Notion vs Trello
Learn more about your options and pick the best tool for your team.
Unsure whether to choose Notion or Trello? You've come to the right place.
For years, Trello has been the industry standard when it comes to project management software. It's been a trendsetter ever since it first launched in 2011, popularizing the Kanban approach to project management and serving as an inspiration for many tools that entered the market in the following years.
Notion, on the other hand, is still a newcomer in the field of productivity software, but it's already taking it by storm, gaining millions of users in a few short years.
The choice between Notion and Trello is far from clear-cut. In this article, we will take a closer look at both Trello and Notion and examine their strengths and weaknesses.
Notion and Trello compared
The main difference between Notion and Trello lies in their core use cases.
Trello is a straightforward Kanban board tool that uses boards and cards to manage tasks visually. Notion, on the other hand, is a versatile platform that combines note-taking, databases, and project management. Compared to Trello, Notion offers greater flexibility and allows users to create tailored workflows and manage a variety of content types.
Ultimately, it will all come down to your unique needs, preferences, and workflow, as there is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to productivity software. And if you're having trouble choosing between Trello and Notion, keep in mind that they aren't your only options. There are many other excellent tools that may turn out to be an even better fit for your needs.
To make the most informed decision, let's first dive deeper into what Notion and Trello have to offer, taking into account their strengths, limitations, notable features, pricing, and user reviews. We will also have a look at other alternatives you may want to consider.
Notion
Pricing: Free, advanced features starting from $8/user/month
Rating on Capterra: 4.8/5
Notion started out as a note-taking tool, but has come a long way since its early days. Today, it makes a bold claim of being an "all-in-one workspace" where teams can bring all their work together, replacing multiple other tools.
It largely owes its popularity to its unparalleled flexibility. Like Trello, Notion has Kanban board — but it's just one of the many ways you can visually organize your content in Notion. This offers nearly limitless possibilities — you can build a wiki, document your product roadmap, organize meeting notes, publish your blog — and so much more.
One downside of such a powerful feature set is the steep learning curve. New users may feel overwhelmed by all the menus and options and should be prepared to dedicate enough time to learn the tool. But depending on your needs, it might be the right trade-off for you.
Why you might prefer Notion over Trello:
Notion is more flexible and customizable than Trello, with a more extensive feature set.
Notion can be used not only as a project management tool, but also as a wiki and a database, allowing you to replace multiple collaboration tools.
Some users find the interface of Notion to be more modern and slick.
What users say about Notion:
"Notion is Trello and Confluence combined. It solves a lot of problems and can act as the source of information for a company. It requires a guru to setup and successfully maintain, but can pay dividends to have all tasks and information in one place."
Looking for more tools similar to Notion? Check out this list of best Notion alternatives.
Trello
Pricing: Free, advanced features starting from $5/user/month
Rating on Capterra: 4.5/5
Trello's main appeal is its simplicity. While Notion tries to do everything at once — wikis, issue trackers, databases, and more — Trello is a dedicated project management tool that is fully optimized for one task.
In addition to its iconic Kanban board, Trello has recently enabled new ways to visually organize your tasks, including Dashboard, Timeline, Table, Calendar, and Map. Note that these additional views are only available with a subscription to Trello's Premium plan.
Overall, Trello is not nearly as feature-packed as Notion, but it makes up for it by being more user-friendly. It turns this simplicity into one of its key selling points, making it as easy as possible for anyone to get started with the tool and be productive with it.
While Trello is still actively developed, it changed little over the years. To some, its interface may appear somewhat dated compared to Notion. Yet staying true to what users have come to love about it is what earned Trello the loyalty of thousands of customers.
Why you might prefer Trello over Notion:
Trello is fully optimized for project management and doesn't try to do too many things at once.
Trello is easier to get started with, the initial setup requires minimal configuration and can be completed in minutes.
Trello offers fewer features and options than Notion, making it easier for the entire team to get the hang of it.
Trello's selection of Power-Ups and integrations is more extensive than that of Notion.
What users say about Trello:
"I think the main advantage of using Trello is that it is becoming a standard of the industry. Most people are familiar with it, it has all type of connectors and integrations (Gmail, Calendar, Zapier, Integromat...) and when it comes to collaborate with other teams/companies it is so much easier to use the same tool. Its simplicity and amazing UX are also a great advantage of this tool."
Looking for more tools similar to Trello? Check out this list of best Trello alternatives.
Other alternatives
It should be mentioned that your options are not limited to just Notion and Trello. There are many other great productivity and collaboration tools that can serve you just as well — or even better. For example, if you like the idea of replacing multiple tools with a unified solution like Notion, but prefer the simplicity of Trello, consider Nuclino.
Like Notion, Nuclino is a multi-purpose tool that allows you to bring all your knowledge, docs, and projects together. You can visually organize your work in a nested list, a Kanban board, a table, or a mindmap-style graph. It can be a great solution for a wide range of use cases, including sprint planning, document collaboration, project management, asynchronous communication, and more.
At the same time, Nuclino is designed to be as user-friendly and intuitive as possible. It focuses on the essentials and offers a clean, distraction-free interface with no clunky menus and rarely-used options.
Every card on your Nuclino board is its own collaborative document. You can add notes, to-do lists with due dates, files, code blocks, tables, diagrams, and much more.
This allows you to always keep your work in context, documenting the goals and decisions for every task. You can exchange feedback directly in Nuclino using comments and mentions.
Learn more about how Nuclino compares to Notion: Nuclino vs Notion.
Notion vs Trello: So which is better?
There is no definitive "winner" when you compare Notion and Trello. Both tools are popular for different reasons, and the best choice depends on your unique requirements and preferences. Notion can be a great option for those who aren't intimidated by a complex interface and want a powerful and flexible tool where they can consolidate all their work. And Trello may be a better option for those who are looking for a simple, user-friendly project management tool and don't need all the additional bells and whistles.
On the other hand, if you want the best of both worlds and value both simplicity and flexibility, consider exploring other alternatives, such as Nuclino.
We hope this article has made your decision a little easier and recommend you take all three tools for a spin.
FAQs: Comparing Trello vs Notion
What is the difference between Notion and Trello?
Notion and Trello serve different purposes, although both can help with project management.
Trello is primarily a task and project management tool that uses boards, lists, and cards to help you organize and prioritize tasks. Notion, on the other hand, is a versatile workspace that combines note-taking, database management, task management, and more into a single tool. Notion offers more flexibility in creating various types of content, while Trello focuses on visual task tracking.
Which is better, Trello or Notion?
Whether Trello or Notion is better depends on your specific needs.
Trello is great for straightforward task and project management with its intuitive board and card system. It’s ideal for teams that need a simple, visual way to track progress. Notion, however, is better suited for those who need a more comprehensive tool that combines notes, databases, and task management in one place. It’s more versatile but may have a steeper learning curve.
How to use Trello and Notion together?
To use Trello and Notion together, you can link Trello boards within Notion pages using embeds or integration tools like Zapier. This allows you to manage tasks in Trello while using Notion for documentation and broader project planning.
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