Upbase vs Notion: Built for action—not just organization

Get out of setup mode and into flow, with a tool that helps you work—not just build

Notion is beloved for its flexibility. You can build anything—dashboards, databases, wikis, and more. But for many users, that blank canvas turns into an endless loop of planning and building.

Upbase takes a different path: tasks, docs, planner, notes, chat—all ready to go. You don't build your workflow. You just use it.

Side-by-side comparison: Upbase vs Notion

Category
Setup & Onboarding	Structured and ready to go. No templates needed.	Blank canvas—requires time to build or find templates.
UI & Navigation	Hierarchical, clean, task-first.	Free-form interface. Can become chaotic quickly.
Task Management	Built-in tasks, subtasks, recurring tasks, reminders.	Requires manual setup or templates. Not native.
Docs & Notes	Built-in Docs, Daily Notes, file manager.	Excellent for docs—but less structured for task execution.
Daily Focus Tools	Planner, Time Blocking, Pomodoro Timer.	Requires complex setup or third-party tools.
Collaboration	Chat, comments, file sharing, real-time updates.	Excellent for doc collaboration. Weaker for task-based teams.
Customization	Light and focused. Just enough control.	Extreme flexibility—can lead to overbuilding.
Best for	Teams that want speed, focus, and done-for-you structure.	Teams with time and desire to fully build their own system.

What you get with Upbase (that Notion requires effort to replicate)

Core features
Daily Planner
Time blocking
Advanced Reminders
Daily Notes
Pomodoro Timer
Global chat
Files
Links
Messages (Async communication)
Tasks in multiple lists
Native time tracking
Task list view
Kanban board view
Collaborative Docs

👎 What users don't like about Notion

Notion is flexible—but often frustrating for teams focused on getting things done. Here's what users say:

1. Blank canvas = too much work upfront

You start with an empty page. That means:

Time spent hunting for or building templates
No task system unless you create one manually
No "plug and play" experience—everything must be designed

2. Great for documentation, not execution

Notion is strong for:

Wikis
Databases
Internal notes

But weak for:

Task flows
Scheduling
Daily planning
Personal productivity

3. No true daily planner or time tools

If you want:

A place to plan your day
Calendar-integrated tasks
Time blocking
Focus timers

…you'll need to use outside apps or build your own system in Notion.

4. Workspace clutter builds up fast

Without structure, teams often end up with:

Disorganized pages
Duplicated work
Confusion about where to find what

✅ Why teams switch to Upbase

You don't have to build the system

Upbase is ready out of the box. You don't need to design your own task setup, planner, or dashboard. Just log in and go.

Focused on doing, not just documenting

Upbase combines project planning with daily execution—calendar, tasks, notes, reminders, and focus tools all work together.

Designed for individuals and teams

Whether you're a solo operator or managing a remote team, Upbase keeps everyone organized—without setup fatigue.

No per-user pricing surprises

Predictable, flat-rate pricing gives growing teams huge savings—and less billing stress.

💰 Pricing: Save big with Upbase

Upbase gives you two flexible ways to pay—without forcing you into expensive per-user pricing.

Option 1: Pay per user

$15/user/month (billed monthly)
$10/user/month (billed yearly)

✅ Great for small teams just getting started.

Option 2: Flat-rate pricing — unlimited users

$119/month (billed monthly)
$99/month (billed yearly)

✅ Best value for growing teams.
✅ No per-seat fees. No surprise increases. Just one predictable price.

💸 See how much you save (30 users example)

Tool	Users	Annual Cost
Upbase (Flat rate)	Unlimited	$1,188 total
Notion Business ($20/user/month)	30 users	$7,200

➡️ Save over $6,000/year with Upbase—while also skipping the time and effort required to build your own system from scratch.

🟢 Summary: Which tool is right for you?

Choose Upbase if you want a done-for-you workspace that helps you and your team stay focused and productive.
Choose Notion if you love building systems, and have the time to manage your own productivity framework from scratch.

Read what our customers say

Upbase is the best project management tool I've used. Clean and beautiful UI. It has everything that we need to manage our projects. I especially like how easy it is to keep track of all tasks I have to do and their deadline.

Asil Jacira - Project Manager

We switched to Upbase after using a number of other project management tools. It was by far the best for us as it is easy to use, has a beautiful design, and being able to see everything on a calendar is incredibly helpful.

Ándaras Draha - Designer

Upbase is a joy to work with. We loved this tool so much we made it a part of our company. The UI is great, and the ability to share information with the team is unparalleled. Everything is so easy to use and intuitive.

Ioan Gilbert - Digital Marketer

I've tried a few different project management systems, but I couldn't find anything that click for me. Upbase really is a breath of fresh air in this industry. It's easy to use and takes no time to onboard our team.

Geffrey Albert - Freelancer

Upbase helps us to consolidate all our tasks, files and discussions in one place. Collaborating and sharing information with the team is very easy. And the UI/UX are fantastic. I can tell a lot of thought went into the design of this app.

Clotilde Sarah - Frontend Developer

Upbase is the only project management software that has the functionality I need and a user interface I like. It’s hard to find a simple, yet powerful app like this. Everything is just so beautiful and well-designed.

Zülfikar Ludovic - Sales Manager