The Best Open Source Microsoft OneNote AlternativesTop Note-taking Tools & Todo List Managers like Microsoft OneNote

The best open source alternative to Microsoft OneNote is Zim. If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 50 alternatives to Microsoft OneNote and many of them is open source so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting open source alternatives to Microsoft OneNote are Joplin, Xournal++, Logseq and Anytype.

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Microsoft OneNote alternatives are mainly Note-taking Tools but may also be Todo List Managers or Task Management Tools.  Filter by these or use the filter bar below if you want a narrower list of alternatives or looking for a specific functionality of Microsoft OneNote.
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Microsoft OneNote, part of the Microsoft 365 Copilot, is a digital notebook application that gives people one place to gather notes and information. It also offers shared notebooks,...

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Microsoft OneNote alternatives page was last updated Feb 8, 2025
  1. Zim icon
     493 likes

    Zim brings the concept of a wiki to your desktop. Store information, link pages and edit with WYSISYG markup or directly typing some lightweight markup syntax and see it previewed as-you-type. Creating a new page is easy by either clicking on the "Create new note"...

    291 Zim alternatives
    Zim screenshot 1

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • Flathub
    • Flatpak

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Works Offline
    2.  Plain text file
    3.  Wiki-like interface
    4.  Hierarchical Structure
    5.  Cross-Platform
    6.  Note organization
    7.  WYSIWYG Support
    8.  Outliner
    9.  Text formatting
    10.  Portable
    11.  Ad-free
    12.  Notebook
    Zim iconMicrosoft OneNote Icon

    Zim VS Microsoft OneNote

    Is Zim a good alternative to Microsoft OneNote?
     
    Comments about Zim as an Alternative to Microsoft OneNote
     
       
    LordMax

    Wonderful. Every file is a .txt file, so you're in total control.

    Top positive commentMay 6, 2018
    18
    Guest

    Zim is more like simplenote, or a desktop wiki. It is missing most of the functionality of onenote.

    Top negative commentSep 28, 2018
    19
    axcqhsbsadoukciozt

    You are better of using a cellulose notepad rather than OneNote which siphons all your data unencrypted to "the cloud"

    Positive commentJul 3, 2023
    0
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    3 of 11 comments
    Microsoft OneNote Icon
    Zim icon
    • Most users think Zim is a great Microsoft OneNote alternative.

    • Zim is the most popular Open Source alternative to Microsoft OneNote.

    • Zim is Free and Open SourceMicrosoft OneNote is Freemium and Proprietary
    • Zim is LightweightMicrosoft OneNote is not according to our users
  2. Joplin icon
     800 likes

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

    66 Joplin alternatives
    Desktop and mobile apps

    License model

    • FreemiumOpen Source

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • AppImageHub
    • Snapcraft
    • Google Chrome
    • Flathub
    • PortableApps.com
    • F-Droid
    • Cloudron
    • Homebrew
    • Chocolatey
    • Termux
    • Mozilla Firefox

    Properties

    1.  Privacy focused

    Features

    1.  Support for MarkDown
    2.  Cloud Sync
    3.  End-to-End Encryption
    4.  Web Clipper
    5.  Works Offline
    6.  Local Storage
    7.  Tagging
    8. Android icon  Android Sync
    9.  Ad-free
    10.  File Sync
    11.  Encrypted Notes
    12.  WebDAV Support
    Joplin iconMicrosoft OneNote Icon

    Joplin VS Microsoft OneNote

    Is Joplin a good alternative to Microsoft OneNote?
     
    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.
    dasonic

    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 positive commentMar 7, 2020
    13
    Martin Ligabue

    it doesn't have pen input support

    Top negative commentOct 15, 2021
    6
    Nuncio Bitis

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

    Negative commentJul 17, 2024
    0
    Show more comments
    3 of 13 comments
    Microsoft OneNote Icon
    Joplin icon
    • Most users think Joplin is a great Microsoft OneNote alternative.

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

    • Joplin is Freemium and Open SourceMicrosoft OneNote is Freemium and Proprietary
    • Joplin is Privacy focusedMicrosoft OneNote is not according to our users
  3. Xournal++ icon
     162 likes

    Xournal++ (a fork of Xournal) is a handwriting Notetaking software with PDF annotation support. Written in C++ with platform independent GTK, supporting Linux, e.g. Ubuntu, Debian, Arch, Suse, macOS and Windows 10. Supports Pen input like Wacom Tablets.

    50 Xournal++ alternatives
    Xournal++ screenshot 1

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux

    Top Xournal++ Features

    1.  Handwritten Notes
    2.  PDF annotation
    3.  Support for styluses
    4.  Handwriting
    5.  Export to PDF
    6.  Works Offline
    7.  LaTeX Math
    8.  Pen Support
    9.  Pressure Sensitivity
    10.  Freehand Writing
    11.  Multi layer drawing
    12.  Audio with notes
    Xournal++ iconMicrosoft OneNote Icon

    Xournal++ VS Microsoft OneNote

    Is Xournal++ a good alternative to Microsoft OneNote?
     
    Comments about Xournal++ as an Alternative to Microsoft OneNote
     
       
    violoncello

    With Xournal++ you own your notes and can save them wherever you want - you are not forced to store them somewhere in the cloud as it's the case with OneNote

    Top positive commentDec 31, 2020
    2
    Guest

    In the version available for Chromebooks, the option for typed text is not working.

    Top negative commentMay 19, 2022
    0
    Guest

    Nearly similar interface. Lightweight, open source with latex support and voice notes. Flexible layout which was missing in xournal.

    Positive commentAug 26, 2021
    1
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    3 of 7 comments
    Microsoft OneNote Icon
    Xournal++ icon
    • Almost everyone thinks Xournal++ is a great Microsoft OneNote alternative.

    • Xournal++ is Free and Open SourceMicrosoft OneNote is Freemium and Proprietary
  4. Logseq icon
     258 likes

    Logseq is a platform for knowledge sharing and management. It focuses on privacy, longevity, and user control. Notice: the backend code will be open-sourced as soon as we’re sure that the backend service meets the security standards.

    117 Logseq alternatives
    Logseq screenshot 1

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • F-Droid

    Top Logseq Features

    1.  Bidirectional links
    2.  Graph view
    3.  Local Storage
    4.  Outliner
    5.  Backlinks
    6.  Knowledge base
    7.  Support for MarkDown
    8.  Knowledge Management
    9.  Works Offline
    10.  Note organization
    11.  Ad-free
    12.  Full-Text Search
    Logseq iconMicrosoft OneNote Icon

    Logseq VS Microsoft OneNote

    Is Logseq a good alternative to Microsoft OneNote?
     
  5. Anytype icon
     222 likes

    E2E encrypted, local-first, p2p and open. A knowledge graph of your ideas, tasks, wikis, projects, and databases. Supported on Mac, Windows, Linux, Android & iOS. Offline access, markdown export, and on-device storage.

    100 Anytype alternatives
    Movie Database

    License model

    • FreemiumOpen Source

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Google Chrome
    • Flathub
    • Flatpak

    Properties

    1.  Privacy focused

    Features

    1.  Works Offline
    2.  Synchronization
    3.  End-to-End Encryption
    4.  Visual Organization
    5.  Decentralized
    6.  Knowledge Management
    7.  Support for MarkDown
    8.  Ad-free
    9.  Local Storage
    10.  Team Collaboration
    11.  Cross-Platform
    12.  Wiki
    Anytype iconMicrosoft OneNote Icon

    Anytype VS Microsoft OneNote

    Is Anytype a good alternative to Microsoft OneNote?
     
  6. CherryTree icon
     309 likes

    A hierarchical note taking application, featuring rich text and syntax highlighting, storing data in a single xml or sqlite file.

    64 CherryTree alternatives
    CherryTree screenshot 1

    License model

    • FreeOpen Source

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • PortableApps.com

    Top CherryTree Features

    1.  Hierarchical Structure
    2.  Tree structure
    3.  Infinite hierarchical depth
    4.  Includes images in notes
    5.  Outliner
    6.  Tree view
    7.  Tree Style Tabs
    8.  Syntax Highlighting
    9.  Portable
    10.  Works Offline
    11.  Support for MarkDown
    12.  Code Formatting
    CherryTree iconMicrosoft OneNote Icon

    CherryTree VS Microsoft OneNote

    Is CherryTree a good alternative to Microsoft OneNote?
     
    Comments about CherryTree as an Alternative to Microsoft OneNote
     
       
    Guest

    its not OneNote, but its as close as I´ve found on linux. This finally frees me from Windows. Just started using it, but already i can see it will do. Now if only it accepts photos, voice clips, videos and webpages I can call it a day!

    Top positive commentJan 13, 2017
    9
    Guest

    It is more like Simple Note which is bare bones & not comparable to OneNote. No dragable containers, no ocr or voice recording. Also lacks sync.

    Top negative commentSep 28, 2018
    5
    Guest

    hierarchical Nodes and Subnode with icons, quick tool bar, simple as well rich text format, import export option, extremely light weight set up, easy backup, adjustable font size with mouse button, complete set of editting tools, customizable lay out, stable, supports text upto million of words, word count, password protected, multiple data basis, free and easy to use.

    Positive commentMay 13, 2020
    2
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    3 of 7 comments
    Microsoft OneNote Icon
    CherryTree icon
    • Most users think CherryTree is a great Microsoft OneNote alternative.

    • CherryTree is Free and Open SourceMicrosoft OneNote is Freemium and Proprietary
  7. Standard Notes icon
     642 likes

    Standard Notes is a simple and private notes app. It allows you to write and sync your notes across all your devices, iOS, Android, Linux, Windows, MacOS, and web browser.

    71 Standard Notes alternatives
    Standard Notes screenshot 1

    License model

    • FreemiumOpen Source

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Chrome OS
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • F-Droid

    Properties

    1.  Privacy focused
    2.  Clean design
    3.  Security-focused

    Features

    1.  End-to-End Encryption
    2.  Cloud Sync
    3.  Encrypted Notes
    4.  Support for MarkDown
    5.  Extensible by Plugins/Extensions
    6.  Works Offline
    7.  Encrypted Backup
    8.  AES Encryption
    9.  Sync on many devices
    10.  Ad-free
    11.  Mobile friendly
    12.  Client side encryption
    Standard Notes iconMicrosoft OneNote Icon

    Standard Notes VS Microsoft OneNote

    Is Standard Notes a good alternative to Microsoft OneNote?
     
    Comments about Standard Notes as an Alternative to Microsoft OneNote
     
       
    Guest

    Encrypted, very lightweight and not owned by Microsoft.

    Top positive commentSep 8, 2017
    1
    Guest

    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.

    Top negative commentAug 18, 2020
    5
    k71

    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.

    CommentSep 24, 2022
    0
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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 and Security-focusedMicrosoft OneNote is not according to our users
7 of 43 Microsoft OneNote alternatives