Microsoft OneNote review

OneNote is the closest match to Evernote's notebook model at no cost. The app is listed as free on the US App Store, and its in-app purchases are Microsoft 365 subscriptions rather than a separate OneNote plan. Notes live in notebooks and pages, and Microsoft's listing describes to-do lists, follow-up items, importance marks and custom labels for organizing them. Handwriting is a strength: digital ink lets you write and sketch on a page, which suits tablets and stylus users. The app also scans documents and pictures to extract text, records voice notes with dictation in 27 languages, and clips content from the web. Newer Copilot Notebooks summarize meetings and classes from your notes and can produce audio overviews. Microsoft's OneNote page also lists sharing and collaboration. On the pages we checked, Microsoft does not describe an Evernote importer or end-to-end encryption, so people moving a large archive or sensitive records should plan for that.

Who it is for

Windows and Microsoft 365 users

Price

Free app; in-app purchases are Microsoft 365 subscriptions.

Capture Notes, Ideas and Memos Free
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 14, 2026.

Key features

• Notebooks with to-do lists, follow-up items and custom labels
• Digital ink for handwritten notes and sketches
• Voice dictation in 27 languages, with some in preview
• Note-taking scanner extracts text from documents and pictures
• Copilot Notebooks summarize meetings and classes from your notes

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: The OneNote app is free on the US App Store
• Strength: Clip things from the web into a notebook
• Strength: Share notebooks and collaborate with others
• Weakness: The in-app purchases are Microsoft 365 subscriptions rather than a OneNote-only plan
• Weakness: No Evernote importer is described on the OneNote pages we checked
• Weakness: No end-to-end encryption is listed on the OneNote product page

Key facts

• Free plan: Yes, the app is free
• Paid option: Microsoft 365 subscriptions via in-app purchase
• Dictation: 27 languages, some in preview
• Platforms: iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Android apps

Where it ranks

Microsoft OneNote is No. 2 in our Best Evernote Alternatives verdict.