Microsoft OneNote vs Evernote
Which is better in 2026? Five scores, side by side.
Microsoft OneNote is the better app overall, scoring 8.1 to 7.6. Microsoft OneNote wins on 2 of the 5 scores, Evernote on 2, with 1 tied.
Students and tablet users who take handwritten or mixed-media notes
Long-time users with large archives of clipped articles and scanned documents
Score by score
The details
| Feature | Microsoft OneNote | Evernote |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Productivity & Notes | Productivity & Notes |
| Category rank | #9 of 10 | #10 of 10 |
| Developer | Microsoft | Bending Spoons |
| Pricing | Free | Free + paid plans |
| Usable for free | Yes | No |
| iPhone & iPad | ✓ | ✓ |
| Android | ✓ | ✓ |
| Mac | ✓ | ✓ |
| Windows | ✓ | ✓ |
| Web | ✓ | ✓ |
Strengths and weaknesses
Microsoft OneNote
- Free on every major platform
- Excellent handwriting and stylus support
- Works well with Microsoft 365 and Teams
- Sync can be slow and occasionally conflicts
- Interface and organization feel dated
Microsoft OneNote works like a digital binder: notebooks, sections and pages where you can type, draw, paste and handwrite anywhere on the canvas. Pen support is excellent, it can search text inside images, and it is free on every major platform. Copilot features come with Microsoft 365. The downsides are a dated feel, occasional sync conflicts, and freeform pages that get messy. Ideal for students and pen-and-tablet users.
Full Microsoft OneNote review
Evernote
- Excellent web clipper for saving articles
- Finds text inside images, PDFs and scans
- Mature apps on every major platform
- Free plan is too limited for regular use
- Paid plans cost more than most rivals
Evernote is still a capable place to capture everything. The web clipper is excellent, search finds text inside images and PDFs, and notes, tasks and calendar links live together. Since Bending Spoons took over, the apps have become faster and gained AI-powered search. The problem is value: the free plan is now very restrictive, and paid plans cost more than most rivals. Hard to recommend unless you already rely on it.
Full Evernote review
