Poor Mobile Text Editing & Interaction Users consistently report issues with cursor jumping/disappearing, difficulty selecting text, unreliable copy/paste, and general clunkiness when typing or interacting with content on mobile devices, especially iPad with external keyboards. This makes basic note-taking frustrating and inefficient.
UX Design high
Easy · A new app built mobile-first could prioritize native text handling and interaction, ensuring a smooth and reliable editing experience across all mobile devices and input methods.
Inadequate Mobile/iPad Feature Parity & Optimization The mobile app is perceived as a 'dumbed-down' version, lacking essential desktop features like multiple windows, column creation, drag-and-drop, table resizing, and proper integration with iPad-specific functionalities (trackpad, Apple Pencil scribble, widgets, Shortcuts). This limits productivity on mobile and makes the app feel incomplete.
Missing Feature high
Easy · Building native apps with proper platform integrations (multi-window, widgets, trackpad, stylus support) is a key differentiator that a new app could prioritize from the ground up, offering a truly optimized mobile experience.
Intrusive and Ineffective AI Users are frustrated by AI features that are forced into the workflow, difficult to dismiss, and often provide useless, incorrect, or even destructive outputs. There's a strong desire for an option to disable or control AI integration, as its current implementation hinders productivity.
UX Design high
Easy · A competitor could offer optional, well-integrated AI features that enhance rather than disrupt the user's workflow, or provide a clear option to disable AI entirely for those who prefer a simpler experience.
Steep Learning Curve & Poor Onboarding New users find Notion overwhelmingly complex and difficult to understand, with confusing initial setup flows and a lack of clear, accessible instructions or walkthroughs. This creates a high barrier to entry and frustrates users trying to adopt the tool.
Onboarding medium
Easy · A new app can design an intuitive onboarding flow and simpler UI from scratch, guiding users through core functionalities without overwhelming them, and providing easily accessible help resources.
Inefficient Workflows & Missing Basic Actions Users encounter frustrations with fundamental actions like emptying trash, exporting sub-pages, easily moving/deleting blocks, or managing embedded links. These limitations add friction to common tasks and make the app less efficient for daily use.
Workflow medium
Easy · These are often basic features that can be implemented with user-centric design, focusing on intuitive controls and clear options for common data management and manipulation tasks.
Limited UI Customization & Cluttered Interface Users desire more control over the visual presentation, such as hiding intrusive page headers/banners, having minimal UI options, and more color choices. The current UI is often described as cluttered and rigid, making it difficult to create a personalized and clean workspace.
Customization medium
Easy · Offering more granular UI customization options and a cleaner default interface is achievable, allowing users to tailor their workspace to their preferences and reduce visual distractions.
Poor Search Functionality The search feature is widely criticized for being ineffective, failing to find keywords within notes, not directing to specific locations, and lacking the ability to search within individual notes. This significantly hinders knowledge retrieval and makes it difficult to find important information.
Missing Feature medium
Easy · Implementing robust, in-note search with precise keyword highlighting and navigation is a standard feature for note-taking apps and can be a strong selling point for a new competitor.
Lack of Reliable Offline Access Users cannot access or edit their content without an internet connection, making the app unusable in many scenarios (e.g., travel, subway). This limitation raises concerns about data accessibility and control, as users expect their notes to be available anytime, anywhere.
Feature Limitation medium
Easy · Many modern note apps offer robust offline capabilities with seamless syncing when online. A competitor could build this as a core feature, ensuring data is always accessible and editable.
Unreliable Calendar & Time Zone Handling The calendar view is limited, not showing spanning tasks, and time zone settings are unreliable, leading to incorrect scheduling and a lack of trust in the app's time-sensitive features. This makes it difficult to manage complex schedules effectively.
Feature Limitation low
Easy · Standard calendar integrations and reliable time zone handling are well-understood problems with established solutions. A new app can implement these accurately to build trust for scheduling features. 