Note-taking apps have rapidly evolved from nice-to-have tools into mission-critical services assisting professionals across all industries. As volumes of valuable business resources–from meeting notes to web articles to multimedia–moved online, the ability to efficiently collect, organize and share this content became pivotal. Technologies like Evernote and Microsoft OneNote emerged as top solutions.
But savvy users noticed distinct differences between these leading options…with each product optimized for particular use cases. This sparked an ongoing debate: Evernote or OneNote? Which app should become part of your daily workflow?
I‘ve used both Evernote and OneNote extensively over the past three years for organizing personal projects. And I invested dozens of hours evaluating the apps‘ designs, features, and functionality side-by-side to identify ideal scenarios for each.
In this comprehensive guide, I share everything I wish I knew earlier about OneNote and Evernote’s core capabilities, key differentiators, limitations, and best-fit users. Let’s dive in!
Introducing Evernote and OneNote
First, what exactly are Evernote and OneNote? Let‘s briefly introduce the tools:
Evernote
- Founded in 2008 by software executive Stepan Pachikov
- Features intuitive design with flexible note organizing
- Makes money via paid "Plus" ($7.99 per month) and "Premium" ($9.99 per month) plans
- Over 300 million total users as of 2022
- Used by professionals across industries to capture ideas, collect research, manage tasks
Microsoft OneNote
- Initial OneNote launch in 2003 alongside Microsoft Office suite
- Interfaces closely resemble Word, Excel, and Outlook
- Core features available entirely for free
- Business-focused upgrades like 1TB storage and extended version history
- Built-in integration with Microsoft Teams and other Office apps
- Used heavily by enterprises reliant on Microsoft stack
Both apps enable capturing, organizing, searching, and exporting text and multimedia notes. But key differences lie under the surface…
Side-by-Side Comparison of Capabilities
Let‘s contrast some pivotal Evernote and OneNote features in a side-by-side table:
| Capability | Evernote | OneNote |
|---|---|---|
| Interface Design | Three tidy columns providing flexible views | Word-style formatting toolbar at top |
| Note Organization | Notebooks with sectioning Tagging | Notebooks with sectioning Tagging |
| Collaboration Tools | Limited: share notes and notebooks | Robust: real-time co-authoring, @ mentions |
| Native Integrations | Google Drive, Slack, Dropbox, etc. | Deep Microsoft Office and Teams integration |
| Mobile App Availability | iOS, Android, Web | iOS, Android, Web |
| Monthly API Calls (Free Tier) | 60 calls | 5,000 calls |
Key observations on integrations and partnerships:
- Evernote connects better with non-Microsoft products thanks to its open ecosystem and extended third-party partner network
- OneNote interoperates seamlessly with Microsoft Office Suite tools (e.g. automatic saves between Outlook and OneNote during calls)
Now let‘s analyze this feature table along with some other major differentiators when weighing OneNote vs Evernote.
Comparing Key Differences and Limitations
Beyond the high-level feature checklist, several subtle differences and limitations between the two products have significant usability implications.
Design and User Experience
Evernote‘s tidy three-column layout displays notebooks on the far left, note listings in the middle, and the open note itself on the right. Toggling between elements feels intuitive. OneNote mimics Microsoft Word with familiar formatting icons.
For new users, Evernote may provide a more gentle learning curve. But those with Microsoft experience may prefer diving right into OneNote‘s recognizable interface.
Working With Web Clippers
Web clipper browser extensions allow quickly saving articles to your notes for later reference. Evernote‘s clipper proved more versatile in my testing, with expanded formatting options compared to OneNote‘s barebones clipper.
However, neither clipper worked flawlessly when capturing complex web pages. Some images and text formatting did not carry over smoothly between sites like YouTube and the note apps.
Offline Access and Mobile Apps
Thanks to local caching of content, both Evernote and OneNote enable accessing notes during intermittent connectivity or offline scenarios like flights.
The Evernote mobile experience provides a more polished interface tailored to smaller screens. OneNote‘s navigation can feel a bit cramped on smartphones, with some features buried in menus. But functionality remains solid regardless of device.
Storage Size and Pricing
OneNote offers much greater free storage–5GB vs Evernote‘s 60MB. And with OneNote‘s 1TB per user allowance on paid business plans, it clearly accommodates larger libraries. Evernote caps storage at an absolute maximum of 20GB monthly uploads, which power users may quickly exceed when archiving web pages and documents.
However, Evernote offers more incremental pricing tiers for individual subscribers needing less than 1TB. Plans scale from $7.99 per month up to $14.99 per month for the 20GB plan. OneNote‘s consumer pricing jumps straight from free to $69.99 yearly for 1TB as the only paid option.
So Evernote provides more graded flexibility, while OneNote swing hard toward enterprises ready to commit to the full 1TB.
Which App Should You Choose?
So with all comparisons weighed from interface to integrations to offline access, which tool claims victory in this Evernote vs OneNote matchup? Let’s summarize how to decide based on some common user profiles.
For Individuals Managing Personal Projects
Between its user-friendly design, flexible storage tiers, and featured-packed paid upgrades, Evernote better suits most individual subscribers without extensive Microsoft ecosystem buy-in. While not as deeply integrated with Microsoft Office tools, Evernote offers a more approachable interface alongside strong core features even on its free plan. Then affordable upgrades unlock additional capabilities like advanced search and automated reminders at reasonable prices for individuals.
For Enterprises Wedded to Microsoft Technology
OneNote aligns tightly with enterprises embracing Microsoft technologies broadly, from Outlook and SharePoint integrations up through Teams collaboration and Surface device optimization. Transitioning whole organizations away from a Microsoft-centric technology stack proves extremely challenging. So with its native integrations and spacious 1TB storage ceiling, OneNote plays best among large companies invested heavily in Microsoft.
For Budget-Focused Users With Basic Needs
Users focused strictly on maximizing a free offering may get more mileage out of OneNote, thanks again to its generous 5GB of baseline storage compared to Evernote’s 60MB. OneNote also makes all core note syncing, organizing, and flexibility features available without paid upgrades. So price-sensitive users get more before paying at all with OneNote.
However, those requiring Evernote capabilities like Reminders and advanced search should carefully evaluate whether the value justifies even the lowest $7.99 monthly charge to upgrade beyond extremely basic functionality.
Key Takeaways: Finding the Right Note-Taking App For You
When evaluating Evernote vs OneNote, consider both the design and features meeting your immediate needs, as well as the long-term ecosystem you want to buy into. Key principles I learned first-hand:
- Evernote offers superior design and incremental pricing plans for individuals
- OneNote synergizes with Microsoft products used heavily by enterprises
- Budget-focused users get more free features and storage via OneNote
- Power users willing to pay unlock more features with Evernote
I encourage applying these lessons by downloading both Evernote and OneNote apps for hands-on testing tailored to your own workflows and use cases. Evaluating these subtly different products side-by-side using your own data and external services best informs decisive choices between the leading options.
After extensive evaluation over years of relying on note apps daily, I personally settled on Evernote as my long-term solution due to its approachable interface, seamless mobile experience, deep integration with my preferred productivity tools, and reasonable pricing to upgrade capabilities.
But whether Evernote or OneNote best supports your needs depends entirely on your unique preferences, external services, team collaboration landscape, and budget flexibility. Consider the key dimensions raised above as a starting point for guiding your own personalized decision between these two formidable options in the note-taking software market.
