How to Switch from Trello to Notion: Complete Migration Guide

Switching from Trello to Notion is one of the most common tool migrations in 2026. Notion’s flexibility makes it a natural upgrade path, but the migration process isn’t always straightforward. This guide walks you through every step.

Why People Switch from Trello to Notion

Before diving into the how, here’s why teams make the move:

All-in-one workspace — Notion replaces Trello, Google Docs, and wikis
Database power — views, filters, rollups, and relations go far beyond Trello cards
Better documentation — rich pages with nested content vs. Trello’s limited card descriptions
Cost — Notion’s free plan is more generous for small teams
Custom views — switch between board, table, list, calendar, gallery, and timeline

Before You Start: Preparation Checklist

Audit your Trello boards — which ones are active vs. archived?
Identify your workflow — are you using Trello for task management, CRM, content planning, or something else?
Map your labels and tags — list all Trello labels you want to preserve
Export attachments — download any critical files attached to cards
Notify your team — set a migration date and communicate the plan

Step 1: Export Your Trello Data

Export via Trello

Open your Trello board
Click Menu (three dots) → More → Print and Export
Select Export as JSON
Save the JSON file

What Gets Exported

Card names, descriptions, and due dates
Lists and positions
Labels and members
Checklists
Comments (in JSON format)

What Doesn’t Export Cleanly

Attachments (you get URLs, not files)
Power-Up data
Custom fields (may need manual recreation)
Card cover images

Step 2: Set Up Your Notion Database

Instead of importing raw data, build your Notion structure first:

Create a Database with These Properties

Property	Type	Maps to Trello
Name	Title	Card name
Status	Select	List name (To Do, Doing, Done)
Priority	Select	Labels (High, Medium, Low)
Assignee	Person	Card members
Due Date	Date	Card due date
Tags	Multi-select	Trello labels
Notes	Rich text	Card description

Set Up Views

Board View — mimics your Trello experience (group by Status)
Table View — for bulk editing and filtering
Calendar View — for deadline management
Timeline View — for project planning (Notion advantage over Trello)

Step 3: Import Your Data

Option A: Notion’s Built-in Trello Import

In Notion, click Import in the sidebar
Select Trello
Authorize Notion to access your Trello account
Choose which boards to import
Notion creates pages for each card

Pros: Fast and automatic. Cons: Creates pages, not database entries. You’ll need to restructure the data.

Option B: Manual Migration (Recommended for Clean Results)

For teams with fewer than 100 active cards, manual migration produces cleaner results:

Open your Trello board and Notion database side by side
Copy cards into Notion database entries
Set properties (status, tags, assignees) as you go
Paste card descriptions into Notion page content

Pros: Clean data, properly structured from day one. Cons: Time-consuming for large boards.

Option C: CSV Import via Third-Party Tool

Export Trello to CSV using a tool like Trello Export (Chrome extension)
Clean up the CSV (rename columns, format dates)
Import the CSV into Notion via Import → CSV
Notion creates a database with your data

Pros: Good middle ground between speed and structure. Cons: Requires some data cleanup.

Step 4: Recreate Your Workflows

Automations

Trello’s Butler automations need to be recreated in Notion:

Due date reminders → Use Notion’s built-in reminders (@mentions with dates)
Card moving rules → Use Notion’s database automations or Zapier
Recurring tasks → Use Notion’s recurring templates or database templates

Templates

Recreate your Trello card templates as Notion database templates:

Open your database → New dropdown → + New template
Set default property values
Add page content structure
Name the template

Step 5: Onboard Your Team

The biggest migration risk isn’t technical — it’s adoption. Help your team adjust:

Create a Getting Started page in Notion with instructions
Run a 15-minute walkthrough showing the new board
Keep the Trello board read-only for 2 weeks as reference
Assign a Notion champion to answer questions
Start with one team before rolling out company-wide

Common Migration Mistakes

Importing everything — Only migrate active, relevant boards. Archive the rest.
Replicating Trello exactly — Notion is more powerful. Take advantage of relations, rollups, and multiple views.
Skipping the training — Notion has a learning curve. Invest time in onboarding.
Migrating during a busy sprint — Choose a calm period for the switch.

Trello Features and Their Notion Equivalents

Trello Feature	Notion Equivalent
Boards	Database Board View
Lists	Status property
Cards	Database entries
Labels	Multi-select tags
Checklists	To-do blocks or sub-pages
Due dates	Date property
Card descriptions	Page content
Power-Ups	Integrations + native features
Butler automations	Database automations + Zapier

For more on Notion’s capabilities, read our Notion vs ClickUp comparison or check out Notion pricing in 2026.

The Verdict

Migrating from Trello to Notion takes 1-3 hours for a single board and up to a week for a full team migration. The investment pays off with a more flexible, powerful workspace that grows with your needs.

Start with one board, prove the workflow, then expand. Most teams never look back.

FAQ

Can I use Trello and Notion together?

Yes. Many teams use Trello for simple task boards and Notion for documentation. Zapier can sync data between them.

Will I lose any data during migration?

Trello comments and attachments may not import perfectly. Export important attachments before migrating.

How long does the full migration take?

A single board takes 1-3 hours. A full team with multiple boards may take 1-2 weeks including onboarding.

Is Notion harder to learn than Trello?

Yes, initially. Notion’s flexibility means more options, which creates a learning curve. Most users become comfortable within a week.