Notion workspace storage limits determine how much data you can upload and store across pages, databases, and files. These limits vary by plan and affect file uploads, database row counts, and API usage. Many users see unexpected blocks when uploading images or attaching documents because they exceed the storage quota. This article explains the exact storage limits for each Notion plan, how to check your current usage, and what actions trigger storage consumption.
Key Takeaways: Notion Workspace Storage Limits
- Settings & Members > Settings > Workspace Usage: Shows your current storage used and total limit for the workspace.
- Free plan limit of 5 MB per file upload: Each file you attach cannot exceed 5 MB; larger files require a paid plan.
- Plus and Business plans provide unlimited file uploads: No per-file size cap, but total storage is still limited by the plan’s block count and API rate limits.
How Notion Workspace Storage Works
Notion does not measure storage in gigabytes the way Google Drive or Dropbox does. Instead, Notion uses a block-based system. Every piece of content in Notion is a block: a text paragraph, an image, a file attachment, a database row, a page, a toggle, or a code block. The storage limit is the total number of blocks your workspace can contain. File uploads and attachments count as blocks, but their size also matters because Notion enforces per-file upload size limits.
The workspace storage limit is applied per workspace, not per user. If you have a team workspace with five members, the total storage used by all members counts toward the same limit. Deleting pages or files reduces block count and frees up storage. Notion does not compress or resize uploaded files, so a 10 MB PDF takes up more blocks than a 100 KB text document.
What Counts Toward Storage
The following items consume workspace storage:
- File uploads: images, PDFs, spreadsheets, audio files, and any other attached file.
- Database rows: each row in a database counts as one block, but row content (text, files) adds more blocks.
- Page content: every text block, heading, toggle, callout, code block, and embed.
- Version history: Notion stores version history for pages, which counts toward storage. Deleting old versions can free space.
- Trash: deleted pages and files remain in the trash for 30 days and still count toward storage until permanently deleted.
What Does Not Count Toward Storage
Some features do not consume workspace storage:
- Linked databases: a linked view of a database does not duplicate the data, so it does not add storage.
- Page embeds: YouTube videos, Google Maps, and other embed codes do not upload files to Notion servers.
- API usage limits: API calls are rate-limited separately and do not count toward block storage.
Storage Limits by Notion Plan
Each Notion plan has specific storage limits. The table below shows the limits for the most common plans as of 2025.
| Plan | File Upload Limit Per File | Total Block Limit | Version History |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | 5 MB | 1,000 blocks | 7 days |
| Plus | No limit per file (up to 5 GB per file) | Unlimited blocks | 30 days |
| Business | No limit per file (up to 5 GB per file) | Unlimited blocks | 90 days |
| Enterprise | No limit per file (up to 5 GB per file) | Unlimited blocks | Custom retention |
The Free plan block limit of 1,000 blocks is a hard cap. Once you reach 1,000 blocks, you cannot add new content until you delete existing blocks or upgrade to a paid plan. The Plus plan removes the block limit entirely, but Notion still enforces a 5 GB per-file upload cap for technical reasons. Business and Enterprise plans have the same file size cap as Plus but offer longer version history retention.
How to Check Your Workspace Storage Usage
Notion provides a workspace usage dashboard that shows your current storage consumption.
- Open Settings & Members
Click the gear icon in the left sidebar to open Settings & Members. - Go to the Settings tab
In the left panel, click Settings under Workspace. - Scroll to Workspace Usage
Find the Workspace Usage section. It shows the number of blocks used and the total limit. On the Free plan, you see a progress bar. On paid plans, you see only the total blocks used because there is no limit. - Check file upload size
Notion does not show total file size in the dashboard. To see file sizes, open a page with attachments, click the file name, and look at the file size shown in the preview.
If you are on the Free plan and near the 1,000 block limit, the dashboard shows a warning. You can delete old pages or empty the trash to reduce block count.
Common Misconceptions About Notion Storage Limits
Does deleting a page from the page list free up storage immediately?
Deleting a page moves it to the trash. The blocks still count toward your storage until you permanently delete the page from the trash. To free storage, open Trash in the left sidebar, click the three dots next to a page, and select Delete Forever. You can also empty the entire trash at once.
Do database attachments count as blocks?
Yes. Every file attached to a database row counts as one block. If you attach five images to one row, that row uses five blocks for the images plus one block for the row itself. Database properties like text, select, and date do not count as separate blocks; they are part of the row block.
Can I exceed the 5 MB file upload limit on the Free plan by splitting a file?
No. The 5 MB limit applies per file. If you split a 10 MB PDF into two 5 MB PDFs, each file is under the limit, but you still cannot upload either file if the total workspace block count is already at the 1,000 block cap. Splitting files does not bypass the block limit.
Does Notion count external images as storage?
No. Images embedded via a URL (not uploaded) are not stored on Notion servers. They are loaded from the external source each time the page is viewed. Only images uploaded directly to Notion count toward storage.
Notion Free vs Plus vs Business: Storage Limits Compared
| Feature | Free | Plus | Business |
|---|---|---|---|
| Block limit | 1,000 blocks | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Max file upload size | 5 MB per file | 5 GB per file | 5 GB per file |
| Version history | 7 days | 30 days | 90 days |
| Guest access | Up to 10 guests | Up to 100 guests | Up to 250 guests |
| API rate limit | 3 requests per second | 3 requests per second | 3 requests per second |
The Free plan is suitable for personal note-taking with minimal attachments. The Plus plan removes the block cap and increases the file upload limit, making it the minimum recommended plan for team collaboration. The Business plan adds longer version history and more guest seats but does not increase storage limits beyond what Plus offers.
Notion workspace storage limits are based on blocks and file upload size, not gigabytes. The Free plan limits you to 1,000 blocks and 5 MB per file. Paid plans remove the block cap and allow up to 5 GB per file. To manage storage effectively, check your workspace usage in Settings & Members, delete unneeded pages permanently from the trash, and avoid uploading large files unless you are on a paid plan. If you need to store files larger than 5 GB, consider linking to an external cloud service like Google Drive or Dropbox instead of uploading directly to Notion.