Microsoft OneNote Alternatives for Windows

There are many alternatives to Microsoft OneNote for Windows if you are looking for a replacement. The best Windows alternative is Obsidian, which is free. If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 100 alternatives to Microsoft OneNote and loads of them are available for Windows so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting Windows alternatives to Microsoft OneNote are Zim, NoteLedge, Joplin and Notion.

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, Self-Hosted and EU. 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.

    158 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. Zim icon

    Zim

     509 likes
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    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"...

    314 Zim alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • Flathub
    • Flatpak
    Zim screenshot 1
     
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    11
    75
    Comments about Zim as an Alternative to Microsoft OneNote
    Top Positive Comment
    LordMax
    18

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

    Top Negative Comment
    Guest
    20

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

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

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

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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 Lightweight and Privacy focusedMicrosoft OneNote is not according to our users
  4. NoteLedge icon

    NoteLedge

     196 likes
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    Note-taking tool tailored for creatives offering idea capture from Pinterest, YouTube, and the web. Allows mood board creation, drawing, and sketching with varied brushes. Present work, share with teams using multimedia and exportable notes in PDF format

    Cost / License

    • Freemium (Subscription)
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • iPad
    • Android Tablet
    NoteLedge screenshot 1
     
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    1
    98
    Comments about NoteLedge as an Alternative to Microsoft OneNote
    Harry Ryan
    Positive
    -1

    With this app you can organize everything including your daily activity or special event.

    Microsoft OneNote Icon
    NoteLedge icon

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

    • NoteLedge is Freemium and ProprietaryMicrosoft OneNote is also Freemium and Proprietary
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    Workflowy icon
    Workflowy

    Offers limitless nested lists for outlining, instant sync on web and mobile, real-time collaboration, file and photo uploads, kanban boards, tagging, offline editing, hoisting for branch focus, content sharing, text highlighting,...

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  6. Joplin icon

    Joplin

     861 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.

    103 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
  7. 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.

    146 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
  8. Logseq icon

    Logseq

     314 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.

    159 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
     
  10. Xournal++ icon

    Xournal++

     182 likes
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    Handwritten note-taking and PDF annotation using pen input and pressure sensitivity, shape drawing, customizable toolbar layouts, image insertion, audio recording, multi-language options, LaTeX integration, and complete export in PDF or PNG formats across all platforms.

    54 Xournal++ alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    Xournal++ screenshot 1
     
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    7
    41
    Comments about Xournal++ as an Alternative to Microsoft OneNote
    Top Positive Comment
    violoncello
    2

    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 Negative Comment
    Guest
    0

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

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Guest
    Positive
    1

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

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
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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
    • Xournal++ is Privacy focused and LightweightMicrosoft OneNote is not according to our users
  11. Anytype icon

    Anytype

     272 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.

    134 Anytype alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium (Subscription)
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

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

    Standard Notes

     678 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.

    113 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
  13. CherryTree icon

    CherryTree

     319 likes
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    Hierarchical note-taking software that is free, open-source, cross-platform. Features include rich text, syntax highlighting, multi-level lists, embedded files, customizable interface, code execution, PDF export, spell check, images & tables, and comprehensive project management support.

    96 CherryTree alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Flathub
    • PortableApps.com
    • Flatpak
    CherryTree screenshot 1
     
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    7
    56
    Comments about CherryTree as an Alternative to Microsoft OneNote
    Top Positive Comment
    Guest
    9

    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!

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

    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.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Guest
    Positive
    2

    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.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
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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
    • CherryTree is Customizable and Privacy focusedMicrosoft OneNote is not according to our users
  14. Notesnook icon

    Notesnook

     169 likes
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    Notesnook is a simple and cross-platform private notes app that keeps your notes organized and synced on your phone, tablet and computer. Take notes, capture ideas, create to-do lists, keep a journal, write your assignments and manage projects, we have got you covered.

    288 Notesnook alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium (Subscription)
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Google Chrome
    • Flathub
    • F-Droid
    • Software as a Service (SaaS)
    • Flatpak
    Notesnook screenshot 1
     
  15. Zettlr icon

    Zettlr

     242 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.

    174 Zettlr alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Flathub
    Zettlr Main Window (dark mode)
     
12 of 59 Microsoft OneNote alternatives