Choosing Between Trello and Notion: A Comprehensive Guide

Trello is primarily a task and project management tool that uses boards and cards to help you prioritize tasks. Notion, on the other hand, is a versatile workspace.

Aug 01, 2024

Trello's Simplicity: Easy to use with a visual Kanban system, ideal for simple task and project management.
Notion's Versatility: Combines note-taking, databases, and task management in one app, perfect for complex projects but with a steeper learning curve.
Freelancer Use: Trello organizes client projects visually, while Notion manages detailed databases and integrates all project information.

If you are like me and work on multiple projects simultaneously, deadlines and to-do lists can quickly become unmanageable unless you use a productivity tool to track your progress. Paper and pen and home-made spreadsheets are often insufficient to help manage complex projects, and this leads to additional efforts to gather scattered information and gain control of all stages of the project. This challenge calls for modern solutions that streamline task management and offer versatile visualization options to effectively plan and execute projects.

Overview of Trello and Notion

Both Trello and Notion are well-known productivity tools designed to help individuals and teams organize their work. While they share some similarities, they also have distinct features that cater to different needs. Trello is primarily a task and project management tool that uses boards and cards to help you prioritize tasks. Notion, on the other hand, is a versatile workspace that combines note-taking, database management, task management, and more into a single tool.

We will analyze how these tools behave considering their usefulness to perform tasks of different complexity, their learning curve and real use cases for a busy user juggling deadlines and trying to get things done.

Key Features of Trello

Trello uses a Kanban-style approach with boards containing lists, which in turn contain cards. Kanban is a Japanese word that directly translates to "visual card," so the kanban system simply means using visual cues to prompt the action needed to keep a process flowing. The Kanban system was originally developed by Toyota as an effective method to implement improvements in its automotive production system. Each card represents a task or item, and users can add checklists to break down tasks into smaller steps. Cards can be labeled with colors and tags to indicate priority, status, or categories.

This platform is really straightforward, and it can be integrated with various third-party apps like Slack, Google Drive, and Jira, as well as some automation tools like PowerAutomate and Butler.

Trello's card system allows you to easily organize different tasks into sections and to visualize their progress in a user-friendly way.

Key Features of Notion

Notion combines note-taking, task management, and database functionalities in one app, making it an all-in-one workspace. Users can create databases with different views, like tables, lists, and calendars. This platform is far more complex than Trello, but in return it allows you to choose from a wide range of templates for different use cases, from project management to personal planning.

Content in Notion is organized into blocks, including text, images, checklists, embeds, and more. Also, the platform allows real-time collaboration with comments, mentions, and version history.

Notion makes it easy to organize to-do tasks using dashboards, GANTT diagrams and lists and to establish connections between notes and sections.

Differences Between Trello and Notion

When it comes to simplicity, Trello is the clear winner. Trello is an excellent choice if you need a simple and intuitive tool for managing tasks and projects. Its visual approach makes it easy to see what needs to be done at a glance. Trello excels in scenarios where a smooth workflow is preferred. It is perfect for agile teams and project managers who like to track progress visually, like tech companies, marketing teams, and startups, because of its intuitive interface and ease of use. Global companies like Adobe, Google, and Kickstarter rely on Trello for project management.

Notion, however, shines in complex projects that require detailed documentation, various data types, and extensive customization. For those who like to tailor their workspace to fit their specific needs, Notion offers unparalleled customization options and a more comprehensive tool. Among its users, you can count IBM, Pixar, and Figma, who appreciate its versatility and the ability to centralize all types of information. In addition, one of the significant advantages of Notion is its recently implemented AI capabilities. The AI can assist with generating content, summarizing notes, and even answering questions based on the data in your workspace.

Another difference is that Trello's learning curve is relatively gentle. Most users can get up to speed quickly thanks to its intuitive design and straightforward functionality. Notion, on the other hand, has a steeper learning curve. Its versatility and complexity can be overwhelming for beginners.

Use Cases

I believe that Trello is ideal for managing work and personal projects for teams that prefer a visual and straightforward approach. It excels at managing sprints, tracking progress, and maintaining a high-level overview of tasks, but it is also an excellent tool for personal use if you want to manage several projects simultaneously.

In contrast, Notion is suitable for complex projects that require detailed documentation and multiple types of data visualization. It can serve as a central hub for all project-related information. It can even be used to store large volumes of interconnected notes as a "Second brain," which is a feature that Trello cannot do due to its focus on task management. Notion's versatility is excellent for building a "second brain," as it can create databases for notes, tasks, and resources, making it easy to store and retrieve information and effortlessly link this information to actionable tasks.

For to-do lists, Trello is simple and effective with its card system, though it sometimes might feel overkill for basic tasks. You don't need such a sophisticated tool to make a grocery shopping list, although you can use it if you wish. Notion offers more flexibility, allowing you to create to-do lists with various levels of complexity.

How can they complement freelance work?

To give you some practical examples, a professional freelancer could use Trello to manage client projects by creating a separate board for each client, as I do. Each board can have lists for different stages of the project (e.g., To Do, In Progress, Review, Completed) and use cards to track specific tasks, deadlines, and deliverables. In addition, if you work with Google Drive, you can attach relevant documents directly to cards, making information easily accessible.

Notion could be used by freelancers to maintain a detailed database of clients, projects, and tasks. They can use templates to set up project pages with sections for meeting notes, task lists, project timelines, and deliverables, storing all the essential documents in one place.

Conclusion and My Take

I love Notion because it's highly customizable. Trello is simple but too limited to working with boards. Notion does most things Trello does, but better, and a lot more besides. However, it can sometimes be a bit annoying and complicated for starters. Personally, I found Notion exasperating when I first tried it, although you get used to it with time. I used Notion for two years as a work database with notes, meeting minutes, and ideas. However, being an online tool, Notion presented some latency that became exasperating over time.

Overall, Trello's board functionality is a solid 8/10, whereas Notion's versatility scores a 9/10. There is no definitive "winner". Ultimately, it comes down to personal preference - what you want from the tool, how you like to work, and the specific needs of your projects.