Happy Valley

Anytype vs Microsoft OneNote

Anytype and Microsoft OneNote are both note-taking & docs tools. Anytype is aimed at freelancers and creators, while Microsoft OneNote is aimed at freelancers and small businesses. Both have a free plan.

Anytype

Private, local-first Notion alternative

Microsoft OneNote

Free freeform digital notebook from Microsoft with ink and sync

PricingFreemium · $5Free
Starting price$5/moNot published
Free planYesYes
Free trial——
Built forFreelancers, CreatorsFreelancers, Small businesses, Enterprise
Platformsmacos, windows, linux, ios, androidweb, windows, macos, ios, android
CountryDE · 2019US · 2003
Rating——

Choose Anytype if

Privacy-conscious knowledge workers.

  • Privacy and ownership
  • Offline-first
  • Flexible data model

Look elsewhere if: Teams needing mature collaboration.

Choose Microsoft OneNote if

Students, teachers and Microsoft 365 users who want a free, pen-friendly notebook that syncs across every device.

  • Completely free on every major platform with no note limits
  • Best-in-class pen experience for students and tablet users
  • Freeform canvas suits mixed media better than linear note apps

Look elsewhere if: Knowledge workers who need databases, linked notes or plain-file ownership (Notion, Obsidian or Evernote suit them better).

Anytype vs Microsoft OneNote pricing

Anytype

  • Free$0100 MB remote storage, 10 shared channels
  • Plus$5/mo$4/mo billed yearly; 1 GB storage, unlimited shared channels
  • Pro$10/mo$8/mo billed yearly; 10 GB storage, 7+ symbol ANY ID
  • Ultra$20/mo$16/mo billed yearly; 100 GB storage, 5+ symbol ANY ID

Microsoft OneNote

  • OneNote$0Free with a Microsoft account; notebooks sync via 5 GB OneDrive
  • Microsoft 365 Personal$9.99/mo$99.99/year; 1 TB OneDrive and Copilot in OneNote
  • Microsoft 365 Family$12.99/mo$129.99/year; up to 6 people, 2 TB shared storage

Anytype · Key features

  • Object-based notes
  • Types and relations
  • Sets and collections
  • Local-first E2E encryption
  • P2P sync
  • Sharing spaces

Cons

  • Learning curve
  • Collaboration maturing
  • Smaller ecosystem

Microsoft OneNote · Key features

  • Freeform pages where text, images, ink and files can be placed anywhere
  • Notebook, section and page hierarchy with color-coded tabs
  • Pen and stylus inking with handwriting search and ink-to-text
  • Text extraction from images and printouts inserted into notes
  • Audio recording linked to notes and tags such as To Do and Important
  • OneNote Web Clipper for saving web pages into a notebook

Cons

  • Storage is capped by OneDrive, only 5 GB on free accounts
  • No databases, Markdown or bidirectional links
  • Weak export makes migrating to another app painful

Anytype vs Microsoft OneNote: FAQ

Do Anytype and Microsoft OneNote have a free plan?

Yes, both Anytype and Microsoft OneNote have a free plan; paid plans add more usage and features.

Which is better for small businesses, Anytype or Microsoft OneNote?

Microsoft OneNote lists small businesses as a core audience, while Anytype is aimed more at freelancers and creators.

Not sure yet?