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Comparison · PM
Asana vs NotePlan
A side-by-side editorial comparison of Asana and NotePlan — release velocity, themes, recent moves, and the top alternatives to consider.
Asana vs NotePlan: at a glance
What is Asana?
Asana Tables puts vendor and asset records next to tasks, and AI Teammates can read them.
Asana has added a new object type. Tables, live on Advanced, Enterprise and Enterprise+, stores reference data such as vendors and assets as records with custom fields, linked to tasks, projects and other tables. It follows a fall of structural and control work: subtask types set by the parent, Subtask Date Rollups, automation rules running on their owner's current permissions, and a reorganized Admin Console.
What is NotePlan?
NotePlan builds MCP into the app and takes Memo AI to the Mac
NotePlan 3.22 ships a built-in MCP server on the Mac, found under Help ▸ AI Connectors, that lets assistants such as Claude, ChatGPT and Claude Code find, read and update notes, tasks and the calendar. It replaces the earlier Node.js server, needs nothing installed, and works when NotePlan is closed. The release also adds iPhone Duo layouts, a Mac share extension and Siri that adds to existing notes. Memo AI arrived on the Mac the same day, recording meetings without a bot and syncing with the iPhone app, which gained split memos and speaker management in 1.3.1.
Asana vs NotePlan: editorial side-by-side
Asana
6.3PMCOLLAB
Asana Tables puts vendor and asset records next to tasks, and AI Teammates can read them.
◆ Current state
Asana has added a new object type. Tables, live on Advanced, Enterprise and Enterprise+, stores reference data such as vendors and assets as records with custom fields, linked to tasks, projects and other tables. It follows a fall of structural and control work: subtask types set by the parent, Subtask Date Rollups, automation rules running on their owner's current permissions, and a reorganized Admin Console.
◆ Where it's heading
The fall's hierarchy cleanup now reads as groundwork for a broader data model: Asana is moving from tracking work to also holding the records work refers to. Tables feed AI Teammates and Asana Dash directly, so structured data becomes context for the agents launched over the summer. Asana is drawing the limit itself, saying Tables won't replace a CRM or a formula-heavy spreadsheet.
◆ Prediction
Expect Tables to gain richer lookups between records and more ways for rules and AI Teammates to act on them. The entries don't show whether Tables will reach lower plans.
NotePlan
5.0PM
NotePlan builds MCP into the app and takes Memo AI to the Mac
◆ Current state
NotePlan 3.22 ships a built-in MCP server on the Mac, found under Help ▸ AI Connectors, that lets assistants such as Claude, ChatGPT and Claude Code find, read and update notes, tasks and the calendar. It replaces the earlier Node.js server, needs nothing installed, and works when NotePlan is closed. The release also adds iPhone Duo layouts, a Mac share extension and Siri that adds to existing notes. Memo AI arrived on the Mac the same day, recording meetings without a bot and syncing with the iPhone app, which gained split memos and speaker management in 1.3.1.
◆ Where it's heading
Both product lines are moving onto the same desk. The MCP server went from something a user installed to something the app contains, which keeps opening the notebook to outside software with less setup. Memo AI's move to the Mac puts capture beside the note app, and bot-free meeting recording gives it a reason to be open during work. Siri support in 3.21.3 and 3.22 shows the assistant surface extending to Apple's side as well.
◆ Prediction
Expect Memo AI and the main app to connect more directly, since they now share the Mac, and assigning tasks by speaker remains the obvious first link. The new MCP server is Mac-only in this release, so reaching iPhone is a question these entries leave open.
Alternatives to Asana and NotePlan
Other PM products tracked by Sparkpulse, ranked by recent ship velocity. Each card links to a full editorial trajectory and lets you pivot into a head-to-head comparison with either Asana or NotePlan.
Nifty
Nifty rebuilt its mobile apps and shipped capacity planning while its API moved to v3.
Redmine
Redmine patches three security flaws in 7.0.2 and gives admins a page listing every webhook.
Birdview PSA
Birdview adds an MCP connector for ChatGPT and Claude after a run of workflow features.
Pipefy
Pipefy's feed is awards and governance essays; Oracle joins Microsoft in its partner story.
Avaza
Avaza's MCP server is still the news; the feed has turned to services-firm guides.
See all Asana alternatives → · See all NotePlan alternatives →
Recent activity from Asana and NotePlan
Latest ship moves from both products, interleaved chronologically. ⚡ = editorial spark.
- 3d agoAsanaIntroducing: Tables ⚡
- 10d agoNotePlanv1.3.1 - Memo AI: Available on Mac, plus Split Memos & Speaker Management
- 10d agoNotePlanv3.22 - Built-in MCP Server, iPhone Duo Support & Mac Share Extension
- 17d agoAsana:puzzle_piece: Subtask types now follow their parent, across projects
- 24d agoAsana🗓️ Subtask Date Rollups: bring your parent dates up to date
- 27d agoAsanaA clearer way to find your Admin settings 🧭
- 1mo agoAsana🔐 Automation rules now use their owner’s current permissions
- 1mo agoNotePlanv3.21.3 - Siri AI Support, Smarter Folder Views & More Reliable Reminders
- 1mo agoAsana🗂️ Bulk-add from Portfolio now works for editors and admins!
- 2mo agoNotePlanv1.3 - Memo AI: Redesigned Summaries, Speaker Labels & iCloud Sync
- 2mo agoNotePlanv3.21.2 - Apple Reminders Integration with Two-Way Sync
- 4mo agoNotePlanv3.21.1 - Wiki Link Aliases, Rebuilt Share Extension & Better Claude/MCP Support
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Asana and NotePlan?
They serve adjacent needs but don't currently overlap on shipped themes. Asana is currently shipping more aggressively (velocity 6.3 vs 5.0), with 1 editorial sparks in the last 30 days against 0. See the at-a-glance table above for a side-by-side breakdown of velocity, recent sparks, and editorial themes.
Is Asana better than NotePlan?
Sparkpulse doesn't pick a winner — we score release velocity, not feature parity. Asana is currently shipping more aggressively (velocity 6.3 vs 5.0), with 1 editorial sparks in the last 30 days against 0. For your specific use case, the alternatives sections above list other PM products to evaluate alongside.
What are the best alternatives to Asana?
Top Asana alternatives in PM are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "Asana alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/asana for the full list with editorial commentary on each.
What are the best alternatives to NotePlan?
Top NotePlan alternatives in PM are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "NotePlan alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/noteplan for the full list with editorial commentary on each.