Softwr

Technology · head to head

Notion vs Zilliz

Notion logo

Notion

Technology

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Zilliz logo

Zilliz

Databases

Managed vector database and vector lakebase for AI applications

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Notion free plan limited to 1,000 blocks for 2+ member workspaces, restricting team usage; Zilliz pricing structure not publicly disclosed, requires sales contact
  • They diverge on capability: Notion covers Rich text editing with blocks, Zilliz covers Vector indexing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Notion and Zilliz actually diverge.

Attributes where Notion and Zilliz differ
AttributeNotionZilliz
Pricing modelUnknowncontact-sales
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidCloud, Self-hosted
CategoryTechnologyDatabases
Founded20162017

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Zilliz

  • Vector indexing
  • Distributed architecture
  • SQL interface
  • Tensor support
  • Real-time search
  • Cloud-native
  • Open-source compatible

What people use each for

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

Notion

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

Zilliz

  • Build retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) systemsnot Notion
  • Implement semantic search over documentsnot Notion
  • Create multimodal search with text and imagesnot Notion
  • Power recommendation engines with vector similaritynot Notion
  • Enable similarity search on user embeddingsnot 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

Zilliz

  • Pricing structure not publicly disclosed, requires sales contact
  • Operational complexity for self-hosted Milvus deployments
  • Learning curve for those unfamiliar with vector databases
  • Limited built-in analytics compared to some alternatives

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$20/month
    • All Plus features
    • Notion Agent
    • AI Meeting Notes
  • Enterprise$undefined/custom
    • All Business features
    • Advanced controls
    • Audit logs

Zilliz

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Zilliz review.

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 Zilliz if

  • You need vector indexing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Cloud, Self-hosted.
  • You also want distributed architecture.
Zilliz review

Questions people ask

Is Notion or Zilliz better?
Neither clearly leads. Notion starts at Free and Zilliz at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Notion or Zilliz?
Notion starts at Free and Zilliz at Free.
Does Notion or Zilliz run on more platforms?
Notion runs on Web, iOS, Android. Zilliz runs on Cloud, Self-hosted.
Can I use Notion for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
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 Zilliz is typically brought in for.
What can Notion do that Zilliz cannot?
Notion covers Rich text editing with blocks, Customizable databases, Kanban boards and calendars, Real-time collaboration. Zilliz covers Vector indexing, Distributed architecture, SQL interface, Tensor support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Notion: What features are included in the free Notion plan?

The free plan ($0/member/month) includes trial AI capabilities, basic forms and sites, Notion Calendar access, unlimited databases, up to 10 external guests, and 7-day page history.

Source
Zilliz: What is the difference between Milvus and Zilliz Cloud?

Milvus is the open-source vector database that you can self-host. Zilliz Cloud is the fully managed service built on Milvus that removes operational overhead and handles scaling automatically.

Source
Notion: What is the difference between Plus and Business plans?

Plus ($10/member/month) adds custom forms, unlimited file uploads, and 30-day history. Business ($20/member/month) adds Notion Agent for autonomous tasks, AI Meeting Notes, and advanced security features.

Source
Zilliz: How many vectors can Zilliz handle?

Milvus and Zilliz Cloud can store and search billions of vectors through their distributed architecture that separates storage and compute layers.

Source
Notion: How does Notion calculate billing when team members join mid-month?

New members added mid-month incur prorated charges for the current billing period and are included in future billings.

Source
Zilliz: Is Milvus open-source?

Yes, Milvus is open-source under the Apache License 2.0 and is part of the LF AI & Data Foundation.

Source
Notion: What is the refund policy for Notion subscriptions?

New users receive a full refund within 3 days for monthly plans or 30 days for annual plans. EU/UK customers get a 14-day refund window per regional policy.

Source
Zilliz: What pricing does Zilliz Cloud offer?

Zilliz Cloud pricing is not publicly listed and requires contacting their team to discuss your specific scale and use case requirements.

Source
Notion: What happens if a payment fails on my Notion account?

Failed payments are retried up to 8 times before the account automatically downgrades to the free plan.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on Notion

More on Zilliz

Keep looking

Other head to heads