Free Alternatives to Trello and Notion
Trello and Notion are powerful tools for project management and note-taking, but not everyone wants to pay for their premium features. Luckily, there are several free alternatives that offer similar functionality without the cost. In this post, we'll explore the best free tools you can use instead of Trello and Notion.
Why Look for Alternatives to Trello and Notion?
While Trello and Notion are great platforms for what they do, they can become limiting without a paid plan. For that reason, users often look for tools with:
- More generous free tiers
- Better integrations or specific features
- Open-source flexibility
- Less restrictive collaboration limits
Now, let's see some of the most popular tools that offer the above.
1. ClickUp
Best for: All-in-one task and project management.
ClickUp offers tasks, docs, goals, time tracking and mind maps - all in the free plan. It's a great replacement for both Trello and Notion combined.
Free plan highlights: Unlimited tasks and members, 100MB storage, integrations.
2. Asana [Free Plan]
Best for: Teams that want structure with minimal setup.
Asana's free version is robust for task and workflow management. It provides a simple UI with list, board, and calendar views.
Free plan highlights: Up to 15 teammates, unlimited tasks/projects/messages.
3. KanbanFlow
Best for: Lean teams and personal productivity.
KanbanFlow is a simple and efficient kanban board tool with time tracking built in. Great for Trello-style boards with added productivity metrics.
Free plan highlights: Unlimited boards, Pomodoro timer, subtasks, filtering.
4. Obsidian
Best for: Markdown-powered note-taking with local storage
Obsidian is a note-taking tool similar to Notion, but stores files locally and uses Markdown. It's excellent for writers, researchers, and devs.
Free plan highlights: Full access to all personal features, plugins, local vaults.
5. Airtable [Free Tier]
Best for: Data-driven tasks and project planning.
Airtable combines spreadsheet and database features with rich task views, like Trello boards. Very flexible for project management and planning.
Free plan highlights: Unlimited bases, 1,000 records per base, rich field types.
6. Quire
Best for: Clean, distraction-free project tracking.
Quire is a simple yet powerful task manager with nested to-dos and kanban boards. It's designed for clarity and team collaboration.
Free plan highlights: Unlimited tasks, projects, members, and storage.
7. Joplin
Best for: Privacy-focused note-taking.
Joplin is an open-source Notion alternative for notes, to-dos, and notebooks. Your notes sync across devices using encryption and Markdown.
Free plan highlights: Fully open-source, supports file attachments, CLI version available.
8. Zenkit
Best for: All-around productivity for teams.
Zenkit offers kanban, calendar, mind map, and list views. It's flexible like Notion and Trello and works well for collaborative planning.
Free plan highlights: Up to 3 users, 500 items, 1GB storage.
Which Task/Project Management Tool Should You Use?
Well, it mostly depends on your use case, your requirements and your team:
- For project boards: KanbanFlow, ClickUp, Asana, or Zenkit
- For notes & docs: Obsidian, Joplin, or ClickUp
- For all-in-one workspaces: ClickUp, Zenkit, or Airtable will make a good choice.
You don't have to pay an ongoing fee for premium plans of task management tools to manage your workflow or organize your thoughts. Many free alternatives offer comparable features to Trello and Notion. Choose the one that fits your needs and budget, and get organized without spending a dime.
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