Notion's free-plan 5 MB file limit: a short Sume clip or a link

Notion's help page says that on the free plan every file you upload must be under 5 MB. It describes paid-plan limits differently, mentioning a PDF limit of 20 MB and an image limit of 5 MB, and its FAQ separately says files can be up to 5 GB each, so check your own plan before relying on a number. For a video, the safe free-plan path is a very short, small clip or a link.

This is from Notion's images, files and media page, read 2026-10-03. The trimming steps use Sume's video trim.

What the page says by plan

The page gives different wording for the two plans, and the paid-plan text is not consistent within the page, so the table lists only what it says.

Two ways to get a video onto a page

Upload a clip that fits, or embed a link to a hosted video. An upload keeps the file inside Notion but spends your size budget. A link costs nothing against it, and shows a player if the host supports it. If the clip is for a free workspace, treat 5 MB as the working ceiling.

That is small for video: a few seconds at a reduced frame size, possibly without audio.

Shrinking with Sume video trim

Import the source first with POST /v1/media-imports. Then send a trim with a short duration and an output of a smaller width and height (256 to 2160), an fps of 24, 25, 30 or 60, and audio: "drop" if the clip needs no sound. A job costs $0.02.

Sume has no size or bitrate target, so download the result and check its size against 5 MB. If it is over, trim again with a shorter range or a smaller frame.

• duration can be as short as 0.2 s.
• output needs precision: "exact", which is the default.
• The source stays untouched, so try several variants.

When to link instead

If the video has to show more than a few seconds, host it elsewhere and link it from the page. A still image taken with video frames makes a good preview, and an image under 5 MB is easy to hold on any plan.

Setting expectations for a free workspace

Five megabytes is not much for video. If your clip is a product demo that needs sound and a wide frame, it will not fit, and a link is the better design. If it is a silent looping detail shot of a few seconds, a trimmed and downscaled clip may fit.

The decision is easier if you check the file size of one real trim first, then work out how many seconds fit under your limit.