Notion's block-based architecture means every database entry is actually a page with multiple blocks. When you have complex relations and rollups, you're basically asking Notion to recalculate dependencies across thousands of blocks every time you load a view. That's why your 5000-entry project database takes 30 seconds to load.
The Block Hell Problem
Each database row is stored as individual blocks, and Notion's architecture wasn't designed for traditional database performance. When you create a rollup that references 50 related entries, Notion has to:
- Load the source database
- Calculate each rollup value by traversing relations
- Apply your view filters and sorts
- Render all the blocks for visible entries
This is why a simple task database turns into a performance nightmare once you add project relations, time tracking rollups, and status formulas.
What Actually Slows Things Down
Rollup chains from hell: A rollup that references another rollup that references a relation. Each level multiplies the calculation time.
Formula complexity explosion: Nested if/then statements with multiple property references. Notion recalculates these on every page load.
Too many visible properties: Every column you show means more data to fetch and render. 20+ properties = slow loading guaranteed.
Large datasets without load limits: Notion's default load limit shows everything, which kills performance past 1000+ entries.
Complex filters on computed properties: Filtering by formulas or rollups is slow because Notion can't index the calculated results.
Database Size Limits Hit Without Warning
Notion's 2.5MB limit per database page includes all property data. This means:
- Multi-select properties with 50+ options eat up space fast
- Text properties with long descriptions hit limits
- Person properties referencing many users count toward the limit
- Relations to other large databases compound the problem
When you hit this limit, Notion just stops saving changes without clear error messages. You'll notice edits disappearing or properties not updating.
Memory Issues on Large Workspaces
The desktop app caches database contents, but with multiple large databases, you'll hit memory problems. Symptoms:
- App becomes unresponsive during database loads
- Browser tabs crash on large database views
- Sync conflicts when working offline then reconnecting
The 10,000 Entry Reality Check
Despite marketing claims about supporting 20,000+ entries, performance degrades significantly:
- 1,000-3,000 entries: Noticeable but tolerable slowdowns
- 3,000-7,000 entries: Loading takes 10-30 seconds
- 7,000+ entries: Basically unusable without major optimization
Community reports from the Notion subreddit show that complex databases with relations and rollups start having issues around 1,000 entries, not 10,000+.
Why the Official Solutions Don't Work
The official performance guide suggests "add simple property filters" but misses the real issues:
Load limits don't fix calculation overhead: Setting a 25-entry limit still calculates all rollups and formulas for every entry before filtering.
Hiding properties doesn't reduce calculations: Rollups and formulas run in the background whether visible or not.
Simple property filters help but don't scale: Even filtered views slow down with complex property chains.
The real fixes require architectural changes to how you structure your databases, not just tweaking view settings.
