# Microsoft OneNote vs MSB Docs

The clearest difference is review sentiment: MSB Docs at 100% against Microsoft OneNote's 45%. MSB Docs also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 3) and rating (5.0 vs 4.7). Microsoft OneNote's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 6 weeks) and ratings volume (1.1M vs 1). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Microsoft OneNote sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. MSB Docs asks for nothing beyond the download.

MSB Docs holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Microsoft OneNote has 1.1M ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 45% of Microsoft OneNote's written reviews are positive against 100% of MSB Docs's.

Microsoft OneNote ships an update weekly, MSB Docs every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 3, 2026 and September 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Microsoft OneNote | MSB Docs |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (1.1M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/microsoft-onenote/id410395246/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/msb-docs/id1182926099/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.1M** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 44.7% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#75** | — |
| Size | 406 MB | 114 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **15** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Vision Pro** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Microsoft Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/298856275) | [Taigle LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1182926098) |

## What reviewers say

### Microsoft OneNote

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/microsoft-onenote/id410395246)

**Currently charting:** #75 Top Free · Productivity (US App Store)

Capture thoughts, ideas, and plans in a digital notepad. Organize, search, and secure your notes, memos, and sketches. Sync across devices for access anywhere, anytime. Collaborate with others on shared notepads.

**Highlights:** Capture thoughts and ideas, Digital sketchbook, Organize and search notes, Sync notes via OneDrive, Collaborate on shared notepads, Handwritten notes and drawings

**Features:** Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Microsoft 365 Personal | $9.99 | per month |
| Microsoft 365 Personal | $11.99 | per month |
| Microsoft 365 Family | $12.99 | per month |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Simple, works well
- 👍 Great for planning
- 👍 Powerful note-taking app
- 👍 Invaluable tool for note taking
- 👍 Used for years, couldn't be without this app

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔨 Could be better
- 🔨 Formatting issues on mobile app
- 🔨 Buggy widget, no dark app icon
- 🐛 Glitchy, crashes often
- 🐛 Terrible sync speeds

**Reported bugs**

- Cursor positioning is erratic
- Search function does not work well
- Ink to text conversion missing on iPad
- Syncing issues, notes not syncing properly across devices
- Crashing, freezing, and performance issues

**Requested features**

- Native Markdown support and merged cell support
- Ruler, ability to choose or create notebook covers
- Ability to password protect app or individual notebooks
- Option to open on last opened page instead of Home
- Ability to turn note into task that appears on To Do and Planner


### MSB Docs

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/msb-docs/id1182926099)

Streamline business operations with a comprehensive digital transaction management platform. Automate paper-based processes, manage documents, and secure electronic signatures. Ideal for various industries seeking efficiency and transparency.

**Highlights:** Electronic and Digital Signatures, Document Management, Workflow Processing, Long-term Document Storage, Real-time Dashboard Updates, Multi-factor Authentication, Enterprise Systems Integration

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Microsoft OneNote free?

Microsoft OneNote is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is MSB Docs free?

MSB Docs is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Microsoft OneNote or MSB Docs?

MSB Docs is rated higher. Microsoft OneNote averages 4.7 out of 5 from 1.1M ratings, while MSB Docs averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Microsoft OneNote or MSB Docs have ads?

Neither Microsoft OneNote nor MSB Docs shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Microsoft OneNote or MSB Docs?

Microsoft OneNote ships an update weekly, and MSB Docs every 6 weeks. Most recently, Microsoft OneNote was updated on October 3, 2026 and MSB Docs on September 27, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*