--- title: Microsoft OneNote Reviews meta_title: 'Microsoft OneNote Reviews 2026: Details, Pricing, & Features | G2' meta_description: Filter 1869 reviews by the users' company size, role or industry to find out how Microsoft OneNote works for a business like yours. aggregate_rating: rating_value: 4.5 review_count: 1869 scale: '5' date_modified: '2026-07-07' parent_category: name: Collaboration & Productivity url: https://www.g2.com/categories/collaboration-productivity --- # Microsoft OneNote Reviews **Vendor:** Microsoft **Category:** [Note-Taking Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/note-taking-software) **Average Rating:** 4.5/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 1,869 ## About Microsoft OneNote Microsoft OneNote is a note-taking application designed to help users capture, organize, and share information across various devices. It allows for the creation of digital notebooks where users can input text, drawings, screen clippings, and audio commentaries. OneNote's free-form canvas enables users to place content anywhere on the page, facilitating a flexible and intuitive note-taking experience. Integrated with Microsoft 365, OneNote supports real-time collaboration, allowing multiple users to edit and share notes simultaneously. Its cross-platform availability ensures seamless access to notes on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and through web browsers. Key Features and Functionality: - Flexible Note-Taking: Users can type, handwrite, or draw notes, insert images, and embed multimedia content, accommodating various input preferences. - Organizational Tools: Notebooks are structured into sections and pages, with powerful search capabilities to quickly locate information. - Collaboration: Multiple users can work on the same notebook simultaneously, with changes synced in real-time, enhancing teamwork and productivity. - Integration with Microsoft 365: Seamless integration with other Microsoft applications like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint allows for easy sharing and embedding of content. - Cross-Platform Accessibility: OneNote is available on various platforms, including Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and web browsers, ensuring access to notes from any device. Primary Value and User Solutions: OneNote addresses the need for a centralized, flexible, and collaborative note-taking solution. It simplifies information management by allowing users to capture diverse content types in a single location, organize them effectively, and access them across multiple devices. The application's collaborative features enhance teamwork by enabling shared access and real-time editing, making it ideal for both personal productivity and professional projects. By integrating with the Microsoft 365 suite, OneNote streamlines workflows and ensures that users have the tools they need to capture ideas, plan projects, and share information efficiently. ## Microsoft OneNote Pros & Cons **What users like:** - Users value the **flexible note-taking structure** of Microsoft OneNote, enhancing organization and accessibility across devices. (10 reviews) - Users love the **adaptable organization** features of Microsoft OneNote, enhancing productivity and simplifying note management for various tasks. (7 reviews) - Users appreciate the **seamless integrations** of Microsoft OneNote, enhancing connectivity with other Office products for efficient note management. (5 reviews) - Users appreciate the **ease of use** of Microsoft OneNote, benefiting from its user-friendly interface and simple setup process. (4 reviews) - Users value the **flexibility** of Microsoft OneNote for organizing diverse information easily across personal and professional settings. (4 reviews) - Users love the **user-friendly interface** of OneNote, which simplifies task management and enhances productivity. (2 reviews) - Action Items (1 reviews) - Automation (1 reviews) - Customization (1 reviews) - Easy Integrations (1 reviews) **What users dislike:** - Users often face **connectivity issues** that disrupt syncing and impact overall functionality across devices. (3 reviews) - Users struggle with **exporting notes and lag during typing** , which disrupts workflow and complicates note-taking efficiency. (2 reviews) - Users find **organization difficulty** with OneNote, noting that notebooks can become messy without strict naming and structure. (2 reviews) - Users find the **search functionality lacking** , as it often yields inaccurate results in a disorganized notebook environment. (2 reviews) - Users face issues with **slow loading** in Microsoft OneNote, hampering typing speed and disrupting workflow significantly. (2 reviews) - Users find the **UI clutter** of Microsoft OneNote unsatisfactory, especially for new users navigating its complexities. (2 reviews) - Lack of Features (1 reviews) - Users find Microsoft OneNote has a **steep learning curve** that makes the interface and features confusing to navigate. (1 reviews) - Limited AI Functionality (1 reviews) - Limited Customization (1 reviews) ## Microsoft OneNote Reviews ### 1. Easy, Organized Note-Taking with Seamless Sync and Search in Microsoft OneNote **Rating:** 4.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Balram T. | Associate Consultant (AI/ML), Computer Software, Enterprise (> 1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** June 10, 2026 **What do you like best about Microsoft OneNote?** What I like best about Microsoft OneNote is how easy it is to keep all my notes in one place. I use it for meeting notes, project information, quick reminders, and day-to-day work, so I don’t have to search through multiple documents. I also like that notes sync across devices and are easy to find later using search. It helps me stay organized and keeps important information readily available when I need it. **What do you dislike about Microsoft OneNote?** One thing I don’t like about Microsoft OneNote is that large notebooks can sometimes become a little difficult to organize, especially when there are many sections and pages. I have also noticed that formatting does not always look exactly the same across different devices. Other than that, it has been a useful tool for keeping notes organized and I use it regularly without any major problems. **What problems is Microsoft OneNote solving and how is that benefiting you?** Microsoft OneNote helps me keep notes, meeting discussions, and project information organized in one place. Before using it, important information was often spread across different documents, emails, and notebooks, which made it harder to find later. It helps me stay organized, quickly find past notes, and keep track of tasks and ideas. Having everything in one place saves time and makes it easier to manage day-to-day work. ### 2. Effortless Organization and Fast Search with Reliable Syncing in OneNote **Rating:** 4.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Verified User in Information Technology and Services | Enterprise (> 1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** July 02, 2026 **What do you like best about Microsoft OneNote?** The best thing about OneNote is how easy it is to organize information. I can create separate notebooks for different projects and add pages whenever I need them. I also like that I can insert images, tables, links and checklists along with text, making my notes more useful. The search feature is fast, so I don't have to scroll through pages to find something. Another feature I appreciate is automatic syncing, which keeps my notes updated across all my devices. It gives me confidence that I won't lose important information. **What do you dislike about Microsoft OneNote?** OneNote works well most of the time, but there are a few things that could be improved. Sometimes syncing takes longer than expected when the internet connection is slow. If a notebook has a lot of pages, it can take come time to find the right section. The free-form page layout is flexible, but it can also make notes look untidy if they are not organized carefully. A few formatting options are also limited compared to a word processor. **What problems is Microsoft OneNote solving and how is that benefiting you?** OneNote solves the problem of keeping important information scattered across notebooks, documents or sticky notes. It gives me one place to store everything, so I know exactly where to look when I need something. This saves time, especially during meetings or while working on projects. Since my notes are automatically saved and available on different devices, I can continue my work from anywhere without worrying about losing information. ### 3. Simple, Secure Note-Taking with OneDrive Backup, but is stayong behind **Rating:** 4.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Leonidas R. | Network Analyst, Information Technology and Services, Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** June 03, 2026 **What do you like best about Microsoft OneNote?** The simpler, the better. It’s just what you need—nothing fancy. It’s a notepad to get your notes done, and it integrates with OneDrive, so your info is backed up and secure. **What do you dislike about Microsoft OneNote?** Microsoft should honestly just forget about OneNote. The integrations with the Outlook app and other software don’t work that well, and it feels like it’s falling behind over time. At this point, there’s only basic support, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they shut down support soon. **What problems is Microsoft OneNote solving and how is that benefiting you?** This is the one place where I can gather my thoughts and get my brainstorming sessions ready. I also use it to keep my email templates organized. I really can’t ask for anything else. ### 4. Endless, Easy-to-Organize Notes in Microsoft OneNote **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Sneha S. | Freelancer, Education Management, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** April 12, 2026 **What do you like best about Microsoft OneNote?** In Microsoft OneNote, it never feels like you run out of paper—we can keep writing endlessly. Notes are easy to organise, print, and share, and it’s simple to find information later even if we’ve forgotten which tab or page it’s stored on. We can create any number of tabs, which helps keep everything neatly organised and easy to manage. **What do you dislike about Microsoft OneNote?** I don’t really see any major downsides. The only thing is that the interface can feel a bit cluttered at times, and syncing can occasionally lag when I switch between devices. **What problems is Microsoft OneNote solving and how is that benefiting you?** Microsoft OneNote helps businesses by centralizing notes, documents, and web captures, serving as an organized digital workspace. Remote teams can access, create, and share information on the go, which makes collaboration easier. Copilot can also help by summarizing notes and creating to-do lists. ### 5. Microsoft OneNote: Flexible Digital Notebook with Seamless Microsoft Integration **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Verified User in Accounting | Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** May 06, 2026 **What do you like best about Microsoft OneNote?** What stands out most about Microsoft OneNote is how flexible it is compared to typical note-taking apps. Instead of pushing you into rigid pages or fixed formats, OneNote feels like a true digital notebook: you can click anywhere and start typing, drawing, or pasting content. That freeform canvas is especially helpful for brainstorming and planning, or for mixing text with visuals without having to decide on a structure upfront. Another major strength is how smoothly it integrates with the Microsoft ecosystem. It works naturally with tools like Word, Outlook, and Teams, so your notes can connect easily to meetings, tasks, and documents. If you already use Microsoft products, it fits right in. I also appreciate its organization system. The notebooks → sections → pages layout is straightforward but powerful, and it’s easy to create separate notebooks for different areas of your life (work, study, personal). On top of that, search is excellent—even recognizing text inside images or handwritten notes—which saves a lot of time. Finally, cross-device syncing has been reliable for me. Whether I’m on a laptop, phone, or tablet, my notes stay up to date, which makes it easy to capture ideas anytime. Overall, the best thing about OneNote is how it balances freedom, structure, and integration in a way that adapts to how you think, rather than forcing you to adapt to the app. **What do you dislike about Microsoft OneNote?** Even though Microsoft OneNote is a powerful tool, a few aspects can become frustrating over time. One problem is that the same flexibility that makes it appealing can also make it feel messy. Without a strict structure, notes can get disorganized quickly—especially in larger notebooks. It’s easy to lose track of where things are unless you’re very disciplined about how you set up sections and pages. Another drawback is the inconsistent experience across platforms. The desktop app, web version, and mobile apps don’t always behave the same way, and certain features are missing or work differently depending on the device. If you switch devices often, that lack of uniformity can be especially annoying. Performance can also be an issue, particularly with big notebooks or lots of embedded files like PDFs or images. Syncing is usually reliable, but when it fails or conflicts happen, fixing those problems isn’t always straightforward or intuitive. Formatting is another weak spot. Compared to tools like Microsoft Word, you don’t get much fine control over layout, spacing, or styling. Because of the freeform canvas, content can shift around unexpectedly, which isn’t ideal when you’re trying to create something more polished. Lastly, collaboration isn’t as smooth as you might expect from a Microsoft product. While you *can* share notebooks, real-time collaboration doesn’t feel as seamless or as intuitive as it is in tools like Google Docs. Overall, OneNote excels at flexible note capture, but it can fall short when you need consistency across devices, stronger performance with heavy notebooks, or more structured work. **What problems is Microsoft OneNote solving and how is that benefiting you?** Microsoft OneNote helps solve a very common problem: scattered information—something most people deal with every day. Before tools like OneNote, notes ended up everywhere: paper notebooks, sticky notes, random files, emails, and screenshots. Keeping track of ideas was difficult, and finding them later was even harder. OneNote pulls all of that into one searchable place. The benefit is straightforward but meaningful: you spend less time hunting for information and more time actually using it. It also addresses the limitations of rigid note-taking. Traditional tools often push you into linear documents, which don’t always match how people think or work. With OneNote’s freeform canvas, you can write anywhere, sketch diagrams, paste images, and mix formats in the same space. That flexibility makes it easier to capture thoughts naturally, especially during brainstorming sessions or meetings. Another issue it helps with is information overload. Features like notebooks, tagging, and strong search (including recognizing text in images) make it easier to organize content and retrieve it quickly. That reduces mental clutter because you don’t have to rely on memory—you can trust the system to hold onto what matters. It also solves the cross-device access problem. Ideas don’t only show up when you’re sitting at one computer. OneNote syncs across your phone, laptop, and tablet, so you can capture or review notes whenever you need to. The benefit is continuity: you’re not disconnected from your information. Finally, through integration with Microsoft tools like Outlook and Teams, it helps reduce disconnected workflows. Meeting notes, tasks, and related documents can link together, which makes work feel more cohesive and cuts down on duplication. Overall, the practical benefit is better organization, faster recall, and a smoother workflow—less friction between having an idea and actually acting on it. ### 6. OneNote Feels Like a True Digital Workspace SaaS Application **Rating:** 4.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Rohit W. | Threat Hunter 2, Enterprise (> 1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** April 14, 2026 **What do you like best about Microsoft OneNote?** I am using microsoft onenote for last 4 years and it is one of the best note taking and documentation software so far. In it you can click anywhere and start typing. we can include drawings, images and files. It feels more like a digital workspace **What do you dislike about Microsoft OneNote?** Sometimes the app loads with time and mobile application is not that richwith features. So it takes time to sync across devices. it is very heavy version of notepad **What problems is Microsoft OneNote solving and how is that benefiting you?** we needed a all in one note taking and documentation tool which is integrated in microsoft ecosystem. Onenote is in built with Microsoft 365 E3 and E5 license it is very good to have as use daily. ### 7. Versatile Note Taking and Seamless Collaboration for Teams **Rating:** 4.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Nijat I. | Full-stack Developer, Information Technology and Services, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** January 13, 2026 **What do you like best about Microsoft OneNote?** Microsoft OneNote is an effective tool to use in a professional setting due to being flexible in knowledge and note management. This application enables management of information through notebooks, sections, and pages, which is quite useful in managing meeting information, project and document ideas, and managing research documentation. The strength of using Microsoft OneNote lies in being able to integrate different elements, such as text, to-do lists, images, links, and code snippets, in one page that can be effectively used in a working environment. **What do you dislike about Microsoft OneNote?** The only downside here is that OneNote does not have a strict organizational system, like a documentation tool with a wiki. This means that, without a certain amount of organizational discipline, the notebooks can get messy. The search function is good, but it can still be difficult, even in a large amount of notes distributed among a variety of notebooks. There is very limited functionality for getting the information out into other forms, and the options for formatting are very basic. **What problems is Microsoft OneNote solving and how is that benefiting you?** OneNote addresses the problem of having scattered information found through emails, text files, and personal devices. The program offers a central and facilitated space to record and arrange information through meetings, planning, and projects. This increases individual efficiency and prevents the loss of information. ### 8. Flexible Notes with Easy-to-Organize Pages and Subpages **Rating:** 4.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Ben Y. | Product Manager, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** March 10, 2026 **What do you like best about Microsoft OneNote?** OneNote has a lot of flexibility and allows you to create pages within pages. This is helpful because I can start to create notes on a specific subject but easily break it up into sub-pages within a topic **What do you dislike about Microsoft OneNote?** The flexibility to create new pages and subpages can also cause issues and make finding something hard than it should be. If you are consistent with your page creations this can be avoided. **What problems is Microsoft OneNote solving and how is that benefiting you?** OneNote allows me to easily create and manage notes from different meetings, allows me to tag people, and create lists of things that need to be completed all within a single page. ### 9. Helpful Autosave and Easy Picture Pasting in Notes **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Verified User in Telecommunications | Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** April 24, 2026 **What do you like best about Microsoft OneNote?** The autosave option is helpful, and I like that we can paste pictures into any notes in between. **What do you dislike about Microsoft OneNote?** I don’t think it has any drawbacks, and I’m looking forward to new options or updates in the future. **What problems is Microsoft OneNote solving and how is that benefiting you?** We can pull up the important items easily and save them so we can access them anytime, instead of scrolling through large amounts of data to find a particular resource. This saves time and helps us stay productive at the same time. ### 10. OneNote Makes Cloud Note-Taking Easy from Anywhere **Rating:** 5.0/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** B S. | Salesforce Developer, Enterprise (> 1000 emp.) **Reviewed Date:** June 03, 2026 **What do you like best about Microsoft OneNote?** The first thing about OneNote is that it’s very useful for preparing notes on any topic, and it’s easily accessible in the cloud. From anywhere, as long as I have internet access, I can log in to OneNote and take notes since it’s hosted in the cloud. **What do you dislike about Microsoft OneNote?** So far, everything looks perfect. However, it could be even better if there were notes available, especially for programming languages. **What problems is Microsoft OneNote solving and how is that benefiting you?** It helps me take notes while preparing for a particular topic, and later I can refer back to them from any device since it’s hosted in the cloud. ## Microsoft OneNote Discussions - [What's the better way to save something as a template in software.](https://www.g2.com/discussions/what-s-the-better-way-to-save-something-as-a-template-in-software) - 1 comment, 1 upvote - [Does anyone directly link OneNote to their Outlook account for sending notes to others?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/51711-does-anyone-directly-link-onenote-to-their-outlook-account-for-sending-notes-to-others) - 1 comment, 1 upvote - [Where do you use onenote?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/where-do-you-use-onenote) - 1 comment, 1 upvote - [Is there a way to give users edit permission t specific sections/pages within a OneNote document, or do permissions apply to the entire document only?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/is-there-a-way-to-give-users-edit-permission-t-specific-sections-pages-within-a-onenote-document-or-do-permissions-apply-to-the-entire-document-only) - 2 comments, 1 upvote - [How do you handle pdf export?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/how-do-you-handle-pdf-export) - 1 comment, 1 upvote - [View Microsoft OneNote pricing details and edition comparison](https://www.g2.com/products/microsoft-onenote/reviews/microsoft-onenote-review-13033638?section=pricing&secure%5Bexpires_at%5D=2026-07-11+17%3A04%3A16+-0500&secure%5Bsession_id%5D=f0874d3a-f425-48d6-b807-c8375ed0d43d&secure%5Btoken%5D=620fe1a0ef15216cddbba2042d5a6d18ac2e31926105b6b1f197e68043d96876&format=llm_user) ## Microsoft OneNote Integrations - [Microsoft Excel](https://www.g2.com/products/microsoft-excel/reviews) - [Microsoft OneDrive for Business](https://www.g2.com/products/microsoft-onedrive-for-business/reviews) - [Microsoft Outlook](https://www.g2.com/products/microsoft-outlook/reviews) - [Microsoft SharePoint](https://www.g2.com/products/microsoft-sharepoint/reviews) - [Microsoft Teams](https://www.g2.com/products/microsoft-teams/reviews) - [Microsoft Word](https://www.g2.com/products/microsoft-word/reviews) ## Microsoft OneNote Features **Agentic AI - Note-Taking Software** - Autonomous Task Execution ## Top Microsoft OneNote Alternatives - [Google Workspace](https://www.g2.com/products/google-workspace/reviews) - 4.6/5.0 (45,619 reviews) - [Notion](https://www.g2.com/products/notion/reviews) - 4.6/5.0 (11,091 reviews) - [Evernote](https://www.g2.com/products/evernote/reviews) - 4.3/5.0 (2,009 reviews)