The Notion storage limit differs from that of Google Drive or Dropbox — and that’s where many users get confused.
There’s no big “you’ve used 8.4 GB out of 10 GB” bar anywhere. Instead, Notion storage is all about blocks and file upload limits, depending on your plan and how your workspace is set up.
In this guide, I’ll break down exactly how Notion storage works, what the Notion free plan storage limit really means, how paid plans differ, and when (or if) you should upgrade.
You’ll also learn how to manage files efficiently, avoid common traps, and keep your workspace fast and tidy — without accidentally hitting a limit you didn’t know existed.
Let’s demystify Notion storage once and for all. 🚀
Most Common Questions
| What is the file storage limit in Notion?Find out exactly how file upload limits work on free and paid plans — and what actually counts toward storage. | What happens if I upload a file that’s too large?We’ll walk through what Notion does (and doesn’t do) when you hit the file size limit, plus your best alternatives. |
| Are blocks and storage the same thing?Learn about blocks and find why they matter more than you think. | What’s best to store within Notion?Discover which types of content Notion handles well, and which ones are better suited for storage elsewhere. |
| How to handle Notion’s file storage limits?Scroll on for practical, real-world tips on how to work around the storage limits. | Does the storage limit in Notion increase in the paid plan?Compare the free and paid plans to determine exactly what changes are included and whether upgrading is worthwhile for you. |
Key Takeaways
- Notion doesn’t use traditional GB-based storage limits
- Everything in Notion is built from blocks
- Free plans have a 5 MB file upload limit per file
- Block limits only apply to free workspaces with multiple members
- Paid plans have unlimited blocks and file uploads
Does Notion Have A Storage Limit?
Short answer: Yes — but not in the way you might expect.
Notion doesn’t cap your workspace by total disk space. Instead, limits are applied in two different ways:
- File upload limits (based on your plan)
- Block usage limits (based on plan and number of workspace owners)
Let’s unpack both.
Understanding Notion’s Cloud Storage
Everything you build in Notion lives in the cloud. Pages, blocks, images, and files are all stored on Notion’s servers and updated automatically across your devices.
The benefits are hard to argue with:
- Your content is always in sync
- Switching devices is effortless
- You don’t have to think about backups
The trade-off is that storage limits are tied to your workspace, not your computer.
What Counts Towards Storage
| As Notion says on their website: “Imagine every piece of content you add to a page — whether it’s text, an image, or a table — as a single building block. Every page is a stack of blocks combined however you want.” |
Therefore, everything is a block in Notion. That includes:
- Text paragraphs
- Headings
- Images
- Videos
- PDFs
- Audio files
- Database rows
- Inline databases
- Embeds
- Advanced blocks (tables of contents, template buttons, equations)
Each individual piece of content counts as one block.
Notion Free Plan Storage Limit
The Notion free storage limit is where most misunderstandings happen — so let’s be very clear.
File Upload Limit (Free Plan)
On the free plan:
- ✅ 5 MB per file
- ❌ Anything larger than 5 MB won’t upload
This applies to:
- Images
- PDFs
- Audio files
- Videos
- Any uploaded attachment
The good news? There’s no limit on how many small files you upload — only how big each individual file is.
What You Can Store Without Worry
On the free plan, you can safely store unlimited:
- pages
- databases
- text blocks
- templates
- images or PDFs as long as each file is under 5 MB
✅ So yes — you can upload 50 small screenshots.
❌ No — you can’t upload a 20 MB product demo video.
Notion Paid Plan Storage Limit
Notion offers several paid plans (Plus, Business, Enterprise), but when it comes to storage, they’re all the same.
Unlimited File Uploads
All paid plans include:
- ✅ Unlimited file uploads
- ✅ No per-file size limit mentioned by Notion
- ✅ Unlimited pages and databases
| 💡 Pro Tip: Even with unlimited uploads, compress large videos and images. Your workspace will load faster — and your teammates will thank you. |
When To Upgrade
Consider upgrading if you:
- Regularly upload videos over 5 MB
- Store audio recordings or podcasts
- Attach large design files (e.g., Figma exports)
- Work with multiple collaborators as workspace owners
If Notion is becoming your second brain and your media hub, the paid plan quickly pays for itself.
File Uploads And Average File Sizes
Here’s a quick reality check for the free plan:
| File Type | Typical Size | Free Plan Friendly? |
| Desktop or mobile screenshot (PNG) | 1–16 MB | ⚠️ Sometimes |
| PDF (short doc) | 20 KB–2 MB | ✅ Yes |
| Short audio clip (MP3) | 0.1–2 MB | ✅ Yes |
| 1 minute HD video (MP4) | 50–200 MB | ❌ No |
| ZIP archive | 0.01MB–4GB | ⚠️ Sometimes |
Where Files Are Stored In Notion And How To Manage Them
Files in Notion are always attached to something:
- Pages (in that case, they become a block)
- Database entries (in that case, they are inside a property)
Each uploaded file gets a unique Notion URL, which means you can:
- Share it directly
- Embed it elsewhere in Notion
- Reference it across pages
| 💡 Pro Tip: Treat Notion like a knowledge base, not a file dump. Create a “File Library” database and tag uploads by type, project, or client. |
👉 If you don’t know how to create a database in Notion, watch beginner tutorial:
Simple File Management Tips
- Group files by purpose (media, docs, assets)
- Use consistent naming conventions
- Store large media externally and embed links
- Avoid duplicating uploads across pages
Block Usage And Unlimited Blocks
Blocks are Notion’s building bricks 🧱 — and yes, they matter.
How Block Limits Work
- Free plan, 1 workspace member:
✅ Unlimited blocks - Free plan, 2+ workspace member:
❌ 1,000 blocks per workspace - Paid plans:
✅ Unlimited blocks
The 1,000 block limit is pretty restrictive. To be honest, at this point Notion would become unusable.
That means Notion’s free plan is ultimately designed for individuals.
If you plan to use Notion with your team, then you absolutely have to upgrade to one of the paid plans.
Limitations Of Notion Storage
Notion is powerful, but not perfect.
Common limitations include:
- No external file storage system
- Large files can slow page load times
- No “storage usage meter” like traditional cloud drives
- Block limits can surprise multi-owner free workspaces
Why you shouldn’t think of Notion as Cloud Storage
We’ve already talked in this article at length about how you can upload files to Notion, but it doesn’t answer the question, should you?
In our opinion, mostly no, you shouldn’t.
You can, of course, use Notion occasionally to upload files and to exchange them with others, but by and large you should treat Notion as a tool for collaboration and always use a separate cloud storage tool.
That’s because handling files in Notion once uploaded isn’t the best experience.
For example, you can’t edit files like an Excel sheet in Notion. Instead, you’d have to download the file, make changes, and then re-upload it. Not a great user experience.
That’s why our go-to recommendation is to use a cloud storage tool like Google Drive, Dropbox, or SharePoint in combination with Notion.
Simply set up a database in Notion for your knowledge. Whenever you add a file to cloud storage and want to have it in Notion, add a record to the database and simply add the share link to it. That way, any file is always just one click away, but you get the best of both worlds:
- Powerful databases to organise your content and to cross-reference information
- Easy-to-handle, optimised storage with file support across the board
Final Thoughts
Notion’s storage system is a bit unconventional — but once you understand blocks and file limits, it actually makes a lot of sense. For most solo users, the free plan is incredibly generous. For teams or media-heavy workflows, upgrading removes friction fast.
If you want help setting up a clean, scalable Notion workspace (without hitting limits), feel free to get in touch with our experts — we help teams build Notion systems that actually last.
🎯 Invest in certified Notion consulting for the best results
🎯 Learn Notion with us to get the most out of the tool
🎯 Download our free templates to make your work easier
Frequently Asked Questions
What Happens If I Upload A Large File?
On the free plan, Notion simply won’t upload files larger than 5 MB. Nothing breaks — you’ll just see an error message.
Can I See How Much Storage I’m Using?
Not in GB terms. You can view block usage (if applicable) by going to Settings → Upgrade plan, where Notion shows how many blocks your workspace has used.
How Can I Manage Files Better?
Use databases as file libraries, avoid duplicate uploads, compress media, and link to external storage for large assets. Simple habits go a long way.
