Notion is a ridiculously useful application out of the box, but throwing plugins (sometimes called integrations or add-ons) into your workflow can make it even better.

These plugins are third-party tools that enhance Notion's basic functionality and sometimes add additional capabilities that Notion can't natively handle. If you use Notion on even a semi-regular basis, these tools should be part of your lineup. Without them, you miss out on the convenience and utility that takes your productivity a step further.

6 Flocus

For the Rainmeter lovers

If you have Rainmeter installed on your computer and love creating an aesthetic setup, Flocus is a must-have. Flocus is described as an "aesthetic productivity dashboard," and it works like an in-browser space for users that displays inspirational quotes, plays music in the background, and has additional functions like a built-in Pomodoro timer. Through Notion's embed feature, you can add a Flocus dashboard right into your notes. It works well as an embed, and you can access most of its features without a paid account.

5 Notion Web Clipper

For taking notes on the fly

The internet is full of information, and you sometimes stumble across something you can't dig into at the moment; for example, a book you'd like to read. The Notion Web Clipper is an extension for Chrome (and Safari and Firefox) that allows you to save information with a single click. This extension also works on iOS and Android, so you can save interesting finds when you're browsing from the couch or the bed, too. Tremendously useful, although it hasn't helped in thinning out the list of books I want to read.

4 Super.So

Create a webpage in under a minute

Notion already offers powerful web publication tools, but Super takes it a step further. Super is free to use (although a paid subscription lets you connect your own domain and utilize custom code, among other perks), but it's a great way to create a website from your Notion pages in no time at all. Any edits you make on those pages will automatically go live when you're finished, and Super handles the SEO optimization and analytics for you. It can even convert your site into a foreign-language-friendly format for users from other locations. According to Super, their sites load faster than any other web builder.

3 Indify

Widgets galore

Indify is a tool that makes it easy to add widgets to your workspace. It's an easy way to customize your notes and include information that might be important, like the current time or the weather. You can link your calendar to it, show quotes, create custom buttons, and much more. Many of the widgets are free to use, but there are a few that lock the majority of features behind a paywall. Take the Weather widget, for instance; while I can add it to my notes without paying for it, it only shows a basic forecast. If I want it to show the current weather or display dates, I would need to upgrade to the Pro version.

2 Readwise

Make your highlights mean something

If you read on Kindle, you probably have highlighted a few passages of text. Maybe it was particularly poignant, or it struck your funny bone in just the right way; whatever the reason, you wanted to remember that section. Don't let it stay hidden away in your Kindle's memory. Readwise links to your Kindle and sends you a daily email with any passages you've highlighted, but more importantly, it also links to your Notion workspace and stores them there. The downside? Readwise only works through a subscription, although you can test it out with a 30-day free trial. After that, you'll need to pay $10 per month to export your highlights from Kindle to Notion.

1 Niftyman

A must for Mac users

If you primarily work on a Mac, Niftyman needs to be part of your flow. This handy little tool lets you access Notion instances from your menu bar with custom emojis for each. You can also create keyboard shortcuts to open a specific instance. When you have multiple Notion databases you use on a daily basis, Niftyman saves a lot of time by making it that much easier to jump between them. Beyond improving access speed, Niftyman also does a lot more, like saving your customizations, window size, or whether you want the Notion instance to appear as a pinned window in a specific area on screen. You can even render Notion workspaces as a mobile site versus the desktop version, depending on your personal preferences.

Notion is great. These plugins make it better

Notion is a powerful tool that I use on a regular basis. That said, these plugins take my workflow to the next level, opening up more possibilities than the base application offers. The ability to jump between instances with a click, add widgets to my notes, and more have become so ingrained in how I use Notion that I can't imagine going back to not using these plugins.