Microsoft OneNote
What Microsoft OneNote is
Microsoft OneNote is a digital note-taking app for capturing ideas, organizing projects, and keeping information together across devices. It is available on the web, Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android, with note sharing and real-time collaboration. Users can sketch, annotate, and highlight with digital ink and a pen, while voice transcription helps capture notes for later review. Copilot can draft plans, generate ideas, create lists, and organize information. Teachers can arrange lesson plans in searchable notebooks and create libraries to share. OneNote has a free plan. Microsoft 365 Personal costs $9.99 a month, billed monthly, for one person with 1 TB of cloud storage; Family costs $12.99 a month, billed monthly, for one to six people with up to 6 TB. Microsoft 365 Personal supports use on up to five devices simultaneously. Subscriptions renew automatically unless canceled in the Microsoft account. Internet is needed for installation, activation, account management, and OneDrive documents. After 31 days without internet, apps enter reduced functionality mode and cannot edit or create documents. Features may vary by device, language, platform, and operating system.
Who it suits
OneNote suits people who want to collect and organize notes across devices, share notes, or collaborate in real time. Teachers can use searchable notebooks for lesson plans and shareable libraries.
What it does well
- Available on five listed platforms.
- Supports note sharing and real-time collaboration.
- Digital ink and voice transcription aid note capture.
- Free plan available.
What to know first
- Internet is required for installation and activation.
- After 31 offline days, editing and creation stop.
- Features may vary by device and platform.
Plans
| Plan | Billed and limits | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Microsoft 365 Personal | billed monthly · 1 person · 1 TB cloud storage | $99.99 |
| Microsoft 365 Family | billed monthly · 1 to 6 people · Up to 6 TB cloud storage | $129.99 |
| Microsoft 365 Premium | billed monthly · Microsoft 365 productivity apps including OneNote · AI features included | $199.99 |
| Office Home 2024 | 1 PC or Mac | $179.99 a month |
| Office Home 2024 | 1 PC or Mac | $179.99, paid once |
As microsoft.com lists them, read 27 Sept 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.
Verdict
OneNote combines note organization with sharing, collaboration, digital ink, and transcription across a broad set of platforms. Its free plan is an option, while Microsoft 365 plans add cloud storage and paid features.
Facts from Microsoft OneNote's own pages
- Cloud storage
- Microsoft 365 Personal includes 1 TB of secure cloud storage. · microsoft.com, 27 Sept 2026
- Copilot features
- Copilot can draft plans, generate ideas, create lists, and organize information. · microsoft.com, 27 Sept 2026
- Device access
- Microsoft 365 Personal supports use on up to five devices simultaneously. · microsoft.com, 27 Sept 2026
- Education use
- Teachers can organize lesson plans in searchable notebooks and create shareable libraries. · microsoft.com, 27 Sept 2026
- Family storage
- Microsoft 365 Family provides up to 6 TB of secure cloud storage, 1 TB per person. · microsoft.com, 27 Sept 2026
- Free plan
- Yes · microsoft.com, 21 Sept 2026
- Free trial
- Microsoft 365 plans include a one-month free trial for monthly plans. · microsoft.com, 27 Sept 2026
- Digital ink
- Users can sketch, annotate, and highlight with digital ink and a pen. · microsoft.com, 27 Sept 2026
- Integrations
- OneDrive,SharePoint,Microsoft Graph,Zapier,Salesforce,Trello,Basecamp,Wufoo,Twitter,Feedly · microsoft.com, 21 Sept 2026
- Internet requirement
- Internet is required for installation, activation, account management, and OneDrive documents. · microsoft.com, 27 Sept 2026
- Mobile apps
- The OneNote mobile app is available for iOS and Android. · microsoft.com, 27 Sept 2026
- Note sharing
- OneNote supports sharing ideas and creating together with others. · microsoft.com, 27 Sept 2026
- Offline access
- Yes · microsoft.com, 21 Sept 2026
- Offline limitation
- After 31 days without internet, apps enter reduced functionality mode and cannot edit or create documents. · microsoft.com, 27 Sept 2026
- Core purpose
- Captures ideas, organizes projects, and keeps information in one place across devices. · microsoft.com, 27 Sept 2026
- Supported platforms
- web,windows,macos,ios,android · microsoft.com, 21 Sept 2026
- Platform differences
- App availability and features may vary by device, language, platform, and operating system. · microsoft.com, 27 Sept 2026
- Real-time collaboration
- Yes · microsoft.com, 21 Sept 2026
- Paid from
- 9.99 · microsoft.com, 21 Sept 2026
- Storage limit
- 5 · microsoft.com, 21 Sept 2026
- Renewal policy
- Subscriptions automatically renew unless canceled in the Microsoft account. · microsoft.com, 27 Sept 2026
- Supported platforms
- Works on PCs, Macs, iPhone, iPad, and Android phones and tablets. · microsoft.com, 27 Sept 2026
- Support options
- Microsoft offers help topics covering installation, payment management, and troubleshooting. · microsoft.com, 27 Sept 2026
- Voice transcription
- Voice transcription helps capture notes and review content later. · microsoft.com, 27 Sept 2026
Where Microsoft OneNote stands on Freedom251
- Note-taking apps#5 of 216
- AI Note-Taking Apps#12 of 42
- Note And Writing Apps#13 of 32