NotionvsScrivener
Score Comparison
Signals Comparison
Notion
- Database performance degrades at 5,000+ records(8/10)
Scrivener
No signals
Notion
- Why is Notion AI only on the Business plan?(9/10)
- Frequent pricing changes erode user trust(7/10)
- Notion Plus plan only gets a limited AI trial(8/10)
- Account lockouts when trying to downgrade(9/10)
- Notion Custom Agents cost extra credits on top of seat price(7/10)
Scrivener
No signals
Notion
- Notion customer support slow with billing disputes and refunds(9/10)
Scrivener
No signals
Notion
- Notion offline mode limited: 50 database rows, no browser support(7/10)
- Is Notion down? Repeated outages and slow loading in 2026(7/10)
- Notion 'Cannot save changes' and sync errors(7/10)
Scrivener
- Table handling is completely broken(6/10)
- Windows version has significant bugs and quality issues(7/10)
- Slow development pace with years between major updates(5/10)
Notion
- Steep learning curve leads to productivity loss(6/10)
- Jack of all trades, master of none(5/10)
Scrivener
- Notoriously steep learning curve takes weeks to master(9/10)
- Compile feature is confusing nightmare for many users(8/10)
- Interface is unintuitive patchwork design(6/10)
- No cloud or web version - desktop only with sync workarounds(6/10)
- Image insertion causes massive file size bloat(5/10)
Notion
- Mobile app slow and unreliable for quick notes(7/10)
Scrivener
- No Android version - iOS mobile only(7/10)
Notion
- No end-to-end encryption - Notion can read your notes(6/10)
Scrivener
No signals
Pricing Comparison
Notion
Users: Individuals; up to 10 guests
Storage: 5 MB per file upload
Limits: 5 MB uploads, 7-day history, no AI beyond trial, cannot buy Notion credits
Users: Per member
Storage: Unlimited uploads (about 5 GB max per file)
Limits: No full Notion AI, no SAML SSO, no private teamspaces, PDF export with subpages requires Business
Users: Per member
Storage: Unlimited uploads (about 5 GB max per file)
Limits: No SCIM, audit log or advanced security controls
Users: Custom
Storage: Unlimited
Limits: Must contact sales
Scrivener
Users: 1 user
Limits: Trial counts usage days not calendar days, expires after 30 days of use
Users: 1 user
Limits: Single platform only, no cross-platform license
Users: 1 user
Limits: iOS not included
Users: 1 user
Limits: Requires desktop version for full workflow, sync can be finicky
Users: 1 user
Limits: Must prove student/academic status
Users: 1 user
Limits: Requires existing license
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Notion | Scrivener |
|---|---|---|
| Collaboration | ||
| Real-time collaboration Multiple users can edit simultaneously | ||
| Organization | ||
| Binder organization system Hierarchical document structure | ||
| Corkboard view Index card visualization | ||
| Outliner view Spreadsheet-style overview | ||
| Research folder Store PDFs, images, web pages | ||
| Character/Setting templates Built-in templates | ||
| Custom metadata User-defined fields | ||
| Collections Virtual groupings | ||
| Reliability | ||
| Offline mode Desktop and mobile apps only; first 50 rows of a database's first view; subpages not included | ||
| AI | ||
| AI assistant Full AI on Business ($20/seat) and Enterprise only; Free and Plus get a limited trial | ||
| Custom Agents Business/Enterprise; billed in Notion credits ($10 per 1,000) since May 4, 2026 | ||
| Accessibility | ||
| Mobile app Available but slow, frequent reloads needed | ||
| Export | ||
| Compile/Export Powerful but complex to learn | ||
| Screenplay formatting Industry-standard scripts | ||
| Security | ||
| End-to-end encryption Notion can access your content | ||
| Page password protection Cannot password-protect individual pages | ||
| Backup | ||
| Snapshots (version history) Manual version snapshots | ||
| Data | ||
| Relational databases Available but performance degrades at 5000+ records | ||
| Charts and graphs Basic only, requires external tools for advanced visualization | ||
| Editing | ||
| Split editor View two documents simultaneously | ||
| Table support Buggy implementation | ||
| Integrations | ||
| API access Available on all plans | ||
| Writing | ||
| Writing statistics Word counts, targets, progress | ||
| Full-screen composition mode Distraction-free writing | ||
| Productivity | ||
| Templates library Extensive official and community templates | ||
| Enterprise | ||
| SAML SSO Business plan and above only | ||
| Audit logs Enterprise plan only | ||
| Custom domains Paid add-on for Notion Sites | ||
| Project Management | ||
| Native Gantt charts Timeline view exists but not full Gantt functionality | ||
| Sync | ||
| Cloud sync Local only, Dropbox workaround | ||
| Platform | ||
| Web version Desktop only | ||
| Android app iOS only for mobile | ||