A Notion alternative — only if you use it just for tasks.
Notion is a build-it-yourself workspace — docs, wikis, and databases in one place. Zoro is a task app that just works — open it and start. This isn't a like-for-like swap: Zoro doesn't do docs, wikis, or databases and won't replace Notion for those. But if the only thing you run in Notion is a task list, and it feels slow or fiddly, a focused tool is the fix. If you want more than a list, stay on Notion — it's genuinely great at that.
The short version
Notion to build it. Zoro to use it.
Notion is brilliant at flexibility: docs, wikis, and databases you assemble into your own system, all in one place. But that flexibility is its cost — for a pure task list you have to design the tool before you use it, and it can feel slow and fiddly. Zoro is the opposite: a focused board with three priorities and three sizes built in, native and fast on iPhone and Mac. Plenty of people keep both — Notion for notes, Zoro for the daily board.
When to pick what
Use the right tool for the job.
Use Notion if…
- You want docs, notes, and tasks together in one place.
- You're building a personal wiki or knowledge base.
- You enjoy designing and customizing your own system.
- You want databases with custom properties and views.
- You need web access and Android, not just Apple devices.
Use Zoro if…
- You want to open an app and start working immediately.
- You want your tasks on iPhone and Mac, native and fast.
- You want a kanban with priorities and sizes already built in.
- You'd rather pay $19.99/year (or $59.99 once) than a per-seat subscription.
- You want your data in your own iCloud, not somebody's SaaS.
Feature comparison
Side by side.
| Feature | Zoro | Notion |
|---|---|---|
| Task system ready out of the box | Yes | No — you build it from databases |
| Priorities + effort sizing | Native (P1–3, S/M/L) | Custom properties you set up |
| Setup before you start | None | You design it first |
| iPhone + Mac native apps | Yes | iOS + Electron desktop |
| Where your data lives | Your iCloud | Notion's servers |
| Docs, wikis, databases | No — tasks only | Yes — the whole point |
| Web + Android access | No (Apple only) | Yes |
| Pricing (1 user) | $0, $19.99/yr or $59.99 once | $0 or ~$10/mo |
Pricing
What you'll actually pay.
Notion's free plan is genuinely generous for one person, so for a personal workspace you may never pay a cent. Paid plans add sharing and collaboration features and are billed per seat — around $10 per user per month for Plus as of 2026. Zoro is built for one person from the start, and the most expensive option is $59.99 once.
Zoro
- Unlimited tasks & projects
- List + kanban, P1/P2/P3, S/M/L
- iCloud sync (iPhone + Mac)
- Weekly review + reflection
- Weekly Review insight cards
- History & Trends — every week kept
- Stats dashboard
- Subtasks, custom statuses
Notion
- Unlimited pages and blocks
- Docs, databases, wikis
- Generous for one person
- More sharing and collaboration
- Per-seat once you go paid
What's actually different
The three things you'll feel right away.
No setup before you start.
Notion asks you to design databases, properties, and views before it becomes a task list. Zoro opens straight to a board with priorities and sizes already there. No template hunting, no schema design — just add a card and go.
Apple-native, not Electron.
Notion's desktop app is an Electron wrapper around the web app. Zoro is a real iPhone and Mac app — fast launch, native keyboard, real offline, system dark mode. Designed for the OS, not ported to it.
Your data, your iCloud.
Notion stores your workspace on Notion's servers. Zoro syncs through your own iCloud Private Database — Apple's encrypted personal store. We don't have a database to lose, sell, or shut down.
Paid once, not forever.
Notion's paid tiers are a recurring per-seat bill. Zoro is $59.99 once and you're done — no renewal, no per-user math. And many people simply keep Notion's free plan for docs alongside Zoro for tasks.
FAQ
Notion vs Zoro, answered.
Is Notion good for task management?
It can do it, but you build the task system first out of databases — it's an all-in-one workspace, not a dedicated task app. Great if you enjoy designing your own tool; as a pure daily list it can feel slow. Zoro opens straight to a board with priorities and sizes built in.
Is Notion free?
Yes — Notion has a generous free plan for personal use with unlimited pages and blocks for one person. Paid plans add sharing and collaboration; Plus is around $10 per user per month as of 2026, and pricing is per-seat once you go paid.
Is Notion overkill for a simple to-do list?
Often, yes. It asks you to design databases, views, and properties before you start, and its desktop app is an Electron wrapper. Many people keep Notion for docs and notes and use a faster, focused app for daily tasks — the two coexist happily.
What's a faster Notion alternative for tasks?
Zoro is a native iPhone and Mac kanban that opens straight to work — three priorities, three sizes, $59.99 once or $19.99/year, no per-seat billing. See our roundup of the best task managers for solo founders.
Cut the day into pieces.
Zoro opens in summer 2026 on iPhone and Mac. Join the waitlist for the App Store link on launch day, plus a code for half off Pro for life — $29.99 once, not $59.99.
Join the waitlist →