Notion vs Microsoft OneNote
Which is better in 2026? Five scores, side by side.
Notion is the better app overall, scoring 8.9 to 8.1. Notion wins on 4 of the 5 scores, Microsoft OneNote on 1.
Teams who want docs, wikis and task boards in one place
Students and tablet users who take handwritten or mixed-media notes
Score by score
The details
| Feature | Notion | Microsoft OneNote |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Productivity & Notes | Productivity & Notes |
| Category rank | #4 of 10 | #9 of 10 |
| Developer | Notion Labs | Microsoft |
| Pricing | Free + paid plans | Free |
| Usable for free | Yes | Yes |
| iPhone & iPad | ✓ | ✓ |
| Android | ✓ | ✓ |
| Mac | ✓ | ✓ |
| Windows | ✓ | ✓ |
| Web | ✓ | ✓ |
Strengths and weaknesses
Notion
- Flexible enough to replace several separate apps
- Excellent for shared team docs and wikis
- Huge template gallery to get started fast
- Large pages and databases can feel slow
- No end-to-end encryption for your notes
Notion lets you build almost anything from blocks: notes, wikis, task boards, CRMs and project trackers, all linked by powerful databases. Notion AI can write, search across connected apps and run agents that update pages for you. It is excellent for teams. The catch is speed: large workspaces can feel sluggish, offline support is limited, and nothing is end-to-end encrypted. Best if you like to design your own system.
Full Notion review
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
