Notion has unveiled Notion Mail, the third pillar in its suite of productivity tools, joining Notion and Notion Calendar. Now available on web and Mac, with an iOS version in testing, Notion Mail aims to redefine email for work, positioning Notion as a serious contender against Microsoft Office and Google Workspace. The app’s mission is to serve as a central hub for all your work, and getting email right is a critical step.
Having tested Notion Mail for several days, I found it delivers a clean, intuitive experience that swaps Gmail’s cluttered menus for a streamlined, text-focused design. It’s highly customizable, letting users tweak their inbox layout, adjust email preview density, and toggle between dark and light modes. “We approached email from Notion’s perspective,” says Jason Ginsberg, a key figure on the Notion Mail team. Ginsberg, alongside Andrew Milich, joined Notion after their productivity tools company, Skiff, was acquired last year.
AI-Powered Organization Steals the Show
Notion Mail’s standout feature is its AI-driven organization. On setup, it offers to automatically sort emails like promotions or calendar invites into dedicated sections—useful, but not groundbreaking. The real magic happens when you open an email and see the “Auto Label Similar” button. Clicking it prompts Notion’s AI to scan your inbox, identifying related emails not just by sender or subject but by analyzing content to understand what matters to you. You can also create custom labels with natural language prompts, like a chatbot. The AI then suggests matches, letting you refine which emails belong in the category. Once set, new emails matching the pattern are automatically labeled.
The AI isn’t flawless. When I tested it on a receipt email, it correctly grouped most receipts but mistakenly included unrelated messages from Chase and eBay. Excluding those was simple, and after saving, I had a new “Payment Receipt” section in my inbox. The catch? It only organizes emails from the moment you create the label, so my receipt view only captured two days’ worth.
Views: A Fresh Take on Email Management
Notion Mail’s “Views” are its secret weapon. “Each view is a collection of filters you can combine however you want,” explains Milich. For example, you could create a view for all travel-related emails, combining confirmations and receipts, or one just for newsletters. These views sync with Gmail as labels, preserving your inbox’s integrity while offering new ways to organize. It’s reminiscent of Google Inbox but less intrusive and more flexible.
Hidden Features and Notion’s Signature Style
As you dig deeper, Notion Mail reveals more. Slash commands let you format text, insert scheduling tools tied to your calendar, or pull in templates that auto-fill details like Zoom links or recipient names. Notion’s AI can even draft or edit emails. A Cmd + K shortcut unlocks a command bar for quick access, but the app’s minimalist design buries some features too deeply, which can feel frustrating.
Early Limitations
This initial release has rough edges. Notion Mail currently supports only Gmail accounts, with no timeline for Outlook or other providers. It’s also limited to web and Mac, with iOS in testing and no word on Windows or Android. Switching between multiple accounts isn’t seamless, and some users have reported issues with attachments, though I didn’t encounter this. The inability to retroactively organize older emails is another pain point.
Why It Fits Notion’s Vision
Notion Mail aligns perfectly with Notion’s ethos of customizable, database-like workflows. “We’re reimagining the inbox as a database you can filter, sort, and organize using Notion’s building-block approach,” Milich says. It’s not a complete email overhaul but a smarter way to interact with your existing system. Given Notion’s track record, this approach works well—and it’s already making my inbox more manageable.
In summary, Notion Mail is a promising step toward unifying work tools under Notion’s umbrella. With its AI smarts and flexible views, it’s a compelling alternative for those seeking a fresh take on email, though it needs broader platform support and polish to fully compete.