Notion is a powerful collaboration tool that allows teams to organize projects, documents, tasks, and more in one centralized workspace. One of the great features of Notion is the ability to collaborate not just with team members, but also with outside guests.
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What is a Guest in Notion?
A guest in Notion refers to someone who is invited to a specific Notion page or pages, but is not part of the larger workspace. Guests only have access to what they are specifically invited to.
Some examples of when you may want to add a guest:
- Inviting a client or vendor to view or collaborate on a project
- Getting feedback from an external expert on a document
- Collaborating with a contractor or freelancer on a specific task
Key Things to Know About Guests:
- Guests can only access specific pages they have been invited to
- Guests cannot access full workspaces
- Guests cannot create new pages or content outside of what they’ve been invited to
- Guests cannot edit workspace settings or billing
- Free Notion plans allow up to 5 guests, paid plans allow unlimited guests
How to Add a Guest in Notion
Adding a guest in Notion is easy. Here are the steps:
First, log into your Notion account and navigate to the specific page or pages you want your guest to be able to access.
In the top right corner of the page, click the “Share” button. This will open up the Share menu.
3. Enter the Guest’s Email
In the Share menu, click “Invite People” then enter the email address of the person you want to invite.
4. Choose Permissions Level
Use the dropdown menu to select what level of access you want to give your guest:
- Can edit – They can make changes to the content
- Can comment – They can leave comments but not edit
- Can view – Read-only access
5. Send the Invite
Once you’ve entered the email and set permissions, click “Invite” to send them an email inviting them to the page.
That’s it! Your guest will receive an email letting them know they’ve been invited.
Accepting a Guest Invite
If your guest does not already have a Notion account, they will need to create one before accessing your invite. This allows them to comment and collaborate within the pages.
Once they’ve created an account, they simply need to open the invite email you sent and click the link to access the Notion page.
They will then have access based on the permissions level you set.
Collaboration with Guests
Once a guest has access, you can collaborate with them just like any other member of your workspace:
Comments
- Leave comments on specific parts of a page to discuss details or give feedback.
Mentions
- Mention your guest with @ to notify them of a comment or update.
Real-time Editing
- See guest’s cursor and edits in real-time as you work together.
Version History
- View all changes and additions in the version history to see the evolution of work.
Managing Guests
As a workspace admin, you have full control over your guests and can manage them from the Members section of your Settings & Members page.
Things you can do:
- See all guests and pages they have access to
- Change permission levels
- Remove guests entirely
- Convert guests to full workspace members
It’s a good idea to periodically audit guests and remove access for any who no longer need it.
Use Cases for Guests
Here are some examples of effective ways to use guests in Notion:
Client Collaboration
Share specific pages or projects with clients to collaborate. For example, share a project timeline and notes page with a client for transparency.
Vendor Access
Give vendors access to relevant documentation they need, like brand guidelines or specifications.
Expert Feedback
Invite subject matter experts to review documents and provide feedback via comments.
Temporary Access
Add contractors or freelancers as guests and remove access when the project finishes.
Public Documentation
Publish documentation, handbooks, or wikis to the web and invite guests to suggest improvements.
Tips for Guest Collaboration
Here are some tips to ensure smooth collaboration with your Notion guests:
- Set clear expectations – Let guests know what they can access and how you expect them to collaborate.
- Simplify navigation – Make sure pages they need are easy to find from their initial access point.
- Check linked content – If you link databases or synced content, check guests can view.
- Use page colors to distinguish guest pages.
- Automate reminders about pending guest feedback and tasks.
Summary
Adding guests is a great way to collaborate with clients, partners, and experts who don’t need full access to your Notion workspace.
With just a few clicks, you can invite guests to specific pages, set permission levels, and collaborate via comments, mentions, and real-time editing features.
Periodically audit and manage guests to maintain security. And leverage Notion’s collaboration functionality to set clear expectations and simplify working with your guests.
What use cases do you have for adding guests to your Notion pages? Let me know in the comments!
