Microsoft OneNote vs Notability

Microsoft OneNote9.3Visit Notability8.7Visit

Higher score Microsoft OneNote #1 in Note-Taking Apps 9.3/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 3 of 3 features Visit site

vs

Notability #5 in Note-Taking Apps 8.7/10 Free plan · 30-day trial Free planFree trial✓ 3 of 3 features Visit Notability

• Microsoft OneNote fits best

  Microsoft-focused users and collaborative teams

• Notability fits best

  Students using handwriting, PDFs, and recordings

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Side by side

Feature	Microsoft OneNote 9.3/10 Visit ↗	Notability 8.7/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.3	8.7
Ranking	#1 in Note-Taking Apps	#5 in Note-Taking Apps
Best for	Microsoft-focused users and collaborative teams	Students using handwriting, PDFs, and recordings
Pricing model	Free plan + paid	Free plan + paid
Starting price	$99.99/yr	$14.99/user/yr
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	—	30 days
Deployment	Cloud, Desktop, Mobile	Cloud, Desktop, Mobile
Platforms	Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android	Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android
Support	Docs	Tickets, Docs
Integrations	10 integrations	6 integrations
Built for	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Microsoft OneNote 3/3 · Notability 3/3
Offline access	✓	✓
Note sharing	✓	✓
Real-time collaboration	✓	✓
Specs
Supported platforms	web, windows, macos, ios, android	web, windows, macos, ios, android
Storage limit	5 GB	Not checked yet
Integrations	OneDrive, SharePoint, Microsoft Graph, Zapier, Salesforce, Trello, Basecamp, Wufoo, Twitter, Feedly	iCloud, Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, Box, WebDAV
Our review
Pros	Supports text, handwriting, drawings, media, OCR, and voice transcription Offline editing, real-time co-authoring, and permission-based notebook sharing Integrates with Outlook, Teams, OneDrive, SharePoint, and Office apps	Combines typed notes, handwriting, PDFs, audio, and transcription Searches handwritten notes and links audio to annotations Supports collaboration and cloud storage across five platforms
Cons	Copilot and desktop features depend on eligible Microsoft 365 subscriptions Notebook storage is limited to 2 GB when saved in OneDrive or SharePoint The broad feature set may feel more structured than a lightweight notes app	Many advanced AI and audio features require a paid plan Pro costs $79.99 per year, above the Plus tier The broad feature set may exceed simple note-taking needs
Our verdict	Microsoft OneNote is a digital note-taking application for individuals, students, teachers, and teams. Its notebook, section, and page structure supports typed text, handwriting, drawings, images, links, lists, audio, and video. Notes can… Read the review →	Notability is a note-taking application for students, professionals, educators, and teams. It combines typed and handwritten note creation with PDF, document, and slide import and annotation. Notes can be organized into folders, shared by… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Microsoft OneNote — where it wins

  • Supports text, handwriting, drawings, media, OCR, and voice transcription
  • Offline editing, real-time co-authoring, and permission-based notebook sharing
  • Integrates with Outlook, Teams, OneDrive, SharePoint, and Office apps

  Where it doesn't

  • Copilot and desktop features depend on eligible Microsoft 365 subscriptions
  • Notebook storage is limited to 2 GB when saved in OneDrive or SharePoint
  • The broad feature set may feel more structured than a lightweight notes app

• Notability — where it wins

  • Combines typed notes, handwriting, PDFs, audio, and transcription
  • Searches handwritten notes and links audio to annotations
  • Supports collaboration and cloud storage across five platforms

  Where it doesn't

  • Many advanced AI and audio features require a paid plan
  • Pro costs $79.99 per year, above the Plus tier
  • The broad feature set may exceed simple note-taking needs

• Microsoft OneNote9.3/10 · Free plan

  A broad, collaborative note system with strong Microsoft integration and a capable free option.

  Visit siteFull verdict →
• Notability8.7/10 · Free plan · 30-day trial

  A flexible notes app for handwriting, PDFs, recordings, and AI study tools.

  Visit NotabilityFull verdict →