Notion vs Smartsheet: A data-backed comparison
Explore Notion and Smartsheet’s features, pricing, adoption trends, and ideal use cases to help you determine which project management tool is the best fit for your team.
Notion vs Smartsheet at a glance
Both Notion and Smartsheet offer powerful project management capabilities, but they cater to different types of teams through their approaches to project management.
Notion is a better fit for flexible, all-in-one workspaces. It combines task management, documentation, and databases in one platform. It suits teams that value customization and knowledge sharing.
Smartsheet is a better fit for detailed project tracking. It features Gantt charts, resource management, and real-time reporting. It works well for complex workflows and larger teams.
Metrics | Notion | Smartsheet |
|---|---|---|
Relative cost | 25% lower cost than category average | 22% lower cost than category average |
Adoption trend | 9% QoQ adoption growth | 15% QoQ adoption growth |
Primary user segment | – | – |
Best for | Teams that want an all-in-one workspace to manage docs, tasks, and wikis in a highly flexible and customizable way. | Organizations of all sizes that need collaborative project management and scalable workflow solutions that can grow with their business. |
Notion overview
Notion is a flexible workspace for teams that want to manage tasks, docs, and projects in one place. It uses a block-based system to link databases, notes, and task boards into connected pages.
Notion is best for teams building their own systems instead of following fixed workflows. It replaces multiple tools with a single, customizable space for tracking work and sharing information.
Notion key features
Features | Description |
|---|---|
Flexible workspace | Combines notes, databases, and tasks in a customizable environment |
Collaboration tools | Supports real-time editing, file sharing, and teamwork spaces |
Database functionality | Enables structured data tracking with relational databases |
Integrations | Connects with Slack, Google Drive, and Trello for efficient workflows |
Customizable templates | Offers a variety of pre-built templates for different use cases |
Smartsheet overview
Smartsheet is a project management tool built on a spreadsheet-style interface. It adds Gantt charts, dashboards, and automation to support complex workflows and large project portfolios.
Smartsheet is best for teams that need detailed tracking, advanced reporting, and scalability—especially those already comfortable with Excel.
Smartsheet key features
Features | Description |
|---|---|
Customizable project views | Grid, Gantt, and card views support flexible project tracking. |
Workflow automation | No-code templates streamline repetitive tasks and complex workflows. |
Enterprise reporting | Custom dashboards provide deep analytics and real-time project insights. |
Resource management | Built-in timesheets and resource tracking for project planning. |
Secure collaboration | Access controls and integrations with Microsoft 365 and Salesforce support enterprise use. |
Data connectivity | Syncs with external systems like ServiceNow, Jira, and Google Sheets. |
Pros and Cons
Tool | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
Notion |
|
|
Smartsheet |
|
|
Use case scenarios
Notion is flexible, allowing teams to create interconnected systems with tasks, docs, and wikis, while Smartsheet is structured, ideal for teams handling complex workflows with advanced tracking and reporting needs:
When Notion is the better choice
- Teams managing 1-10 projects that need flexibility and collaboration.
- Teams looking to combine text, media, and project data in one workspace.
- Teams that need customization without technical expertise.
- Projects like marketing campaigns, product specs, or project wikis that require easy organization.
When Smartsheet is the better choice
- Teams managing 10+ projects that need portfolio-level visibility and resource control.
- Teams needing to track multiple job sites or parallel projects.
- Teams looking to streamline handoffs between project phases with automation.
- Data-driven teams that need detailed reporting and real-time insights.
- Teams in professional services or marketing that require performance tracking across multiple channels.
Other project management tools
- Asana: Offers a more intuitive task management system than Smartsheet with less learning curve than Notion's blank-slate project approach.
- Monday.com: Provides highly visual project workflows with colorful status indicators that make progress tracking more engaging than Smartsheet or Notion.
- Trello: Delivers a simpler Kanban-focused project interface that's more accessible for teams wanting visual task management without Notion's complexity.
- Jira: Offers superior software development project management with agile methodologies that neither Notion nor Smartsheet fully support.
- Basecamp: Provides a more straightforward approach to project communication with centralized discussion threads that Notion and Smartsheet lack.
- Wrike: Features stronger proofing and approval workflows for creative project teams than either Notion or Smartsheet.
- Teamwork: Delivers better client project management capabilities with time tracking and billing features more developed than Notion.
- Zoho Projects: Offers more affordable pricing for small project teams with integrated services across the Zoho ecosystem that Smartsheet can't match.
- Microsoft Project: Provides more sophisticated scheduling capabilities for complex projects with dependencies that exceed Smartsheet's capabilities.
- ClickUp: Combines aspects of both Notion and Smartsheet with more customizable project views and a better balance between flexibility and structure.
- Airtable: Offers more powerful project database functionality than Notion with better visualization options for complex project data relationships.