I don't pay for Trello, Asana, Airtable, or Jira, but use the following instead

When it comes to project management, Jira and other big names often dominate the conversation. But what if you're looking for a free or budget-friendly approach? This is where a powerful solution like Notion comes into play. Although Notion is becoming increasingly popular as a versatile workspace, it offers a surprising number of project management features that will allow you to quickly replace your existing Airtable databases and Trello boards.

Unless you're managing a large team with very specific needs, Notion's project management features may be all you need. Charmed? Let's dive in!

7 Multiple database views

Notion isn't just limited to tables and list views. It is packed with multiple options to view project details the way you want. It offers flexibility that rivals and even exceeds traditional project management tools.

Notion offers multiple database views to choose from, such as: B. Table, pin board, gallery, list, calendar and timeline. You can switch between views to gain new insights, track progress, and identify potential obstacles. For example, use the Kanban board to view the status of tasks, then switch to the calendar view to check for scheduling conflicts.

This flexibility, combined with its user-friendly interface and powerful features, makes Notion a compelling alternative for managing projects of any size and complexity.

6 Powerful collaboration features

Collaboration features are the backbone of any project management tool, and Notion excels in this area. You can share a specific Notion page with team members with different permissions such as editing, commenting, and viewing.

Multiple users can work on the same project at the same time without conflicts or delays. You can add comments to specific content blocks, tasks, or pages, and even use @ to mention team members and inform them of updates.

There is even the option to share an entire workspace with others. It can be very convenient if you have all project related information in a single workspace. It creates a collaborative environment where teams can work together effectively, share ideas seamlessly, and stay on top of projects.

5 A set of templates to get you started

This is where Notion really shines. It offers a wealth of project management templates to help you get started. Whether you want to create a simple project tracker, a product launch roadmap, or a complex Kanban board, you can complete the task with just one click.

These templates provide a solid foundation and are fully customizable. You can easily add or remove sections, change properties, and customize views to suit your specific project needs. You can also explore content calendar templates that help you plan and schedule your blog posts, social media updates, and other content.

Notion recently announced the forms tool. If your project involves collecting customer data, conducting surveys, testing, or gathering employee input, you don't need to use another tool like Google Forms or Microsoft Forms to complete the task. You can simply type /Form and create a dynamic form with relevant details like text, multiple choice, date, person, number, checkbox, email, URL and more.

3 Automation with third-party services

Notion offers several tools to help you automate your databases like a pro. You can create buttons, synced blocks, linked databases, and even explore Notion APIs for a custom workflow. Power users can explore database automation to unlock a variety of possibilities.

For example, you can connect your Slack workspace to Notion and create a trigger that causes the system to send a Slack notification when a team member changes the task status from In Progress to Completed. The possibilities are endless here.

2 A robust free plan

Notion offers an excellent free plan that lets you create a collaborative workspace with unlimited blocks and databases, integrate with Slack, GitHub, and more, and invite up to 10 guests. The free plan should be more than enough for individuals and small teams.

1 Notion's all-in-one approach

Here Notion has a clear advantage over conventional tools such as Trello, Asana, Jira and Airtable. Notion has a block editor that is very customizable. You can insert databases with different views and add relevant notes, tasks, customer information, widgets and much more on a single page. It's entirely up to you to design a page the way you want. There are no visual restrictions.

This versatility makes it a powerful all-in-one solution for various project management needs.

My Notion setup does EVERYTHING

Don't confuse Notion with just another note-taking tool. It's a productivity powerhouse that can truly transform the way you manage your projects. With its versatile databases, collaboration features, and automation, it competes with (and often outperforms) expensive tools like Trello, Asana, and Jira, especially for individuals and small teams. Why wait? Set up a workspace, design your database, invite your team, configure automation and give Notion a try.

In addition to project management, Notion can also act as a subscription manager. Check out my separate guide to building a powerful subscription tracker from scratch in Notion.