Microsoft To Do vs Microsoft OneNote
Which is better in 2026? Five scores, side by side.
Microsoft To Do is the better app overall, scoring 8.4 to 8.1. Microsoft To Do wins on 4 of the 5 scores, Microsoft OneNote on 1.
Windows and Outlook users who want a free, no-fuss to-do list
Students and tablet users who take handwritten or mixed-media notes
Score by score
The details
| Feature | Microsoft To Do | Microsoft OneNote |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Productivity & Notes | Productivity & Notes |
| Category rank | #11 of 17 | #16 of 17 |
| Developer | Microsoft | Microsoft |
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Usable for free | Yes | Yes |
| iPhone & iPad | ✓ | ✓ |
| Android | ✓ | ✓ |
| Mac | ✓ | ✓ |
| Windows | ✓ | ✓ |
| Web | ✓ | ✓ |
Common questions
Is Microsoft To Do better than Microsoft OneNote?
Microsoft To Do is the better app overall, scoring 8.4 to 8.1. Microsoft To Do wins on 4 of the 5 scores, Microsoft OneNote on 1.
Which is cheaper, Microsoft To Do or Microsoft OneNote?
Microsoft To Do: Free with a Microsoft account; no paid tier. Microsoft OneNote: Free; Microsoft 365 adds Copilot features and more OneDrive storage. On value for money, Microsoft To Do scores higher.
Do Microsoft To Do and Microsoft OneNote work on the same devices?
Yes, both run on iPhone & iPad, Android, Windows, Mac, Web.
Which is more private, Microsoft To Do or Microsoft OneNote?
Microsoft To Do scores higher on privacy (7.4/10). App Store label: no tracking. Location, contact info, task content, IDs, usage and diagnostics may be linked to you. Google Play says no data is shared with third parties.
Strengths and weaknesses
Microsoft To Do
- Completely free, with no ads
- Apps for Windows, Mac, iPhone, Android and the web
- Works hand in hand with Outlook and Microsoft 365
- Recent updates are mostly bug fixes
- No calendar or board view for planning your week
- Needs a Microsoft account to sync
Microsoft To Do is a clean, free to-do list from the team behind Wunderlist. Each morning, My Day helps you pick what to tackle, with suggestions from your other lists. Break tasks into steps, set repeating reminders, share lists with family, and see emails you flagged in Outlook. It runs on almost everything. Recent updates have mostly been bug fixes, so don't expect big new features.
Full Microsoft To Do review
Microsoft OneNote
- Free on every big platform except Linux
- Great for handwriting and stylus pens
- Fits right in with Microsoft 365 and Teams
- Sync can be slow and sometimes clashes
- Looks and note structure feel dated
Microsoft OneNote works like a digital binder. Inside are notebooks, sections and pages. You can type, draw, paste and write by hand anywhere on a page. Pen support is excellent, and it can search text inside images. It's free on Windows, Mac, iPhone, Android and the web. Copilot features come with Microsoft 365. The downsides: it feels dated, sync sometimes clashes, and free-form pages get messy.
Full Microsoft OneNote review
