What people complain about in Notion
116 reported problems name Notion as what the person is currently using. Below is what they said was missing, and what they resorted to instead.
- Complaints
- 116
- Avg severity
- 2.8/5
- Would pay to fix
- 2
- Industries
- 5
What they wish it did
Capabilities people described needing that Notion does not give them, taken from the highest-scoring problems first. These are individual accounts written in each person’s own terms, so two entries may describe the same underlying gap in different words.
- Reliable document storage with automatic backup and version history to prevent data loss
- Reliable mobile note-taking app with guaranteed offline access and fast page loading
- Secure document sharing with view-only permissions and no copy/download
- Access expiration and revocation for shared proposal links
- Watermarking to deter unauthorized sharing
- Viewing analytics to track proposal engagement
- Automated property data aggregation and management platform
- Simplified property management interface requiring minimal manual setup
- Mobile app with intuitive text selection and simple copy-paste
- Easier page navigation with gestures or swipe
- Column resizing feature in mobile table editor
- A guided tutorial that prevents confusion during initial use
- Reliable undo functionality that works even after accidental deletions
- Version history that automatically saves and makes restoring previous versions easy
- Automated client onboarding system with templates
- Integrated feedback capture directly on creative files within workflow
- Unified platform that eliminates tool-switching for core agency tasks
- Client-facing progress dashboard that reduces status inquiries
- Dedicated maintenance request portal with photo submission
- Centralized photo storage linked to work orders
- Automatic receipt capture and per-unit cost tracking
- Purpose-built freelancer management software that eliminates the need to manually configure a generic tool for client, project, and payment tracking
- Offline-capable note-taking app with Arabic support
- Shopping list editor that works without internet connection
- Photography-specific proposal software with mobile optimization
What they do instead
The manual processes people built around the gap. A long workaround list is the strongest evidence a problem is real: someone is already paying for it in time. Where several people described the same workaround, it is marked.
- 2 peopletracking client document submissions through strings of emails
- May use alternative apps or access Notion via web browser on mobile
- Sends standard PDF proposals
- Shares Notion links
- Heavily blurs blueprints
- Omits technical details entirely
- spent over 600 hours updating property spreadsheets
- Notion setup with 15 different tables
- Uses Samsung Notes as an alternative even though it lacks database tables and toggles
- shouting & swearing at it
- reset itself to the original default somehow
- Manually setting up client onboarding each time
- Using WhatsApp messages for feedback on videos and designs
- Switching between 5-6 tools to complete single tasks
- Clients asking repeatedly for progress updates instead of self-service
- WhatsApp threads with tenants for maintenance communication
- Photos buried in camera roll
- Repair receipts scattered across email
- built a simple Notion setup to keep everything in one place
- Uses custom PDFs for proposals
Industries
The problems themselves
Highest opportunity score first.
User's documents keep going missing in Notion, causing frustration and loss of trust.
4HighSoftware and TechnologyData ManagementDocVault ProUser relies on Notion's transcription feature, but it frequently fails, undermining the primary reason for their paid subscription.
3MediumGeneral Business ServicesSoftware Reliability & PerformanceTranscribeFlowThe app's touch UX is poorly designed, with AI-driven features feeling unpolished, and the OS back button is hijacked to close the page instead of dismissing the keyboard.
4HighSoftware and TechnologyUser ExperienceUXSanity ProNotion mobile app frequently fails to open pages, making it unreliable for on-the-go use.
4HighSoftware and TechnologySoftware Reliability & PerformanceOfflineNote MobileNotion is too slow and has caused complete data loss of work, which reappeared only after switching accounts, causing severe anxiety.
4HighSoftware and TechnologySoftware PerformanceSwiftDocs ProA design and development agency owner is frustrated that their detailed proposal blueprint was taken by a client and executed by a cheaper freelancer, with no protection over their intellectual property during the pitch phase.
4HighProfessional ServicesIntellectual Property ProtectionSafePitch Proposal ShieldA property manager has spent over 600 hours maintaining spreadsheets and a complex Notion setup with 15 tables, but half of it is now unused, indicating inefficiency from manual data management.
4HighProperty ManagementData ManagementPropData HubThe Notion mobile app's poor UX for basic interactions (text selection, page navigation, column resizing) makes it infuriating to use, driving the user to seek alternatives.
4HighSoftware and TechnologyUser ExperienceNotelyticsUser finds software unintuitive, experiences data loss, undo function disabled, and version history fails, causing frustration and fear of losing work.
4HighSoftware and TechnologyUser ExperienceTemplateGuide ProNotion app occasionally shows blank notes instead of content, making it unreliable for accessing information on the go.
4HighSoftware and TechnologySoftware PerformanceReliNote - Offline-First NotesSmall creative agency struggles with fragmented workflows across multiple tools, leading to lost feedback, inefficient client updates, and no centralized view of agency operations.
4HighProfessional ServicesProject ManagementAgencyFlow StudioSmall property operators lack affordable, easy-to-setup maintenance tracking software, relying on scattered communications and manual record-keeping.
4HighProperty ManagementMaintenance & RepairLandsioFreelancers struggle to track clients, projects, deadlines, and payments across multiple sources, leading to disorganization and lack of clear income visibility.
3MediumGeneral Business ServicesClient ManagementFreelanceHubNotion lacks Arabic language support and offline functionality, preventing users from taking notes or editing lists without internet access.
3MediumSoftware and TechnologySoftware & SaaSNotionSync ProNotion's online-only architecture makes it unusable without internet access and causes slow performance due to lack of local caching.
3MediumSoftware and TechnologySoftware PerformanceNotionCache ProUsers cannot save or access Notion pages offline, preventing them from capturing quick ideas or notes when without internet connectivity.
3MediumSoftware and TechnologyContent ManagementNotionSync OfflineThe search function in Notion is nearly useless due to no partial word matching, inconsistent database results, and slow performance, making finding information difficult.
3MediumSoftware and TechnologyKnowledge ManagementSearchSense ProUser needs a mobile-friendly note-taking app with better customization and a snapshot save feature.
3MediumSoftware and TechnologyMobile ExperienceSnapNoteNotion's Android app is slow, making tasks like opening Trash and moving pages frustrating.
3MediumSoftware and TechnologySoftware Reliability & PerformanceSnapNotePhotographers waste significant time creating custom PDF proposals that don't improve conversion rates, when clients primarily want to quickly assess style compatibility and pricing clarity.
3MediumProfessional ServicesClient Management & BookingProposalPulse for Photographers
Read this fairly
These are complaints, and only complaints — nobody posts to say their software worked. A high count mostly reflects how many people use Notion at all, so this page is not a quality judgement and should not be read as one. What it is good for is the shape of the gaps: the specific jobs people could not get done, which are the same whether the tool is popular or not.