Microsoft OneNote
The free-form digital notebook bundled into every Microsoft 365 plan
At a glance
Microsoft 365 users and anyone who prefers a free-form canvas
Our take
OneNote’s page-and-section-and-notebook structure is a genuine mental model that mirrors physical notebooks, and its free-form canvas (type or write anywhere on the page) is still unmatched for people who think visually or take notes by hand on a tablet. We find it especially strong in enterprise and education settings where Microsoft 365 is already the standard. It hasn’t evolved much recently compared to newer competitors, and search across large notebooks is noticeably weaker than Evernote’s. If you’re already paying for Microsoft 365, there’s little reason to pay for something else.
Key features
- ✓Free-form typing, drawing, and handwriting
- ✓Notebook, section, and page hierarchy
- ✓Deep Microsoft 365 and Teams integration
- ✓Ink-to-text conversion
- ✓Cross-device sync
What we like
- ✓Free and bundled with Office for most users
- ✓Great handwriting and free-form canvas support
- ✓Strong enterprise and education adoption
- ✓Works well offline
What could be better
- ✗Search is weaker than dedicated note apps
- ✗Interface feels dated compared to newer tools
- ✗Less suited to markdown or developer workflows
Ready to try Microsoft OneNote?
Most people get value within the first hour.
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