10 tools compared
Best OneNote Alternatives in 2026
OneNote (Get the OneNote app for free on your tablet, phone, and computer, so you can capture your ideas and to-do lists in one place wherever you are. Or try OneNote with Office for free) isn't the right fit for everyone. Below are 10 real alternatives, including free options, pulled straight from our OneNote profile — Workflowy starts at $4.99/mo if budget is the main driver.
| # | Tool | Pricing | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Workflowy | $4.99/mo | |
| 2 | Simplenote | Open source | |
| 3 | Evernote | — | |
| 4 | Notezilla | $29.95/mo | |
| 5 | Standard Notes | Open source | |
| 6 | RedNotebook | — | |
| 7 | Joplin | Open source, Free | |
| 8 | Notion | — | |
| 9 | Google Keep | — | — |
| 10 | Obsidian | — |
1. Workflowy
Workflowy is a project management tool built around lists, notes, and todo's, suited for users who want to organize information with features like Kanban boards, bidirectional links, and live copy. It offers flexible structuring using tags, text highlighting, dates and times, and slash commands.
Full Workflowy profile →2. Simplenote
Simplenote is a Project Management tool well-suited for users who need a very straightforward, minimalistic interface and want to get started immediately without cost. Key features include real-time sync across devices, version history to revert to previous note versions, and Markdown support for easy formatting.
Full Simplenote profile →3. Evernote
Evernote is a digital workspace built for collecting inspirational ideas, writing meaningful words, and moving important projects forward in the Project Management category. It stands out with organizational tools like notebooks, tags, and a powerful search feature, alongside the Web Clipper for saving web pages, articles, and screenshots directly to your account.
Full Evernote profile →4. Notezilla
Notezilla is a colorful and powerful sticky notes app built for Windows and phones, designed for users who want to keep sticky notes always on top of other apps, set reminders to sticky notes, and move sticky notes into folders called memoboards. It allows you to stick notes to webpages, documents, programs, apps, folders, or any window, and features checklist sticky notes for to-do-lists, picture insertion, and unlimited paper-like skins and textures.
Full Notezilla profile →5. Standard Notes
Standard Notes is a strong choice for users prioritizing privacy in the Security & Privacy category, featuring End-to-End Encryption where data is encrypted before leaving your device. It offers Cross-Platform Support for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android, alongside an Open Source codebase that allows public security audits.
Full Standard Notes profile →6. RedNotebook
RedNotebook is a project management and journaling software suited for users who want an open-source, offline tool that runs on Windows, Linux, and macOS. It features a user-friendly interface with calendar navigation, customizable daily templates, spell check, and the ability to add pictures and links. Entries can be formatted, tagged, searched, and backed up or exported to plain text, HTML, LaTeX, or PDF.
Full RedNotebook profile →7. Joplin
Joplin is a free, open-source note-taking and to-do application that suits users who want to handle a large number of notes organized into notebooks. It stands out with features like End-to-End Encryption, Markdown-based Rich Text Support, and Resource Management for attaching files and images. Users can modify notes directly from the applications or their own text editor, and keep data in sync using cloud services like Dropbox, OneDrive, and Nextcloud.
Full Joplin profile →8. Notion
Notion is an all-in-one workspace built for teams and individuals looking to combine note-taking, task management, databases, calendars, and collaboration features into a single platform. It stands out for its high level of customizability, allowing users to tailor pages, databases, and templates to fit their specific workflows.
Full Notion profile →9. Google Keep
Google Keep is well-suited for users who need a straightforward task management tool within the Google Ecosystem, offering seamless integration with Google Drive, Google Calendar, and Gmail. It provides practical features such as Cross-Platform Accessibility across Android, iOS, and web browsers, Real-Time Collaboration for shared lists and team projects, Voice Notes for capturing ideas quickly without typing, and Reminders and Labels for organization.
Full Google Keep profile →10. Obsidian
Obsidian is built for users who want a local-first knowledge base operating on a folder of plain text Markdown files. It stands out for privacy and data control since notes are stored directly on your device with full offline access. Key capabilities include bidirectional linking to build a knowledge graph, a visual graph view for discovering insights, and extensive customizability through community plugins and themes.
Full Obsidian profile →