Apple Notes + Reminders Might Just Replace Notion
Yes, I said it
My Medium friends can read this story over there as well.
You don’t need Notion.
There, I said it.
I’ve been a long time Notion user. This app is fantastic and can do so much. But sometimes, more isn’t better. Sometimes, you just want to note something, remember something quickly, transfer voice into text, and move on without 79 clicks to find the correct database and then waiting for the mobile app to load.
Enter: Apple Notes + Reminders.
The apps that come with your iPhone and quietly got superpowers while you and I were busy customizing your Notion cover images.
Let’s see how to combine Apple Notes + Reminders into a Notion substitute, with zero lag, little setup, and 100% focus on actually doing the thing.
Why Even Bother?
Because this combo is:
Instant: No loading screens. No spinning databases.
Ubiquitous: On your iPhone, Mac, iPad, Apple Watch — even Siri’s in on it.
Surprisingly Deep: Tags, links, smart lists, collapsible sections, audio transcription, Kanban views… it’s all here.
Private: Apple’s not perfect at privacy and security, but they rank among the top compared to many others.
1. How It Works:
TL:DR
Notes = Your Brain
Reminders = Your Backbone
Apple Notes
Think: writing space, idea hub, content bank, SOPs, reference docs.
Apple Reminders
Think: goals, deadlines, repeating habits, smart list filters, project pipelines.
2. The Setup: A Minimalist Productivity Stack (No Setup Hell Required)
Here’s a simple setup you can build in 30 minutes or less:
a) Core Lists in Apple Reminders
Use tags like #writing, #personal, #urgent, #idea to keep things sliceable.
b) Main Folders in Apple Notes
c) Use Internal Links
Apple Notes lets you link between notes now. So you can create dashboards:
“Weekly Review” note that links to:
Your “Goals 2025” note
“Content Pipeline” note
“Journal” note
“This Week’s Tasks” smart list in Reminders (yes, you can paste that link)
I wrote extensively about the organization and interlinking system in my blog post about the Forever✱notes framework.
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3. Notion-Inspired Workflows, Apple-Style
Let’s remake your favorite Notion templates using Notes + Reminders.
a) Content Creation System
In Notes:
Create a note called “Content Calendar 2025”
Inside: A list of post ideas, publishing dates, inspiration links
Use collapsible headers (they’ll automatically appear for heading formats) for “Idea,” “Drafting,” “Publish”, etc.
In Reminders:
Make a task for each post in a “Content Board” list
Use tags like #draft, #published
View: Switch to Kanban view and drag them between statuses, just like Notion
b) Goals + Reviews
In Notes:
Create “Quarterly Review” templates (or monthly, weekly, yearly, etc.)
Track wins, lessons, focus areas
Use checklists and block quotes for clarity
In Reminders:
Make a list called “Goals 2025”
Break each goal into subtasks
Set reminders to review them monthly
Smart List: Tag #Q2goal + Due this quarter = automated focus view
c) Partners & Affiliates
In Notes:
One note per person/company
Add email links, call notes, affiliate terms, next steps
Link these notes from a “CRM Dashboard” note
In Reminders:
Add follow-up tasks: “Email Jen re: collab”
Use tag #partner
Smart List: “This Week’s Partners” = tag + due this week
This replaces your Notion “people database” without building a database.
d) Daily Planner + Habits
In Notes:
Create a note template:
## Daily Log
- Top 3 tasks:
- Journal:
- Wins:
- Gratitude:Duplicate daily, link to related notes or reminders (you can also create a reusable template with tools like ProNotes or NotesCmdr)
In Reminders:
Create a “Habits” list with daily repeats
Morning widget = instant checklist
Siri Shortcuts can auto-log completion into Notes (pro tip)
Better than Notion?
Of course, better isn’t the correct thing to ask for. What’s best is always determined on your use case, what apps you like, what you’re used to, how much time you have, and how big your system must get.
What’s Missing
Obviously, Apple Notes and Reminders don’t have all the functionality. That’s a given. You’ll miss some things. I do.
Databases: Nope. But you can simulate with linked notes, tags, and smart lists.
Advanced filtering: Less flexible, but tags + smart lists cover 90% of my use cases.
Fancy formatting: No callout boxes or code blocks, but block quotes, tables, and checklists do a solid job.
How My Superwriter Template Fits Into This
I created a complex Notion template for my writing workflow and project management system. Superwriter. But as I dive more into Apple Notes and Reminders, I try to move my system over. Still, there are things I can’t do (well) without Notion.
But what I use Apple Notes and Reminders for now, is:
Long-form planning
Financial tracking
Affiliate management
Full campaign dashboards
Daily tasks
Writing drafts
Quick thoughts
Short-form content
Managing collaborators
The Bottom Line
Notion is beautiful. Don’t get me wrong. I am not a Notion hater now. It’s just… very complex and time-consuming, and I know many people who simply don’t want to dive into another tool.
Sometimes you just need fast, quiet, and native.
Apple Notes + Reminders won’t win design awards, feature contests, or privacy competitions.
But it beats Notion at many small yet important things. And at the end of the day, that’s the only metric that matters to me.
Just joined Substack. This is a fantastic post. Thank you for sharing.