Welcome to an exciting glimpse into the minds behind NotionApps. Today, we sit down with Jatin and Sameer, the visionary founders whose journey from simple beginnings to tech pioneers is nothing short of inspiring. This dynamic duo has embarked on a remarkable journey, transforming the way we use Notion by enabling anyone to turn their databases into fully functional, custom apps.
Join us as we explore the inception, challenges, and breakthroughs of NotionApps, and discover how Jatin and Sameer are crafting the future of accessible app development. Let's get inspired together!
Q: What inspired the creation of NotionApps, and how did the concept come to fruition?
A (both): We started Utilize in 2020 to help non-technical users build apps to grow their businesses without coding. Our vision is to build tools that will enable the enablers. We started as a tool to build internal apps from Google Sheets, pivoted to a no-code tool for e-commerce brands, and then pivoted to a no-code tool for field operations. And we were not happy with the growth of any of these pivots.
One thing we learned from our pivots is that the problem needed to be personal to be solved quickly and on a large scale. The more inward the problem, the stronger and more outward the impact.
We have been using Notion for everything internal since we started Utilize. But using their databases on mobile with their “page” experience is a pain. It got worse as we added more data. When we discussed this in Notion communities on Reddit, Facebook, etc., we saw that many are troubled by similar problems. Some pain points include,
Henceforth, NotionApps was launched 🙂
Q: Can you explain the process of transforming a Notion database into a functional app using your platform?
A (both): It is pretty straightforward. 3 simple steps,
Q: What features are you most proud of, and why?
A (both): We have 30+ components that will enable users to build hyper-customized apps, from simple ones like dropdowns, galleries, and photo uploaders, to more advanced ones like barcode scanners, maps, digital signatures, etc.
What we are most proud of is our deep integration with Notion APIs. We created an abstraction on top of the Notion APIs and worked hard to handle all the complexities that come with it.
This ensures that the experience of the built apps is seamless and super fast. Features like viewing Notion page content, the ability to render Notion embeds and other page blocks, and two-way syncing, are further testament to this.
This is what sets us apart from the rest of the app builders that are in the market. Did we tell you we are the first and only app builder for Notion users in the market?
Q: What are the most common use cases you see for the apps built with your platform?
A (both): We come across new use cases frequently (Notion users across domains have been using the tool – from universities to football clubs, from tech agencies to real estate firms), here are some popular ones
Q: Can you discuss any upcoming features or updates users can look forward to?
The features we look forward to are the same features our users request in our community which has been live from day one. We rolled out 10+ major features and many improvements this year.
One upcoming feature that will expand the scope of the tool is Custom Code, which enables the makers to extend their apps with customized CSS and Javascript. This not only allows users to customize the looks of the app but also helps them add more capabilities and integrations into the tool.
We might also add other features in the coming months like Push Notifications, new components like Comments, Gallery, Calendar view, new login methods like email/password and Google auth.
Q: What advice would you give to someone looking to build an app for their business using NotionApps?
A (both): We usually suggest users spend some time to understand the requirements of the app before building it. This means they need to answer questions like who are they building the app for, why they need the app, how and when will they use it, what features will they need in the app, etc.
For example, if you are an agency and want to build a client portal app, understand why, what, and how will your clients use the app, before building it.
Once they understand the requirements, the next step is to ensure that the data is correctly structured on Notion. This means having your Notion databases and pages ready before diving into NotionApps.
Q: Sameer, how do you approach the design process to ensure that the NotionApps platform is both visually appealing and user-friendly?
A: Let me put it this way: we want to keep things simple for Notion users to build apps without a line of code. If a feature doesn’t serve a clear purpose, it’s out. We keep everything clean and purposeful.
We designed the aesthetics and messaging of the product keeping the Notion user in mind. When you build with NotionApps, it’s like an extension of Notion itself—familiar, intuitive, and easy to navigate.
We’re aiming for a sweet spot: easy enough to pick up if you’re new but packed with enough power to support more complex needs. Every button, icon, and interaction has to earn its place, so whether you’re making a client portal or an internal tool, you’re focused on building, not figuring things out. No unnecessary clutter.
Q: Jatin, what technical challenges have you faced in integrating Notion databases into customizable apps, and how have you overcome them?
A: Our goal when building NotionApps was to quickly validate it. So the thought process was to use as much code of Utilize as we can. However, there were quite a few differences between how Google Spreadsheets work and how Notion databases work. The primary being the maturity of the corresponding APIs.
The challenges started with how slow the Notion database data retrieval is. At times, it takes up to 20 seconds to pull only 100 pages from Notion. We had to build some caching mechanisms to speed up the page retrieval process.
Next up was that the file (image, pdf) links we get from Notion would just expire in an hour. We had to build mechanisms to keep the file links fresh.
We continue to have significant challenges when working with Notion’s API because it is still treated like the ignored stepchild of Notion’s ecosystem. However, we are hopeful that the API will get better in the near future.
Q: Jatin, how do you ensure that the NotionApps platform remains secure, especially when handling sensitive user data?
We keep our data encrypted and are vigilant with best practices to ensure the data is only accessed via rotating credentials.
Q: Sameer, can you share insights into the branding strategy for NotionApps?
A: To be honest, we did not spend much time on branding. A basic logo and name felt enough to start building and talking to users. Funnily, when we launched I spent <10 mins to create our logo.
We follow a minimalist approach when designing the website, or other branding creatives. The same is reflected in the design of our app builder and end-user experience.
At this stage, simply being consistent with the branding guidelines so that our target users can identify the tool when they come across it online, felt good enough. We would rather spend time on value creation and growth.
And yes, using Notion in the name of the product is also strategic. We want the value we are creating to reach as many Notion users as possible and this was one way. We might have to change our name in the future to avoid trademark issues.
Q: Sameer, what are the key marketing challenges you face in positioning NotionApps?
A: Notion communities are very active, not just because Notion users are looking for info but also because of different types of power users who want to contribute – Notion consultants, no-code agencies, template creators, content creators, and other 3rd-party Notion tools. This also means everyone wants to talk and promote their offerings.
To stand out in the Notion communities has been our biggest challenge. We have been doing this by writing content that is truly valuable and only plugging our product when there is relevant context.
We made sure we talked about other Notion tools, be it website builders, form builders, social media schedulers, etc as much as we talked about our tool.
Q: Jatin, what has been the most complex technical problem you’ve solved for NotionApps?
A: I think coming up with a view that scales both on desktop and mobile was a significant challenge. Every single element had a different identity based on the platform. It was overwhelming considering we have 100s of elements rendered on the screen that make the app work.
Q: Sameer, looking ahead, what new marketing or design initiatives are you excited to implement for NotionApps?
Our marketing has been 100% organic till date. We are doubling down on the following channels in the coming months,
Q: Jatin, how do you prioritize which product features to develop next?
A: Our users love NotionApps and are vocal about it either in our community or via website chat. We take all user feedback & feature requests and add them to our internal Jira dashboard. Then we funnel the feature requests through our understanding of what will bring the most growth to the business and create a corresponding item in our public roadmap.
Our users vote on the roadmap and help us reach the final decision of what gets picked up next.
As we wrap up this illuminating conversation with Jatin and Sameer, it’s clear that NotionApps is not just a tool, but a catalyst for transformation in the way we approach app development.
Their journey from concept to creation is a testament to the power of innovation and the impact of truly understanding user needs. With their continued commitment to enhancing NotionApps and empowering users, the future looks bright for both seasoned developers and novices aiming to streamline their workflows. We eagerly anticipate the new features and improvements that will undoubtedly make NotionApps even more indispensable.
To Jatin and Sameer, thank you for sharing your insights and inspirations, and to our readers, stay tuned for the next wave of advancements from the frontier of no-code solutions!
