If you’re choosing between Basecamp and Notion for your team’s project management and collaboration needs, understanding their core strengths and tradeoffs is critical. Basecamp is built around structured project management, group communication, and straightforward to-do lists. Notion, on the other hand, thrives as a flexible workspace for notes, wikis, and customizable databases—adapting to many workflows, but with some gaps in project-specific features and group messaging. This side-by-side comparison will clarify which platform better suits your needs for to-do lists, document editing, team collaboration, integrations, security, and pricing—giving you practical insights to guide your decision.
- Basecamp excels in classic project management, with dedicated tools for tasks, scheduling, and group chat.
- Notion offers highly customizable docs, wikis, and databases, supporting a wider variety of workflows.
- Security features are robust on both platforms, but details about admin controls and logs aren’t all public.
- Pricing models and plan limits differ significantly, so consider your team size and growth when choosing.
| Feature | How Basecamp handles it | How Notion handles it | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| To-do lists & tasks | Structured lists, scheduling, assignments | Customizable databases, project templates | Basecamp: structured teams; Notion: custom workflows |
| Project management | Scheduling, message boards, progress tracking | No dedicated scheduling; use databases for status tracking | Basecamp: formal project tracking; Notion: flexible needs |
| Document editing | Message boards, docs attached per project | Full-featured editing, real-time collaboration | Notion: document-centric teams |
| Team collaboration | Built-in group chat and discussions | Comments, mentions, real-time edit; no group chat | Basecamp: ongoing team chats; Notion: doc-focused |
| User limits (free plan) | 3 projects, 20 users | 10 guests, 5MB/upload | Basecamp: small project teams; Notion: small edit teams |
| Security features | Encryption at rest/in transit, admin controls, 2FA | Encryption at rest/in transit, SOC2 II on Enterprise, SAML SSO (higher tiers) | Notion: advanced compliance tiers |
| Integrations & API | Not publicly specified | Not publicly specified | Not publicly specified |
| Pricing | Flat $15/user/mo, $299/mo unlimited, free Personal plan | Free, Plus ($10/member/mo), Business and Enterprise plans | Basecamp: fixed large teams; Notion: scalable tiers |
Core Focus and Key Differences
Basecamp focuses on traditional project management. You get to-do lists, schedules, message boards, and group chat to coordinate work within projects. Each feature fits a clear role, making Basecamp straightforward for tracking tasks, deadlines, and discussions.
Notion is broader, with flexible building blocks for documents, wikis, notes, and databases. Its workspace adapts to different processes—project management happens via templates or custom tables rather than dedicated tools. Notion does not offer group chat or built-in scheduling dashboards like Basecamp.
If your team favors standardized task tracking and communication, Basecamp stands out. For those needing a customizable digital workspace that goes far beyond tasks, Notion is often a better fit.
To-do Lists and Project Management Tools
Basecamp structures to-do lists at the project level: tasks are easy to assign, organize by list, and associate with due dates. Scheduling and project boards are integrated, giving clear oversight for deadlines and progress. The setup works well for repeatable workflows and teams needing task accountability.
Notion handles to-dos using databases and templates—like Kanban boards or simple checklists within pages. The system is highly adaptable, letting you create custom properties and process flows. However, this flexibility can add complexity, especially for users seeking out-of-the-box project structure. Notion lacks Basecamp’s at-a-glance scheduling tools and task overviews.
Choose Basecamp for plug-and-play project management; use Notion if you prefer to build or tweak your own task-tracking methods.
Team Collaboration and Document Editing
Communication in Basecamp is centered around message boards for each project, direct group chat for conversation, and file sharing as part of the workflow. The experience is streamlined for teams that need to keep project-related discussions and updates in one central spot.
Notion’s collaboration tools pivot on document editing. Multiple team members can co-edit pages in real time, leave comments, mention collaborators, and build living docs or wikis. While Notion is strong for shared documentation and notes, it misses Basecamp’s always-available group chat—for chat, you’ll need a separate tool.
For doc-heavy collaboration, Notion is powerful. For conversations embedded within project work, Basecamp is more complete out of the box.
User Access Control and Limits
Basecamp’s free Personal plan supports up to three projects and 20 users—adequate for very small groups, but designed to encourage upgrading. Paid plans offer unlimited projects and users. Specifics about guest or granular permissions aren’t publicly specified.
Notion’s free account allows up to 10 guests and restricts file uploads to 5MB (per file). Paid tiers increase these limits, making Notion more accommodating for larger teams and heavier file usage. Detailed user access controls for sharing and editing exist, but the public evidence doesn’t specify how granular these are.
If your collaboration will quickly expand, consider these limits early—both platforms remove major restrictions at paid levels.
Security and Compliance
Basecamp provides standard security: all data is encrypted at rest and in transit, with admin controls and two-factor authentication to safeguard accounts. Notion matches these essentials and, for Enterprise users, adds SOC2 Type II compliance and SAML single sign-on (SSO) at higher price points.
Neither platform publicly details data residency, fine-grained user permissions, or audit trail capabilities based on current data. If strict regulatory compliance is a deal-breaker, you’ll need to contact the vendors directly for specifics.
Pricing and Plans
Basecamp’s pricing is flat and predictable: $15 per user per month, or $299 per month for unlimited users (Business plan). This is appealing for straightforward budgeting, especially for midsize to large teams. The free Personal plan is limited to three projects and 20 users—useful for evaluating features, not running a team long-term.
Notion uses a tiered approach: Free, Plus ($10 per member per month), Business, and Enterprise. As you pay more, you unlock higher guest-user counts, storage, admin tools, and security features. This structure gives more granularity for fitting your budget to your team’s growth.
For large teams expecting price stability, Basecamp can be simpler; Notion’s tiers offer flexibility as your needs evolve.
Integrations and APIs
Publicly available evidence does not specify what integrations or APIs Basecamp and Notion offer. If integration with important third-party tools is a priority, confirm current compatibility directly with the vendor’s website or support team before purchasing.
Choosing the Right Platform
Choose Basecamp if you need straightforward project management, built-in group chat, and simple pricing for lots of users. Its structure benefits teams that value standardized process and routine communication around tasks and deadlines.
Go with Notion if you want a flexible document-centric workspace, advanced document editing, or custom wikis and databases. Notion is ideal if your workflows are fluid and you’re comfortable building custom solutions inside the platform.
Base your decision on your team’s approach to tasks, communications, and growth. Consider testing each on a free plan—keep an eye on collaboration needs, scaling, and any integration dependencies.
FAQs
Which is better for team collaboration, Basecamp or Notion?
Basecamp is better for teams that rely on structured project discussions and group chat, while Notion is stronger for collaborative document editing and knowledge sharing within wikis and pages.
How do the pricing models of Basecamp and Notion compare?
Basecamp offers flat-rate pricing ($15/user/month or $299/month for unlimited users) and a free Personal plan. Notion uses tiered pricing: Free, Plus ($10/member/month), and higher-level plans, scaling with features and team size.
What security features are available in Basecamp vs Notion?
Both provide encryption at rest and in transit. Basecamp includes admin controls and 2FA. Notion adds SOC2 Type II compliance and SAML SSO for Enterprise tiers. Data residency and audit trail details are not publicly specified.
Can Basecamp and Notion integrate with other tools?
Integration specifics for both Basecamp and Notion are not publicly specified—verify the latest compatibility with official sources.
What are the main differences between Basecamp and Notion?
Basecamp specializes in structured project management with group chat and schedules. Notion excels in flexible document editing and wikis but lacks dedicated project scheduling and chat.
Is Notion suitable for project management like Basecamp?
Notion can be adapted for project management using databases and templates but doesn’t have built-in scheduling or project dashboards like Basecamp.
Which is easier to use: Basecamp or Notion?
Basecamp is generally easier out-of-the-box for project management. Notion offers more flexibility but has a steeper learning curve if you want to build custom workflows.