# Microsoft OneNote vs Notebook

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Microsoft OneNote at 1.1M against Notebook's 24K. Microsoft OneNote also leads on chart position (#69 vs unranked). Notebook's advantage is review sentiment (64% vs 45%) and iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.0). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Microsoft OneNote sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month and Notebook sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $2.49 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Microsoft OneNote against 4.7 for Notebook. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Microsoft OneNote has 1.1M ratings behind it against 24K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 45% of Microsoft OneNote's written reviews are positive against 64% of Notebook's.

Microsoft OneNote ships an update weekly, Notebook every 6 days. Both last shipped on October 15, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Microsoft OneNote | Notebook |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (1.1M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/microsoft-onenote/id410395246/reviews) | [4.7 (24K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notebook-ai-notes-notepad/id973801089/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.1M** | 24K |
| Positive reviews | 44.6% of reviews | **64.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Weekly | **Every 6 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#69** | — |
| Size | 409 MB | 220 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **16.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Vision Pro** | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Microsoft Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/298856275) | [Zoho Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/388384807) |

## What reviewers say

### Microsoft OneNote

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

**Currently charting:** #69 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


### Notebook

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notebook-ai-notes-notepad/id973801089)

Capture your thoughts, ideas, and tasks with a versatile digital notebook. Create rich notes with text, files, audio, and video. Organize content visually, collaborate in real-time, and access everything across your devices.

**Highlights:** Rich note creation with text, files, audio, and video, Checklist creation for task management, Bookmark collection and offline reading, Kanban-style note organization, Real-time collaboration and sharing, AI-powered journaling suggestions, Cross-device and cloud synchronization

**Features:** Safari Extension, Siri integration, Apple Watch app, iMessage stickers, Vision Pro support, SharePlay

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Notebook Pro | $2.49 | per month |
| Notebook Pro Plus | $3.99 | per month |
| Notebook AI | $4.99 | per month |
| Notebook Personal | $14.99 | per year |
| Notebook Pro | $24.99 | per year |
| Notebook Pro Plus | $39.99 | per year |
| Notebook AI | $49.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Highly organized and customizable
- 👍 Visually appealing and intuitive
- 🔒 Secure with password protection
- 🤳 Seamless cross-device sync
- 📝 Versatile note-taking features

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional sync and stability issues
- 🔀 Inconsistent note order after editing
- 🔍 Limited search functionality
- 📤 Lack of export/backup options
- 🔗 Difficulty inserting links in notes

**Reported bugs**

- Notes disappearing or getting corrupted
- Freezing and crashing issues
- Inconsistent behavior when editing notes
- Syncing problems across devices

**Requested features**

- Improved sorting and reordering options for notes
- Enhanced search capabilities
- Ability to export notes in various formats
- More customization options for notebook covers
- Integration with other productivity apps


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Microsoft OneNote free?

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

### Is Notebook free?

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

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

Microsoft OneNote and Notebook are both rated 4.7 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1.1M and 24K ratings respectively.

### Do Microsoft OneNote or Notebook have ads?

Neither Microsoft OneNote nor Notebook shows ads.

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

Microsoft OneNote ships an update weekly, and Notebook every 6 days. Most recently, Microsoft OneNote was updated on October 15, 2026 and Notebook on October 15, 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.*