What Is Notion? And Why Everyone’s Using It

What is Notion? & The Founding Origin

What is Notion?

Notion is a modular productivity platform. Users can customize notes, databases, task management, calendars, and more according to individual or team needs. It supports multi-platform synchronization—web, desktop, and mobile—and even offers offline editing. Notion emphasizes an “all-in-one” design where you can think, write, and plan in the same space without switching apps. This flexibility and high customizability have made Notion a go-to platform for improving productivity for individuals and businesses.

Notion describes itself as “a space that brings thinking, writing, and planning together,” where users can build personal databases, manage calendars, or even host portfolio websites.

Founders & Origins

Notion was officially launched in 2016 by Ivan Zhao and Simon Last. The duo began conceptualizing the platform in 2013 with the aim of building a no-code tool enabling non-technical users to design their own productivity systems. Initially a simple note-taking app, the founders soon realized the market needed something more multifunctional. In 2015, facing technical instability, they relocated to Kyoto to rebuild the product. After three years of relentless design and development, Notion 1.0 launched in 2018, combining notes, task management, and database functions.

• Ivan Zhao and Simon Last prioritized user experience and high customizability in a product-led growth approach.
• Notion's design philosophy was inspired by tools like Figma, emphasizing simplicity and flexibility.

Product Evolution

Notion’s evolution reflects its innovative spirit. After the 1.0 release in 2018, it continuously added features such as media embedding, web bookmarks, to-do lists, flowcharts, and CRM databases. This transformed Notion from a note-tool into a full-featured productivity platform. It also enabled real-time team collaboration, allowing multiple users to edit and manage data simultaneously. In seven years, Notion grew to over 30 million users, raised more than $350 million, and reached a valuation of over $10 billion.

• In 2023, Notion launched its Chinese version to expand in Asia.
• AI assistant features were introduced to help users summarize and organize content more efficiently.
• Its flexible, low-code approach has attracted individuals and enterprises alike, making Notion a global staple in productivity workflows.

Notion has evolved from a single-purpose note tool into an all-in-one platform that integrates knowledge bases, databases, calendars, and AI—redefining the note-taking software landscape.

Innovation & Disruption

Block-Based Architecture

Notion uses a block-based design. Each content unit is like a digital block you can drag, combine, and rearrange. This design enables greater flexibility compared to traditional note tools, which often offer only a single-level page structure. With Notion, you can add tables, lists, images, or embed other apps on the fly.

This block-based approach enhances visual experience and boosts knowledge management flexibility.

All-in-One Platform

Notion isn’t just a note-taking tool. It combines note-taking, knowledge databases, spreadsheets, calendars, and task management. Users can accomplish everything in one place, eliminating the need to switch between multiple apps. This all-in-one approach has disrupted the traditional “one app, one function” model. In team settings, shared editing and visibility dramatically improve communication and efficiency.

• Notes: Record ideas and meeting minutes
• Databases: Manage projects, clients, and resources
• Calendar: Keep track of schedules
• Task Management: Assign, monitor, and complete tasks

Flexible Customization

Notion empowers users to tailor databases and pages to their own workflows. Traditional tools with rigid templates don’t offer this level of freedom. With drag-and-drop, embeds, and template duplication, Notion enables users to build a personalized system quickly.

With simple operations, users can design unique digital workspaces, truly embodying the philosophy of “tools that serve people.”

Growth & Ecosystem

Development Milestones

Since its 2016 debut, Notion has reached several milestones:

• 2018: Notion 1.0 release with core note, database, and task features
• 2020: Free personal plan launched, driving user growth
• 2021: Multiple funding rounds pushed valuation beyond $10 billion
• 2023: Chinese version released, expanding into Asian markets
• Recently: AI assistants integrated to enhance automation and intelligence

Notion’s rapid rise reflects strong global demand for versatile productivity tools.

Active Community

A vibrant, diverse user community supports Notion. Around the world, users share tips on forums, Facebook groups, Reddit, and Discord. Many organize meetups and webinars. The Notion team also hosts workshops featuring expert best practices. These community activities promote knowledge sharing and help newcomers onboard quickly.

• Users share personal templates
• Community members answer each other’s questions
• Notion hosts regular official tutorials and webinars

Templates & Collaboration

Templates are a key part of Notion’s ecosystem. Official and user-made templates are available for project management, study notes, personal planning, and more. These templates can be copied and customized within minutes. Notion’s collaboration tools allow multiple people to edit pages, facilitating seamless teamwork.

Templates and collaboration transform Notion into more than a tool—it becomes a global productivity ecosystem.

Design Philosophy & Competitive Edge

Tools for Thoughts

Notion’s philosophy—Tools for Thoughts—accents tools as extensions of the mind, not just instruments for recording. In Notion, pages can link to one another, forming a personal web of knowledge or “thought map.”

Experts say Notion not only boosts data management efficiency but also nurtures creative thinking.

No-Code by Design

Notion emphasizes no-code customization. Without programming knowledge, users can create complex databases and workflows with simple drag-and-drop interfaces, template duplication, and custom fields. This low barrier to entry empowers people from diverse backgrounds.

• Visual block-based editing
• One-click template duplication
• Customizable properties and filters

These features enable users of all skill levels to design functional digital spaces with ease.

Core Features: Build Your Digital Workspace

Notion owes its popularity to its rich feature set. Whether for personal notes or team projects, Notion offers:

• Rich Text Editing & Document Creation: Headings, lists, code blocks, media embeds, and more
• Databases & Tables: Tools like Excel, with filters, relations, and Kanban views
• Task Management & Calendars: Track tasks and schedules, integrate Gantt charts and reminders
• External Embeds: Integrate content from Google Docs, Figma, YouTube, Trello, etc.
• Page Hierarchy & Linking: Structurable sub-pages for wiki-like information architecture
• Collaborative Editing: Real-time multi-user editing, commenting, and permission controls

These modular, interoperable features make Notion more than a note-taking app—it becomes a flexible digital office. New users can start with a simple page and gradually build task lists, reading logs, project workflows, or life-planning systems.

User Experience

Notion places UX at the forefront. Its UI is clean and intuitive, allowin users to customize theme colors and layouts. With multilingual support and rich educational resources, Notion helps users get productive quickly.

These design principles have helped Notion earn global trust as a productivity tool.

Business Model & Market Impact

Free & Paid Tiers

Notion uses a freemium model. The free tier suits individuals and small teams, allowing unlimited pages and blocks, basic collaboration, and a 5MB file upload limit. Paid plans cater to professionals and enterprises with advanced permission features, version history, team admin controls, and enhanced security.

Notion attracts users with a free entry point, then converts many to paid users by offering robust upgrades.

Template Ecosystem

Templates are among Notion’s greatest strengths. Both official and community templates cover wide-ranging use cases. Quick duplication saves users from rebuilding workflows. This ecosystem also fuels creator-driven revenue models where high-quality templates are shared and sold.

• Rich resource library of official and community templates
• Customizable templates for various industries and use cases

Global Reach

Notion has rapidly globalized, supporting multiple languages including Chinese, Japanese, and Korean. The company now has between 500–1,000 employees, showing continued growth. Industry reports often place Notion alongside major software firms like Microsoft, highlighting its competitive role in the productivity market.

With its adaptable business model, vibrant template ecosystem, and global expansion, Notion is challenging traditional software giants and redefining productivity tools.

What is Notion & Its Startup Story demonstrates how digital building blocks drive global productivity ecosystems. Reports estimate the productivity software sector is growing at a 16.8% compound annual rate. Users can optimize collaboration, knowledge structuring, and team transparency with customizable templates and integrated workspaces. Businesses and individuals are encouraged to leverage Notion to rethink knowledge management and embrace digital transformation.

How do I get started?

Sign up on Notion’s website, start using via web or app, and explore tutorials and templates to begin efficiently.