Notion vs Microsoft 365

by Gralio Feb 03, 2025

Notion and Microsoft 365 cater to different work styles. Notion excels in customization and flexibility, making it suitable for teams who prefer building their workflows. Microsoft 365 provides a familiar and comprehensive suite of tools that are deeply integrated, ideal for businesses prioritizing established software and broad compatibility.

At Gralio.ai we help to simplify your decision-making process by offering detailed, side-by-side software comparisons like this one, to help you confidently choose the tool that aligns with your business goals.

This comparison was created by analysing 9687 reviews and 60 websites, saving 2 days, 6 hours, 19 minutes of reading.

Logo of Notion
Notion
Logo of Microsoft 365
Microsoft 365

About

Notion is an all-in-one workspace platform designed to help teams organize information, manage projects, and collaborate effectively. It centralizes notes, documents, tasks, and databases, making it easy for teams to access and share information. Notion allows users to customize their workspace with templates and integrations and offers AI features for writing assistance and information retrieval. It aims to be a flexible solution that adapts to various work styles and replaces the need for multiple single-purpose tools.
Microsoft 365 is a cloud-based subscription service that provides access to familiar applications like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, alongside cloud services like email, online storage, and teamwork tools. Offering a range of plans for businesses of all sizes, it allows users to work from anywhere with an internet connection, collaborating on documents in real time and improving productivity through its suite of integrated apps. Microsoft 365 aims to be a central hub for communication, content creation, and data management for modern businesses.

Summary

Main difference
Notion is a highly customizable and versatile workspace for notes, tasks, wikis, and databases, ideal for teams who value flexibility and a single platform for various needs. Microsoft 365, on the other hand, offers a comprehensive suite of industry-standard applications like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, coupled with robust cloud services, making it better for businesses prioritizing established tools and seamless interoperability.

Relative strengths of Notion (compared to Microsoft 365)

  • Superior customization and flexibility for creating unique workflows and databases.

  • All-in-one workspace consolidating various tools into a single platform.

  • Generous free plan suitable for individual users and small teams.

Relative weaknesses of Notion (compared to Microsoft 365)

  • Steeper learning curve and less intuitive interface compared to Microsoft 365.

  • Limited offline functionality can hinder access to critical information.

  • Mobile app experience is less polished and feature-rich compared to Microsoft 365 counterparts.

Who should use Notion VS. Microsoft 365

Notion is an all-in-one workspace for teams and individuals. Users love the variety of templates and real-time collaboration features. However, some find the platform not intuitive and the mobile app underwhelming. Notion offers a generous free plan and paid options for enhanced features.

Microsoft 365 offers a comprehensive suite of productivity and collaboration tools ideal for businesses of all sizes. Users appreciate its accessibility across multiple devices and real-time document editing capabilities. However, some find the storage capacity limiting and desire more third-party integrations. It's a valuable tool for businesses seeking to streamline communication and enhance teamwork.

  • Best for small to medium-sized businesses and enterprises.

  • Suitable for various industries, including Healthcare, Finance, E-commerce, and more.

  • Best for small, medium, and enterprise businesses.

  • Suitable for various industries, including healthcare, finance, and technology.

Notion and Microsoft 365 features

Supported
Partially supported
Not supported
Type in the name of the feature or in your own words tell us what you need
  • Word processing
    Supported

    Notion supports creating, editing, and formatting text documents, including collaboration features.

    Supported

    Microsoft Word in Microsoft 365 supports creating, editing, and formatting text documents, with features like spell check and collaboration.

  • Graphic design
    Not supported

    Notion is not a graphic design tool. It can be used to manage design projects.

    Partially supported

    Microsoft 365 supports graphic design via Microsoft Designer, available for personal accounts.

  • Email & calendar management
    Partially supported

    Email and calendar management is partially supported through integrations and the upcoming Notion Mail.

    Supported

    Microsoft 365 fully supports email and calendar management, including contacts and tasks.

  • Note organization
    Supported

    Notion supports the ability to organize notes into notebooks, sections, and pages.

    Supported

    Microsoft 365, via its OneNote component, allows organizing notes within notebooks, sections, and pages, as confirmed by the sources.

  • Sections
    Supported

    Notion supports the ability to divide notebooks into sections for further organization.

    Supported

    Microsoft 365, through its OneNote application, allows users to divide notebooks into sections and even group these sections for better organization.

  • AI Content Improver
    Supported

    Notion supports the feature of rewriting and improving existing content using AI through its various Notion AI functions.

    Supported

    Microsoft 365 offers AI-driven features through Microsoft 365 Copilot and Microsoft Editor. These tools use AI to rewrite, improve, and generate content within various Microsoft 365 apps, including features like tone suggestions, conciseness checks, and summarization.

Qualities

  • Value and Pricing Transparency
    -0.02
    Neutral sentiment
    -0.29
    Neutral sentiment
  • Customer Service
    +0.33
    Rather positive sentiment
    +0.26
    Neutral sentiment
  • Ease of Use
    +0.7
    Strongly positive sentiment
    +0.76
    Strongly positive sentiment
  • Reliability and Performance
    +0.26
    Neutral sentiment
    +0.28
    Neutral sentiment
  • Ease of Implementation
    -0.39
    Rather negative sentiment
    +0.32
    Rather positive sentiment
  • Scalability
    -0.13
    Neutral sentiment
    +0.18
    Neutral sentiment
Notion and Microsoft 365 Pricing
Notion offers a Free plan, three paid plans (Plus, Business, Enterprise) with per seat monthly billing and a Notion AI add-on. The Enterprise plan requires contacting sales for a custom quote.
Plans

User sentiment

Neutral
-0.02

See full Pricing page

No data

User sentiment

Neutral
-0.29
We couldn't find a pricing page for Microsoft 365.

Notion and Microsoft 365 review insights

9594 reviews analysed from and

Users love

  • The variety of templates and projects that are ready for use.
  • Seamless collaboration with the team thanks to the real-time working feature.
  • The generous free plan which meets the needs of most casual users.
  • It’s so versatile and easy to use! All-in-one software for productivity, notes, and more.
  • Ability to use this on multiple devices - office, home, traveling
  • Microsoft 365 is a service with which you can organize your work schedule, schedule meetings and communicate with your customer base
  • Accessible and very professional to perform your daily work
  • Allows you to edit and save documents in real time

Users dislike

  • The platform is not intuitive - it requires several hours of learning to fully understand what this platform is capable of.
  • Limited offline access capabilities.
  • The mobile app is underwhelming with limited functionality.
  • Limited font selection
  • They should offer new benefits and promotions to be much more attractive
  • Integration to third party products is not widespread
  • The video conferencing features are a bit slow for my expectations
  • 1TB of storage is very low in a world where high quality files are bigger than ever

Notion and Microsoft 365 Ratings

  • G2
    4.7/5
    (2568)
  • Capterra
    4.7/5
    (2184)
  • TrustPilot
    2.9/5
    (93)
  • Glassdoor
    4.7/5
    (172)
  • G2
    4.6/5
    (2492)
  • Capterra
    4.7/5
    (2350)

Company health

Employee growth

92% increase in the last year
3% increase in the last year

Web traffic

5% decrease in the last quarter
11% decrease in the last quarter

Financing

No data
No data

How do Notion's customizable templates compare to Microsoft 365's pre-built application suite?

Notion's customizable templates offer a flexible approach to building workspaces, while Microsoft 365 provides a suite of pre-built applications with familiar tools like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Notion emphasizes adaptability to various workflows through templates and integrations, whereas Microsoft 365 focuses on providing a robust set of established applications for common business tasks. Essentially, Notion allows you to create the tools you need, while Microsoft 365 provides ready-made tools.

Which product better integrates existing workflows, Notion's flexibility or Microsoft's established ecosystem?

Microsoft 365 likely better integrates with existing workflows due to its established ecosystem. While Notion offers flexibility and customization, many businesses already rely on Microsoft products like Word, Excel, and Outlook. Microsoft 365 seamlessly integrates these existing tools and offers a familiar user experience, reducing the learning curve and potential disruption to established workflows.

What are the advantages of Notion?

Notion's advantages include a highly customizable workspace with templates and integrations, catering to diverse work styles. Its all-in-one design consolidates various tools into one platform, simplifying information access and team collaboration. Notion also offers AI-powered features for content enhancement and retrieval, boosting productivity. Lastly, a generous free plan makes it accessible for casual users.

What are the disadvantages of Notion?

Notion's non-intuitive interface requires a significant learning curve, potentially hindering immediate productivity. Limited offline access can disrupt workflows for users without consistent internet connectivity. The mobile app's reduced functionality compared to the desktop version may frustrate mobile-dependent users. Finally, the limited font selection can restrict customization and branding options for some users.

Alternatives to Notion and Microsoft 365

Logo of ClickUp
ClickUp
ClickUp is a comprehensive work management platform designed to consolidate various work processes into one centralized location. It offers a wide array of features including task management, project planning, document collaboration, communication tools, goal setting, and automation options. ClickUp aims to enhance team collaboration, improve visibility across projects, and streamline workflows for increased productivity regardless of team size or industry.
Logo of Google Workspace
Google Workspace
Google Workspace is a suite of online productivity and collaboration tools for businesses of all sizes. It includes popular apps like Gmail, Calendar, Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides, Meet and more. Google Workspace aims to provide a seamless and integrated experience for communication, document creation, file storage, and team collaboration, all accessible from any device with an internet connection. It stands out with its user-friendly interface and strong collaboration features.
Logo of Confluence
Confluence
Confluence is a collaborative workspace designed to streamline teamwork and knowledge sharing. It allows you to create, organize, and collaborate on documents, projects, and ideas in one central hub. This eliminates scattered information and keeps everyone on the same page. Confluence integrates with other tools and is highly customizable to adapt to various team needs, from product launches to marketing strategies.
Logo of Coda
Coda
Coda is a collaborative workspace tool that combines aspects of documents, spreadsheets, and applications. It allows teams to create customized documents with integrated features such as tables, buttons, and automations. Coda aims to centralize information, streamline workflows, and replace multiple single-purpose tools. It's suitable for various teams and tasks like project management, OKR tracking, and creating knowledge bases. Coda is free for individual use with tiered paid plans for teams.
Logo of Fibery
Fibery is a comprehensive work management platform designed to consolidate your team's tools and data. It offers a flexible system to manage projects, track progress, and collaborate on documents, whiteboards, and databases, all within a single, connected workspace. Fibery is highly customizable, allowing you to tailor it to your team's specific workflows and needs, from software development to marketing and beyond. It aims to streamline your operations, improve transparency, and boost cross-team alignment.
Logo of Revver
Revver
Revver (formerly eFileCabinet) helps businesses manage documents and automate tasks. It provides a central platform for secure file storage, sharing, and collaboration. Revver offers features such as electronic signatures, fillable forms, and automated workflows to streamline document-centric processes. This can help businesses improve efficiency, reduce errors, and enhance compliance.

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