Smartsheet vs. Notion
Smartsheet is a spreadsheet-style work management platform for organizing tasks, projects, timelines, and team workflows. Notion is a flexible workspace that combines notes, documents, databases, and task management.
Users often compare them because both support collaboration and customizable workflows, but they suit different needs: Smartsheet emphasizes structured project tracking and reporting, while Notion offers a more adaptable space for knowledge and task management. Comparing their features, pricing, ease of use, integrations, and team requirements can help you choose the right fit.
Smartsheet VS Notion: Which tool is the most popular?
| Tool | Reviews | Average rating | Positive | Neutral | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Notion | 30 | 3.8/5 | 20 | 3 | 7 |
| Smartsheet | 29 | 3.2/5 | 17 | 2 | 10 |
Notion is the most popular tool in this comparison, with slightly more reviews and a higher average rating. It also has more positive reviews and fewer negative reviews than Smartsheet. Smartsheet is the least popular, though the review counts are nearly even.
Smartsheet and Notion: Quick Comparison Overview
| Category | Ahrefs | Semrush |
|---|---|---|
| Primary features | SEO research tools for backlink analysis, keyword research, site audits, rank tracking, and content research. | Broader digital-marketing suite covering SEO, competitor research, site audits, rank tracking, content marketing, local SEO, PPC, and social media. |
| Target audience | SEO specialists, content teams, and agencies focused on organic search and link building. | In-house marketing teams, agencies, and businesses managing several digital-marketing channels. |
| Main advantages | Strong backlink and competitor research, with a focused toolkit for finding SEO and content opportunities. | Wider range of marketing tools in one platform, especially useful for combining SEO with paid, local, and social campaigns. |
| Core value proposition | Make organic-search research and link-building workflows more effective. | Manage and measure a broader digital-marketing program from one platform. |
| Ideal use cases | Analyzing competitors’ backlinks, researching keywords and content gaps, auditing a site, and tracking organic rankings. | Coordinating SEO with PPC, local visibility, content, and social efforts; conducting cross-channel competitor research. |
Sources: Ahrefs features · Semrush features
Feature availability varies by plan and may change.
Most liked vs most disliked features of Smartsheet and Notion
| Platform | Overall sentiment | What users value | Common concerns |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smartsheet | Generally positive, especially for coordinating and tracking projects. | Users praise its collaboration tools, task assignments, project tracking, and approachable design. Some consider it good value for the price. | The free plan has limitations, and new users may need more guidance. Some report a learning curve, difficulty fitting Smartsheet into existing workflows, and a desire for smarter integrations. |
| Notion | Positive among users who value flexibility, though its breadth can be challenging at first. | Users appreciate its all-in-one approach to project management, task tracking, knowledge storage, and documentation. They also value its information organization and connections to tools such as Figma and Sketch. | New users can find the platform overwhelming. Users also cite mobile app limitations, pricing concerns, missing Google Docs and Calendar integrations, and a need for better connections to commonly used apps. |
Key Features of Smartsheet vs Notion
Smartsheet
Smartsheet is oriented toward structured project and work management, with a familiar spreadsheet-style interface and tools for coordinating work across teams.
| Key feature | How it benefits users |
|---|---|
| Grid, Gantt, board, and calendar views | Teams can manage the same work in different formats: track details in a grid, visualize schedules and dependencies in a Gantt chart, or organize work by status on a board. |
| Project and portfolio management | Helps teams plan projects and get visibility across multiple initiatives, making it easier to monitor progress and spot work that needs attention. |
| Dashboards and reports | Brings project data into summaries and visual dashboards so managers and stakeholders can follow status without reviewing every sheet. |
| Workflow automation | Automates routine actions—such as sending alerts or updating work—so teams spend less time on manual follow-up. |
| Forms | Lets teams collect requests or updates in a consistent format and route the information into their work-tracking process. |
| Resource management | Supports planning and monitoring team capacity, which can help managers balance assignments and identify resource constraints. |
| Proofing and review workflows | Helps teams gather feedback and manage approvals on creative or project materials in one process. |
| Integrations and enterprise controls | Connects work with other business tools and supports organizations that need centralized administration and governance. |
Distinctive aspect: Smartsheet combines a spreadsheet-like way of working with project scheduling, automation, reporting, and portfolio-level visibility. That can suit teams already comfortable with rows, columns, and structured project plans.
Source: Smartsheet platform features
Notion
Notion combines task tracking with documents, wikis, and other team knowledge in a flexible workspace. Its projects and tasks can be organized in databases and viewed in different ways.
| Key feature | How it benefits users |
|---|---|
| Projects and tasks in databases | Teams can keep tasks alongside project information and add properties such as status, owner, or due date to suit their workflow. |
| Multiple views | Table, board, calendar, and timeline-style views help people see the same work as a task list, workflow, schedule, or project plan. |
| Docs and wikis alongside tasks | Keeps briefs, meeting notes, decisions, and process documentation close to the work they describe, reducing context switching. |
| Customizable workspace | Teams can adapt pages and databases to their own processes rather than starting with a rigid project structure. |
| Project planning features | Features such as task dependencies and project timelines can help teams understand sequencing and how changes affect planned work. |
| Notion AI | AI features can help users work with workspace content—for example, by drafting or summarizing information—so project context is easier to create and use. |
| Connected team workspace | Projects, knowledge, and team information can be linked together, making it easier to find related context while managing work. |
Distinctive aspect: Notion’s main differentiator is its flexibility: task management is part of a broader workspace for docs and knowledge, so teams can shape their project hub around their own way of working.
Source: Notion product
In short: Smartsheet emphasizes structured work tracking, project oversight, and operational controls. Notion emphasizes a customizable workspace where tasks and project plans live alongside team knowledge and documentation.
Smartsheet vs Notion Pricing Comparison
Prices below are in USD and are per paid member unless stated otherwise. Annual prices are billed yearly; taxes and regional pricing may vary.
Smartsheet
| Tier | Monthly billing | Annual billing | Main differences |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pro | $12/member/month | $9/member/month | Core work management for smaller teams: sheets, forms, reports, and project views such as grid, calendar, card, and Gantt. Supports up to 10 members; includes basic automation and collaboration features. |
| Business | $24/member/month | $19/member/month | Adds capabilities for larger teams, including unlimited members, more advanced automation, workload tracking, and expanded administration and security controls. |
| Enterprise | Custom quote | Custom quote | Tailored plan for organizations needing advanced governance, security, administration, integrations, and enterprise support. |
| Advanced Work Management | Custom quote | Custom quote | Custom package for more complex work-management needs, with access to advanced capabilities and premium solutions. Contact Smartsheet for scope and pricing. |
Notion
| Tier | Monthly billing | Annual billing | Main differences |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | $0 | Personal workspace with core pages, docs, wikis, and databases. Team use has limits; file uploads are limited, and page history is shorter than on paid plans. |
| Plus | $10/member/month | $8/member/month | Adds expanded collaboration for small teams, unlimited file uploads, longer page history, and more guests. |
| Business | $20/member/month | $15/member/month | Adds team-focused administration and security features, including SAML single sign-on, private teamspaces, and more granular database permissions. Notion AI is included. |
| Enterprise | Custom quote | Custom quote | Adds organization-wide controls such as advanced security and administration, provisioning, audit capabilities, and enterprise support. Contact Notion for pricing. |
Discounts, trials, and special rates
| Brand | Offer |
|---|---|
| Smartsheet | Offers a 30-day free trial. Annual billing lowers the listed monthly equivalent: Pro is about 25% less than paying monthly, and Business is about 21% less. |
| Notion | Annual billing lowers the listed monthly equivalent: Plus is 20% less and Business is 25% less than monthly billing. Eligible students and educators can get a free Plus plan for an individual workspace with a qualifying school email. The Free plan is also available without a paid subscription. |
Sources: Smartsheet pricing · Notion pricing
Support Options Comparison: Smartsheet vs Notion
| Support option | Smartsheet | Notion |
|---|---|---|
| Live chat | The support page directs users to support resources and support requests; it does not clearly advertise live chat as a standard option. | Users can contact the support team through the in-app help/chat option. |
| Phone support | The public support page does not list a general phone-support number. Check your plan or account for any plan-specific phone options. | Phone support is not listed on the Help page. |
| Documentation | The Help & Learning Center provides product guidance and troubleshooting information. | The Help Center provides searchable guides and answers on using Notion. |
| Additional resources | The page points to the Smartsheet Community and learning resources, including training and webinars. | Resources include tutorials and guides, along with community and learning materials. |
| Overall | Offers a broad mix of self-service learning, community help and support requests; phone or live-chat access is not clearly presented as universal. | Emphasizes in-app contact and self-service documentation, with no phone support listed. |
Sources: Smartsheet Support · Notion Help
Unique Features of Smartsheet Vs Notion
| Brand and feature | What is uncommon in task management tools | Added value | Why it may decide the choice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smartsheet — Portfolio management and Control Center (features) | Moves beyond tracking individual tasks: teams can standardize project setups and oversee work across a portfolio. | Helps organizations launch repeatable projects and see status across programs without relying on separate spreadsheets and manual rollups. | A strong fit when many teams run similar projects and leadership needs consistent portfolio-level reporting. |
| Smartsheet — Resource management (features) | Adds capacity and workload planning to task and project tracking. | Makes it easier to spot over-allocation, balance work, and plan staffing against demand. | Important when delivery depends on coordinating people across multiple projects, rather than simply assigning tasks. |
| Smartsheet — Proofing and approval workflows (features) | Supports review and approval of creative or document assets within work processes, rather than treating feedback as ordinary task comments. | Keeps feedback, revisions, and approvals tied to the work, reducing scattered email threads and uncertainty about which version is final. | Useful for marketing, creative, and other teams with formal review cycles. |
| Notion — Docs, wikis, and projects in one workspace (product list) | Combines knowledge management and project tracking: documentation and project databases can live together and link to one another. | Gives teams a shared place for plans, decisions, reference material, and the work that follows from them. | A deciding factor when teams want project context to stay alongside tasks, rather than split across a wiki and a task app. |
| Notion — AI across workspace content (product list) | Positions AI as part of the workspace, not just a writing assistant attached to a task list. | Can help users find, summarize, and work with information already stored in team documents and projects. | Valuable when a team’s main challenge is locating and making use of its accumulated knowledge—not only organizing tasks. |
| Notion — Calendar connected to workspace projects (product list) | Brings calendar planning into the same product family as project databases and documentation. | Helps users view scheduled work alongside the projects and information it relates to. | Attractive to teams that want fewer disconnected tools for planning, reference, and day-to-day coordination. |
| Notion — Sites and forms (product list) | Extends a workspace beyond internal task tracking: pages can be published as sites, and forms can collect information into the workspace. | Supports lightweight publishing and intake without first moving content or requests into separate tools. | Helpful when teams need to share information externally or gather requests as part of the same workflow. |
These capabilities are not exclusive to Smartsheet or Notion; the distinction is that both products offer functions beyond the task-and-board basics. Smartsheet stands out more for structured, cross-project operations, while Notion stands out for connecting project work with shared knowledge and publishing.
Most frequently asked questions about Smartsheet vs Notion
Which is better for task management: Notion or Smartsheet?
It depends on how your team works. Reviewers tend to favor Notion when task tracking needs to sit alongside notes, documents, and a flexible team wiki. Smartsheet is more often favored for structured project plans, status tracking, and spreadsheet-like workflows. In short, Notion feels like a customizable workspace; Smartsheet feels like a project-management system built around rows, columns, and schedules.
Which tool is easier to learn and use?
Notion is often described in reviews as approachable for basic pages and task lists, though people note that building a polished workspace can take experimentation. Smartsheet’s spreadsheet format feels familiar to many new users, but reviewers sometimes report a learning curve around its more advanced project features, formulas, and configuration.
Which is better for managing complex projects?
Smartsheet generally has the edge for projects that need dependencies, timelines, Gantt views, resource tracking, and standardized reporting. Reviewers value its ability to make project status visible across structured sheets. Notion can handle complex plans too, but feedback suggests teams may need to design and maintain more of the system themselves.
Which tool is more flexible for different workflows?
Notion is commonly praised in reviews for flexibility: teams can combine databases, documents, task boards, and reference material in one workspace. That freedom can also mean more setup and inconsistent processes if teams do not agree on conventions. Smartsheet is configurable as well, but its structure tends to suit defined, repeatable workflows better than open-ended workspace design.
How do Notion and Smartsheet compare for collaboration?
Notion reviewers often appreciate being able to edit plans and related documentation together, which keeps context close to the work. Smartsheet is frequently valued for sharing project status and coordinating contributors through sheets, reports, and dashboards. For either product, reviewers’ experiences can depend on permission settings and how carefully the workspace is organized.
Which has better views for tracking tasks and projects?
Notion offers database views such as tables, boards, calendars, and timelines, which reviewers like for adapting the same information to different needs. Smartsheet is stronger when teams need spreadsheet-style tracking alongside project-focused views such as Gantt charts and dashboards. The better choice depends on whether visual flexibility or formal project tracking matters more.
Which tool offers better automation and reporting?
Smartsheet is generally the stronger fit for rule-based workflow automation and structured project reporting, especially for teams that rely on status updates, dashboards, and recurring processes. Notion supports useful database automations, but reviewer feedback more often positions it as a flexible workspace than as a dedicated reporting and workflow-automation platform.
Which integrates better with other tools?
Both connect with other workplace tools, but the right fit depends on your existing stack and plan. Smartsheet is often chosen by organizations that want project data to work within established business processes. Notion is frequently valued as a central place for knowledge and planning. Reviewers commonly recommend checking specific integrations and plan limits before deciding, rather than assuming the two offer interchangeable connections.
Which is better for small teams versus large organizations?
Small teams often like Notion’s ability to combine lightweight task tracking, documentation, and planning without requiring a rigid project structure. Smartsheet is often a better match for larger or cross-functional teams that need consistent project templates, visibility, and reporting. Review feedback also suggests that Notion requires governance as it grows, while Smartsheet’s setup and administration can feel heavier for simple team needs.
Which offers better value for money?
Value depends on whether you use the product’s broader capabilities. Notion may feel worthwhile when a team uses it for tasks, documentation, and knowledge management in one place. Smartsheet can justify its cost for teams that benefit from advanced project tracking, automation, and reporting, but may be more than a simple task list requires. Reviewers should compare current plan limits, seats, and required features before judging price alone.
