Microsoft OneNote Alternatives Filtered by 'Knowledge Management'

The best alternative to Microsoft OneNote is Obsidian, which is free. If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 100 alternatives to Microsoft OneNote and 16 are so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting alternatives to Microsoft OneNote are Joplin, Notion, Logseq and Anytype.

filter to find the best alternatives

Microsoft OneNote alternatives are mainly Note-taking Tools, but if you're looking for Todo List Managers or Task Management Tools you can filter on that. Other popular filters include Linux, Open Source, iPhone, Android, Free, EU and Self-Hosted. You can also filter by region, for example EU-based alternatives if you prefer software developed in the European Union. These are just examples - use the filter bar below to find more specific alternatives to Microsoft OneNote.
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Alternatives list

  1. Obsidian icon

    Obsidian

     1078 likes
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    Privacy-oriented note-taking app for non-linear thinking, blending knowledge graph creation with wiki-style linking. Supports Markdown, end-to-end encryption, and plugins for customization. Offers distraction-free mode, tags, themes, syntax highlighting, and operates offline without tracking.

    162 Obsidian alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium (Subscription)
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Snapcraft
    • Microsoft Edge
    • Google Chrome
    • Flathub
    • Safari
    • Mozilla Firefox
    Obsidian screenshot 1
     
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    13

    • Most users think Obsidian is a great Microsoft OneNote alternative.

    • Obsidian is the most popular Windows, Android, Mac & iPhone alternative to Microsoft OneNote.

    • Obsidian is the most popular free alternative to Microsoft OneNote.

    • Obsidian is Freemium and ProprietaryMicrosoft OneNote is also Freemium and Proprietary
    • Obsidian is Lightweight and Privacy focusedMicrosoft OneNote is not according to our users
  2. Joplin icon

    Joplin

     862 likes
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    Open source app for managing notes and to-dos with Markdown support. Syncs seamlessly across devices using services like Dropbox and OneDrive. Offers end-to-end encrypted synchronicity, offline access, rich import/export options, and a Web Clipper for browsers.

    106 Joplin alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium (Subscription)
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • AppImageHub
    • Snapcraft
    • Google Chrome
    • Flathub
    • PortableApps.com
    • F-Droid
    • Cloudron
    • Homebrew
    • Chocolatey
    • Termux
    • Mozilla Firefox
    Desktop and mobile apps
     
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    13
    69
    Comments about Joplin as an Alternative to Microsoft OneNote
    Comment summary: Critics of Joplin note limitations such as lack of features compared to OneNote, like pen input support and drawing capabilities. However, Joplin's advocates highlight its strengths in privacy, open-source nature, and compatibility with Linux. Joplin supports markdown editing and allows users to store data on personal servers with encryption. While some praise its clean interface and cross-platform sync, others consider OneNote more feature-rich, especially for writing and organizing notes.
    Top Positive Comment
    dasonic
    13

    Same structure as Onenote, supports images, looks modern.

    Doesn't have all the same features (like drawing on the screen) but also has its own unique features Onenote doesn't have.

    Also runs on Linux, which is the biggest plus for me.

    Top Negative Comment
    Martin Ligabue
    7

    it doesn't have pen input support

    Nuncio Bitis
    Negative
    1

    it doesn't do diagrams, and the plain text files it creates are given obscure names so you can't find them.

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    3 of 13 comments
    Microsoft OneNote Icon
    Joplin icon

    • Most users think Joplin is a great Microsoft OneNote alternative.

    • Joplin is the most popular Web-based & Self-Hosted alternative to Microsoft OneNote.

    • Joplin is Freemium and Open SourceMicrosoft OneNote is Freemium and Proprietary
    • Joplin is Privacy focused, Lightweight and MinimalisticMicrosoft OneNote is not according to our users
  4. Notion icon

    Notion

     644 likes
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    Enhance team collaboration and content organization with Notion. Experience real-time access, intuitive drag-and-drop functionalities, and visually simple interfaces designed for productivity in managing tasks, notes, and databases effectively. Ideal for teams of every size.

    151 Notion alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium (Subscription)
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Software as a Service (SaaS)
    Notion screenshot 1
     
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    5
    31
    Comments about Notion as an Alternative to Microsoft OneNote
    Top Positive Comment
    raphaelaguiar
    3

    Better visualization and flexible organization. Keeps your information in a multi-hierarchical wiki, not in notes,

    Top Negative Comment
    Guest
    9

    Biggest feature of Onenote is drawing & typing everywhere, which Notion doesn't support. Notion is good to store highly structured data, while Onenote is more like a digital paper.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Leo T
    Positive
    0

    Notion is better for vizualisation and is free, but the huge drawback is the desktop application. It is an embedded browser (Chrome actually), so its RAM and CPU usages are far behind OneNote : around 1% CPU average for Notion, vs OneNote with 0% average ; 300Mb RAM usage, vs 60Mb for OneNote. This impacts directly user experience and battery life, and also loading times. OneNote is loading quasi instantly, and Notion is taking 5s to load.

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    3 of 5 comments
    Microsoft OneNote Icon
    Notion icon

    • Almost everyone thinks Notion is a great Microsoft OneNote alternative.

    • Notion is the most popular SaaS alternative to Microsoft OneNote.

    • Notion is Freemium and ProprietaryMicrosoft OneNote is also Freemium and Proprietary
    • Notion is CustomizableMicrosoft OneNote is not according to our users
  5. Ad
    Screenshot
    Slite icon
    Slite

    Designed for remote teams, it streamlines workflows by unifying documentation, discussion, and task execution. Features include a powerful editor, video explainers, sketch tools, integrations with Slack, Google Drive, project man...

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  6. Logseq icon

    Logseq

     313 likes
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    Local-first, privacy-focused notebook supporting Markdown and Emacs Org mode. Offers offline use, encrypted backups, plugin extensibility, LaTeX support, real-time collaboration, and hierarchical organization for personal knowledge management.

    161 Logseq alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • F-Droid
    • Flathub
    Logseq screenshot 1
     
  7. Anytype icon

    Anytype

     273 likes
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    Manage notes, tasks, and projects offline with Markdown support. Enjoy encrypted storage, P2P syncing, and powerful dynamic collections across all devices, while allowing redistribution and modification for non-commercial uses.

    136 Anytype alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium (Subscription)
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Google Chrome
    • Flathub
    • Flatpak
    Movie Database
     
  8. Standard Notes icon

    Standard Notes

     680 likes
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    Secure note-taking app with end-to-end encryption, unlimited syncing across all platforms, offline access, detailed organization through tags, strong passcode and biometric protections, and premium features like encrypted files, themes, web clipper, super note types, and hardware key support.

    115 Standard Notes alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium (Subscription)
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Chrome OS
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • F-Droid
    Standard Notes screenshot 1
     
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    7
    33
    Comments about Standard Notes as an Alternative to Microsoft OneNote
    Top Positive Comment
    Guest
    1

    Encrypted, very lightweight and not owned by Microsoft.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Top Negative Comment
    Guest
    5

    The free version is only plain text editing - can't even paste images or use bold and italics. There simply aren't enough features in the free one to determine whether I like it enough to pay for premium.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    k71
    0

    Good for those options to store online or sync between devices. Devices: Windows app, web-browser, android app...

    I prefer this one than SimpleNote, in any case, to share between devices nowadays i recommend telegram or protectedtext. For text, Onenote. I didnt like turtl, joplin or elephant.

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    3 of 7 comments
    Microsoft OneNote Icon
    Standard Notes icon

    • Most users think Standard Notes is a great Microsoft OneNote alternative.

    • Standard Notes is Freemium and Open SourceMicrosoft OneNote is Freemium and Proprietary
    • Standard Notes is Privacy focused, Minimalistic, Security-focused and CustomizableMicrosoft OneNote is not according to our users
  10. Docmost icon

    Docmost

     43 likes
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    Docmost is an open-source collaborative wiki and documentation software. It is an open-source alternative to Confluence and Notion.

    87 Docmost alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Pay once
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Self-Hosted
    • Software as a Service (SaaS)
    • Docker
    Docmost screenshot 1
     

    • Docmost is the most popular commercial alternative to Microsoft OneNote.

    • Docmost is Paid and Open SourceMicrosoft OneNote is Freemium and Proprietary
    • Docmost is Privacy focusedMicrosoft OneNote is not according to our users
  12. Craft icon

    Craft

     41 likes
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    Craft offers document creation with stunning visuals, seamless navigation, and effortless sharing. Nest notes, use AI for summaries, and export in multiple formats.

    91 Craft alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium (Subscription)
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Online
    • iPhone
    • iPad
    Craft screenshot 1
     
  13. Silverbullet icon

    Silverbullet

     17 likes
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    Silver Bullet is an extensible, open source, personal knowledge management system. Indeed, that’s fancy talk for “a note-taking app with links.” However, Silver Bullet goes a bit beyond just that.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Self-Hosted
    Main page, showing normal text. This is all Markdown, and selecting any text will expose the Markdown syntax.
     
  14. Lumen AI icon

    Lumen AI

     9 likes
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    Minimalist productivity platform offers centralized notes, task management, meeting capture with audio summaries, inbox processing, and Markdown editing, all enhanced by AI prioritization, custom prompts, backlinks, and flexible workflows, supporting multiple methodologies.

    53 Lumen AI alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    Lumen AI screenshot 1
     
  15. Slite icon

    Slite

     109 likes
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    Designed for remote teams, it streamlines workflows by unifying documentation, discussion, and task execution. Features include a powerful editor, video explainers, sketch tools, integrations with Slack, Google Drive, project management tools, and advanced search capabilities.

    91 Slite alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium (Subscription)
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Software as a Service (SaaS)
    Slite screenshot 1
     
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    5
    7
    Comments about Slite as an Alternative to Microsoft OneNote
    Top Positive Comment
    Eleonore Rabiot
    1

    It's a great way to take notes and organize your professionnal & personal knowledge. The mobile app makes it great to stay connected on the go.

    Victor Walls
    Positive
    1

    Great for solo usage or small or wider teams in my opinion. Love the sharing & collaboration possibilities.

    Andre Kalingeri
    Positive
    1

    Beautiful editor and easy sharing. Just love it.

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    3 of 5 comments
    Microsoft OneNote Icon
    Slite icon

    • Most users think Slite is a great Microsoft OneNote alternative.

    • Slite is Freemium and ProprietaryMicrosoft OneNote is also Freemium and Proprietary
    • Slite is LightweightMicrosoft OneNote is not according to our users
12 of 16 Microsoft OneNote alternatives