Softwr

Software · head to head

Notion vs Pilot

Notion logo

Notion

Software

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Pilot logo

Pilot

Software

Bookkeeping, CFO, and tax for startups

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Notion has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Notion free plan limited to 1,000 blocks for 2+ member workspaces, restricting team usage; Pilot the Essentials bookkeeping plan at $99 per month covers up to $100,000 in monthly expenses, and is cash-basis only using bank and credit card data
  • They diverge on capability: Notion covers Rich text editing with blocks, Pilot covers Bookkeeping.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Notion and Pilot actually diverge.

Attributes where Notion and Pilot differ
AttributeNotionPilot
Starting priceFree$29/month
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb
Founded20162017

Identical on both: 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 Notion

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

Only in Pilot

  • Bookkeeping
  • CFO services
  • Tax preparation
  • R&D tax credits
  • Financial reporting
  • QuickBooks
  • Stripe
  • Brex

What people use each for

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

Notion

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

Pilot

  • Outsourced monthly bookkeeping for startups and small businessesnot Notion
  • Federal, state and Delaware franchise tax filing for US companiesnot Notion
  • Fractional CFO support for financial planning and fundraisingnot Notion

Where each one falls short

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

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

Pilot

  • The Essentials bookkeeping plan at $99 per month covers up to $100,000 in monthly expenses, and is cash-basis only using bank and credit card data
  • A dedicated US-based bookkeeper, accrual-basis books and phone support require the Core plan, which is contact sales and billed annually
  • Core caps bill management at 10 vendor bills per month
  • Keeping an existing QuickBooks account with historical data requires the Custom plan
  • Accounts receivable, accounts payable, payroll administration and CFO advisory are Custom plan only
  • Monthly reports arrive on the 10th business day on Core and the 6th business day only on Custom
  • Tax filing is sold separately, starting at $1,000 per year for single member LLCs and $2,000 per year for partnerships and S-Corps, billed annually
  • The tax service must be purchased together with Pilot Bookkeeping
  • Partnership and S-Corp tax filing includes up to 25 1099-NEC filings

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Pilot

$29/month
  • Core$599/month
    • Bookkeeping
    • Accrual basis
    • Monthly close
  • Plus$849/month
    • CFO support
    • Custom reporting
    • Board deck

Which should you pick?

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.
Notion review

Choose Pilot if

  • You need bookkeeping.
  • You also want cfo services.
Pilot review

Questions people ask

Is Notion or Pilot better?
Neither clearly leads. Notion starts at Free and Pilot at $29/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Notion or Pilot?
Notion has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Notion and $29/month for Pilot.
Does Notion or Pilot run on more platforms?
Notion runs on Web, iOS, Android. Pilot runs on Web.
Can I use Notion for free?
Yes. Notion has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Pilot starts at $29/month.
What is Notion best used for?
Notion is most often used for project management, knowledge base creation, note-taking and documentation, team collaboration. Of those, project management and knowledge base creation are not what Pilot is typically brought in for.
What can Notion do that Pilot cannot?
Notion covers Rich text editing with blocks, Customizable databases, Kanban boards and calendars, Real-time collaboration. Pilot covers Bookkeeping, CFO services, Tax preparation, R&D tax credits.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
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
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
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
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
ShareXLinkedInRedditWhatsAppEmail

Related pages

More on Notion

More on Pilot

Keep looking

Other head to heads