switchpoint

Project management · 2026

Kanboard·vs·Notion

Two solid choices in project management. Here's how they stack up on pricing, fit, and trade-offs — so you can decide in a minute.

Reviewed by Switchpoint Editors ·

Take on Notion

Most teams leaving Notion don't actually need to leave; they need to clean up their workspace. The teams who genuinely outgrow it have one of three problems: workspaces that load in 5+ seconds, a partner that's anti-cloud, or a CEO who read one HN thread about data ownership. Match the alternative to the actual problem, not the vibe.

Contender A

Kanboard

Free, open-source kanban.

Best for

Self-hosters who just need boards.

Pricing

Free, open source.

Pros

  • Free forever
  • Self-hostable

Trade-offs

  • Sparse UI

Contender B

Notion

All-in-one docs, notes, and lightweight databases.

Best for

Teams that want docs, wikis, and DBs in one workspace.

Pricing

Free for personal. Plus $10/user/mo.

Pros

  • Flexible blocks
  • Huge template library
  • Generous free tier

Trade-offs

  • Slows on large workspaces
  • Limited offline

The matrix

Side-by-side

Best for

Kanboard

Self-hosters who just need boards.

Notion

Teams that want docs, wikis, and DBs in one workspace.

Pricing

Kanboard

Free, open source.

Notion

Free for personal. Plus $10/user/mo.

Top strength

Kanboard

Free forever

Notion

Flexible blocks

Biggest trade-off

Kanboard

Sparse UI

Notion

Slows on large workspaces

The verdict

Which should you pick?

If…Pick Kanboard

Self-hosters who just need boards.

If…Pick Notion

Teams that want docs, wikis, and DBs in one workspace.

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