Notion vs Capacities

Table of contents

• Quick answer
• What Notion is best at
• Notion strengths
• Notion tradeoffs
• What Capacities is best at
• Capacities strengths
• Capacities tradeoffs
• Core difference: pages and databases vs objects and networks
• How Notion thinks
• How Capacities thinks
• Why this matters in real life
• Ease of use and learning curve
• Notion learning curve
• Capacities learning curve
• Notes and writing experience
• Writing in Notion
• Writing in Capacities
• Linking, backlinks, and finding connections
• Notion linking
• Capacities linking
• Practical tip
• Structure and data
• Notion databases
• Capacities object types and properties
• When each wins
• Tasks and project management
• Notion for tasks
• Capacities for tasks
• Collaboration and sharing
• Notion collaboration
• Capacities collaboration
• Media, web clips, and research workflows
• Notion and media
• Capacities and media
• Views and navigation
• Notion navigation
• Capacities navigation
• Integrations and automation
• Notion integrations
• Capacities integrations
• AI features
• Notion AI
• Capacities AI
• Simple advice
• Offline and reliability
• Notion offline
• Capacities offline
• Pricing and value
• Notion pricing snapshot
• Capacities pricing snapshot
• How to think about value
• Which one should you choose
• Choose Notion if you are
• Choose Capacities if you are
• The most honest answer
• Example setups you can copy
• A simple Notion setup for personal plus work
• A simple Notion setup for a small team
• A simple Capacities setup for knowledge work
• A Capacities setup for writing and research
• Migration tips
• Moving from Notion to Capacities
• Moving from Capacities to Notion
• If you plan to use both
• FAQs
• 1. Is Notion or Capacities better for beginners?
• 2. Can Capacities replace Notion completely?
• 3. Which one is better for a “second brain” system?
• 4. Which one is better for project management?
• 5. Does Capacities have a graph view?
• 6. Is Notion good for daily journaling?
• 7. Which app is better for storing PDFs and web research?
• 8. Which one is better for teams?
• 9. Will I get overwhelmed in Notion?
• 10. Will I get lost in Capacities?
• 11. Can I publish content to the web?
• 12. What is the best way to test Notion vs Capacities?
• Conclusion

If you are choosing between Notion vs Capacities, you are really choosing between two different ways of working.

• Notion is a flexible all in one workspace. It shines when you want docs, databases, projects, and teamwork in one place.
• Capacities is a calm personal knowledge studio. It shines when you want ideas to connect naturally through objects, links, and daily notes.

This guide is long on purpose. It is meant to help you decide without spending weeks testing both.

Quick answer

If you want the fastest decision, use this:

Choose Notion if you want

• one place for notes plus real databases, project boards, docs, and a team wiki
• strong collaboration, permissions, guests, and company workflows
• a big ecosystem of templates and integrations

Choose Capacities if you want

• personal knowledge management that feels closer to how you think
• objects like people, books, ideas, meetings, and media that link together naturally
• daily notes and a timeline view of your work

If you are still unsure

• If your work includes other people, start with Notion.
• If your work is mostly you and your ideas, start with Capacities.

What Notion is best at

Notion is the tool people use when they want one workspace for many jobs.

Notion strengths

• All in one setup: docs, wiki, tasks, databases, forms, and publishing.
• Databases that feel like mini apps: filters, relations, rollups, formulas, views, and automation.
• Team readiness: permissions, guests, teamspaces, and admin controls.
• Templates: thousands of templates for almost any workflow.
• Publishing and sharing: share public pages, publish docs, and build a simple site from pages.

Notion tradeoffs

• It can feel like a blank canvas. You may need to design your system.
• It can become messy over time if you do not keep your structure clean.
• It is easy to build a system that is too complex for your real day to day.

What Capacities is best at

Capacities is built for personal knowledge work. The product language is basically “a studio for your mind”. That tells you what it is aiming for.

Capacities strengths

• Object based knowledge: people, books, ideas, meetings, and more can become first class objects.
• Networked notes: your content connects through links and backlinks instead of folders.
• Daily notes and calendar: you can browse your work over time without planning a perfect folder tree.
• Media as objects: images, web links, PDFs, and other media can live as their own objects.
• Calm interface: fewer knobs than Notion, with more guidance in how the app is meant to work.

Capacities tradeoffs

• It is not built for big teams. It is intentionally focused on individuals.
• If you want heavy project management features, Notion is stronger.
• Some features you may expect in “graph apps” are different here, like the graph view being local to an object.

Core difference: pages and databases vs objects and networks

This is the heart of Notion vs Capacities.

How Notion thinks

Notion is built on pages and databases.

• A page is a container. It can hold text, blocks, and even a full database view.
• A database is a structured table with properties and multiple views.

This is powerful. It also means you often have to decide where something “lives”. Is it a page in your notes area, or a row in a database, or both?

How Capacities thinks

Capacities is built on objects and connections.

• You define object types like Person, Book, Meeting, Idea, or anything you want.
• Once a type exists, you can create that object from many places.
• Objects connect to each other, so your knowledge becomes a network.

Instead of “Where do I store this?”, the question becomes “What is this?” and “What is it connected to?”

Why this matters in real life

If you are the kind of person who captures ideas quickly, the object approach can feel more natural.

If you are the kind of person who needs clear folders, clear lists, and clear projects, Notion’s structure can feel safer.

Ease of use and learning curve

Notion learning curve

Notion is easy to start and hard to master.

• You can create a page and start typing in seconds.
• But the moment you want a clean system, you will think about databases, relations, formulas, views, and permissions.

Notion rewards people who enjoy building systems. If you do not enjoy that, you can still use templates, but you might copy complexity you do not need.

Capacities learning curve

Capacities has fewer “build anything” moments and more “use the app the intended way” moments.

• You define object types once.
• You write in daily notes, meetings, and topic objects.
• The network builds itself as you link things.

This can feel simpler and more guided, especially for personal knowledge work.

Notes and writing experience

Both tools are good for writing. The differences show up in how you reuse and connect your writing.

Writing in Notion

Notion writing feels like building blocks.

• You write inside pages.
• You can embed databases anywhere.
• You can turn parts of a page into a shared template.

Notion is great for “final” documents too, like team docs, SOPs, and polished pages.

Writing in Capacities

Capacities writing feels like adding pieces to your personal knowledge map.

• A meeting note can reference people, projects, and ideas.
• A book note can connect to topics, quotes, and your own thoughts.
• Daily notes make it easy to capture what happened today.

If you love journaling or daily logs, Capacities often feels more intentional out of the box.

Linking, backlinks, and finding connections

If you care about knowledge building, linking matters.

Notion linking

Notion supports links between pages and between database items.

• You can link pages directly.
• You can relate databases to each other.
• You can create rollups that summarize related items.

This is strong for structured systems, like a CRM, content pipeline, or product roadmap.

Capacities linking

Capacities is designed around connected objects.

• You link objects to objects.
• You can see backlinks and connected context.
• The graph view is designed to show the local neighborhood of an object.

One important detail: Capacities focuses on local graph context. It does not present a global “everything graph” view. For many people, that is a feature, not a bug. It keeps the graph useful instead of overwhelming.

Practical tip

If you want your links to be meaningful, keep them intentional.

• Link to people you truly interact with.
• Link to ideas you will return to.
• Link to sources you want to quote or reuse.

More links is not always better.

Structure and data

This is where Notion usually pulls ahead.

Notion databases

Notion databases are flexible and deep.

• multiple views like table, board, calendar, timeline, gallery
• formulas and rollups
• relations between databases
• filters, grouping, sorts
• automation and buttons

You can build serious systems here: editorial calendars, sales pipelines, hiring trackers, product backlogs, and more.

Capacities object types and properties

Capacities also has structure, but it approaches it differently.

• object types define what something is
• properties describe it, like status, rating, tags, dates, and relations
• you can view objects in different ways, including table and gallery

It is strong for personal libraries and knowledge collections.

When each wins

• If you want data heavy workflows, choose Notion.
• If you want meaning heavy workflows, Capacities often feels better.

Tasks and project management

Notion for tasks

• Kanban boards
• sprints and backlogs
• recurring tasks with templates and automations
• dependencies and subtasks in databases

For teams, Notion tasks are easy to share and standardize.

Capacities for tasks

Capacities is not trying to replace dedicated task managers, but it has task features and a direction.

A common approach is to keep tasks close to your notes, then send them to your task manager when needed.

If your main goal is “finish projects as a team”, Notion is the safer choice.

If your main goal is “capture and connect ideas”, Capacities can still handle tasks, but it is not the main headline.

Collaboration and sharing

This is one of the clearest differences in Notion vs Capacities.

Notion collaboration

Notion is built for collaboration.

• invite members and guests
• create teamspaces
• manage permissions
• comment and mention people
• build shared docs and wikis

If you need a shared company brain, Notion is hard to beat.

Capacities collaboration

Capacities is designed for individuals. It does not position itself as a team platform.

If your main work happens inside a team, this matters.

You can still share exports or specific content in other ways, but you are not getting the same “team workspace” experience you get in Notion.

Media, web clips, and research workflows

If you collect lots of sources, screenshots, links, and PDFs, the two apps feel very different.

Notion and media

Notion handles media inside pages.

• you can embed files, images, and links
• you can store resources in a database

It works well when you already have a clear system, like a database called “Research” with tags and properties.

Capacities and media

Capacities treats media as objects.

• an image can be an object
• a web link can be an object
• a PDF can be an object

That makes it easier to reuse a source across contexts. The same web link can appear in your daily note, in a project object, and in a topic object without you duplicating it.

If you do research for writing, content creation, or learning, this is a big deal.

Views and navigation

Notion navigation

Notion uses a left sidebar, page tree, and favorites.

• it feels like a mix of folders and docs
• databases can be viewed in many layouts

This is comfortable if you want a clear home base and clear categories.

Capacities navigation

Capacities uses object types, daily notes, and a network.

• you can browse by what something is
• you can browse by time
• you can follow links to move through your knowledge

If folders make you feel stuck, this approach can feel freeing.

Integrations and automation

Notion integrations

Notion has a big ecosystem.

• lots of third party automations
• API support and many tools built around it
• database sync options and embeds

If you need your workspace to connect to other tools, Notion usually wins.

Capacities integrations

Capacities has integrations that focus on personal knowledge workflows.

Examples include:

• calendar integration for meetings
• web highlights integration
• Raycast integration for quick access on Mac
• a public API that is still positioned as beta

If your needs are simple and personal, this can be enough.

AI features

AI can be helpful, but it can also create noise. The best use is when it saves time without changing your thinking.

Notion AI

Notion includes AI features across writing and workspace search.

Examples include:

• drafting and rewriting text
• summarizing pages
• helping fill database fields
• answering questions using your workspace context

Capacities AI

Capacities also has an AI assistant.

A common use is to ask questions about your knowledge base, summarize sources, or help you explore connections.

Simple advice

If AI is your main reason to pick a tool, do a small test.

• Summarize three real meeting notes.
• Ask for a clean outline from your messy research.
• Try extracting tasks from a daily note.

Pick the tool that gives you answers you actually trust.

Offline and reliability

Offline matters more than people think. It is the difference between “my system is always there” and “my system only works when WiFi behaves”.

Notion offline

Notion supports offline use on desktop and mobile by downloading selected pages. Your recent and favorite pages can auto download depending on plan settings.

If you travel often, it is worth setting up offline pages ahead of time.

Capacities offline

Capacities has desktop and mobile apps, but offline behavior and sync details can depend on how you use the app.

If offline is critical for you, test it in your real routine before you fully migrate.

Pricing and value

Prices can change, so treat this section as a snapshot. The main goal is to help you understand how each product thinks about pricing.

Notion pricing snapshot

Notion has a Free plan and paid plans like Plus and Business.

In Europe, a common snapshot shown on the pricing page is:

• Free: €0 per seat per month
• Plus: €9.50 per seat per month
• Business: €19.50 per member per month
• Enterprise: custom pricing

Notion’s Free plan is generous for individuals, but teams can hit limits that push an upgrade.

Capacities pricing snapshot

Capacities states that the core product is free.

There is a paid Pro plan marketed around power features like smart queries, AI, calendar integration, and more. A commonly listed price is around $9.99 per month, with a free trial offered inside the app.

How to think about value

Ask these two questions:

1. Will this tool replace other tools I pay for?
2. Will this tool save me enough time each week to justify the cost?

Notion often replaces multiple team tools.

Capacities often replaces the “mess” of scattered notes across apps.

Which one should you choose

Here are clear scenarios.

Choose Notion if you are

• building a team wiki
• running projects with multiple people
• tracking tasks, deliverables, and deadlines
• managing content calendars, CRM data, or process docs
• publishing public pages and docs often

Choose Capacities if you are

• building a personal knowledge base
• writing, researching, studying, or learning deeply
• collecting sources, media, and ideas across many topics
• journaling daily and wanting time based browsing
• tired of forcing your brain into folders

The most honest answer

Many people use both.

• Notion for team work, tasks, and shared docs.
• Capacities for personal thinking, reading notes, and learning.

You can keep them separate without guilt. Your personal brain does not have to look like your company workspace.

Example setups you can copy

If you want practical starting points, here are simple setups.

A simple Notion setup for personal plus work

1. Home page with three links: Tasks, Notes, Projects
2. Tasks database with fields: status, due date, priority, project
3. Projects database with fields: status, area, goal, next action
4. Notes database with fields: topic, source, created date

Rules:

• Every task belongs to a project or an area.
• Every project has one “next action”.
• Every note is captured quickly, then tagged later.

A simple Notion setup for a small team

1. Team wiki
2. Meeting notes template
3. Task board

• Meeting notes always link to the project.
• Decisions are pulled into a decisions database.
• Tasks are created from meetings, not from memory.

A simple Capacities setup for knowledge work

1. Object types: Person, Project, Topic, Meeting, Book, Article
2. Daily notes as your capture inbox
3. Every meeting note links to people and a project

Rules:

• Create objects as soon as you mention them often.
• Link lightly and intentionally.

A Capacities setup for writing and research

1. Each source object holds your highlights and notes
2. Each idea object links to sources
3. Each draft object links to ideas

Rules:

• Store quotes where you can find them again.
• Keep drafts separate from sources.
• Let ideas be small and linkable.

Migration tips

Switching tools is less about export buttons and more about habits.

Moving from Notion to Capacities

1. Pick one area first, like reading notes or personal journaling.
2. Export your Notion content for that area.
3. Rebuild the structure in Capacities using object types.
4. Start writing new notes in Capacities immediately.

Key idea: do not try to migrate everything at once. You will lose momentum.

Moving from Capacities to Notion

1. Decide what must become a database in Notion.
2. Create a clean schema first: properties, tags, and relations.
3. Import or copy your key objects into that database.
4. Keep old content archived instead of forcing it into the new structure.

Key idea: Notion rewards clean structure. If you import chaos, you will feel chaos.

If you plan to use both

• Keep Notion as the shared workspace.
• Keep Capacities as your private studio.
• Link between them only when it is useful.

FAQs

1. Is Notion or Capacities better for beginners?

Notion is easier to start typing in, but easier to overbuild. Capacities can feel simpler for personal knowledge once you understand objects.

2. Can Capacities replace Notion completely?

It can, if your work is mostly personal notes, learning, and writing. If you manage a team wiki, shared tasks, and permissions, Notion is usually the better fit.

3. Which one is better for a “second brain” system?

Both can work. Capacities often feels more natural for a second brain because it is object based and built around connections.

4. Which one is better for project management?

Notion is stronger for serious project management, especially with databases, views, and team workflows.

5. Does Capacities have a graph view?

Yes, but it is designed to show the local context around an object rather than a global graph of everything.

6. Is Notion good for daily journaling?

Yes, especially if you use templates. Capacities is often stronger out of the box because daily notes and time based browsing are part of its core approach.

7. Which app is better for storing PDFs and web research?

Capacities is built to treat media like web links, images, and PDFs as objects you can reuse across notes. Notion can do this too, but you usually need to design a database for it.

8. Which one is better for teams?

Notion, by a large margin. Capacities is designed for individuals.

9. Will I get overwhelmed in Notion?

You can, if you build too much. Start small, copy only a simple template, and limit yourself to a few databases.

10. Will I get lost in Capacities?

11. Can I publish content to the web?

Notion makes publishing pages simple and is commonly used for public docs and simple sites. Capacities is more focused on your private knowledge environment.

12. What is the best way to test Notion vs Capacities?

Use the same small project in both for one week. Write daily notes, capture links, and create tasks. At the end, ask which tool made you want to come back tomorrow.

Conclusion

Choosing Notion vs Capacities is not really about which app is “better”. It is about which mindset matches the work you do.

Pick Notion if you want a flexible workspace that can run projects, databases, and collaboration in one place. Pick Capacities if you want a quieter studio for personal thinking, learning, and connected knowledge.

If you want the safest path, start with the one that matches your biggest daily need today. Your system should help you do the work, not become the work.

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