Counter
A simple +/- counter you can embed in any Notion page to track anything that adds up.
About this widget
The Olivtwig Counter is a free, embeddable widget built to live inside Notion pages. Set a custom label, tap plus or minus, and the count updates instantly — no signup, no extension, no install. Each counter you embed gets its own unique URL and saves its state to the cloud, so the value sticks across page reloads, devices, and shared Notion workspaces. Drop a single counter into a journal, or scatter a dozen across a project dashboard to track sales, signups, reading goals, donations, or anything else that grows over time. The widget is intentionally minimal — one big number, one short label, two buttons — so it stays readable inside small Notion blocks and never competes with your page content.
Why use a counter widget in Notion?
Notion's built-in number property works well inside a database, but spinning up an entire database to track a single number on a journal page or sidebar is overkill. You end up with a one-row table, custom views to hide it, and visual clutter where you wanted a tally.
The Counter widget is the opposite. Zero overhead, one number, embed and forget. It sits inline with your writing, your tasks, and your media — a visible tally rather than a separate data structure. There's no learning curve and nothing to configure: paste the embed URL, give the counter a label, start counting. If your needs grow later, you can always migrate to a Notion database. For everyday personal tracking — books read, journaling streaks, cups of coffee, weekly workouts — the lightweight widget is more than enough.
How saved counters work
When you click the Embed button in the gallery, Olivtwig generates a brand-new counter with a unique short ID baked into the URL. Each change you make — the count value, the label text — is saved against that ID the moment it happens, with no save button to press.
The next time anyone opens that exact URL, whether on the same device, a different browser, or a teammate's laptop, they see the latest value. Anyone with the embed URL can both view and edit the counter, so keeping the URL private to your own Notion workspace gives you a personal tally, and sharing the URL with someone gives both of you the same shared counter. There's no account system: the URL is the key. Treat each generated URL as a distinct counter and you can run as many in parallel as you like.
Tips for everyday use
A few ways to get more out of the Counter widget once it's in your Notion page:
- Monthly resets
- Counters keep their value forever. For a 'this month only' tally — like 'workouts in May' — embed a new counter on the 1st of the month and rename the old one for archive.
- Multiple counters per page
- Each Notion embed block holds one widget, but you can stack as many blocks side-by-side as you want. Two columns of five counters makes a quick at-a-glance dashboard with no setup.
- Share-friendly URLs
- Send the embed URL to a teammate or partner to give them edit access to the same counter — useful for couple goals, team OKRs, study group streaks, or any accountability check-in.
- Use the label as a question
- Instead of 'Books read', try framing the label as a question — 'How many books since Jan 1?' The label is freeform, so it can give the number meaning, not just a name.
Use cases
Reading log
Track how many books you finish each year. Click + every time you close a book, and rename the label to something like 'Books in 2026'.
Habit streaks
Count days since you started — or stopped — something. 'Days without sugar', 'Days journaling', 'Workouts this month' all fit in a single counter.
Workout tally
Tally sets, reps, or sessions during a workout. The big-number display is readable from across the room.
Project metrics
Track sales, donations, signups, or any number that moves over time. Drop several counters on a single Notion page for a quick at-a-glance dashboard.
How to embed in Notion
- 01
Type /embed in Notion
Open any Notion page, type /embed, and select the Embed block from the menu.
- 02
Paste the widget URL
Copy the URL from any widget page and paste it into the embed dialog.
- 03
Widget appears instantly
The widget is now live in your Notion page. Resize it by dragging the edges.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Counter widget free?
Yes. Every Olivtwig widget — including the Counter — is free to use, with no signup or login required.
Does my count get saved?
Yes. Each embedded counter has a unique URL, and the value saves automatically whenever you change it. Reloading or revisiting the Notion page restores the most recent count.
Can I use more than one counter on a single Notion page?
Yes. Each time you click 'Embed' in the gallery, a fresh counter URL is generated. You can drop as many counters as you need into the same Notion page, and each tracks its own number independently.
Can I change the counter label?
Yes — click the label above the number to edit it inline. Use anything from 'Books read' to 'Days since launch' to 'Cups of coffee today'.
How do I reset the counter to zero?
Tap the small reset icon next to the +/- buttons. The counter returns to zero, and the change is saved immediately.