TLDR (Summary)
Notion handles documentation and knowledge management, but running a freelance business on Notion means bolting on separate tools for every business function. Invoicing, proposals, contracts, payments, time tracking, client portals, and CRM all require either DIY database templates or separate paid subscriptions. 18% of G2 reviewers cite the learning curve as the number one con, and per-user pricing on the Business plan reaches $24/user/month before adding any of the missing tools. Freelancers using Notion typically add 5-7 additional subscriptions to cover basic business functions, pushing monthly costs past $80. All-in-one platforms like Plutio cover projects, invoicing, proposals, contracts, and client portals starting at $19/month with zero template setup.
Project management that works without database formulas
Notion's task management requires manually building databases, configuring views, linking relations, and debugging formulas. Plutio includes Kanban boards, Gantt timelines, task dependencies, and project templates from day one.
Notion handles basic task tracking through databases with statuses, priorities, and due dates. Board views cover Kanban workflows, and timeline views show project schedules. But every project structure needs to be built from scratch, or adapted from a template that breaks over time. Duplicating databases destroys formula references, and retrofitting unique workflows into pre-built templates creates cascading errors that take hours to fix.
Plutio's project management starts with Kanban boards and adds what Notion requires manual setup to approximate: Gantt timelines that show dependencies between tasks, milestones that mark phase transitions, and templates that create entire project structures from a single click. A website project can have design, development, and launch phases with tasks that automatically unlock when the previous phase finishes.
The difference is what connects to the project work. In Plutio, time tracked on a task feeds into an invoice line item, a completed milestone triggers a client notification, and project status updates in the client portal without sending a separate email. In Notion, the project database lives in isolation, disconnected from billing, clients, and communication.
Plutio's project management connects tasks to time tracking, invoicing, and client portals, so the work and the business operate from the same workspace.
Invoicing and payments that Notion doesn't have at any tier
Notion has zero invoicing or payment processing features on any plan, including the $24/user/month Business tier. Plutio generates invoices from tracked hours with payment processing built in.
Freelancers using Notion build invoice templates that generate formatted pages, not real invoices. A Notion invoice can't send itself to a client, track whether the client opened the document, accept a payment, calculate late fees, or generate tax reports. Every payment requires a separate tool like FreshBooks ($21-30/month), Stripe, or PayPal, and those tools don't share data with the Notion workspace.
Plutio's invoicing pulls tracked hours into invoices automatically. A date range fills in every tracked hour, task name, and rate without manual data entry. Recurring invoices auto-send on schedule with late payment reminders built in. Payment processing through Stripe, PayPal, or bank transfer happens inside the same platform, and multi-currency support lets international freelancers bill in local currencies.
The gap between a formatted Notion page and a real invoice is the difference between a document and a business function. The Notion version looks like an invoice but can't do what an invoice needs to do: send, track, collect payment, and record the transaction.
Plutio's invoicing turns tracked hours into paid invoices without copying numbers between apps or maintaining a separate billing tool.
Proposals and contracts with e-signatures, not shared text pages
Notion has no proposal builder, no contract templates with legal weight, and no e-signature functionality at any tier. Plutio includes drag-and-drop proposals with built-in e-signatures where signing creates the project automatically.
A contract in Notion is a shared page with text. The page has no e-signature capability, no approval workflow, no version tracking for amendments, and no legal execution process. Signing requires DocuSign ($10-15/month) or HelloSign, and the signed document doesn't create a project, generate a task list, or activate a client portal.
Plutio's proposal builder includes drag-and-drop sections, pricing tables, and built-in e-signatures. Clients review and sign from any device. When the signature goes through, Plutio creates the project with pre-configured tasks and deadlines based on the proposal scope. Contracts attach to proposals and projects, so the signed scope stays connected to the actual deliverables.
The entire pre-project workflow happens in one sequence: proposal sent, proposal signed, project created, client portal activated, first invoice scheduled. In Notion, every step after writing the text page needs a separate tool, a separate login, and manual data re-entry.
In Plutio, a signed proposal becomes a live project with contracts, tasks, and client portal access from one signed document.
Time tracking that connects to billing
Notion has zero native time tracking. Freelancers billing hourly need Toggl, Harvest, or Clockify on top, then manually recreate invoice line items at the end of each billing cycle.
The workaround in Notion is building manual database entries to log hours. There's no start/stop timer, no automatic tracking, and no connection between tracked hours and billing. An estimated 20% of billable time gets lost through manual logging delays when using workaround systems instead of dedicated tracking. That's roughly one working day per week unaccounted for.
Plutio's time tracking runs inside every project. A built-in timer starts from any task with one click, or hours get logged manually with notes and rates attached. Billable and non-billable hours stay separated so only client-facing work hits the invoice.
At invoice time, tracked hours convert to line items with the task name, duration, and hourly rate already filled in. Time reports break down hours by project, client, or date range, showing exactly where billable hours went and which projects ran over budget.
Every hour tracked in Plutio turns into an invoice line item without manual entry, app switching, or end-of-month reconciliation.
Client portals instead of shared wiki pages
Notion can share individual pages externally, but there's no branded portal, no client login, no client-specific dashboard, and no permission controls for what clients see. Plutio's client portals are branded spaces where clients track progress, share files, and pay invoices.
Client portal templates exist in Notion, but they're DIY database views, not actual portals. Shared pages expose the page structure and formatting to clients. There's no file management, no communication tools tied to specific projects, and no way for clients to approve deliverables or pay invoices from the same space.
Plutio's client portals are branded with a custom logo, colors, and domain. Clients log in and see project progress alongside milestones, shared files, outstanding invoices, and messages. Files upload directly to the project instead of arriving as email attachments. Messages attach to specific tasks so conversations stay in context.
The portal replaces the email chains, the check-in messages, and the status update requests that accumulate between meetings. Clients see what's happening without asking, and the freelancer doesn't spend time writing separate update emails every week.
Plutio's client portals replace status update emails with a branded space where clients track progress, share files, and pay invoices from one login.
With Plutio we don't jump between apps anymore! Everything from projects to invoicing is finally connected in one fully-branded app.
How to switch from Notion to Plutio
Most freelancers complete the transition in 1-2 weeks by exporting key data and starting new projects on Plutio while finishing active Notion work where it is.
- Start a free trial: Plutio offers 14 days of full access with no credit card required. Every feature, including projects, invoicing, proposals, time tracking, and client portals, works from day one.
- Export Notion data: Notion supports full workspace export to Markdown, CSV, or HTML. Download databases (clients, projects, contacts) as CSV files. Page content exports as Markdown. File attachments need to be downloaded from each page individually.
- Import client contacts: Upload the CSV into Plutio. Client names, emails, and details carry over in minutes.
- Set up a project template: Create one project template with the standard task list, milestones, and deliverable structure. Every new project starts from the template instead of manual database configuration.
- Start new clients on Plutio: Send the next proposal from Plutio. When the client signs, the project creates automatically with the template structure, portal access, and contract attached.
- Keep Notion for notes if needed: Many freelancers keep Notion's free plan for personal notes and documentation while running all business operations on Plutio. Notion handles knowledge management well. The problem was using Notion as a business management tool.
The hardest part of switching from Notion isn't the data export. The hardest part is accepting that the weeks spent building databases, configuring formulas, and connecting templates don't justify continuing to pay for 5-7 separate subscriptions to cover what a single platform includes natively.
The switch happens between projects. New clients start on Plutio while Notion projects finish naturally, and the free plan stays available for notes.
