Compare GoodNotes vs OneNote
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GoodNotes
OneNote
GoodNotesOneNote| GoodNotes | OneNote | |
|---|---|---|
| Links | ||
| Website | Visit | Visit |
| App Store | Install | Install |
| Google Play | Install | Install |
| Main | ||
| Task management | ± | ± |
| Subtasks recurring | — | ± |
| Tags / labels | ± | + |
| Habit tracking | − | − |
| Notes templates | — | + |
| Calendar view | ± | ± |
| Weekly view | ± | — |
| Week at a glance | ± | — |
| Weekly templates | + | — |
| Daily planning | ± | — |
| Monthly planning | ± | — |
| Time blocking | − | − |
| Planner & calendar segregation | + | + |
| Offline mode | + | + |
| Notes | + | + |
| Templates | + | + |
| Platforms | ||
| Windows | + | + |
| Android | − | + |
| Web | − | + |
| Linux | − | − |
| MacOS | + | + |
| iOS | + | + |
| Free version | ± | + |
| Sync across devices | + | + |
| Calendar sync | ||
| Calendar sync | ± | ± |
| Integrated calendar | ± | ± |
| Synchronize with Apple Calendar | ± | − |
| Synchronize with Google Calendar | ± | − |
| Synchronize with Microsoft Calendar | ± | ± |
| Outlook sync | − | + |
| Interface | ||
| Themes / appearance presets | + | ± |
| Special features | ||
| AI assistance / AI features | — | ± |
| Attachments & embedded media | + | + |
| Stickers | — | − |
| Interactive checklists / checklist support | ± | + |
| Handwriting & stylus | ||
| Apple Pencil support | + | + |
| Handwriting / stylus support | + | + |
| Palm rejection | + | + |
| PDF annotation / markup | + | ± |
| Handwriting to text conversion | + | ± |
| Math conversion | — | ± |
| Search in handwriting | + | + |
| Special features | ||
| Audio recording | ± | + |
| Meeting notes workflow | — | + |
| Privacy / encryption | ± | ± |
| Projects / folders | + | + |
| Nested folders / depth | — | + |
| Tags & filters | — | ± |
| Search | + | + |
| Import documents & media | — | + |
| Synchronize & backup | ||
| Cloud sync | — | + |
| Password-protected notes | — | ± |
| iCloud / Google Drive sync | — | − |
| Auto backup | — | + |
| Notes / tasks sharing | — | + |
| Collaboration / sharing (incl. team) | — | + |
| Export to PDF / other | + | + |
| Profile | ||
| Calendars | ± | ± |
GoodNotes
Pros
- Handwriting recognition and layout stay approachable on day one
- Global ink search digs through messy lecture stacks
- Toolbar organization earns praise in education workflows
- PDF markup, audio, and flashcards cover the study stack
- Feature depth matches anything in the App Store class
Cons
- Subscription price changes still spark backlash threads
- Lower-cost or one-time rivals pull budget-minded students
- Sync regressions still appear right after major releases
- Local-first and markdown stacks pull minimalists away
OneNote
Pros
- No separate notebook subscription for core capture on every major platform
- Notebook, section, and page hierarchy scales from lecture stacks to runbooks
- Shared notebooks and co-authoring fit teams already on Microsoft 365
- Ink, highlights, and clips behave consistently where the platform supports pen input
- Deep ties to Outlook, Teams, and OneDrive reduce context switching for Office-first orgs
Cons
- Free storage ceilings push media-heavy users toward paid Microsoft 365 plans
- Feature parity still varies between Windows, Mac, web, and mobile builds
- PDF-first digital planners in GoodNotes-class apps feel more purpose-built than printouts here
- Navigation and sync complexity generate more support threads than minimalist note apps
- The richest AI and desktop experiences assume an active Microsoft 365 subscription