One question I hear constantly: "Should I use Notion, HubSpot, or just build something custom?"
The answer, as with most things in business systems, is: it depends on your business. But "it depends" isn't helpful unless you know what it depends on. This article gives you the framework I use when designing systems for clients — so you can start thinking about it the right way.
Let's look at each option, when it shines, and where it falls short.
Notion — The Flexible Foundation
Best for: Solo operators, micro-businesses (1–5 people), and anyone who needs a central workspace that adapts quickly.
Notion is my default recommendation for the core BOS layer for most SMEs. It's a database, a document editor, a project manager, and a wiki rolled into one. The killer feature is relational databases — you can link a client record to their projects, invoices, notes, and tasks, and see everything in one view.
When to choose Notion:
- You need a single source of truth — one place where client data, tasks, SOPs, and content live together
- Your team is under 20 people and doesn't need enterprise access controls
- You want to iterate fast — change a workflow on Monday, and it's live on Tuesday
- Your budget is limited (Notion is free for small teams, cheap for larger ones)
Where it falls short:
- No offline mode — if your team works in low-connectivity environments, this is a dealbreaker
- Limited automation — Notion's built-in automations are basic. You'll need external tools (n8n, Zapier, custom scripts) for serious workflows
- Not a CRM — you can build a CRM in Notion (I do it regularly), but it won't match dedicated tools for email sequencing, lead scoring, or sales analytics
- Performance at scale — databases with thousands of entries and complex relations can get slow
HubSpot — The Purpose-Built Powerhouse
Best for: Businesses where sales and marketing are the primary operational challenge, with 5–50+ person teams.
HubSpot is purpose-built for one thing: managing customer relationships at scale. Its lead tracking, email sequencing, deal stages, and reporting are best-in-class. If your main problem is "we're losing leads in the pipeline," HubSpot is worth a serious look.
When to choose HubSpot:
- Your business is sales-driven — lead generation, follow-up, and closing deals are your core workflow
- You need marketing automation — email campaigns, landing pages, lead scoring, and analytics out of the box
- Your team is large enough (10+) that manual pipeline tracking doesn't scale
- You have budget for €50–500+/month per seat for the features you actually need
Where it falls short:
- Expensive — the free tier is limited, and paid tiers add up quickly across a team. You can easily spend €1,000+/month before you have a full system
- Rigid — HubSpot wants you to work the way HubSpot works. Adapting it to your specific process often requires workarounds or third-party integrations
- Not an operating system — it handles CRM brilliantly, but you'll still need separate tools for project management, documentation, and operations. The pieces don't naturally connect
- Vendor lock-in — once your data and workflows live inside HubSpot, migrating out is painful
Custom Build — The Limitless (but Expensive) Option
Best for: Businesses with unique workflows that off-the-shelf tools can't handle, or those with development resources in-house.
Custom software gives you exactly what you need — no more, no less. There's no feature bloat, no monthly per-seat fees, and no "the tool doesn't do that." But it comes with its own costs.
When to choose custom:
- Your workflow is unique — you've looked at Notion, HubSpot, Airtable, and nothing fits without significant compromise
- You have in-house development capability or budget to hire (€5,000–20,000+ for a meaningful system)
- You need deep integrations — not just "Zapier connects them" but real, bidirectional data sync with your existing tools
- You're building a product, not just an internal system — something you might eventually sell or spin off
Where it falls short:
- Expensive upfront — a quality custom system starts at €5,000 and goes up quickly
- Maintenance burden — you own the bugs, the security updates, and the feature requests. There's no vendor handling infrastructure
- Slow to change — modifying a custom system requires development time. A Notion workflow change takes minutes. A code change takes days or weeks
- Documentation and training — off-the-shelf tools have tutorials, communities, and support. Your custom tool has whatever you write
How I Actually Decide: The 3-Factor Framework
When I design a system for a client, I don't start by picking a tool. I start by evaluating three factors:
- Team size and technical ability — A solo freelancer with Notion experience can run their whole business in a single workspace. A 15-person agency with non-technical staff needs something more structured.
- Process complexity — If your workflow has 3 stages (lead → quote → invoice), almost any tool works. If it has 15 stages with conditional branches and approvals, you need something purpose-built or custom.
- Growth trajectory — A lifestyle business that plans to stay at 5 people can build on Notion forever. A VC-funded startup projecting 50 hires in 18 months needs enterprise-grade infrastructure from day one.
Most often, the answer is Notion + automation layer — Notion as the BOS core, with custom PHP scripts, n8n, or Zapier handling the connections and automations. This gives you the flexibility of Notion with the power of custom code where it matters, at a fraction of the cost of all-in-one enterprise platforms.
But every business is different. That's why every engagement I do starts with an Operator Audit — so we figure out what you actually need before deciding what to buy or build.