Microsoft OneNote AlternativesOnly apps categorised as Text Editors

The best Text Editor 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 11 are Text Editors so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting Text Editor alternatives to Microsoft OneNote are Notion, Zettlr, Beaver Notes and QOwnNotes.

filter to find the best alternatives

Microsoft OneNote alternatives are mainly Note-taking Tools, but if you're looking for Text Editors or Todo List Managers 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. 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
  4. Zettlr icon

    Zettlr

     244 likes
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    Unified writing platform offering note-taking, easy citations with Zotero integration, LaTeX/Word templates, snippets, themes, dark modes, code highlighting, multi-language support, and knowledge management with Zettelkasten for seamless writing from notes to books.

    175 Zettlr alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Flathub
    Zettlr Main Window (dark mode)
     
  5. Ad
    Screenshot
    Notion icon
    Notion

    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 databas...

    https://www.notion.com
    Learn More
  7. QOwnNotes icon

    QOwnNotes

     96 likes
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    Plain text notepad with markdown support and todo list manager for Linux, Mac OS X and Windows, that works together with the notes application of ownCloud.

    261 QOwnNotes alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Flathub
    • PortableApps.com
    • Qt
    QOwnNotes main screen
     
  8. Script icon

    Script

     1 like
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    Script is a text editor for digitally interconnected documents. A bit like Notion but for formal business & industrial processes. It turns text into dynamic workflows for seamless collaboration across work streams.

    Cost / License

    • Freemium (Subscription)
    • Proprietary

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    Script screenshot 1
     
  11. Online Notepad icon

    Online Notepad

     2 likes
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    A lightweight, distraction-free notepad with instant access, no registration or ads, auto-saves notes locally, supports manual export, and works seamlessly on modern browsers and mobile devices while prioritizing privacy with a clean interface and dark mode.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Online
    Online Notepad screenshot 1
     
  12. MindNote icon

    MindNote

     1 like
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    MindNote, the smartest, simplest, most customizable note-taking app designed to keep your ideas, thoughts, and memories organized and accessible wherever you go.

    Cost / License

    • Subscription
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Online
    • Android
    • Android Tablet
    • Kindle Fire
    MindNote screenshot 1
    MindNote screenshot 2
    MindNote screenshot 3
     
  13. Kraa.io icon

    Kraa.io

     1 like
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    Kraa is for writing., It's a note-taking app, a text editor, a messaging app, a story book, a community hub, a shared document, a blogging platform, a family board, ...

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Online
    Kraa.io screenshot 1
     
  14. PocketMark icon

    PocketMark

     2 likes
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    PocketMark is an editor for Markdown (.md) files elegant and powerful, it's feature include, but are not limited to:

    Cost / License

    • Freemium (Pay once)
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Android
    • Android Tablet
    PocketMark screenshot 1
     
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