In the hustle and bustle of startup life, keeping your team aligned and projects on track can feel like an uphill battle. By mid-2026, the landscape of project management and collaboration tools has expanded astronomically, yet two names consistently stand out: Todoist and Notion. Both platforms promise powerful features designed to simplify and optimize workflows, but which tool truly helps startups and SMEs thrive? If you're an entrepreneur weighing your options, this article dives deep into the benefits, use cases, mistakes to avoid, and actionable insights using these tools wisely.
Why Project Management Matters More Than Ever in 2026
Startups face tremendous challenges, not just in product development but in communication, coordination, and validation of ideas. A survey by The Digital Project Manager reveals that nearly 78% of startups fail due to poor leadership and organizational inefficiencies. This paints a clear picture: Choosing the right project management tool can be the difference between scaling successfully or stagnating.
The two players we're spotlighting today, Todoist and Notion, have redefined how small businesses juggle multiple projects, deadlines, and cross-functional collaboration. Yet, each platform shines in different areas based on your needs.
Todoist vs Notion: Key Features and Ideal Use Cases
1. Todoist: For Simplicity and Task-Centric Teams
If ticking off tasks is the heartbeat of your workflow, Todoist provides an unbeatable experience. Known for its intuitive interface, Todoist is ideal for straightforward task management without a steep learning curve.
- Top Features:
- Task prioritization (with labels and filters)
- Natural language input for creating tasks quickly (e.g., “Call investor on Friday at 2 PM”)
- Recurring tasks and due date reminders
- Seamless integration with apps like Trello, Slack, and Evernote
- Best Use Cases:
- Startups focusing on simple, actionable task lists
- Managing small-scale operations or daily priorities
Studies by Everhour show that teams using Todoist achieved work efficiency goals 25% faster than those using more complex platforms due to minimized distractions.
2. Notion: Versatility for Complex Projects and Collaboration
If your startup is dealing with layers of complexity, from detailed project plans to comprehensive documentation, Notion offers a robust platform where customization meets collaboration.
- Top Features:
- Database functionality (track everything from KPIs to stakeholder contacts)
- Embedded Kanban boards, calendars, and project dashboards
- Real-time comments and mentions for teamwork
- Endless templates for wikis and SOP development
- Best Use Cases:
- Collaboration-heavy teams in marketing, product, or R&D departments
- Startups that need flexibility to custom-build workflows
According to experts at UseMotion, Notion excels in collaborative planning, outperforming traditional tools like Trello or Asana for startups that juggle diverse tasks and require layered documentation.
Insights on When to Pick Each Tool
Todoist Wins If:
✅ You’re a fast-moving startup with task-focused goals, think recurring events or meeting strict deadlines to launch the MVP.
✅ Your team values simplicity and doesn’t want to invest weeks into template building.
Notion Wins If:
✅ Your startup is in growth mode and needs sophisticated workflows for collaboration across product marketing, engineering, and design.
✅ Transparency is critical across departments, such as tracking strategy changes with living documents or wikis.
For example, Nuclino’s breakdown of Notion features ranked it as the top tool for startups focusing on scalable, real-time collaboration due to its database functionalities.
How Marketing Should Be Your First Priority
One common mistake startups make when choosing tools like Todoist or Notion is focusing solely on operational efficiency while neglecting planning for marketing execution and validation. Tools like F/MS AI SEO Blog exist because the hardest part of a startup isn’t building the product, it’s ensuring people know about it!
Using Notion to plan content calendars and marketing workflows, or employing Todoist to track promotional goals, can complement these foundational efforts. But for complete SEO dominance, tools powered by AI content optimization, like F/MS AI Article Writer, ensure that your blog posts rank on Google and even appear in AI tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity. If you're not prioritizing visibility, you're already lagging behind.
Mistakes New Founders Must Avoid
1. Overcustomizing in Notion
As powerful as Notion is, its flexibility can lead startups down a rabbit hole of endless template adjustments. Stick to foundational workflows for key operations, like creating Kanban boards for product milestones.
2. Not Leveraging Todoist for Automations
Founders may overlook Todoist’s Zapier integration that allows automated task reminders, a missed opportunity for saving precious time on admin tasks.
3. Choosing Features Over Fit
While it's tempting to opt for the tool with the most capabilities, the real challenge is understanding your unique needs. If you're an SME with fewer collaborative workflows, Todoist’s simplicity may outweigh Notion's robust databases.
How to Maximize Each Tool: Step-by-Step Guide
For Todoist Users:
- Prioritize Tasks Daily with labels like “Urgent” or “To Delegate.”
- Integrate the tool with communication apps like Slack and calendars for smoother workflow synchronization.
- Leverage “Karma” gamification to motivate employees and boost productivity.
For Notion Users:
- Start by choosing pre-designed templates for Kanban workflows or wikis.
- Experiment with databases to track sales pipeline metrics or team OKRs.
- Use real-time collaboration features to close feedback loops faster.
F/MS Tools for Entrepreneurs Scaling Faster
Want to attract leads and rank for competitive keywords? The F/MS AI Article Writer takes SEO on autopilot, working beyond just Google rankings to appearing on AI chatbot recommendations. Optimized for startups, this tool is perfect for validating ideas through content-first strategies.
Combined with Marketing Services, which offer features like VIP backlink placements and guest blogging opportunities, startups get traction that drives traffic to their product pages while refining their collaborative workflows with tools like Notion.
Final Verdict: Todoist vs Notion
The choice ultimately boils down to your startup’s priorities:
- Notion is a robust and collaborative workspace for complex, cross-functional projects.
- Todoist excels in keeping task management simple and actionable.
Still torn? Lean towards Todoist for structure and simplicity or integrate Notion if building customized dashboards excites your inner tinkerer. No matter the choice, pairing the right tool with proven marketing strategies like those offered by F/MS Marketing Services will amplify results.
Start small, scale smart, and remember, the best tool isn’t necessarily the one with the most features but the one that propels your startup to new heights in measurable ways.
FAQ on Todoist vs Notion for Project Management in 2026
1. Which tool is better suited for simple task management?
Todoist is designed with simplicity in mind, offering an intuitive interface and features like task prioritization, recurring tasks, and quick natural language input. It’s ideal for startups focusing on straightforward, actionable task lists. Learn more about Todoist
2. Where can I submit a guest post about my startup?
If your startups needs to drive targeted traffic and build authority with high-volume, niche-relevant content placements in articles that rank well not only in Google, but also in Perplexity and ChatGPT, then you might want to publish your guest post in one of the F/MS Startup Game's blogs. Get a quality backlink
3. Which tool offers better collaboration features?
Notion excels in collaboration with functionalities like real-time comments, mentions, and embedded project dashboards. It’s ideal for teams working on complex projects and comprehensive documentation. Explore Notion
4. Are there any drawbacks to using Notion for startups?
Notion’s flexibility can be a double-edged sword. Startups often spend a lot of time customizing templates instead of focusing on operations. Stick to foundational workflows for core operations like project tracking. Learn about Notion pitfalls
5. What is the main advantage of Todoist in fast-paced environments?
Todoist’s task prioritization and lightning-fast input make it ideal for fast-moving startups that need to meet strict deadlines and manage recurring tasks efficiently. Find out why Todoist works for startups
6. How do these tools differ in automation options?
Notion supports automation through integrations like Zapier, while Todoist provides simple task-based automations with features like recurring reminders and Zapier integrations for workflow optimization. Compare automation features
7. Can I use AI to write SEO-optimized articles that help my brand grow?
Most business owners don't understand how SEO works, let alone how to use AI for writing blog articles. That's why for busy business owners there's a great free tool that doesn't require much knowledge. Write articles for free
8. Which tool is better for teams needing layered documentation?
Notion is more suited for startups requiring layered documentation and comprehensive workflows. With templates for wikis, SOPs, and databases, it supports cross-functional collaboration efficiently. Explore Notion’s strengths
9. How can Todoist’s gamification improve productivity?
Todoist’s Karma gamification feature motivates team members to complete tasks and maintain productivity by tracking progress with points earned for completed tasks. Learn more about Todoist’s Karma
10. Which tool is better for startups juggling complex workflows?
Startups managing intricate workflows across departments like product marketing and engineering will benefit from Notion’s database functionalities and customization capabilities. Find out why Notion excels for complex workflows
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Workflow-Specific Tools Win
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About the Author
Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur. Throughout her startup experience she has applied for multiple startup grants at the EU level, in the Netherlands and Malta, and her startups received quite a few of those. She’s been living, studying and working in many countries around the globe and her extensive multicultural experience has influenced her immensely.
Violetta is a true multiple specialist who has built expertise in Linguistics, Education, Business Management, Blockchain, Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property, Game Design, AI, SEO, Digital Marketing, cyber security and zero code automations. Her extensive educational journey includes a Master of Arts in Linguistics and Education, an Advanced Master in Linguistics from Belgium (2006-2007), an MBA from Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden (2006-2008), and an Erasmus Mundus joint program European Master of Higher Education from universities in Norway, Finland, and Portugal (2009).
She is the founder of Fe/male Switch, a startup game that encourages women to enter STEM fields, and also leads CADChain, and multiple other projects like the Directory of 1,000 Startup Cities with a proprietary MeanCEO Index that ranks cities for female entrepreneurs. Violetta created the "gamepreneurship" methodology, which forms the scientific basis of her startup game. She also builds a lot of SEO tools for startups. Her achievements include being named one of the top 100 women in Europe by EU Startups in 2022 and being nominated for Impact Person of the year at the Dutch Blockchain Week. She is an author with Sifted and a speaker at different Universities. Recently she published a book on Startup Idea Validation the right way: from zero to first customers and beyond and launched a Directory of 1,500+ websites for startups to list themselves in order to gain traction and build backlinks.
Violetta Bonenkamp's expertise in CAD sector, IP protection and blockchain
Violetta Bonenkamp is recognized as a multidisciplinary expert with significant achievements in the CAD sector, intellectual property (IP) protection, and blockchain technology.
CAD Sector:
- Violetta is the CEO and co-founder of CADChain, a deep tech startup focused on developing IP management software specifically for CAD (Computer-Aided Design) data. CADChain addresses the lack of industry standards for CAD data protection and sharing, using innovative technology to secure and manage design data.
- She has led the company since its inception in 2018, overseeing R&D, PR, and business development, and driving the creation of products for platforms such as Autodesk Inventor, Blender, and SolidWorks.
- Her leadership has been instrumental in scaling CADChain from a small team to a significant player in the deeptech space, with a diverse, international team.
IP Protection:
- Violetta has built deep expertise in intellectual property, combining academic training with practical startup experience. She has taken specialized courses in IP from institutions like WIPO and the EU IPO.
- She is known for sharing actionable strategies for startup IP protection, leveraging both legal and technological approaches, and has published guides and content on this topic for the entrepreneurial community.
- Her work at CADChain directly addresses the need for robust IP protection in the engineering and design industries, integrating cybersecurity and compliance measures to safeguard digital assets.
Blockchain:
- Violetta’s entry into the blockchain sector began with the founding of CADChain, which uses blockchain as a core technology for securing and managing CAD data.
- She holds several certifications in blockchain and has participated in major hackathons and policy forums, such as the OECD Global Blockchain Policy Forum.
- Her expertise extends to applying blockchain for IP management, ensuring data integrity, traceability, and secure sharing in the CAD industry.
For the past several years Violetta has been living between the Netherlands and Malta, while also regularly traveling to different destinations around the globe, usually due to her entrepreneurial activities. This has led her to start writing about different locations and amenities from the POV of an entrepreneur. Here’s her recent article about best hotels in Italy to work from.
About the Publication
Fe/male Switch is an innovative startup platform designed to empower women entrepreneurs through an immersive, game-like experience. Founded in 2020 during the pandemic "without any funding and without any code," this non-profit initiative has evolved into a comprehensive educational tool for aspiring female entrepreneurs.The platform was co-founded by Violetta Shishkina-Bonenkamp, who serves as CEO and one of the lead authors of the Startup News branch. The Fe/male Switch team is located in several countries, including the Netherlands and Malta.
Mission and Purpose
Fe/male Switch Foundation was created to address the gender gap in the tech and entrepreneurship space. The platform aims to skill-up future female tech leaders and empower them to create resilient and innovative tech startups through what they call "gamepreneurship". By putting players in a virtual startup village where they must survive and thrive, the startup game allows women to test their entrepreneurial abilities without financial risk.
Key Features
The platform offers a unique blend of news, resources,learning, networking, and practical application within a supportive, female-focused environment:
- Skill Lab: Micro-modules covering essential startup skills
- Virtual Startup Building: Create or join startups and tackle real-world challenges
- AI Co-founder (PlayPal): Guides users through the startup process
- SANDBOX: A testing environment for idea validation before launch
- Wellness Integration: Virtual activities to balance work and self-care
- Marketplace: Buy or sell expert sessions and tutorials
Impact and Growth
Since its inception, Fe/male Switch has shown impressive growth:
- 3,000+ female entrepreneurs in the community
- 100+ startup tools built
- 5,000+ pieces of articles and news written
Partnerships
Fe/male Switch has formed strategic partnerships to enhance its offerings. In January 2022, it teamed up with global website builder Tilda to provide free access to website building tools and mentorship services for Fe/male Switch participants.
Recognition
Fe/male Switch has received media attention for its innovative approach to closing the gender gap in tech entrepreneurship. The platform has been featured in various publications highlighting its unique "play to learn and earn" model.
