Notion or a local notes app?

Notion if the notes have to be shared. Something local such as Obsidian if they are yours and you want them in files you control.

How do I stop the workspace becoming a junk drawer?

One owner, a short template, and a monthly delete. If a page has no next action and no reader, archive it.

Are launchers worth it?

If you live on a Mac and still click through folders, yes. Raycast pays for itself in a week of skipped mouse trips.

Tools / Productivity & Notes

Best notes and productivity apps for small teams

A second brain that you will still open in six months — notes, tasks and the daily launcher, without a productivity religion.

Who this is for

Founders and small teams who are tired of the junk-drawer workspace. Share a tool when the notes have to be communal; keep a local file if they are yours. This is not a list of habit trackers.

2 tools below, ordered by quality and recency — not by who paid. Sponsor this list ($149/mo) for a labelled pin at the top — separate from the homepage auction.

Productivity & notes pin

Fixed $149/month sponsorship — not the homepage Leaderboard auction.

Your tool here — sponsor this list

No monthly pin sold on this list yet. Sponsor this list for $149/mo.

The list

Obsidian Productivity & Notes

Local markdown notes that you will still own in ten years.

Open Obsidian

Free options · 4.7 rating

Notion Productivity & Notes

Docs, wikis and lightweight databases in one shared workspace.

Open Notion

Free options · 4.5 rating

Questions worth asking

Notion or a local notes app?: Notion if the notes have to be shared. Something local such as Obsidian if they are yours and you want them in files you control.
How do I stop the workspace becoming a junk drawer?: One owner, a short template, and a monthly delete. If a page has no next action and no reader, archive it.
Are launchers worth it?: If you live on a Mac and still click through folders, yes. Raycast pays for itself in a week of skipped mouse trips.