Stash vs Notion: Which One Should You Use?
Last updated: October 17, 2026
Use Stash if you want to dump receipts, files and emails in one place with zero setup, then find them later by asking. Use Notion if you like building your own pages, databases and wikis, and you will keep them up.
Stash is an AI document vault from Hive Asset Group, LLC that takes receipts, files, notes and forwarded emails, files them for you, and lets you find anything by asking in plain words.
TL;DR
- Notion is a workspace. You build pages, databases and wikis, and it does what you build.
- Stash is a vault. You dump things in. Stash names them, files them and answers when you ask.
- Stash needs no setup. No folders, no tags, no templates.
- Notion can do far more than Stash. It has docs, projects, wikis, a web clipper, mobile and offline access. Stash does not try to do those jobs.
- If you set up Notion once and stopped opening it, Stash is the lighter way to keep your stuff.
- Both have a free plan. Notion's is free for individuals, with a 5MB limit per file. Stash is free for 100 things.
Stash vs Notion at a glance
| Stash | Notion | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free for 100 things, no card. Pro is $90 a year | Free plan for individuals. Plus is $10 per member a month billed monthly. Business is $20 per member a month billed monthly. Paying yearly saves up to 20% |
| Setup needed | None. No folders to set up | You build your own pages and databases. Templates can help |
| How you capture | Drop in files and photos, or forward an email to your own Stash address | Type in pages, use databases, clip web pages, and use the mobile app |
| How you find things | Ask in plain words. Stash answers and shows what it used | Search, or use Notion AI. AI is a limited trial on Free and Plus. Notion Agent and AI Meeting Notes are on Business and up |
| File limit on free plan | 100 things in total | 5MB per file |
| Best for | Receipts, contracts, warranties, forms and files you need to find fast | Wikis, projects, team docs and systems you design yourself |
Pick Notion if...
- You like building. Pages, databases, views and wikis are what Notion is made for.
- You work with a team. Notion is a shared workspace, and plans are priced per member.
- You want one place for docs, projects and notes, and you will keep it tidy.
- You want AI that works across a workspace. On Business, Notion has an Agent that can do multi-step jobs and AI Meeting Notes that write up your meetings.
- You want to clip web pages and use the same workspace on your phone, with offline access.
- You enjoy the setup. Some people do, and Notion is a great home for them.
Notion does these jobs well. Stash does not try to do them.
Pick Stash if...
- Your real problem is paper. A receipt in Gmail, a contract in your downloads folder, a warranty photo in your camera roll.
- You set up Notion once, felt good for a week, then stopped opening it.
- You are a freelancer or solo founder and you need your receipts when tax time comes.
- You are busy and you want to drop things in and walk away. Stash reads each item, names it and files it. If it cannot tell where something goes, it puts it in Needs you instead of guessing.
- You want to find things by asking, like "what did I pay to fix the dishwasher?"
- You want to skip the system. There is nothing to build, so there is nothing to fall behind on.
How capture works
With Stash, you drop in a receipt, a PDF, a photo or a voice file. Or you forward an email. Every account gets its own email address, so a booking confirmation or a contract email can go straight in. That is the whole routine.
With Notion, capture means you decide where things go. You make a page or a database, add the fields you want, and fill it in. You can also clip web pages and use the mobile app. That gives you control. It also gives you a job.
How finding things works
Stash is made for the panic moment. Ask for what you need, and Ask reads your library and answers in plain words, with the things it used shown underneath. No remembering which folder you picked.
Notion has search, and it has Notion AI. On the Free and Plus plans, the AI is a limited trial. The Agent and AI Meeting Notes come with Business. Notion's answers are only as good as the pages you built, so the tidier your workspace, the better it works.
What about price?
Stash is free for 100 things, no card. Pro is $90 a year. If you hit the free limit, nothing you already have is touched, and it all stays searchable. See the Stash pricing page.
Notion is free for individuals. Plus is $10 per member a month billed monthly, and Business is $20 per member a month billed monthly. Paying yearly saves up to 20%. Check Notion's pricing page for the latest.
Can I use both?
Yes, and plenty of people should. Notion for the wiki or project you want to design. Stash for the paper in your life. If you are thinking about leaving a heavy setup behind, read leaving Notion or what to do after you gave up on Notion. Want more choices? See Notion alternatives for notes. If you are a freelancer, see how to organize receipts without folders.
FAQ
- Is Stash a Notion alternative?
- For one job: keeping and finding your stuff. Notion is a workspace for building pages, databases and wikis. Stash is a vault for receipts, files, notes and emails, with zero setup. If your main need is the second one, Stash is the simpler pick.
- Is Notion free?
- Yes. Notion has a free plan for individuals, with a 5MB limit per file. Plus is $10 per member a month billed monthly, and Business is $20.
- Is Stash free?
- Yes. You get 100 things for free, forever, and you do not need a card. Pro is $90 a year.
- Do I have to set anything up in Stash?
- No. You do not make folders or tags. You drop things in, and Stash names them and files them. Items it cannot place go in Needs you.
- Can I email receipts to Stash?
- Yes. Every Stash account gets its own email address. Forward a receipt, a booking confirmation or a contract email, and it goes in with everything else. Check that the attachment is still on the message before you hit send. Our guide to forwarding emails has the details.
- Does Notion have AI?
- Yes. Free and Plus plans get a limited trial of Notion AI. Business adds Notion Agent and AI Meeting Notes. Stash has one AI job, which is filing your things and answering when you ask.
- Can I take my things out of Stash?
- Yes. Export is open on every plan, so you can take everything with you whenever you want.