Notion Mail is out

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

What Notion Mail Is (and Isn’t)

  • Works only as a Gmail client; no own mail hosting, no generic IMAP/“normal email” support.
  • Several people were disappointed it’s “just a Gmail wrapper,” not a real provider or standards-based client.
  • Comparisons to Superhuman: similar keyboard-first, focused UI vibe, but Notion Mail is (currently) free or bundled vs Superhuman’s ~$30/month.
  • Some early testers say it looks sleek and feels snappier than Notion’s main app, but still an Electron app and likely not as fast as Superhuman or native clients like Mimestream.
  • Confusion about pricing and AI limits; the AI inbox organization feature appears to require the Notion AI add‑on.

Gmail-Only Strategy and Ecosystem Positioning

  • Speculation that this is a step toward a full productivity suite (email, calendar, docs) to rival Google Workspace/O365, leveraging Notion’s positive brand.
  • Others think directly competing with Google/Microsoft would be nearly impossible due to lock‑in and compatibility expectations; better to integrate tightly instead.
  • Some wonder if the Gmail focus is about increasing acquisition appeal to Google, while others hope Notion instead becomes a true Workspace competitor.

Protocols, Standards, and Alternatives

  • Strong frustration that it doesn’t support IMAP; repeated mentions that IMAP is “nightmare fuel,” but still the standard.
  • JMAP is cited as ideal but with weak adoption. Gmail’s proprietary API is seen as the practical reason so many new clients are Gmail-only.
  • A few commenters highlight IMAP‑centric alternatives (e.g., Marco) as the “real” standards-based path.

AI Features and Hype Skepticism

  • Many dislike the vague “AI” branding; they want concrete descriptions like “summarize threads” or “draft replies,” not just “AI inbox.”
  • Notion’s AI assistant is widely described as underwhelming compared to going straight to GPT‑4.
  • Some want the ability to plug in their own OpenAI‑compatible API keys; others argue Notion is intentionally avoiding deep dependency on external models, even while depending on Gmail.

Performance, UX, and Core-Product Concerns

  • Multiple users complain Notion itself has become slow, memory‑heavy, and unreliable at scale, especially on large databases and on mobile.
  • A faction considers Notion a “toy” that breaks down past ~100 items, unsuited for business‑critical workflows; others say it’s vastly better than SharePoint/Docs/Word for many cases.
  • Complaints that Notion is drifting like Evernote did—adding collaboration/AI bloat while core speed, search, and usability stagnate.

Security, Compliance, and Privacy

  • Several commenters are uncomfortable granting a startup full read access to their email, especially for work accounts subject to compliance and audit.
  • SOC 2 messaging is called out as inconsistent: marketing claims Type 1, while FAQ originally said “not currently SOC 2 compliant,” later updated.
  • Discussion clarifies Type 1 vs Type 2 and notes that a new product often starts with Type 1, though some still view the gap as a maturity signal.
  • Users ask about E2EE and worry that Skiff’s encryption focus was sacrificed because it conflicted with AI-driven features.

Reaction to Skiff Shutdown and Broader SaaS Fatigue

  • Strong disappointment that Notion acquired and shut down Skiff Mail—seen as a superior, privacy‑oriented product—only to launch a Gmail‑only client.
  • Several people express general fatigue: every SaaS eventually adds an email client, task management, and “AI,” leading to overlapping, undifferentiated products.
  • Some former Notion fans report migrating to tools like Obsidian, Linear, and Whimsical due to performance issues, lock‑in, pricing changes, and intrusive banners.