synoia or Notion?
An all-in-one cloud workspace for docs, wikis and databases.
The short answer
Pick Notion for the richest all-in-one workspace, with databases, templates and a built-in AI, if you're content for your knowledge to live in Notion's format and cloud. Pick synoia if your knowledge has to stay as files you own, shared folder by folder, with each person's own AI.
| Feature | synoia | Notion |
|---|---|---|
| Notes are ordinary files on your computer | YesA channel is a folder of ordinary files on each person's computer. Obsidian opens it. | NoPages in Notion's own format, in Notion's cloud. Pages export as Markdown, databases as CSV. |
| Edit together, live | YesEdits merge as you type, and you can see who else is in a note. | YesLive collaboration. |
| Restrict a folder or page to named people | YesShare a channel, a folder or a note. Restrict a folder to named people or teams. | YesPages can be shared with named people. Private teamspaces on the Business plan. |
| Work with people from other organisations | YesInvite guests by name to a channel, a folder or a note. | YesGuests on pages. |
| Your own AI reads and writes, within your access | YesClaude, ChatGPT or any MCP client reads and writes within the person's access. Every write is logged. | YesNotion's hosted MCP server, signed in with OAuth, reads and writes. |
| A built-in AI from the vendor | NoWe run no AI model. You bring your own. | YesNotion AI is built in. |
| Sign-in | Google or Microsoft only. No passwords. | SAML single sign-on on Business and Enterprise. |
| Where it runs | One service on AWS in London, behind Cloudflare. Notes also live on your computers. | Notion's cloud. EU data residency on Enterprise. We found no UK option. |
| Mobile app | NoDesktop first. macOS leads. | YesiOS and Android, with pages available offline. |
| Price, as found | Plans for organisations from £10 a month, excluding VAT, with a free trial. | Plus $10 and Business $20 per member a month. |
Yes, No and Partly describe Notion as we found it in September 2026, from Notion's pricing, help and developer pages. Products change; check with Notion before you rely on a line here. For synoia, each line describes the product as built today. Nothing is released yet.
Where Notion is the better choice
Breadth. Databases and wikis in one place, an AI built in, and mobile apps that work offline. For a team that already lives in Notion and doesn't need its knowledge as files, it's the more complete product by a distance.
Where synoia fits
Ownership, and a boundary you can explain. Your notes are files on your computers. Folders can be restricted to the people who need them. Your own AI, bound to your access. A service in London. The answer to “where does our knowledge go?” fits in one sentence.
Switching
Can you switch?
Notion can export pages as Markdown and databases as CSV. Moving an export into synoia is something we'll test with our first teams. Leaving synoia is simpler: your notes were always files.
Questions
Can synoia do databases?
No. Notes have properties and tags, but there are no database views. If your work is mostly databases, Notion is the better tool today.
Does Notion offer UK data residency?
We didn't find a UK option in September 2026. Notion offers EU data residency on Enterprise. Check with Notion before relying on this.
See it with your own team.
Try it on your own computer, then start a free trial with your team.