Evernote vs Microsoft OneNote: Which is better in 2026?
It comes down to how many notes you keep and whether you will pay for a note app.
Tested hands-on: 3 tests on a MacBook Pro (M1 Pro), October 23, 2026. How we tested
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Quick answer
- Choose Evernote if: You want one place to capture and look things up: web pages saved with the Web Clipper, scanned paper, PDFs you annotate and recorded meetings that AI Transcribe turns into text.
- Choose Microsoft OneNote if: You want a notebook app without a subscription.
- Price at a glance: Evernote: Free plan; paid from $14.99/mo · Microsoft OneNote: Free plan; paid from $9.99/mo
At a glance
 Evernote |  Microsoft OneNote | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Paid plans | From $14.99/mo | From $9.99/mo |
| Our tests | Won 1 of 31 tie | Won 1 of 31 tie |
| Best for | People who already keep years of notes in Evernote, or anyone who mainly captures, clips and searches information and wants AI search on every plan. | Students, pen and tablet users, and Microsoft 365 households who want a free, free-form notebook on every device and do not need databases or backlinks. |
Evernote and Microsoft OneNote have both been around for a long time: OneNote was first released in 2003 and Evernote launched in 2008. They take different routes today. Evernote is a cloud app for capturing material, such as web clips, scanned documents, PDFs and recorded meetings, and finding it again, with its AI Assistant and semantic search listed on every plan. OneNote is a free digital notebook of sections and free-form pages that you can type, write or draw on, synced through OneDrive. This comparison sets out US prices, free-plan limits, offline use, sharing, encryption and AI side by side, from each company's own pricing and help pages as of October 2026.
Pricing
| Plan | Monthly | Yearly (12-month total) |
|---|---|---|
| Evernote | ||
| Free50 notes, 1 notebook, 1 device, 1 GB storage | Free Free plan | |
| StarterPer month; $99 billed yearly (about $8.25/month), $14.99 billed monthly; 1,000 notes, 20 notebooks, 3 devices, 5 GB storage | $14.99/mo | $99/yr ($8.25/mo) |
| AdvancedPer month; $249.99 billed yearly (about $20.83/month), $24.99 billed monthly; unlimited notes, notebooks and devices | $24.99/mo | $249.99/yr ($20.83/mo) |
| EnterpriseTalk to sales; for organizations with 10+ seats; SSO and SCIM | Custom | |
| Microsoft OneNote | ||
| FreeFree apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android and the web; a Microsoft account with 5 GB of free OneDrive storage; no Copilot in OneNote | Free Free plan | |
| Microsoft 365 PersonalFor 1 person; $99.99 billed yearly, $9.99 billed monthly; 1 TB OneDrive storage; Copilot in OneNote (Windows app); 1-month free trial | $9.99/mo | $99.99/yr ($8.33/mo) |
| Microsoft 365 FamilyFor 1 to 6 people; $129.99 billed yearly, $12.99 billed monthly; 2 TB shared OneDrive storage; AI for the subscription owner only | $12.99/mo | $129.99/yr ($10.83/mo) |
| Microsoft 365 PremiumFor 1 to 6 people; $199.99 billed yearly, $19.99 billed monthly; Family plus extensive Copilot usage and agentic AI features; AI for the owner only | $19.99/mo | $199.99/yr ($16.67/mo) |
Prices checked on .
Features compared
| Feature | Evernote | Microsoft OneNote |
|---|---|---|
| Offline use | Yes · Offline notes on all plans, incl. Free | Yes · Windows app keeps a local copy for offline edits and merges them when back online; iPhone/iPad sync pending changes too |
| Local-first files | No · Cloud sync; export to ENEX or HTML (desktop app) | Partial · Windows app can store a notebook on This PC; Mac app keeps all notes in OneDrive |
| Databases | No · In-note tables sort and filter rows (no formulas or nested tables); tasks can be viewed by note, assignment or due date, with filters; no database or table views listed | No · Plain tables; a table can be converted to an Excel spreadsheet; no database views |
| Backlinks | Yes · Lists notes that link to the open note | No · Links to notebooks, sections, pages and paragraphs are copied and pasted; no backlinks list |
| Real-time collaboration | Yes · Team members can edit notes simultaneously; invite with Can edit access or share an "anyone with the link can edit" link (no account needed); which plans get live editing is not stated | Yes · Shared notebooks on OneDrive or SharePoint can be co-authored by several people at the same time |
| API | Partial · MCP server in beta (Starter and up); legacy API deprecated | Yes · Microsoft Graph OneNote REST API; delegated sign-in only (no app-only access) |
| Publish to web | Partial · Public note links, view or edit | Partial · View-only or edit links to a whole notebook on OneDrive or SharePoint; single-page sharing was removed |
| Encryption | Partial · In-note encryption (Mac & Windows), Starter and up | Partial · Password-protected sections only (not pages or notebooks), 128-bit AES; no password recovery |
| AI features | Yes · AI Assistant, semantic search, AI Transcribe, AI Edit on all plans | Yes · Copilot in OneNote with Microsoft 365 Personal, Family, Premium (Windows only) or a Copilot work license |
How we tested
We gave Evernote and Microsoft OneNote the same 3 tasks on the same MacBook Pro (M1 Pro). Each test below lists the task, how we judged it, both results and screenshots; select a screenshot to see it at full size.
- Device
- MacBook Pro (M1 Pro) · macOS 26.6.2 · Chrome 155
- Tested
- October 23, 2026
- Plans used
- Evernote: Free · Microsoft OneNote: Free
- App versions
- Evernote: Web app, note editor (Markdown shortcuts), Web app, /link > Link to note, Web app, main search (Everywhere) · Microsoft OneNote: OneNote for the web, keyboard shortcuts, OneNote for the web, Copy Link to this Page, OneNote for the web, Search (Section)
| Test | Evernote | Microsoft OneNote | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Build the same meeting note with a table and a to-do list (timed) | Pass0.08 min | Pass0.07 min | Microsoft OneNoteby Time to build the note |
| Link two notes and find the way back | Partial | Partial | Tie |
| Find a note by a word inside it, then by a related word (timed) | Pass6.9 s | Partial11.4 s | Evernote |
| Tests won | 1 | 1 | 1 tie |
Test 1: Build the same meeting note with a table and a to-do list (timed)
The task
In each tool's web app, create a new note or page titled "Fernhill weekly meeting" (FICTIONAL) and build it with the tool's own editor: a heading "Decisions", a table with a header row (Task, Owner, Due) and three rows, a to-do list of three items with checkboxes and the first one ticked, and one bold line.
How we judged it
Pass: every element is there and formatted (the heading, a three-column table with a header row and three rows, three checkbox items with the first ticked, the bold line) within 10 minutes.
Partial: one element missing or wrongly formatted, or it took more than 10 minutes.
Fail: two or more elements missing.
The time runs from opening the empty note or page until the last element is in place.
Evernote
Pass 0.08 min
A ## heading, a /table table with a bold header row and three rows, a [] checklist with Send minutes ticked and a bold line; no template or AI.
Microsoft OneNote: Winner
Pass 0.07 min
Heading 2 by shortcut, a table made with Tab and a bold header row, To Do tags (Ctrl+1) with Send minutes ticked and a bold line; no template or AI.
Neither web app's table has a header-row switch, so in both the header cells were made bold by hand. Both were scripted runs by the assistant using keyboard shortcuts (Evernote: ## and [] Markdown; OneNote: Cmd+Option+2 for the heading, Ctrl+1 for To Do). The one-second gap is Evernote's /table menu: OneNote makes a table when you press Tab.
Test 2: Link two notes and find the way back
The task
In each tool, create a note or page called "Project Fernhill" (FICTIONAL). In the "Fernhill weekly meeting" note from the first test, add a link to it with the tool's own link feature. Then open "Project Fernhill" and look for a way to see that the meeting note links to it.
How we judged it
Pass: the link is added from inside the meeting note and opens the project note, and the project note shows the note that links to it without extra setup.
Partial: the link works, but finding the way back needs a manual step, such as searching for the title or adding a second link by hand.
Fail: no link to the other note can be made.
Evernote
Partial
"Link to note" added a chip that opened Project Fernhill in one click, but Project Fernhill shows no notes that link to it.
Microsoft OneNote
Partial
A copied page link pasted as "Project Fernhill (Web view)"; "Web view" opened the page, but it lists no pages that link to it.
In OneNote the pasted link has two parts: the page name is a link for the desktop app (not tried) and "Web view" opens in the browser. Neither web app showed which notes link to a note; a search for "Project Fernhill" lists the meeting note, or a second link can be added by hand.
Test 3: Find a note by a word inside it, then by a related word (timed)
The task
In each tool, create five short notes or pages titled Note 1 to Note 5 (FICTIONAL texts below); only Note 3 mentions the van. With none of the five notes open, search for the word "insurance" and open Note 3. Then search for "vehicle", a word that is in none of the notes, and see whether Note 3 comes up.
How we judged it
Pass: the search for "insurance" opens Note 3, and the search for "vehicle" lists Note 3 among its first three results.
Partial: only the exact word finds Note 3.
Fail: neither search finds Note 3.
The time runs from starting to type "insurance" until Note 3 is open.
Evernote: Winner
Pass 6.9 s
"insurance" opened Note 3 from Best matches; "vehicle" showed Note 3 first under Smart results.
Microsoft OneNote
Partial 11.4 s
"insurance" found Note 3 and opened it with the word highlighted; "vehicle" gave "No results found". Only the exact word found it.
Evernote's five notes were made about 25 minutes earlier for its comparison with Notion (same texts and account). OneNote's search scope menu on the web offers only Section and Page. The times were taken with screenshot checks between steps, from the click that opened the search box; the outcomes decide this test.
Our verdict
It comes down to how many notes you keep and whether you will pay for a note app.
OneNote suits most people who want a free notebook. It is free on Windows, Mac, iOS, Android and the web, with as many notebooks as you like. A free Microsoft account includes 5 GB of OneDrive, and Microsoft 365 Personal adds 1 TB and Copilot for $99.99 a year. Pages are free-form canvases for typing, handwriting and drawing, and several people can co-author a shared notebook at once. The gaps: no backlinks, sharing for whole notebooks only, and no Copilot in the free app (on home plans it works only in the Windows app).
Evernote suits paying users who clip, scan and search. The Web Clipper, document scanning and AI Transcribe fill one archive, backlinks show which notes point to the open one, and any note can get a public view or edit link. AI Assistant and semantic search are listed on every plan, but Free stops at 50 notes on one device; Starter is $99 a year (1,000 notes, 3 devices) and Advanced $249.99 a year (unlimited notes).
Students, pen users and families sharing notebooks should start with OneNote; for a large, searchable reference archive, look at Evernote.
Choose Evernote if
You want one place to capture and look things up: web pages saved with the Web Clipper, scanned paper, PDFs you annotate and recorded meetings that AI Transcribe turns into text. Evernote's semantic search, AI Assistant and offline notes are on every plan, and backlinks list the notes that point to the one you have open. Be ready to pay once your archive passes 50 notes: Starter is $99 a year for 1,000 notes on 3 devices, and Advanced $249.99 a year for unlimited notes.
Choose Microsoft OneNote if
You want a notebook app without a subscription. OneNote is free on Windows, Mac, iPhone, iPad, Android and the web, with as many notebooks as you like, and each page is a free-form canvas for typing, handwriting and drawing; on Windows, search also finds handwriting and text in pictures. Shared notebooks let classmates, family or colleagues edit together at the same time. It also fits Microsoft 365 households: Personal ($99.99 a year) adds 1 TB of storage and Copilot in the Windows app.
Frequently asked questions
Is OneNote free, and how does Evernote's free plan compare?
Yes, OneNote is free: Microsoft's apps for Windows, Mac, iPhone, iPad, Android and the web cost nothing, you can create as many notebooks as you want, and a free Microsoft account includes 5 GB of OneDrive storage, which is where notebooks sync. Copilot is not part of the free app. Evernote Free is limited to 50 notes, 1 notebook, 1 device and 1 GB of storage, and Evernote's help center says Evernote Web counts as a device. In return, Evernote lists its AI Assistant, semantic search, AI Transcribe, AI Edit and offline notes on the Free plan.
Which costs less, Evernote or OneNote?
OneNote itself is free; the Microsoft 365 plans below add OneDrive storage and Copilot. Microsoft 365 Personal costs $99.99 a year or $9.99 a month with 1 TB of storage, Family $129.99 a year or $12.99 a month for up to 6 people with 2 TB shared, and Premium $199.99 a year or $19.99 a month. Evernote's Free plan stops at 50 notes; beyond that, Starter costs $99 a year or $14.99 a month (1,000 notes, 3 devices) and Advanced $249.99 a year or $24.99 a month (unlimited notes, notebooks and devices). Evernote Enterprise is priced by sales. These are the US dollar list prices as of October 2026.
Do Evernote and OneNote include AI features?
Evernote lists its AI Assistant, semantic search, AI Transcribe and AI Edit on every plan, including Free, and Starter and higher add an MCP connection, in beta, that lets AI tools such as Claude and ChatGPT read and create notes. In OneNote, Copilot summarizes notes, creates task lists and rewrites text, but only with Microsoft 365 Personal, Family or Premium, where it works in the Windows app only, or with a Microsoft Copilot work license. On Family and Premium, the AI features are for the subscription owner only.
Can other people view or edit my notes?
Yes, in both, but they share in different ways. OneNote shares whole notebooks stored on OneDrive or SharePoint, by invitation or with a view-only or edit link, and several people can co-author a shared notebook at the same time; Microsoft has removed the option to share a single page. Evernote can share a single note or a whole notebook by invitation, and any note can also get a public link that lets people view or edit it, even if they have no Evernote account.
How do Evernote and OneNote protect private notes?
Evernote offers in-note encryption in its Mac and Windows apps on Starter and higher plans, not on Free. OneNote can lock a section with a password (128-bit AES), but not a single page or a whole notebook, and if you forget the password, not even Microsoft can unlock those notes. For where notes are kept: Evernote stores them in its cloud, while OneNote's Windows app can keep a notebook on your PC instead of OneDrive; the Mac app keeps everything in OneDrive.
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