Mem AI vs Microsoft OneNote: Best AI Note-Taking App in 2025?

by | Last updated Jun 17, 2025

Winner
Best section img 1 2
9.0
  • Startup Founders
  • Customer Success
  • Team Workspace
  • Personal Productivity
  • Mem Chat
  • Free plan available
  • Paid Plans from $8.33/month
Runner Up
Microsoft OneNote best
7.0
  • Copilot
  • Sketch & Annotate
  • Collaboration
  • Voice Transcription
  • Note Education
  • Free Trial Available
  • Custom Pricing
Mem AI vs Microsoft OneNote

Are you tired of losing track of your ideas and important information across different apps?

Do you wish your notes could do more than just sit there?

The world of note-taking is evolving rapidly, especially with the rise of AI. 

You’re probably wondering which tool can truly keep up with your needs.

This article dives deep into Mem AI vs Microsoft OneNote, two major players in the note-taking space.

Overview

To give you the most accurate comparison, we spent weeks actively using both Mem AI and Microsoft OneNote for daily tasks.

Project management and brainstorming.

We tested their core features, ease of use, and AI capabilities in real-world scenarios.

Mem

Ready to transform how you manage information? Try Mem AI now!

9out of 10

Pricing: It has a free plan. Premium plan starts at $8.33/month.

Key Features:

  • Startup Founders
  • Customer Success
  • Mem Chat
Microsoft OneNote CTA

Over 100 million are already using Microsoft OneNote to streamline notes.

7out of 10

Pricing: It has a free plan. Custom Pricing Plans are Available.

Key Features:

  • Freeform Canvas
  • Handwriting Recognition
  • Microsoft 365 Integration

What is Mem AI?

Have you ever wished your notes could just… organize themselves?

That’s kind of what Mem AI aims to do. It’s not just a place to jot things down.

Think of it as a smart assistant for your thoughts.

Also, explore our favorite Mem AI alternatives…

Mem
Mem AI
9.0

Ready to transform how you manage information? Try Mem AI today!

Key Benefits

Mem AI has some strong points. It’s built for speed and recall.

  • Quick Capture: Jot down ideas in seconds.
  • Smart Search: Find any note instantly.
  • AI Connections: Links related thoughts for you.
  • Automated Tags: Organizes notes automatically.
  • Daily Review: Helps you recall past notes.

Pricing

Mem AI offers different plans. You can start for free.

  • Mem: $8.33/month
  • Mem Teams: Custom pricing
Untitled design 3

Pros

  • Capture thoughts very quickly.
  • AI connects ideas seamlessly.
  • Search function is powerful.
  • Keeps all notes organized.
  • Daily review boosts recall.

Cons

  • Learning curve feels steep.
  • Mobile app needs work.
  • Offline mode is limited.

What is Microsoft OneNote?

Remember those binders with different tabs for subjects?

Microsoft OneNote is like that, but digital! It’s a fantastic freeform note-taking tool that lets you organize everything.

You can type, draw, add pictures, and even record audio.

Also, explore our favorite Microsoft OneNote alternatives…

Microsoft OneNote CTA
OneNote
7.5

Ready to get organized? Over 100 million people are already using Microsoft OneNote to streamline their notes. See why they’ve made the switch – join the millions who are boosting their productivity!

Key Benefits

OneNote has its special strengths:

  • Freeform Canvas: Write or draw anywhere. It’s like endless paper.
  • Handwriting Recognition: Converts notes to text. Great for pen users.
  • Deep Microsoft Integration: Works seamlessly with Office. Perfect for existing users.
  • Audio Recording: Embed voice notes directly. Capture meetings easily.
  • Web Clipper: Save web pages quickly. Keep research organized.

Pricing

Custom Pricing

Pros

  • Very easy to start.
  • Excellent for freeform notes.
  • Great pen and tablet support.
  • Seamless Microsoft ecosystem.
  • Reliable offline access.

Cons

  • Less structured than Notion.
  • Limited database functions.
  • Collaboration features are basic.
  • No built-in task management.
  • The user interface feels dated.

Feature Comparison

Let’s dive into the details.

We’ll compare the key features of both apps to help you decide which one best fits your daily routine.

1. AI Capabilities

Mem AI: This is where Mem AI truly shines. It’s built from the ground up as an AI-powered note-taking tool. You get an AI assistant that can summarize your notes. It can also generate content for you. Its “Mem Chat” lets you ask questions directly about your stored knowledge base. It’s like having a smart brain for your notes. Think of it as a much more integrated notion ai experience directly within your notes.

Microsoft OneNote: OneNote offers AI tools like Copilot, especially if you have a Microsoft 365 subscription. This allows for content generation and smart actions. However, OneNote’s AI features are more recent additions. They are not as deeply woven into the core note-taking experience as they are in Mem AI.

2. Note Organization

Mem AI: Mem AI handles note organization differently. It uses “Mems” and “Collections.” It automatically links related notes for you. This means less manual work. You just dump your thoughts, and the AI helps organize your notes. It creates a dynamic knowledge base without strict folders.

Microsoft OneNote: OneNote offers a traditional notebook, section, and page structure. It’s very flexible. You can drag and drop content anywhere. You can organize information hierarchically. This familiar structure suits many user experiences.

Mem

3. Search Capabilities

Mem AI: Mem AI excels in search capabilities. Its “Smart Search” uses AI to understand what you mean. It helps you retrieve information even if you don’t remember exact words. This makes finding anything incredibly fast.

Microsoft OneNote: OneNote has strong search features. It can search text, handwritten notes, and even text within images. While powerful, it doesn’t have the same “smart” context-aware searching as Mem AI.

4. Integration

Mem AI: Mem AI offers integrations with tools like Slack and Google Drive. It connects with many other apps via Zapier. This helps it fit into your existing workflow.

Microsoft OneNote: OneNote boasts deep integration with Microsoft Office apps. It works seamlessly with Word, Excel, and Outlook. This is a huge benefit if you live in the Microsoft ecosystem.

5. User Experience & Customization

Mem AI: Mem AI offers a clean, minimalist design. Its focus is on quick capture, and the user experiences are designed for speed. Customization options are available, but they are less about visual layout and more about how AI helps you.

Microsoft OneNote: OneNote offers a familiar Office-style interface and allows for extensive visual customization. You can change page colors and add custom backgrounds. It also offers a freeform canvas for personal expression.

Microsoft OneNote homepage

6. Meeting Notes

Mem AI: Mem AI is quite good for meeting notes. Its quick capture helps you jot things down fast. Its AI can organize them automatically. It doesn’t offer built-in live transcription. You might need to use other AI tools for that.

Microsoft OneNote: OneNote can record audio during meetings. It offers a “Meeting Details” feature.24 This pulls info from Outlook directly. While it doesn’t have native AI summarization, it’s a solid place to keep meeting notes.

7. Versatility and Flexibility

Mem AI: Mem AI is very versatile. It is excellent for personal knowledge management. It adapts to your natural thinking. It helps you organize information organically. You can decide which one is right for your unique style.

Microsoft OneNote: OneNote offers broad flexibility. It supports diverse note-taking experience types. This includes typing, drawing, and multimedia. Its adaptable nature means it suits many different ways of working.

What to Look for When Choosing an AI Note-Taking App?

When picking your ideal AI note-taking app, consider these key insights:

  • Core AI Features: Does it offer smart summarization, content generation, or intuitive search?
  • Integration: How well does it connect with your existing workflow and other apps you use daily?
  • Ease of Use: Is the interface intuitive and does it have a manageable learning curve?
  • Organization Style: Do you prefer AI-driven linking or a traditional folder/notebook structure?
  • Offline Access: Is it crucial for you to access and edit notes without an internet connection?
  • Pricing Model: Does the free tier meet your needs, or are premium features worth the cost for you?
  • Scalability: Can the app grow with your needs as your note-taking volume increases?

Final Verdict

So, which AI note-taking app wins? For us, Mem AI takes the lead. 

It’s built for the future, with features like automatic linking and its powerful AI assistant. 

If you want your notes to work for you, finding connections and generating ideas, Mem AI is the smarter choice.

If you’re deep into Microsoft Office and prefer a more traditional, freeform space. 

But if you’re looking to leverage cutting-edge AI for your note-taking experience.

Trust our expertise: Mem AI is the way to go.

More of Mem AI

Here’s how Mem AI stacks up against other popular alternatives, highlighting their standout features:

  • Mem AI vs Sembly: Sembly excels at AI meeting transcription and smart summaries from voice.
  • Mem AI vs Notion AI: Notion AI offers powerful content generation within a highly customizable workspace.
  • Mem AI vs Fireflies AI: Fireflies AI focuses on AI-powered meeting transcription, summaries, and action item extraction.
  • Mem AI vs ClickUp: ClickUp provides robust project management tools with integrated AI writing assistance.
  • Mem AI vs Capacities: Capacities offers a unique object-based knowledge graph for visual thinkers and connections.
  • Mem AI vs Taskade: Taskade is an all-in-one workspace with AI for tasks, notes, and team collaboration.
  • Mem AI vs Notejoy: Notejoy offers real-time collaboration and a simple, fast interface for team notes.
  • Mem AI vs Notta: Notta specializes in highly accurate AI transcription and summarization of audio.
  • Mem AI vs Craft: Craft creates beautiful, structured documents and notes with integrated AI assistance.
  • Mem AI vs MeetGeek: MeetGeek specializes in AI meeting summaries, automated transcripts, and meeting insights.
  • Mem AI vs Evernote: Evernote offers comprehensive web clipping and tagging for various content types.

More of Microsoft OneNote

Here’s how Microsoft OneNote compares to other popular note-taking and productivity tools, highlighting their unique strengths:

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Mem AI completely free to use?

Mem AI offers a free plan with core features. To unlock all advanced features like unlimited AI generations and priority support, you’ll need a paid Mem X subscription.

Can I use Microsoft OneNote offline?

Yes, Microsoft OneNote offers strong offline capabilities. You can access and edit your notes even without an internet connection, and they will sync once you are back online.

Does Mem AI integrate with Microsoft Office?

Mem AI focuses on its own AI ecosystem and offers integrations with tools like Slack and Google Drive. While not directly with Microsoft Office, you can export notes.

How does AI help organize notes in these apps?

In Mem AI, AI automatically links related notes and tags them for you, creating a dynamic knowledge base. OneNote’s AI can assist with content generation but relies more on manual organization.

Which app is better for meeting notes?

Mem AI excels with quick capture and AI summarization for meeting notes. OneNote allows audio recording and integration with Outlook, though it lacks built-in AI summarization.

Fahim Joharder

Fahim Joharder

Author

A tech enthusiast and writer with a passion for AI and software innovations. He simplifies complex topics to help readers stay ahead in the digital world.

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