When comparing Nirvanahq vs Notion, the Slant community recommends Nirvanahq for most people. In the question“What are the best GTD apps?” Nirvanahq is ranked 3rd while Notion is ranked 14th.
Specs
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking
Pros
Pro Solid project management
Pro Allows setting how much effort a task will take
You can set how long a task will take and how much effort will it ask of you on a scale of 1 to 3.
Pro Allows adding items via email
Pro Use start dates
A vital functionality in a GTD app.
Pro Beautiful interface
Clean, intuitive user interaction. The design is very thoughtful. Somehow it makes Things feel clunky, despite obvious similarities of all GTD platforms.
Pro Can email focus list
The app can send you the most important items for the day in an email.
Pro Allows to add postponed tasks
You can postpone a task. It helps not to clutter task lists up until you really need them.
Pro Beautiful interface
Clean, intuitive interface — both desktop and mobile. Lots of intelligent design thinking behind this. Somehow makes other GTD apps like Things feel clunky, despite similarities.
Pro Native support for Areas of Responsibility
Pro Full-featured on desktop, mobile and web
Even the right-click menus on the web are the same as the app.
Pro Unlike anything else
One of the most complete applications one can use to build a personal dashboard (or professional) and migrate all other services to it. No more calendar, task, notes, financials, lists, writing and wiki apps, just Notion.
Pro Pages within pages within pages, to infinity
You can have a ridiculous amount of information within a single note. Look at how it works, you'll be surprised!
Pro Flexible contents storage and organization
You can upload files and embed online stuff in any hierarchical structure using pages, toggle lists, etc.
Pro Highly visual, with icons next to every new page and so on
This feature makes it very easy to find certain notes and such. And great for visual people as well. You could also add images as icons instead, if you like.
Pro Blocks offer incredible flexibility
The basic unit of organization in Notion is the block, which can be a chunk of text, an image, a bullet point, or even a link to another page. Each page consists of these blocks, which can be easily reorganized, moved to other pages, converted into other content types, or generally manipulated in many useful ways. Because of blocks, restructuring information in Notion is way easier than in any other wiki or notebook app.
Pro Does a great job with both notes and to-dos
To-dos in Notion aren't just dot point lists. You can drag and drop them into columns just like Trello (Kanban style), you can have sub-tasks, and you can easily mark things off as completed so they are no longer in your way. Notes are also powerful, with proper formatting and ways to manage and search for them, which makes it a great Evernote alternative.
Pro Cross platform
Works with Android, iOS, Windows, & Mac OSX.
Pro Awesome for wikis
You can easily start writing a bunch of web pages, share it with co-workers and choose whether to publicize or keep your contents private. It's also easy to hyperlink pages.
Pro Amazing view flexibility
You can create different views for a page's content and easily toggle between kanban, table, etc. (As long as the content is able to allow different views.)
Pro Quick and effective search
Just type in a word and you'll have results in no time at all.
Pro Attach files in tables
You can attach files in table cells, which is a feature missing in most spreadsheet-like applications.
Pro Great spreadsheet functionality
You can use calculation/formula, links, attachment, inter-referencing of data from other pages or tables, embed documents and images in the table cells.
Pro Renders Markdown Syntax
Add code blocks, Headers, bullet point, numbered lists, or To-Do boxes by typing using Markdown Syntax (instead of klunkily moving the mouse to formatting boxes)
Pro Less headaches when editing pages
Lets you restore your page to a past edit. Also works with sub-pages and databases. Though it is worth mentioning that it's a paid feature.
Cons
Con No way to add sub-projects
Con Does not integrate with other apps or services
Con No recur upon completion option
If you have a daily recurring task, it will recur every day regardless if it's been completed the prior day.
Con No attachments
Can't add any attachments to the tasks - no photos, no pdfs.
Con Limited features in the free version
Free version limited to 5 projects, 3 reference lists and 2 areas.
Con No desktop widget
Con No way to work with teams
This is a one-person solution, there is absolutely no ability to share projects with others.
Con No way to color-code projects
Con No bulk (copy/paste) feature
Con Not very fast using native apps
Can take time if you're switching between lots of pages often as it needs to load the data each time
Con Not always very intuitive
Column filters are not that intuitive to apply.
Con No true backup
True backup can only exist if it's automated and easily recoverable. Else, it's just an outdated copy or useless scrambled data.
Con Designed with teams in mind, and less formatting than Evernote
Evernote may be more individual-oriented and has more formatting and such options available, but whether that affects you is down to personal preference. Try both and see which you prefer.
Con Not yet a new protocol, as it could be! (or could it?)
Think of scuttlebutt or email. the best Evernote alternative would be a "web 3.0" of sorts. Something that would be just a simple file added to a computer and automatically replicated to other computers along with a website and any company could easily pick up the concept and make their own hosting, including some awesome google drive/host of sorts.