The Intranet built for Google Workspace
Notion Pricing Hikes 2025: Why Businesses Are Switching to Steegle.One, the Google Workspace Intranet Alternative
Introduction
In the fast-paced world of productivity and collaboration tools, Notion has long been celebrated as a premier all-in-one workspace. Founded in 2013, the company spent years refining its vision before launching its first public version in 2016. It rapidly gained a devoted following, evolving into a centralized hub for project management, collaborative documents, and company wikis. Its unique flexibility attracted a diverse user base, from individual creators and startups to established Fortune 500 companies, making it a dominant force in the market.
However, as the platform matured and expanded its offerings into 2025, a growing number of organizations began facing significant challenges. Many businesses grew frustrated with escalating subscription costs, unpredictable pricing changes, and the bundling of advanced AI features that, while powerful, were not universally needed and added to the overall expense. This growing disillusionment created a strong demand for alternative solutions that could offer the same collaborative power and flexibility but with greater simplicity, security, and cost-effectiveness. One standout alternative that has emerged is Steegle.One.
The Pricing Rollercoaster: Notion in 2023–2025
Notion's early success was built on a foundation of clear, accessible, and affordable pricing plans that made it a favorite for everyone from solo users to budding startups. However, the period between 2023 and 2025 marked a significant shift in its pricing strategy, creating turbulence for its user base. Prices began to rise steadily as the company consolidated its plan tiers, effectively removing some of the more affordable entry points. A key change was the decision to bundle powerful AI features into higher-tier plans, which, while innovative, also made the cost of entry for growing teams significantly higher. This shift moved Notion away from its à la carte simplicity toward a more rigid, all-or-nothing package.
For small teams and startups, these hikes meant facing tough trade-offs. Budgets that were once comfortable now had to be re-evaluated, forcing some to either limit the number of users with access or seek out less expensive alternatives. The dream of scaling with a single, flexible tool became a complex financial puzzle. For mid-sized organizations, the per-user pricing model caused costs to spiral in an unpredictable manner. Finance and operations teams were left struggling to budget effectively, as every new hire or expansion of a team automatically triggered higher monthly or annual bills. This lack of cost predictability became a major pain point, transforming a beloved productivity tool into a source of financial uncertainty. The once-simple calculation of software expenses became a moving target, complicated by fluctuating team sizes and evolving feature bundles.
The Backlash: Confusion and Trust Issues
The user response to these changes was swift and vocal. Online forums like Reddit, professional networks like LinkedIn, and software review sites became flooded with recurring complaints. Users reported frustration over sudden price jumps that appeared with little warning, leading to unexpected budget overruns. The consolidation of plans created widespread confusion, as teams struggled to understand which features they would retain and which were now gated behind more expensive tiers. This constant shuffling left even loyal, long-term users questioning whether Notion, a tool deeply integrated into their daily operations, still served their best interests.
The broader concern, however, transcended the immediate financial impact—it evolved into an issue of trust. Businesses invest significant time and resources migrating to a platform, training employees, and building out complex workflows. This investment is made with the expectation of a stable and predictable partnership. The perception that Notion could change its terms or pricing unexpectedly created a sense of platform risk. Leaders feared committing their organization's critical operations to a tool that might suddenly become unaffordable or alter its core functionality, leaving them with the difficult choice of either absorbing unplanned costs or undertaking a disruptive and expensive migration under pressure. This erosion of trust prompted a widespread search for more stable and transparent alternatives.
Why Steegle.One Emerged as the Alternative
Steegle.One takes a very different approach. Built directly on Google Sites and Google Workspace, it offers intranet functionality, employee directories, news feeds, and AppSheet-powered databases—all within the platform your teams already know.:
Cost savings: On average, organizations report that Steegle.One costs about ¼ to ⅕ of Notion’s equivalent setup.
No double-paying: If you’re already in Google Workspace, why pay twice for collaboration tools? Steegle.One extends what you already own.
Authentication made simple: No extra logins. Single sign-on works automatically because everything lives inside Google Workspace.
Data sovereignty: All content stays in your Workspace—no third-party servers, no hidden processors. Security isn’t an add-on; it’s guaranteed.
Ease of use: Staff are already familiar with Gmail, Drive, and Calendar. Steegle.One adds structure, not complexity.
Boutique care: As a specialist, Steegle is the opposite of faceless Silicon Valley SaaS. Clients value the hands-on expertise and personal support from a focused, boutique team.
These efficiencies mean Steegle.One remains at least 30% more affordable than competitors.
Proven Expertise in Migration
Steegle isn’t new to this space; it is a seasoned expert with a deep history rooted in the Google ecosystem. With over 15 years of dedicated experience building sophisticated intranets on Google Sites, the team possesses an unparalleled understanding of how to leverage Google Workspace for maximum organizational benefit. This long-standing expertise has allowed them to master the art of migration, guiding a diverse range of clients—from K-12 school districts and healthcare providers to global enterprises and non-profits—through complex transitions away from platforms like Notion, SharePoint, Confluence, and the broader Microsoft 365 suite.
Key benefits realized by organizations after migrating to Steegle.One include:
Deeper Integration: All tools, documents, and data are consolidated within the familiar Google Workspace, eliminating the friction of switching between disconnected systems.
Simplified Administration: With everything managed through the Google Admin console, IT overhead is significantly reduced, freeing up valuable resources.
Lower Total Cost of Ownership (TCO): By moving to a more affordable and efficient platform, companies drastically cut down on subscription fees and hidden administrative costs.
Enhanced Security and Compliance: Data is kept securely within the organization's own Google tenant, leveraging Google's robust security infrastructure to meet compliance standards.
Increased User Adoption: Employees can get started immediately with minimal training, as the intranet operates within the familiar and intuitive Google environment they already use daily.
Conclusion: Control, Security, and Savings
The story of Notion, from its 2013 founding and rapid growth to its 2025 pricing turmoil, highlights a common SaaS trap where businesses face rising costs and unpredictable platform changes. This volatility forces organizations into a reactive position, struggling with budget uncertainty and questioning the long-term stability of tools deeply embedded in their operations. As a result, companies are increasingly seeking alternatives that offer a predictable foundation to grow with—one that doesn't erode budgets or break trust by bundling expensive, unnecessary features into core plans.
Steegle.One delivers exactly that stability and value. By building on the familiar and secure Google Workspace foundation, it provides all the essential intranet features an organization needs at a stable cost that is typically just one-quarter to one-fifth of alternatives like Notion. Authentication is seamless through Google, security is guaranteed by keeping data within your own tenant, and the boutique support model ensures you have a dedicated partner. For organizations ready to escape the SaaS rollercoaster, Steegle.One offers a clear path to a more controlled, secure, and financially sound digital future.
FAQ: Notion vs. Steegle.One Migration Essentials
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Notion Labs was founded in 2013, with its first public release in 2016.
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Because of steep price hikes, bundled AI costs, and unpredictable per-user fees that make scaling expensive.
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On average, Steegle.One runs at about one-quarter to one-fifth of the cost of Notion, with predictable pricing models.
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Yes. Steegle.One uses AppSheet and Google Sheets to create databases, forms, and workflows—similar to Notion’s blocks and kanban boards—but fully integrated with Google Workspace.
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Migration is a straightforward, structured process. Steegle guides every step, ensuring continuity of data, permissions, and workflows.
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Yes. All data stays in your Google Workspace tenant, benefiting from Google’s encryption, compliance (SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA), and built-in 2FA. Security is guaranteed.
Key Features Comparison
Notion (2025)
Founding / Release
Founded 2013, public release 2016
Core Platform
Standalone SaaS, separate from Workspace
Authentication
Separate user logins or SSO (extra setup)
Pricing Model
Per-user, scales sharply with team size
Recent Changes
2024–25 price hikes, bundled AI into Business plan
AI Features
Included in higher tiers, not optional
Data Sovereignty
Data hosted on Notion’s servers
Security & Compliance
SOC 2, ISO 27001; HIPAA for Enterprise
Intranet Features
Wikis, databases, teamspaces
Ease of Use
Flexible, but separate learning curve
Scalability
Costs rise per user
Support Style
Scaled Silicon Valley SaaS support
Client Types
Tech startups, creative teams, enterprises
Steegle.One
Founding / Release
Founded 2008 as Google Sites experts, intranets since then
Core Platform
Built directly on Google Workspace (Google Sites, Drive, Sheets, AppSheet)
Authentication
Native Google Workspace login, no extra authentication
Pricing Model
Flat, predictable pricing — typically ¼ to ⅕ of Notion
Recent Changes
Transparent pricing, guaranteed to be lower than alternatives
AI Features
AI tools via AppSheet/Workspace integrations, choose what you enable
Data Sovereignty
All data stays inside your Workspace tenant — no third-party processors
Scalability
Growth buffer included — no immediate costs for new hires
Support Style
Boutique, personal support — long-term specialists, not faceless tickets
Client Types
Schools, healthcare, nonprofits, enterprises (global deployments)
Contact Us
Looking for an intranet solution for Google Workspace?
Since 2008, we here at Steegle.com have been delivering intranet development solutions for Google Sites. We have developed Steegle.One intranet system which builds directly to Google Sites for Google Workspace.
As a certified Google Cloud Partner, we specialize in Google Workspace based solutions. Give us a call at US +1 (302) 672 3007 or UK +44 (207) 871 502 or contact us today to view a demo of our intranet solutions, and see how it can help increase employee productivity and save time and money. Click below to learn more about the Steegle.One Intranet solution.
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