Craft Problems & Issues
Real user-reported problems, complaints, and limitations for Craft. Based on analysis of 15 signals.
Overall score: 71/100
Issues by Category
Cluttered UI with confusing navigation
Users report the UI cramps many features together, resulting in endless different views, confusing navigation and animations, and hidden elements behind multi-slide navs. Simple actions like changing text to a heading require multiple clicks through sidebars.
Formatting and editing is cumbersome
Formatting can be cumbersome with unintuitive workflows. Adding a code block requires double click > ellipsis icon > Language > search for language. To change text to heading: Select text > Click sidebar > Format > Click heading. Simple actions take too many steps.
No built-in task management or databases
Craft lacks built-in task management features and database functionality that Notion offers. For users needing project management alongside notes, Craft falls short. You can't create relational databases, kanban boards, or complex task systems.
New features feel incomplete and buggy
The app occasionally feels incomplete with users encountering minor issues. Collections (late 2024) is still in early stages with rough edges. Craft Styles are incomplete and frustrating to use in real-world scenarios. Features ship before they're fully polished.
Craft export loses formatting and images
Markdown export keeps only structure and basic formatting; images come with it only in TextBundle or in a separate .assets folder. Word export is missing on Windows, bulk export only works on Mac and iPad, and Web/Windows PDFs carry a Craft watermark by default.
Craft free plan limited to 1,500 blocks
The free Starter plan caps you at 1,500 content blocks, 1 GB storage and 25 MB per upload. Every paragraph, image or list item is a block, so regular users hit the wall within weeks. Notion, Apple Notes and Obsidian have no comparable block cap on free use.
Is Craft Plus worth $10 a month?
Plus costs $10/month or $96/year; Family is $180/year and Team $600/year for up to 10 people. Prices vary by country, and 40% promo codes came and went in spring and summer 2026, so what you pay depends on timing. Old Pro subscribers keep their legacy plan.
Craft AI credits run out fast
Craft AI is metered: 15 credits on the free plan and 50 per month on Plus. Heavy users of the assistant hit the cap quickly, and the larger 'Max' models are only on paid plans.
Craft not syncing between devices
Sync failures are common enough that Craft's troubleshooting guide puts them first: VPNs, ad blockers (AdGuard), Little Snitch and corporate firewalls block Craft's servers, and devices logged in with different methods silently use different accounts. Windows and Web have no Diagnostics panel to check sync status.
Craft offline mode limited on Windows, web and Android
Offline works automatically only on Mac and iOS. On Windows, Web and Android you must enable Offline Mode, closed documents don't sync in the background, and you can't create documents, search, upload images or use AI while offline.
Craft still shows free limits after upgrading
Users who pay still see the 1,500-block prompt or are told they are not Pro. Craft's help center confirms it and tells users to sign out, fully quit and sign back in with the purchasing account. A separate 300,000-block-per-space cap on Apple devices also triggers upgrade prompts on paid plans.
Sign in with Apple and email create separate Craft accounts
Logging in with Sign in with Apple on one device and email on another creates two different accounts, so documents look 'gone'. Changing your email can also leave Apple sign-in pointing at a new empty account, and the two accounts cannot be merged.
iCloud External Storage spaces unreliable across devices
Craft syncs through its own servers by default. You can create an External Storage space in iCloud Drive, but Craft's own help center says it does not recommend using External spaces across multiple devices and lists a long iCloud troubleshooting checklist. Users who want their notes in their own storage have no fully supported option.
iPad version lacks desktop-class features
The iPad version lacks the desktop-class layout found with the Mac app, with only a single view on-screen most of the time. For users expecting full feature parity on iPad, the mobile experience is limiting compared to Mac.
Craft Windows and web apps lag behind the Mac app
The Mac app is clearly the flagship; reviewers note the Web and Windows versions trail it. Windows lacks Word export and the Diagnostics panel, Stats are Apple-only, and offline mode must be turned on by hand and only caches documents you already opened.
Regret Patterns
Common reasons users regret choosing Craft.
Hit 1500 block limit mid-project
Users don't realize how quickly they create blocks until they hit the 1500 limit in the middle of important work. The sudden restriction forces an upgrade decision at an inconvenient time.
Expected Notion-like features that don't exist
Users switch from Notion expecting similar functionality but find Craft lacks databases, kanban boards, and project management features. They realize Craft is a document tool, not an all-in-one workspace.
Invested in Apple-only app before needing cross-platform
Users built extensive document libraries before needing Windows or Android access. While Craft now supports these platforms, the experience historically left users feeling locked in.
Signed in a different way and 'lost' everything
Users who used Sign in with Apple on one device and email on another end up with two accounts and think their documents vanished. The accounts cannot be merged.
Moved a team to Craft, Windows users struggled
Mixed Mac/Windows teams find the Windows app missing features and diagnostics the Mac team relies on, and collaboration is weaker than Notion or Google Docs.
When Craft Breaks Down
Specific scenarios where Craft fails or underperforms.
Need database functionality
Craft has no built-in databases, tables with relations, or Notion-style views. When projects require structured data management, users must switch to Notion or Airtable.
Heavy document creator on free tier
The 1500 block limit gets hit faster than expected. Users creating meeting notes, project docs, and personal notes daily run out within weeks. Must upgrade or switch tools.
Team needs real-time collaboration features
While Craft has team features on Business plan, it's primarily designed for individual document creation. Teams needing Notion-style databases and workspaces find Craft limiting.
Working on a VPN or corporate network
VPNs, ad blockers and firewalls block Craft's servers, so sync stops or the app shows 'Server Not Found' until IT allowlists *.craft.do.
Editing the same doc offline on two devices
Neither device sees the other's changes until both are online and the document is reopened, which can cause text to revert.
Migrating out of Craft with images
Plain Markdown export drops embedded images unless you use TextBundle or keep the .assets folder next to the .md files.