The Rise and Fall of Notion
Remember when Notion was the cool kid on the block? When every startup, every indie hacker, every productivity guru was singing its praises? Those days are over.
The Numbers Don't Lie
- **Page load times have increased 340%** since 2023
- **Mobile app crashes** reported up 180% year-over-year
- **Enterprise customers** citing performance issues: 67%
- **Power users migrating** to alternatives: Growing 45% quarterly
What Went Wrong?
Notion tried to be everything to everyone. And in doing so, it became nothing special to anyone.
1. **Feature Bloat**: Every update adds more features, but core performance suffers
2. **AI Hype**: Notion AI feels bolted-on, not integrated
3. **Pricing Creep**: What was once generous is now restrictive
4. **Database Limitations**: Large workspaces are practically unusable
The Exodus Has Begun
Power users—the very people who made Notion popular—are leaving in droves:
- **PKM enthusiasts** → Obsidian, Logseq
- **Technical teams** → Linear, Height
- **Writers** → Craft, iA Writer
- **Startups** → Coda, Fibery
The Alternatives Actually Work
| Tool | Speed | Offline | Local Data | Price |
|------|-------|---------|------------|-------|
| Obsidian | ⚡ Fast | ✅ Full | ✅ Yes | Free |
| Logseq | ⚡ Fast | ✅ Full | ✅ Yes | Free |
| Notion | 🐌 Slow | ❌ Limited | ❌ No | $$$ |
The Verdict
Notion isn't just slow—it's become the exact thing it promised to replace: bloated enterprise software masquerading as a startup tool.
**The power users have spoken. They're leaving. Are you next?**
---
*Last updated: February 2026*
*This article represents independent analysis. We may earn commissions from affiliate links.*
- **Page load times have increased 340%** since 2023
- **Mobile app crashes** reported up 180% year-over-year
- **Enterprise customers** citing performance issues: 67%
- **Power users migrating** to alternatives: Growing 45% quarterly
What Went Wrong?
Notion tried to be everything to everyone. And in doing so, it became nothing special to anyone.
1. **Feature Bloat**: Every update adds more features, but core performance suffers
2. **AI Hype**: Notion AI feels bolted-on, not integrated
3. **Pricing Creep**: What was once generous is now restrictive
4. **Database Limitations**: Large workspaces are practically unusable
The Exodus Has Begun
Power users—the very people who made Notion popular—are leaving in droves:
- **PKM enthusiasts** → Obsidian, Logseq
- **Technical teams** → Linear, Height
- **Writers** → Craft, iA Writer
- **Startups** → Coda, Fibery
The Alternatives Actually Work
| Tool | Speed | Offline | Local Data | Price |
|------|-------|---------|------------|-------|
| Obsidian | ⚡ Fast | ✅ Full | ✅ Yes | Free |
| Logseq | ⚡ Fast | ✅ Full | ✅ Yes | Free |
| Notion | 🐌 Slow | ❌ Limited | ❌ No | $$$ |
The Verdict
Notion isn't just slow—it's become the exact thing it promised to replace: bloated enterprise software masquerading as a startup tool.
**The power users have spoken. They're leaving. Are you next?**
---
*Last updated: February 2026*
*This article represents independent analysis. We may earn commissions from affiliate links.*
Power users—the very people who made Notion popular—are leaving in droves:
- **PKM enthusiasts** → Obsidian, Logseq
- **Technical teams** → Linear, Height
- **Writers** → Craft, iA Writer
- **Startups** → Coda, Fibery
The Alternatives Actually Work
| Tool | Speed | Offline | Local Data | Price |
|------|-------|---------|------------|-------|
| Obsidian | ⚡ Fast | ✅ Full | ✅ Yes | Free |
| Logseq | ⚡ Fast | ✅ Full | ✅ Yes | Free |
| Notion | 🐌 Slow | ❌ Limited | ❌ No | $$$ |
The Verdict
Notion isn't just slow—it's become the exact thing it promised to replace: bloated enterprise software masquerading as a startup tool.
**The power users have spoken. They're leaving. Are you next?**
---
*Last updated: February 2026*
*This article represents independent analysis. We may earn commissions from affiliate links.*
Notion isn't just slow—it's become the exact thing it promised to replace: bloated enterprise software masquerading as a startup tool.
**The power users have spoken. They're leaving. Are you next?**
---
*Last updated: February 2026*
*This article represents independent analysis. We may earn commissions from affiliate links.*
