Notion CRM alternative: Stack vs Notion for Australian businesses

If you run your client work out of Notion, using a CRM template or a database you've built yourself, you might be wondering whether a purpose-built tool would save you time. Here's what each one does, where each falls short, and who each suits. We make Stack, so read it with that in mind. Every claim about Notion comes from its own published pricing and product pages.

What Notion does well

Notion is a flexible workspace for docs, wikis, notes, projects and databases. You can shape it into almost anything, and its own startup offer pitches it as a replacement for a team wiki, a project management tool, forms, a site builder and a basic CRM. The Free plan is genuinely useful for individuals, and there's a large library of templates, including CRM templates.

If you like building your own systems, or your team already lives in Notion for docs and projects, it's a natural place to start tracking clients.

Where Notion may not fit

• You build the CRM and keep it running. A Notion CRM is a set of databases, views and templates. Pipeline stages, follow-up reminders and client records work the way you set them up, and someone has to maintain them as the business changes.
• Your inbox is somewhere else. A Notion CRM doesn't hold your client emails by default, so conversations and the client record live in different places unless you connect them.
• Client sharing is page by page. You can share Notion pages with clients as guests, but there's no built-in client portal for each client's work, documents and requests.
• Full AI is on the Business plan. Notion says Notion AI is included on Business and Enterprise. Free and Plus get a limited trial, and Custom Agents run on Notion credits bought as an add-on.
• Pricing is per member. Every paid plan is charged per member, so the cost grows with your team.

What Stack does

Stack is a workspace for Australian businesses that run on client work, from solo designers and consultants to studios of around fifteen people. It's purpose built rather than a blank canvas, so the client system is ready when you sign in.

• Your inbox at the centre. Connect Gmail or Microsoft 365 and your mail, calendar and tasks sync both ways. Email and SMS sit in one threaded inbox, with the client's record beside every conversation.
• A sales pipeline. Every enquiry on a board with a clear next step and an owner. Won deals hand straight over to client management.
• Client management. One record for each client, with the people, the work, the files and every conversation, plus onboarding templates and checklists you build once and reuse.
• Client portals on every plan. Each client gets a private page for progress, documents, messages and requests. They sign in from an emailed link, so there's no new account to create.
• A booking page. Clients book themselves into your real calendar availability.
• Penny, your AI assistant. Penny works from your inbox, calendar and tasks. She writes daily briefs and first drafts of replies, and suggests the next step. You approve her drafts before they're sent, and Penny is included on every plan.

What Stack doesn't do yet

Stack isn't a docs or wiki tool, and it isn't as open-ended as Notion. You can't redesign it into anything you like. It also doesn't send proposals, contracts or invoices, take payments or connect to accounting software.

You can keep Notion for docs and internal knowledge and use Stack for your clients. Stack is also in public beta. It's young and changing quickly, and you're working directly with the Melbourne team who build it.

Side by side

Setup

Notion: start from a template or build your own CRM from databases and views.
Stack: connect your email and calendar and the pipeline, client records and portals are ready to use.

Email and calendar

Notion: a CRM in Notion is separate from your inbox unless you connect them.
Stack: two-way sync with Gmail or Microsoft 365, with SMS in the same inbox and the client record beside each conversation.

Sales pipeline

Notion: a database board you design.
Stack: a pipeline board that hands won deals straight to client management.

Client portal

Notion: share individual pages.
Stack: a portal for every client on every plan, with an emailed sign-in link instead of a client account.

Docs, wikis and notes

Notion: its core strength.
Stack: not a docs or wiki tool.

AI assistant

Notion: full Notion AI on Business and Enterprise, with a trial on Free and Plus.
Stack: Penny on every plan, working from your inbox and calendar, with her drafts waiting for your approval.

Pricing

Notion: a Free plan for individuals, then per-member paid plans.
Stack: Pro Workspace for one person, or Team Workspace covering five users in one plan.

Where it's made

Notion: Notion Labs, based in San Francisco.
Stack: Australian-owned, built in Melbourne and priced in Australian dollars.

Pricing

Notion has Free, Plus, Business and Enterprise plans, priced per member and shown in US dollars on its pricing page. Check Notion's pricing page for current rates.

Stack Pro Workspace, for one person, is A$49 a month. Team Workspace covers five users, and you can add more. Founding offer: the first 100 subscribers pay from A$15 a month for their first 12 months, until 31 October 2026.

Every Stack plan starts with a 14-day free trial, no credit card required. If you don't continue, your workspace becomes read-only and your data is kept. Cancel any time, with no lock-in contract.

Moving your clients across from Notion

You don't have to leave Notion. Connect your email and calendar, import your contacts from a CSV or vCard file, and run Stack for your client work during the trial while your docs stay in Notion. If you're moving a team, email hello@thinkswift.au and we'll help you plan it.

So which one?

If you enjoy building your own systems and want one flexible tool for docs, projects and a simple client list, Notion is hard to beat. If you'd rather your inbox, pipeline, client records and portals were ready to go, and spend your time on client work instead of maintaining a template, try Stack free for 14 days.