Digital note-taking is the way of the future. But digital notes have to be taken down in something, and for many people, that means deciding between Evernote and Microsoft OneNote.

Both are certainly great, but which one is better for you? This comparison will help you make a better-informed decision.

1. User Interface

While the user interface is subjective, it is an important thing to consider. We'll highlight the key differences between Evernote and OneNote below.

Evernote

Evernote uses a three-column design that makes it easy and fast to switch between different notes and notebooks when necessary. You can also shrink the window to become a two-column interface if you want. The tool has various other flexibilities, including the opportunity to split horizontally and disable the note panel altogether.

OneNote

OneNote similarly has a simple interface. When you open the app, you'll have a small toolbar on the left—followed by a section where you'll see your note pages. On the right-hand side, you can add text to your note. If you're familiar with Microsoft Word, you'll recognize the bar at the top of the page. Here, you can change fonts, select bold and italic options, and more.

In OneNote, you work within a single notebook at a time. Each notebook has tabs at the top to distinguish between sections, and each section has tabs in the sidebar to distinguish between pages. Want to switch notebooks? Just use the dropdown selector at the top left.

2. Note-Taking Features

Since you're choosing a note-taking app, you'll want to think carefully about the features Evernote and OneNote offer in this respect. Below, you'll discover the key differences.

Paragraphs

OneNote allows you to write in paragraphs without too many issues. Once you're in the document, you can make paragraphs by hitting the enter key while writing in the text box. You can expand the text box or do the opposite; your actions will determine whether your paragraphs are larger or smaller.

OneNote Paragraphs Screenshot

When making paragraphs, Evernote isn't too different from OneNote. You can do so by following the same steps as if you wanted to in OneNote.

Evernote Paragraph Screenshot

Web Clipper

Both applications have something called a Web Clipper that can clip entire web pages from the internet. You can use OneNote's Web Clipper on Edge and Google Chrome. Evernote's Web Clipper is available on Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and Edge—plus other browsers. You can use the tool on Windows and Apple computers.

The main difference is that Evernote's clipper offers more precision and flexibility. Evernote can clip simplified articles and custom-size screenshots, and you can annotate the results. With OneNote, you can save your clippings to one of your notebooks in the app.

Checklists

While you might use a note-taking app for research and keeping your ideas together, they also work very well if you want to create checklists.

Creating checklists in OneNote is simple. You can add bullet points that you can later cross off once you've finished the specified task. Using the To Do option, you can also tick each box once you're finished.

Checklist OneNote Screenshot

When using Evernote, you can similarly create easy-to-follow checklists. If you purchase a paid subscription, you can customize these further by adding reminders and due dates.

Checklist Evernote Screenshot

Encryption

Evernote can encrypt selections of text. All you have to do is set a passphrase, and the text will be hidden behind it. Unfortunately, you can't encrypt entire pages or notebooks.

Encrypt Text in Evernote

When using OneNote, you can encrypt different sections. You'll need to click on the Quick Access toolbar and go to View > Password Protection > Protect Current Section.

Screenshot showing password protection features on OneNote

3. Organizational Features

Once you've written a decent number of notes, you might want to organize things better. OneNote has differing options in this respect.

Tags

One of the most useful ways to stay organized is to tag each note that you make. Every time you edit a note, re-evaluate the tags.

Evernote lets you type out the tag name you want under each note. After you've selected the dedicated icon and written the tag, you can click on it or press the enter button to create it.

Create Tags in Evernote Screenshot

OneNote also lets you create tags, but the process is a little different. You'll need to go to Home and select the window where To Do and the other options are. Expand that and select Create a Tag. Write your tag's name and hit the Create button.

Create Tag OneNote Screenshot

Both Evernote and OneNote have built-in search features. Evernote has a comprehensive search engine, with the ability to look for words inside PDFs and more if you purchase a paid subscription. For the free version, you can simply look for terms within your notes.

Evernote Serarch Functions Screenshot

OneNote lets you search through both pages and tags; you'll find the search bar icon on the left-hand side.

Import & Export

If you want to migrate to one of these two programs, you'll probably want to bring all of your old notes along with you. In the best-case scenario, you'll be able to import them all in one click.

Evernote has a handful of useful export options, including the option to combine all of your notes into a single HTML file or export each note as its own HTML file. But most useful is the ENEX format, which makes it easy to transfer notes to another computer with Evernote.

Evernote Export Options Screenshot

OneNote is also flexible. You can choose whether you want to export the current page, the current section, or the entire current notebook. For each option, exports can be made in PDF, XPS, MHT, or OneNote-specific formats.

As far as imports are concerned, both Evernote and OneNote fall short. OneNote doesn't even have an import function, while Evernote can only import ENEX files and OneNote notebooks.

4. Cross-Platform Availability

If you're a serious note-taker, you will probably want to do so across several devices. And in that respect, both OneNote and Evernote are versatile options.

Evernote is available on iOS and Android devices. As for computers, you can download the app if you use a Windows or Apple operating system. The platform also has a web app that you can log into from your browser.

Download: Evernote for iOS | Mac | Windows | Android (Free, in-app purchases available)

5. Pricing & Plans

Microsoft OneNote is free to download. You can use multiple features for free, but if you want the full suite of services, you'll need to purchase Microsoft 365. Evernote has a free plan for users getting started. You can use this tier to create basic notes and checklists, but you'll miss out on various additional offerings.

Evernote's personal plan costs $7.99 per month with an annual subscription. You can upload up to 10GB of data per month, along with upping your maximum note size to 200MB. Professional, which costs $9.99 per month with an annual subscription, offers the opportunity to connect your personal and professional Google Calendar accounts—plus more.

Teams costs $14.99 per month with an annual subscription. You can collaborate in shared spaces with this plan, along with setting up a single sign-on (SSO) for your team members. In addition to the annual plans, you can pay monthly if you prefer. All prices are per user.

Which Note-Taking App Convinced You?

Regardless of your choice, OneNote and Evernote are superb apps for taking notes and organizing your projects. The pair of them have different offerings, with Evernote perhaps better-geared if you're working as part of a team. Both services will sync across multiple devices, and you can customize your notes in all kinds of ways.