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Software · head to head

Northbeam vs Notion

Northbeam logo

Northbeam

Software

Marketing intelligence for growth brands

From
$1500/month
Rated
-
Notion logo

Notion

Software

All-in-one workspace for notes, tasks, wikis, and databases

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • Only Notion has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Northbeam limited creative-level reporting focused on campaign and ad set rather than individual ad performance; Notion free plan limited to 1,000 blocks for 2+ member workspaces, restricting team usage
  • They diverge on capability: Northbeam covers Cross-platform attribution, Notion covers Rich text editing with blocks.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Northbeam and Notion actually diverge.

Attributes where Northbeam and Notion differ
AttributeNorthbeamNotion
Starting price$1500/monthFree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, APIWeb, iOS, Android
Founded20202016

Identical on both: pricing model (Unknown), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Northbeam

  • Cross-platform attribution
  • Media mix modeling
  • Creative analytics
  • Real-time dashboards
  • Incrementality testing
  • Customer journey
  • Cohort analysis
  • LTV predictions

Only in Notion

  • Rich text editing with blocks
  • Customizable databases
  • Kanban boards and calendars
  • Real-time collaboration
  • Template library
  • File attachments
  • Web clipper
  • API access

Both cover

  • SOC2

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Northbeam

  • Marketing attributionnot Notion
  • Media optimizationnot Notion
  • Creative testingnot Notion
  • Budget allocationnot Notion

Notion

  • Project managementnot Northbeam
  • Knowledge base creationnot Northbeam
  • Note-taking and documentationnot Northbeam
  • Team collaborationnot Northbeam
  • Content planningnot Northbeam

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Northbeam

  • Limited creative-level reporting focused on campaign and ad set rather than individual ad performance
  • Lack of transparency in attribution modeling methodology and how credit is assigned
  • Pageview-based pricing that can scale faster than perceived value for high-traffic, lower-conversion brands
  • Slower reporting cadence limits real-time feedback for teams requiring immediate performance data

Notion

  • Free plan limited to 1,000 blocks for 2+ member workspaces, restricting team usage
  • Free tier only includes trial AI capabilities; full Notion AI requires paid plan
  • Page history limited to 7 days on free plan
  • Per-member pricing increases costs for teams compared to flat-rate competitors
  • Limited automation capabilities compared to dedicated workflow platforms

Pricing, plan by plan

Northbeam

$1500/month
  • Starter$1500/month
    • Multi-touch attribution
    • Media mix modeling
    • Up to 1M monthly pageviews
  • Professional$2500/month
    • All Starter features
    • Creative analytics
    • Export API access

Notion

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 1000 block limit (2+ members)
    • 7-day page history
    • 5MB file upload cap
  • Plus$10/month
    • Unlimited blocks
    • 30-day page history
    • Unlimited file uploads
  • Business$20/month
    • All Plus features
    • Notion Agent
    • AI Meeting Notes
  • Enterprise$null/custom
    • All Business features
    • Advanced controls
    • Audit logs

Which should you pick?

Choose Northbeam if

  • You need cross-platform attribution.
  • You work on Web, API.
  • You also want media mix modeling.

Choose Notion if

  • You need rich text editing with blocks.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want customizable databases.

Questions people ask

Is Northbeam or Notion better?
Neither clearly leads. Northbeam starts at $1500/month and Notion at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Northbeam or Notion?
Notion has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $1500/month for Northbeam and Free for Notion.
Does Northbeam or Notion run on more platforms?
Northbeam runs on Web, API. Notion runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Notion for free?
Yes. Notion has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Northbeam starts at $1500/month.
What is Northbeam best used for?
Northbeam is most often used for marketing attribution, media optimization, creative testing, budget allocation. Of those, marketing attribution and media optimization are not what Notion is typically brought in for.
What can Northbeam do that Notion cannot?
Northbeam covers Cross-platform attribution, Media mix modeling, Creative analytics, Real-time dashboards. Notion covers Rich text editing with blocks, Customizable databases, Kanban boards and calendars, Real-time collaboration. Both handle SOC2.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Northbeam: How is Northbeam priced?

Northbeam offers three tiers: Starter ($1,500/month), Professional ($2,500/month), and Enterprise (custom quote). Pricing is based on monthly pageviews and refreshed data frequency. There are no setup fees, free plan, or free trial.

Source
Notion: What are Notion's pricing tiers?

Notion offers four plans: Free ($0/member/month), Plus ($10/member/month), Business ($20/member/month recommended), and Enterprise (custom pricing). All paid plans include Notion AI and identical features with no per-feature charges.

Source
Northbeam: What platforms does Northbeam integrate with?

Northbeam integrates with Shopify, Meta Ads, Google Ads, TikTok, Pinterest, Snapchat, YouTube, Klaviyo, Recharge, and others. It pushes attribution data to Meta CAPI, Google Conversion API, GA4, and TikTok Events API.

Source
Notion: What is included in Notion's free plan?

The free plan includes databases with limited collaborative blocks, trial AI capabilities, basic forms, basic sites, Notion Calendar, and file uploads. For workspaces with 2+ members, there is a 1,000-block limit.

Source
Northbeam: What does Northbeam measure?

Northbeam uses multi-touch attribution (MTA), media mix modeling (MMM), and Northbeam Apex to measure how paid media spend translates to revenue. Apex sends attribution data directly back to ad platforms for algorithm optimization.

Source
Notion: How much does Notion AI cost?

Notion AI is included with Plus ($10/mo), Business ($20/mo), and Enterprise plans. Free and Plus plans include limited AI trial capabilities. Custom Agents cost $10 per 1,000 monthly credits after free trial.

Source
Northbeam: Who should use Northbeam?

Northbeam is ideal for intermediate to advanced ecommerce operators at Shopify-based DTC brands generating $1M+ annual revenue and spending at least $1.5M yearly on paid media across multiple channels.

Source
Notion: Can guests access Notion workspaces without payment?

Yes. Guests are free of charge on all plans including the free tier. Free tier allows 10 guests; paid plans include unlimited guests. Guests can only access individual pages they are invited to.

Source
Northbeam: What are Northbeam's main limitations?

Key limitations include a steep learning curve and complex interface, shallow creative-level reporting, lack of model transparency, pricing that can scale faster than value for high-traffic brands, and slower reporting cadence compared to real-time dashboards.

Source
Notion: Does Notion integrate with other apps?

Yes. Notion integrates with 100+ third-party apps including Slack, Google Drive, GitHub, Google Calendar, Trello, Jira, Zapier, and many others. Native integrations are available plus additional connections via Zapier.

Source

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