Gantt Chart Maker vs Notion
A free, no-signup Gantt chart tool compared with Notion — feature by feature, and honestly about who each one fits.
Open the free app →Notion is a beautiful, flexible workspace for documents, wikis, and databases, and its Timeline view can show tasks against a calendar. If your project already lives in Notion pages, keeping the plan there is tempting. But Notion is a docs-and-databases tool first; its timeline dependencies are basic, and it is not a scheduling engine.
Gantt Chart Maker is a scheduling tool first. It gives you real dependencies with live arrow re-routing, milestones, and export to the formats other project tools read — while staying free and account-optional.
Notion vs Gantt Chart Maker at a glance
| Feature | Gantt Chart Maker | Notion |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free — every feature | Free personal tier |
| Account to start | Not required | Required |
| Runs in the browser | Yes — installable PWA | Yes |
| Works offline | Yes | Limited |
| Your data stays on your device | Yes, by default | Cloud |
| Gantt view | Yes — purpose-built | Timeline view |
| Task dependencies | Yes — live re-routing, lag/lead | Basic |
| MS Project import / export | Yes (.xml both ways) | No |
| Live collaboration | Yes — free (optional account) | Yes |
| Best for | Fast, focused Gantt planning | Docs, wikis & light tracking |
Comparison reflects publicly documented features as of July 2026. Competitor free tiers, plans, and features may change — check their site for the latest.
Where Notion is strong
- Superb for notes, wikis, and documents alongside your data.
- Flexible databases with multiple views and relations.
- A generous personal free tier and a clean, calm interface.
- Great when the project narrative and the plan should live together.
Where Gantt Chart Maker is different
The line is "a database that can show a timeline" versus "a Gantt tool." Notion's timeline is convenient if everything else is already there, but its dependency handling is light. Gantt Chart Maker gives you finish-to-start (and other) dependencies with lag and lead, re-routing arrows as you drag, plus export to PNG, PDF, CSV, and Microsoft Project XML.
Which should you choose?
Choose Notion if your project lives inside docs and databases and a light timeline is enough. Choose Gantt Chart Maker when you need a real Gantt with proper dependencies and exports — for free.
Frequently asked questions
Does Notion have real Gantt dependencies?
Its Timeline supports basic dependencies, but it is not a full scheduling engine. Gantt Chart Maker offers dependencies with lag/lead and live arrow re-routing.
Can I keep notes in Notion and the plan in Gantt Chart Maker?
Yes — many people do exactly that: docs in Notion, the schedule in a dedicated Gantt, exported as an image to embed back into a Notion page.
Is Gantt Chart Maker free like Notion's personal tier?
Yes, and with no account needed to start. Every feature is free.
Try it — it opens in seconds
Gantt Chart Maker runs entirely in your browser: no signup, no account, nothing to install. Build a plan with dependencies in under a minute.
Open the app →