# Microsoft OneNote vs Blankbook

The clearest difference is rating: Microsoft OneNote at 4.7 against Blankbook's 3.9. Microsoft OneNote also leads on ratings volume (1.1M vs 129) and chart position (#68 vs unranked). Blankbook's advantage is review sentiment (55% vs 45%) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 18.0). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Microsoft OneNote sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month and Blankbook sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.49 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Microsoft OneNote holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Microsoft OneNote has 1.1M ratings behind it against 129, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 45% of Microsoft OneNote's written reviews are positive against 55% of Blankbook's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Microsoft OneNote ships an update weekly, Blankbook every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and July 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Microsoft OneNote | Blankbook |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (1.1M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/microsoft-onenote/id410395246/reviews)** | [3.9 (129 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blankbook-paper-note/id1481732301/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.1M** | 129 |
| Positive reviews | 44.8% of reviews | **54.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Weekly | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#68** | — |
| Size | 404 MB | 41 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Vision Pro | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Microsoft Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/298856275) | [璐 徐](https://appshunter.io/developer/1691481212) |

## What reviewers say

### Microsoft OneNote

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

**Currently charting:** #68 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


### Blankbook

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blankbook-paper-note/id1481732301)

Experience a natural handwriting feel on an infinite canvas. Organize notes with a visual bookshelf and access tools quickly. Offers various paper types and intuitive controls for seamless creativity.

**Highlights:** Infinite scrolling canvas, 7 static paper types (dark/light variants), Pen, pencil, marker, lasso, ruler, erasers, Three quick-access tool slots, Intuitive gesture controls, Automatic dark mode matching system settings

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly | $2.49 | per month |
| Lifetime | $6.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- ✍️ Natural handwriting and pen feel
- ♾️ Infinite canvas for unlimited space
- 🎨 Simple and clean interface
- ⚡ Good performance and responsiveness
- 💰 One-time purchase option available

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and app failures
- 💾 Data loss and note disappearance
- ⏱️ Severe lag with large amounts of data
- 🔄 Notes not syncing across devices
- 🗂️ No folder or organizational system

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when creating new sheets or files
- Notes permanently disappear without warning
- Severe lag and slow loading with accumulated data
- Delete function doesn't permanently remove notes
- Unresponsive settings and help buttons

**Requested features**

- Folder organization system for notes
- Cloud backup and sync across devices
- Image and PDF insertion capability
- Snap-to-grid and smart shapes
- Ability to rotate and scale selected content


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Microsoft OneNote free?

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

### Is Blankbook free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Microsoft OneNote or Blankbook?

Microsoft OneNote is rated higher. Microsoft OneNote averages 4.7 out of 5 from 1.1M ratings, while Blankbook averages 3.9 from 129 ratings.

### Do Microsoft OneNote or Blankbook have ads?

Neither Microsoft OneNote nor Blankbook shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Microsoft OneNote or Blankbook?

Microsoft OneNote ships an update weekly, and Blankbook every 4 days. Most recently, Microsoft OneNote was updated on September 25, 2026 and Blankbook on July 26, 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.*