writing by providing insights, brainstorming new ideas, and more.
While you can try the AI assistant for free, its functionality is limited.
To unlock all its features, you need to purchase Notion AI as an add-on for your current plan.
Monday.com
AI capabilities of monday.com focus on automating workflow processes, making it more of a tool for project management than individual use.
It can handle repetitive tasks, provide intelligent notifications, and generate actionable insights, boosting team efficiency.
Also, unlike Notion, monday’s AI is available with all payment plans.
Winner: Overall, this can be considered a draw, depending on your requirements. However, from a purely project management point of view, monday.com would be the winner.
Notion’s AI is tailored towards creative and content-driven tasks, while monday’s AI enhances team productivity by streamlining workflow through task automation and more.
8. Collaboration
Notion
Notion supports collaboration through real-time editing, commenting, and shared workspaces. It’s effective for smaller teams that need to work on documents and databases but lacks the advanced collaboration features to accommodate larger, multi-tier teams.
Monday.com
Designed for team collaboration, the software offers real-time updates, task assignments, and advanced tracking tools.
Teams can manage permissions and track workloads, and external collaborators can be invited as guests, which makes it ideal for business operations.
Winner: This one is more of a tie, as both platforms have their own benefits depending on team size. Both tools allow you to invite guests to collaborate with and since the pricing model is the same, monday and Notion are neck and neck in terms of collaborative features.
9. Integrations
Notion
Notion offers close to 100 native integrations with tools like Slack, Trello, and Google Drive. There is also the option to turn to third-party services like Zapier for more extensive integration options. Considering the lack of real-time chat for collaboration in Notion, its integration with Slack software is useful.
Monday.com
Just like Notion, monday.com supports native integrations (over 200) with popular CRM tools, marketing platforms, Slack, Zoom, and Google Workspace.
Given the sheer number of integrations available you won’t have to turn to other tools for customized integrations but that doesn’t really give it an edge over Notion.
Winner: Another tie here based on your company’s specific needs.
Both Notion and monday.com offer integration with some of the leading third-party tools, so it all comes down to which ones you want to use or are already using.
10. Support
Notion
Notion provides standard support via email, a knowledge base, and an online community.
Premium users get access to priority support, but the level of assistance remains limited compared to monday.com.
On top of that, users on the Notion Free plan get no official support at all, making this a somewhat lukewarm offer.
Monday.com
monday.com offers 24/7 customer support via phone, live chat, and email. Users also get access to a highly detailed knowledge base, webinars, and tutorials.
These support options are available to everyone, regardless of their payment plan. Enterprise customers receive premium support options, ensuring faster response times and dedicated assistance.
Winner: monday.com is the clear winner as it offers more comprehensive and accessible support, particularly for larger teams or businesses with critical and time-sensitive needs.
The main difference between Notion and monday is the benefit the latter offers when it comes to purely project management tasks.
If you have a larger team size and require assistance with task management, pre-built board templates, budget tracking, and Gantt view, then monday should be the platform of choice.
Meanwhile, Notion is a viable choice for smaller teams, thanks to its offline functionality, note-taking capabilities, and personalization aspects.
It is difficult to recommend one over the other as Notion and monday.com are technically designed for different use cases. So we leave that decisiont to you after reading this
While there are certain similarities between them, the core audience of each is different, and they will objectively prefer the platform that meets their needs.
