Google Drive is a cloud storage and collaboration tool optimized for file management and real-time document editing, while Notion is an all-in-one workspace combining note-taking, databases, wikis, and project management. Google Drive excels at simple file sharing and Office integration, whereas Notion provides deeper organizational capabilities for complex workflows.
Google Drive vs Notion — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Choose Google Drive if you need simple, fast file storage with minimal setup and seamless Microsoft/Google ecosystem integration—ideal for individuals and teams focused on document collaboration. Choose Notion if you're building complex knowledge bases, managing projects with relational data, or consolidating multiple tools into one workspace—better for power users and organizations willing to invest time in setup.
Cloud storage and document collaboration platform by Google with 15GB free storage.
All-in-one workspace for notes, databases, wikis, and team collaboration
Google Drive vs Notion — Comparison Data
Structured comparison data for Google Drive vs Notion with 373 attributes.
Real-time Collaborative Editors (Simultaneous Users)
Free Tier Monthly Recording/Creation Limit
Monthly Subscription Cost (Personal Plan)
Starting Price per User/Month (Annual Billing)
Base Monthly Cost Per User (Annual Billing)
Google Drive vs Notion — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Google Drive vs Notion.
Which is better for small business file management?
Google Drive is superior for small businesses focused on simple file storage and real-time document collaboration. Its 15GB free tier, minimal learning curve, and seamless Google Workspace integration make it ideal for teams sharing documents. Notion becomes valuable only if you need database features, project management, or a centralized knowledge base.
Can I use Notion as a complete replacement for Google Drive?
Not entirely. While Notion offers unlimited storage for pages and notes, it's slower with large databases and has a 20MB file upload limit versus Drive's 5GB. Notion excels at organizing information but lacks Drive's performance for heavy file management. Most power users use both: Drive for files, Notion for knowledge organization.
How much does it cost to go from free to paid?
Google Drive's first paid tier is $9.99/month for 100GB. Notion's Personal Pro is $10/month with unlimited pages plus AI features. For team use, Google One 2TB is $19.99/month, while Notion Teams is $8/user/month. Google is cheaper for pure storage; Notion is cheaper for team collaboration with advanced features.
Google Drive provides full offline editing for Docs, Sheets, and Slides—you can work completely disconnected and sync automatically when online. Notion only allows reading pages offline with very limited editing. If offline access is critical, Google Drive is the clear winner.
Notion has a steep learning curve compared to Google Drive. Beginners often struggle with database relations, block types, and layout customization. However, using Notion templates (1000+ available) significantly reduces setup complexity. Google Drive is immediately productive for beginners with zero learning curve.