While some still prefer the feeling of pen to paper, many are instead turning to digital note taking for ease of use and efficiency. Whether you take notes on a tablet, phone, or laptop, you'll likely run into Evernote and OneNote: two of the biggest contenders in the note-taking game. Choose carefully, as the right note-taking app can boost your productivity and ensure you get down every last detail.

At a glance, Evernote is renowned for its powerful search and organization tools. OneNote, on the other hand, integrates seamlessly with Microsoft Office, offering a familiar interface. As we dive deeper, we'll see many other differences in features that could be important for you to know.

No matter which tool you end up using, automation can enhance your note-taking by simplifying file sharing, syncing content, triggering reminders, and much more. With platforms like IFTTT, you could send meeting notes straight from your phone’s camera to your chosen app and have them instantly shared with your team. You could also set up automation to archive older notes, back them up to cloud storage, or even leverage AI tools to manipulate your notes for readability.

Keep reading to see our in-depth comparison of Evernote vs OneNote, and everything you need to know about getting started with automation.

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Evernote vs OneNote core philosophy

At their core, Evernote and OneNote approach note-taking from two different mindsets. If we had to label Evernote, we'd use the phrase universal information hub. It’s built to capture, store, and retrieve just about anything, whether it be typed notes, scanned documents, web clippings, or audio recordings. Once you have all this material saved it, Evernote keeps it all highly searchable and neatly organized through notebooks and filters. This makes it easy to find information quickly, even years down the line.

OneNote tries to mirror the physical notebook experience more than its competitor. It’s structured like a binder, with sections and pages you can fill with text, images, drawings, and files. It’s highly visual and flexible, appealing to people who like to sketch, brainstorm, or write ideas out on paper. It’s also integrated into Microsoft Office and OneDrive, so you unlock collaboration and sharing within that ecosystem.

Next, we'll break down key features such as organization, search, and note types.

Organization, search, and notes

Possibly above all other features, organization stands out as the most critical aspect of a good note-taking app. When taking notes on paper, you can divide your work up chronologically, use labels, and break work up into sections. A good digital notes app should make organization feel natural.

Fortunately, both apps do well in the organization category. Evernote provides a structured approach to managing notes through notebooks and tags. This system allows for categorization and easy retrieval of information, especially with its search capabilities. The search function can find keywords within PDFs, images, and documents. This makes it an excellent choice for users dealing with large volumes of information.

In contrast, OneNote uses a different method that mimics the layout of a physical notebook. You get notebooks, sections, and pages. This setup is intuitive for many users and allows for easy navigation between sections. OneNote also excels in its search function, with Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology to extract text from images.

In terms of note types, both Evernote and OneNote provide a variety of templates that streamline the note-taking process. OneNote supports a diverse range of media inputs, including audio and video notes. This feature could be a plus one point for users who rely on various types of content within their notes.

User experience and interface

When it comes to user experience, Evernote and OneNote both offer good interfaces tailored to different preferences. Evernote is celebrated for its clean and easy to pick up design that appeals to pretty much anyone looking for a notes app. This simplicity makes navigation straightforward and reduces the learning curve for new users.

OneNote's interface is more customizable, allowing you to adjust the layout according to your needs. With a focus on flexibility, you can create a personalized workspace that enhances productivity. The resemblance of OneNote to a physical notebook can be comforting for transitioning from paper to digital.

Both Evernote and OneNote have a great user experience, as well as support options if you run into any issues. The choice ultimately depends on whether you prioritize simplicity or customization in your digital notebook.

Collaboration and sharing

In today's interconnected world, you'd hope that a note-taking app has top-notch collaboration features.

Evernote offers helpful sharing options that let you invite others to view or edit notes or entire notebooks. You can control permissions for each collaborator, making it great for securely sharing project materials with a team. Since you can share web links, even those without an account will find it easy to edit a shared document. However, real-time editing is not its strongest suit, and changes may not appear instantly for all users.

OneNote, in contrast, has lightning-fast real-time collaboration thanks to its integration with Microsoft 365. Multiple people can work on the same notebook simultaneously, see changes appear instantly, and leave comments or annotations. This makes it ideal for team meetings, brainstorming, and educational use. Note: anyone who wants to edit a OneNote document will have to sign in with a Microsoft account.

Automated note-taking with IFTTT

The power of digital notebooks extends beyond basic note-taking when integrated with other tools. Both OneNote and Evernote offer some native integrations, but for the most functionality with over 1000 apps and services, users turn to IFTTT for no-code, no-frills integration.

With IFTTT, both Evernote and OneNote reach new heights of automation. In this section, we'll learn everything there is to know about getting started with IFTTT.

Choosing to automate with IFTTT means you'll be able to make custom Applets without any coding knowledge and browse our library of millions of user-created automations. Compare this to complex JavaScript programming normally needed to create custom automations, and it's clear that IFTTT provides the best solution for everyday people looking to work smarter.

Is IFTTT free?

IFTTT offers a free plan that includes access to up to two Applets. However, there are also Pro and Pro+ tiers that unlock additional features such as multiple actions per Applet, faster execution times, and advanced filtering options. If you’re just getting started with automation, our free plan should be enough.

How do I build my own Applet?

Creating your own Applet is easy. Just follow these steps:

• - Visit IFTTT.com/create.
• - Click on “If This” to select a trigger (e.g., a new Zoom meeting starts).
• - Click on “Then That” to choose an action (e.g., send me a reminder to open OneNote).
• - Customize any options or filters, then save your Applet.

That’s it! Your automation will now run.

How does IFTTT use sensitive data?

IFTTT values your privacy and only uses the data required to run your chosen Applets. If any Applet involves a device or service that shares sensitive data (like location or email), IFTTT will ask for your permission. We never sell or share any sensitive data with any third party.

How do I suggest a new service for IFTTT?

IFTTT is always expanding its ecosystem and values feedback. If there's a specific device, app, or service you’d like to see integrated, you can suggest it through our support page. If a lot of users request a feature, we'll likely add it in the near future.

OneNote vs Evernote pricing

Although both Evernote and OneNote offer free options, it's best to look at each pricing plan in more detail to see which tool is best if you need to upgrade. Below is a short overview of the pricing of each app.

Evernote pricing

• - Free – $0: 50 notes, 1 notebook, 250 MB/month uploads, limited features, sync on 1 device.
• - Personal – $14.99/mo: 10 GB uploads, unlimited devices, up to 150k notes & 2k notebooks.
• - Professional – $17.99/mo: AI tools, 20 GB uploads, Adobe Acrobat discount.
• - Enterprise - Custom-priced solutions for larger teams.

OneNote pricing (via Microsoft 365)

• - Free – Full features, 5 GB OneDrive storage, requires a Microsoft account.
• - Microsoft 365 Personal – $9.99/mo: 1 TB OneDrive, Office apps.
• - Microsoft 365 Family – $12.99/mo: Up to 6 users, each with 1 TB storage.
• - Business plans – See Microsoft's pricing site for more details.

For those on a budget, OneNote is more cost-effective, especially if you already use Microsoft 365 (it's included!) Evernote’s free plan is pretty limited, pushing most users to paid tiers. However, if you absolutely do not want to enter Microsoft's ecosystem, we think Evernote's pricing is decent for the features offered.

Which tool should you choose?

When it comes to Evernote vs OneNote, the “better” choice really depends on how you think and work. Evernote excels as a hub for all your files and work with exceptional search and tagging, making it perfect for those handling large amounts of data. OneNote is a more flexible, visually driven workspace that is a no-brainer for those already paying for a Microsoft 365 subscription.

Regardless of your pick, the real power comes when you supercharge your notetaking with automation. With IFTTT, you can connect your notes to over 1000 services, automatically backing up files, sharing and importing notes, and linking smart home devices for ultimate focus.

If this sounds like something you'd like to try out, just click the button below to get started with your first Applet for free!