Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

OneNote VS Notes Taking

Compare OneNote VS Notes Taking and see what are their differences

OneNote logo OneNote

Get the OneNote app for free on your tablet, phone, and computer, so you can capture your ideas and to-do lists in one place wherever you are. Or try OneNote with Office for free.

Notes Taking logo Notes Taking

Notes Taking app contains features to enable you to take your note-taking experience to a whole new level by getting complete control of your digital notes.
  • OneNote Landing page
    Landing page //
    2024-10-18
  • Notes Taking Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-02-19

OneNote features and specs

  • Cross-Platform Accessibility
    OneNote is available on various platforms including Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, and through web browsers, providing seamless access to notes from any device.
  • Collaboration Features
    OneNote allows real-time collaboration, enabling multiple users to work on the same notebook simultaneously and see changes in real-time.
  • Integration with Microsoft Ecosystem
    As part of the Microsoft Office Suite, OneNote integrates well with other Microsoft products like Word, Excel, and Outlook, enhancing productivity.
  • Flexible Organization
    OneNote offers a flexible structure for organizing notes, including notebooks, sections, and individual pages, allowing for customizable workflows.
  • Rich Media Support
    Users can insert various types of media into their notes, including images, audio recordings, video clips, and even web links.
  • Handwriting and Drawing Support
    OneNote supports handwriting and drawing using touchscreens and stylus pens, which is particularly useful for tablet and touch device users.

Possible disadvantages of OneNote

  • Complexity for New Users
    The versatile features and flexible structure of OneNote can be overwhelming for new users, requiring a learning curve to utilize effectively.
  • Storage Limitations
    Notes are stored in OneDrive, which comes with a limited amount of free storage. Users may need to purchase additional storage if they exceed this limit.
  • Performance Issues
    Some users have reported performance issues, especially with large notebooks or when working offline, which can impact productivity.
  • Limited Export Options
    OneNote offers limited options for exporting notes, making it difficult to transfer data to other note-taking applications or formats.
  • Inconsistent Features Across Platforms
    Not all features are available across all platforms, leading to a fragmented experience when switching between devices.
  • Privacy Concerns
    As with any cloud-based service, there are concerns about data privacy and security, particularly for sensitive information stored in OneNote.

Notes Taking features and specs

  • Improved Focus
    Taking notes helps students concentrate during lectures by keeping them engaged with the material and minimizing distractions.
  • Enhanced Retention
    By actively summarizing and processing information, note-taking can lead to better retention and understanding of the subject matter.
  • Resource for Review
    Notes provide a personalized resource that can be reviewed and used as a study aid when preparing for exams or completing assignments.
  • Organized Information
    Notes allow students to organize information in a structured manner, making it easier to follow complex topics or lectures.
  • Development of Critical Thinking
    Taking notes involves identifying key points and relationships, which fosters critical thinking and analytical skills.

Possible disadvantages of Notes Taking

  • Divided Attention
    Focusing on taking notes might cause students to split their attention, potentially missing important aspects of the lecture.
  • Incomplete Notes
    Students may not be able to keep up with the pace of the lecture, leading to incomplete notes that lack vital information.
  • Over-reliance on Notes
    Students might depend too heavily on their notes and not engage fully with more comprehensive study materials.
  • Physical Strain
    Extended periods of writing or typing can lead to physical discomfort or strain on the hands and wrists.
  • Effect on Listening
    The act of writing can interfere with listening comprehension, especially if the note-taker focuses more on writing and less on understanding.

Analysis of OneNote

Overall verdict

  • OneNote is generally considered a good tool for note-taking and organization, especially for users who are already within the Microsoft ecosystem. Its wide array of features makes it suitable for students, professionals, and anyone in need of a comprehensive digital notebook.

Why this product is good

  • OneNote is praised for its versatility and flexibility. It offers a robust platform for note-taking that supports multimedia inputs such as text, images, audio, and video, which can be organized within notebooks and sections. OneNote integrates well with other Microsoft Office products, enabling easy sharing and collaboration. Its cross-platform availability ensures that your notes are accessible from various devices, and its cloud synchronization simplifies accessing and updating notes on the go.

Recommended for

  • Students looking for a digital notebook to organize lecture notes and study materials.
  • Professionals who need a tool for meeting notes, project planning, and collaboration.
  • Individuals seeking a versatile note-taking application that supports a variety of media and formats.
  • Users who prefer cross-platform access to their notes and seamless integration with Microsoft Office products.

OneNote videos

Notability vs OneNote: 2019 comparison

More videos:

  • Review - 5 Reasons OneNote is Better than Notability | iPad Pro Note taking (2019)
  • Tutorial - Microsoft OneNote Tutorial

Notes Taking videos

No Notes Taking videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

Add video

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to OneNote and Notes Taking)
Note Taking
97 97%
3% 3
Office & Productivity
0 0%
100% 100
Task Management
96 96%
4% 4
Todos
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

Share your experience with using OneNote and Notes Taking. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
Log in or Post with

Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare OneNote and Notes Taking

OneNote Reviews

  1. I use it daily

    For me it is a convenient and compact tool in which I can put all my ideas, goals, thoughts


11 Best Google Keeps Alternatives for 2024
Microsoft OneNote is free to use. As long as you have a Microsoft account, you can use Microsoft OneNote.
Source: upbase.io
20 Obsidian Alternatives: Top Note-Taking Tools to Consider
OneNote is a free note-taking app available to anyone with a Microsoft account. Although handy, OneNote has a laid-back interface and is not as intuitive. However, OneNote has several note-worthy features, including voice notes, text translation, sticky notes, and handwritten notes.
Source: clickup.com
8 Best Free Google Keep Notes Alternatives for Easy Note-Taking
OneNote, a free app from Microsoft, offers a comprehensive note-taking experience. It supports various media types, including text, images, voice recordings, and links. You can categorize notes into sections and notebooks, share them with others, and collaborate. OneNote also includes support for rich text and checklists. It's available on all major platforms and comes with...
The 6 best note-taking apps in 2024
With OneNote's Zapier integration, you can automate OneNote to eliminate the hassle of moving information between apps. For example, Zapier can automatically create new notes in OneNote whenever you have a new task, note, or calendar event in another app. Learn more about how to automate OneNote, or get started with one of these pre-made workflows.
Source: zapier.com
The best note-taking apps for collecting your thoughts and data
In fact, like Evernote, OneNote has had so many different abilities added that it can become a bit overwhelming. For example, when I wanted to find out whether I could extract text from a photo, I went to OneNote’s “Tell me” icon, which, if it can’t find an immediate answer to your question, offers a smart lookup link. When “extract text” didn’t come up with anything, I...

Notes Taking Reviews

We have no reviews of Notes Taking yet.
Be the first one to post

What are some alternatives?

When comparing OneNote and Notes Taking, you can also consider the following products

Evernote - Bring your life's work together in one digital workspace. Evernote is the place to collect inspirational ideas, write meaningful words, and move your important projects forward.

Light Notes - Light Notes app features options to help users easily taking notes to remember important details and instructions. You can add new notes by entering the title, description and selecting the tile color according to the priority of the task.

Google Keep - Capture notes, share them with others, and access them from your computer, phone or tablet. Free with a Google account.

Orgzly - Outliner for notes, tasks and to-dos

Joplin - Joplin is a free, open source note taking and to-do application, which can handle a large number of notes organised into notebooks. The notes are searchable, tagged and modified either from the applications directly or from your own text editor.

All Note Pro - All Note Pro app contains features to enable users to write their new ideas and important details on their mobile phone to share them with the outside world.