I have several reasons for liking Google Workspace: it functions offline, almost everyone has a Google account, and its integration with Bard ( Jul 13, 2024, 06:14 PM: Gemini) is seamless-ish. Features such as toggles, previews, markdown-based writing, and rich text are also invaluable.
The tasks functionality, although not free, is impressive as they can be linked with Google tasks, mentioned in chats, and synced from documents. I find Sheets+API information straightforward, and the ease of handling data through inline dropdowns & places is superior to Notion. Its offline capability, compatibility with Google Calendar, Meet, Keep, Google Apps Script, Gmail integrations, outline on the side pane, and summary are features Show information for the linked content I truly adore.
However, there are some areas where Google Workspace falls short for me. I prefer the toggles in Notion, as Google Docs' toggles are restricted to headings. The use of embeds, callouts, and block-based editors is something I am accustomed to and enjoy in Notion. I miss features like synced blocks and block mentions, and I'm not a fan of viewing Google Drive as a cluttered space with numerous files. Notion's user experience, especially when opening a page with the same sidebar, feels more cohesive (Update: Google Docs is getting something similarShow information for the linked content). Another concern is the storage aspect; uploading to Google consumes my storage while Notion offers it for free. I'm more familiar with the Notion API, making it easier for me than Google Docs API. Public content presentation in Notion also feels superior to GDocs.
Perhaps in the future, if I become more comfortable with the editor and the absence of certain block features, I might reconsider Google Workspace. It encompasses many features I desire from Notion, particularly task collection and an advanced AI search via Bard (now Gemini) for GDrive. This post did enlighten me: if I could ever tolerate the sight of 10k randomly scattered files, Google Workspace would be my go-to. Surprisingly, I even prefer it over Obsidian, which further narrows down my options.