EverNote vs OneNote: Features and Pricing Plans


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EverNote and OneNote are two of the best note-taking apps around. However, most users have a difficult time choosing which one to use. Our EverNote vs OneNote comparison is sure to help anyone in this situation. It’s important to know that we will compare only the Windows versions of each app.

We will focus our comparison on certain essential aspects that are at the core of the experience for both casual and frequent users of a note app. First, we will analyze the ease of access of the user interface of both apps. Secondly, although note apps aren’t as rich in features as word processing software they still offer a wide variety of them.  Finally, we will compare the different pricing options of EverNote and OneNote.

EverNote vs OneNote logos

EverNote vs OneNote: User Interface

Both apps are available on all major mobile and desktop platforms. For this reason, we decided to compare only the user interface of the apps on the most popular platform there is, Windows. It’s important to state that the design of a user interface is subjective and subject to change as the companies continuously improve the app.

EverNote

EverNote is easily recognized by its three-column design. It makes it easy for users to change between their notes and notebooks. When you’re multitasking and need to shrink the interface to fit more apps on the screen, the sidebar disappears to allow for more writing space and avoid clutter.

The most used features are on the top sidebar, which allows for easy access. You can easily customize it with whatever menu you want. Flexibility is a defining trait for EverNote, managing to satisfy the preferences of different users. However, it lacks colors for specific bars and menus. This feature could have led to a more intuitive interface.

OneNote

OneNote is slightly unconventional compared to the interface of other Office apps. However, users can rapidly accommodate thanks to its intuitive and productivity orientated design. Although you can only work in one notebook at a time, the colored tab bar allows to quickly switch between them.

The Quick Access Bar on top of the interface is very useful for routine tasks. It can also be customized with your favorite and frequently used features. You can even transform OneNote into a more limited word processor.

EverNote vs OneNote: Features

Both EverNote and OneNote have a wide variety of features that can help users in their tasks. From easily and quickly taking and organizing your notes from a meeting to planning a vacation. We will first examine some of the features that are common in both apps. Afterwards, we will look at what particular aspects make these apps different from each other.

Common Features

  • Web clipper: both apps allow users to copy entire webpages to use them offline as notes for research.
  • Note links: if you’re likely to use either app as a full-on word processor then you should know that you can insert links in whatever notes and notebooks you want.
  • Checklists: if you want to use a note-taking app to organize your activities, then you’re in luck. Both apps allow users to create a wide variety of to-do lists, set reminders, and other scheduling options.
  • Math: both apps include some math functions which lets users easily input and calculate certain equations. However, OneNote has several more advanced math features for the more specialized writer.
  • Search and tags: being able to tag notes and having an in-text search function are the best ways to keep an organized note book and to quickly find the information you need. Both apps have these functions, but EverNote has a more powerful search engine with a variety of features.
  • Import and export: if you use multiple note-taking apps and word processors then you know the importance of a wide variety of formats available to import and export. Regarding imports, both apps are somewhat limited in their capacity. They feature an importer tool that can transfer your notes from the OneNote to EverNote and vice versa. In terms of exporting, EverNote only allows the user to convert their notes into HTML or ENEX files. OneNote is more flexible as it offers a wider variety of formats such as HTML, PDF, XPS, MHT.

Special features

EverNote

  • Email address: EverNote comes with its own email account to which you can send every noteworthy thing you stumble upon on the internet. This is most useful when you’re on a device without EverNote installed. The emailed materials are automatically indexed by your selected criteria.
  • Audio notes: when inspiration strikes sometimes it’s just easier to record an audio message than writing it down. The recording is automatically sent to your EverNote account, where you can listen to it without downloading it.
  • Simultaneous search: EverNote is integrated with Google. Every time you search the internet for something, your EverNote account will also be searched.

OneNote

  • Docked editing: a feature which allows an efficient way of multitasking when you need to take notes while also browsing a page or watching a video.
  • Templates: you can create and edit a specific page layout tailored to your needs. OneNote can support a lot of different templates which can save you a lot of time when you are using your app for all sorts of activities.
  • Free-flowing paragraphs: beyond having just a regular line-by-line paragraph style, OneNote users can move around their lines of text and position them wherever they want on the page.

EverNote vs OneNote: Pricing Plans

For users on the lookout for a new note-taking app, price plays an important role in their decision. Even more so, when the market is flooded with a wide variety of similar apps. A free version of an app or with price plans lower than the rest of the competition could lead to a higher user base. In our EverNote vs OneNote comparison, the price is one of the most distinguishing features between the two apps.

EverNote

Although EverNote offers a free basic plan, most of the features that make it a truly great app are locked behind the pay walls of the Plus($34.99/year) and Premium Plans ($69.99/year). EverNote recently was criticized for the price hike they introduced in June 2016. The current price is only available in the United States. Regional prices may vary.

EverNote Pricing webpage
Source

OneNote

Microsoft has decided to go in an opposite direction compared to EverNote. In 2015, the company decided to lift all the restrictions on the features available for the basic version of OneNote. This means that the app is free to download and use with all of its features, with some limitations for Mac users. All your OneNote data is stored on OneDrive.

Conclusion

This concludes our EverNote vs OneNote comparison. Throughout the article, we compared the interface and ease of access of both apps, the note-taking common and special features both apps offer as well as their price plans. In conclusion, if neither of the apps special features particularly appeals to you, then we recommend using OneNote. It is a rich and powerful app for taking notes and organizing your schedule, offering its entire variety of features for free, unlike EverNote.

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