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

Are you tired of losing track of your ideas, to-do lists, and important information?

In today’s fast-paced world, a reliable note-taking app isn’t just a convenience; it’s a necessity.

But with so many options out there, how do you choose the right one? 

Both offer powerful features, but which one truly stands out? 

This article will break down the strengths and weaknesses of Evernote vs Microsoft OneNote, helping you decide which is best for you.

Overview

To bring you the most accurate comparison, we thoroughly tested both Evernote and Microsoft OneNote.

We explored their features, from basic note-taking to advanced AI capabilities.

Across different devices to see how they truly stack up in everyday use.

Ready to streamline your note-taking? After extensive testing, we’ve compiled the key data to help you decide.

What is Evernote?

Evernote is a popular note-taking app. Think of it as your digital brain.

You can capture almost anything here. It keeps all your thoughts and information organized.

This makes it super easy to find things later.

Also, explore our favorite Evernote alternatives…

Key Benefits

Evernote has some great features. Here are its unique strengths:

• Powerful Search: Find anything quickly. It even searches text in images.
• Web Clipper: Save web pages easily. Keep them for later reading.
• Offline Access: Your notes are always there. No internet needed.
• Cross-Device Sync: Access notes from any device. Your phone, tablet, or computer.
• Rich Note Editor: Format your notes as you like. Add tables, checklists, and more.
• Templates: Start notes quickly. Use pre-made layouts.

Pricing

Evernote offers different plans. Here’s a quick look at what you get:

• Personal: $10.83/month
• Professional: $14.16/month
• Enterprise: Choose Enterprise

What is Microsoft OneNote?

Microsoft OneNote is like a digital notebook. It’s part of Microsoft’s family.

You can jot down anything here. It’s perfect for free-form notes.

Many people use it for school or work. It works great with other Microsoft apps.

Also, explore our favorite Microsoft OneNote alternatives…

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

Feature Comparison

Deciding between Evernote and OneNote means examining each’s capabilities.

We’ve broken down their core features to help you see which app truly aligns with your note-taking style and needs.

1. Tagging and Organization

Evernote: Evernote relies heavily on a robust tag system. You can apply multiple tags to a single note, making it incredibly flexible for organizing your notes across various categories. It’s easy to search by tags, and nested tags allow for hierarchical organization, making it simple to find specific information.

Microsoft OneNote: While OneNote doesn’t have a traditional tagging system like Evernote, OneNote offers organizational power through notebooks, sections, and pages. You can use internal links to connect pages, and while you can add custom tags within the text of a note, it’s not as central to its organization. This structure works well for those who prefer a more hierarchical, binder-like approach.

2. Web Clipping

Evernote: The Evernote web clipper is a standout feature. It allows you to quickly capture entire web pages or articles, or just parts of them, directly into your notes. You can highlight text, add annotations, and choose how you want the content formatted, ensuring you get exactly what you need from the web.

Microsoft OneNote: OneNote also has a web clipper extension. It allows you to clip full pages, specific regions, or print entire articles to OneNote. While functional, many users find Evernote’s web clipper more refined and offering better format options for saved content.

3. AI Capabilities

Evernote: The paid version of Evernote has been investing significantly in AI. It offers features like AI-powered search, which can understand the context of your notes, and AI Edit, which helps refine your writing. This makes using Evernote feel more advanced for intelligent note processing.

Microsoft OneNote: Compared to Evernote’s newer offerings, OneNote currently lacks deep, integrated AI features. While it benefits from the broader Microsoft ecosystem AI (like in Microsoft Office or Copilot), direct AI enhancements within OneNote are less prominent. However, given its ties to Microsoft Office 365, we expect more AI integration over time.

4. Collaboration and Sharing

Evernote: Evernote allows you to collaborate on notebooks and individual notes. You can share notes with others, set permissions, and work together in real time. It’s a solid option for team projects, though some find its sharing features less intuitive than cloud-native document editors like Google Docs.

Microsoft OneNote: OneNote allows for seamless collaboration, especially within the Office 365 subscription. You can easily share notebooks with others, and multiple users can edit notes simultaneously. Its integration with Microsoft Teams makes it an excellent tool for collaborative meeting notes, and it’s deeply tied into the Microsoft ecosystem.

5. Cross-Platform Availability and Sync

Evernote: Evernote is available on nearly every platform, including desktop (Windows and Mac), web, android, and iOS. Your notes across all devices sync reliably, so you can always create notes and access your information whether you’re using Evernote on your computer or phone.

Microsoft OneNote: OneNote is also highly cross-platform, with excellent desktop version apps (Windows and Mac), web access, and strong mobile apps for android and iOS. Notes sync efficiently, especially if you use OneNote with a Microsoft account, ensuring your OneNote notes are always up-to-date wherever you open OneNote.

6. Note-Taking Experience and Flexibility

Evernote: Evernote offers a more structured note-taking experience. It’s great for text-heavy notes, checklists, and attaching various files. While you can include images and other media, the layout tends to be linear. It’s often preferred by those who like a tidy, organized digital filing cabinet for all their information.

Microsoft OneNote: OneNote also offers a highly flexible, freeform canvas. This means you can type, draw, or write anywhere on the page, just like a physical notebook. You can drag text boxes, insert images, and even record audio or video directly within your note. This makes the OneNote user experience very appealing for visual thinkers, students, or anyone who enjoys a more creative approach to creating notes. It’s particularly strong for digital ink and stylus input.

7. Offline Access

Evernote: Evernote also provides offline access to your notes, but the extent depends on your subscription. For free version users, mobile offline access might be limited to cached snippets, while paid version users get full offline notebooks. This means you can access and edit your notes even without an internet connection, which is crucial for working on the go.

Microsoft OneNote: OneNote offers excellent offline access across all its platforms. Once a notebook is opened and synced, a cached copy is stored on your device. This allows you to continue working on your OneNote notes even when you’re not connected to the internet. Any changes you make will sync automatically once you’re back online. This means that whether you’re on your desktop, tablet, or phone, OneNote truly gets the job done for offline productivity.

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

Here are key insights to consider when choosing your ideal AI note-taking app:

• Core AI Features: Does it offer AI search, summaries, or content generation?
• Integration with Your Workflow: How well does it fit with your existing tools, like calendars or project management software?
• Ease of Use & Interface: Is it intuitive and pleasant to navigate daily?
• Cross-Device Sync & Accessibility: Can you access and edit your notes seamlessly everywhere?
• Storage & Organization: Does it provide enough storage, and are its organization methods effective for your needs?
• Offline Capabilities: Can you work on your notes reliably without an internet connection?
• Cost vs. Value: Does the pricing align with the features and benefits you receive?

Final Verdict 

So, Evernote or OneNote? We pick OneNote. It’s the best app for many.

The core version of OneNote is totally free.

Evernote lacks this, and its cost per user adds up.

OneNote’s free-form design and strong tie-ins with Microsoft Word are super handy.

Its offline access is great, too. 

For a powerful, free, and flexible note app, the OneNote vs. Evernote comparison shows that OneNote wins.

Evernote Compared

We’ve compared Evernote with many other top tools. Here’s a quick look at their standout features:

• Evernote vs Sembly: Sembly excels in AI meeting notes, offering multi-language transcription and automated summaries.
• Evernote vs Notion AI: Notion AI provides an all-in-one workspace with flexible databases and AI writing capabilities.

• Evernote vs Fireflies AI: Fireflies AI specializes in automatic meeting transcriptions, AI summaries, and conversation intelligence.
• Evernote vs Clickup: ClickUp is a comprehensive project management solution with deep customization and team collaboration.
• Evernote vs Capacities: Capacities redefines organization with an “object type” system connecting all your ideas.
• Evernote vs Taskade: Taskade shines for structured notes, task management, and visual project layouts.
• Evernote vs Notejoy: Notejoy offers real-time collaboration with a simple interface for quick team sharing.
• Evernote vs Notta: Notta’s core strength is AI-powered audio transcription, supporting many languages and summaries.
• Evernote vs Craft: Craft focuses on beautiful, visually appealing notes and seamless Apple ecosystem integration.
• Evernote vs MeetGeek: MeetGeek is a dedicated AI meeting assistant for automatic transcription and smart summaries.
• Evernote vs Mem AI: Mem AI uses intelligent AI to automatically connect related “mems” (notes) for dynamic knowledge management.

More of Microsoft OneNote

We’ve compared Microsoft OneNote with many other top tools. Here’s a quick look at their standout features:

• Microsoft OneNote vs Sembly: Sembly specializes in AI meeting automation, offering smart summaries and real-time transcription.
• Microsoft OneNote vs Notion AI: Notion AI provides an all-in-one workspace with flexible databases and AI writing capabilities.
• Microsoft OneNote vs Fireflies AI: Fireflies AI focuses on automated meeting transcription, AI-powered summaries, and conversation intelligence.
• Microsoft OneNote vs ClickUp: ClickUp is a robust project management tool with extensive customization and task tracking.
• Microsoft OneNote vs Capacities: Capacities offers a unique object-based system to connect all your ideas and knowledge.
• Microsoft OneNote vs Taskade: Taskade excels at structured notes, task management, and visual project outlines for teams.
• Microsoft OneNote vs Notejoy: Notejoy provides simple, real-time collaboration for quick team sharing and note organization.
• Microsoft OneNote vs Notta: Notta’s strength is its highly accurate AI-powered audio and video transcription.
• Microsoft OneNote vs Craft: Craft prioritizes beautiful document creation and a smooth, elegant note-taking experience.
• Microsoft OneNote vs MeetGeek: MeetGeek is a dedicated AI meeting assistant that automates summaries and action items.
• Microsoft OneNote vs Mem AI: Mem AI uses intelligent AI to automatically link and organize related notes (mems) for you.

Frequently Asked Questions