Compare · Docs and databases
BrainSwitchs vs Notion
Notion gives you pages. BrainSwitchs gives you pages and canvases that nest inside each other: a canvas in a page, a page in a canvas.
Notion is where a lot of people keep their docs and tables. BrainSwitchs covers the same ground with pages and Notion-style databases, then adds what Notion leaves out: an infinite canvas for visual thinking, a timer, and a record of how you actually spent your focus.
Product strategy, 2026
612 words · 3 min read · Edited by you
We sell to small teams first. Below is the map we drew on Monday, still live. Drag anything in it and the canvas updates everywhere.
Open questions
-
Pick a price - Who owns onboarding?
| Feature | BrainSwitchs | Notion |
|---|---|---|
| Rich pages with / menu | Yes | Yes |
| Databases (table, board, calendar, timeline, gallery) | Yes, plus chart view | Yes |
| Infinite whiteboard canvas | Built in, unlimited per project | No |
| Canvas inside a page | Yes, live and editable | No |
| Page inside a canvas | Yes, open any card as a full page | No |
| Spreadsheet block with formulas | Yes (=SUM and friends) | Database formulas only |
| Focus timer and session log | Sprint timer, Tracker, Timeline | No |
| Logical / Creative working modes | Yes | No |
| Share by link | Yes | Yes |
| Team wiki and permissions at scale | Basic sharing | Mature |
Notion details are based on its publicly listed features and may change. Corrections welcome.
Choose BrainSwitchs if
- You can think on a canvas and write in a page inside the same project, and drag one into the other.
- Every session ends with a decision, so projects move forward instead of collecting notes.
- You can see over weeks whether you spend more time planning or creating.
Stick with Notion if
- Large team wikis with detailed permissions and admin controls.
- A huge template gallery and third-party integrations.
Moving from Notion
Export your Notion pages as Markdown and paste them into a BrainSwitchs page. Headings, lists and checklists keep their shape.
You don't have to move everything at once. Plenty of people start with one project, see how the canvas and pages feel together, and bring the rest over later.