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Google Tasks vs Microsoft OneNote

Google Tasks logo

Google Tasks

Calendars

Simple task management from Google

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Microsoft OneNote logo

Microsoft OneNote

Productivity

Microsoft's free-form notebook, free with a Microsoft account and synced through OneDrive

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Google Tasks no team collaboration or task assignment features; cannot share task lists; Microsoft OneNote notes live in a proprietary notebook format on OneDrive or SharePoint and the only exports are a OneNote file, a PDF or a Word document, produced section by section, so a large notebook is effectively unmovable to any other tool.
  • They diverge on capability: Google Tasks covers Task creation, Microsoft OneNote covers Free-form page canvas.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Google Tasks and Microsoft OneNote actually diverge.

Attributes where Google Tasks and Microsoft OneNote differ
AttributeGoogle TasksMicrosoft OneNote
Pricing modelUnknownfreemium
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, GmailWeb, IOS, Android, MacOS, Windows
CategoryCalendarsProductivity
Founded19981975

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Google Tasks

  • Task creation
  • Subtasks
  • Due dates
  • Multiple lists
  • Gmail integration
  • Gmail
  • Google Calendar
  • Google Workspace

Only in Microsoft OneNote

  • Free-form page canvas
  • Notebook hierarchy
  • Indexed handwriting
  • Audio recording
  • Web clipper and Outlook capture
  • Shared notebooks
  • Cross-platform clients
  • Tags and cross-notebook search

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Google Tasks

  • Schedulingnot Microsoft OneNote
  • Appointment bookingnot Microsoft OneNote
  • Time trackingnot Microsoft OneNote
  • Resource managementnot Microsoft OneNote
  • Team coordinationnot Microsoft OneNote

Microsoft OneNote

  • Handwritten notes on a pen tablet that you still need to find months later by searching for a word you wrote.not Google Tasks
  • Lecture or meeting notes where a recording needs to line up with what you were typing at the time.not Google Tasks
  • A team already inside Microsoft 365 that needs a shared notebook without buying anything or seeking approval.not Google Tasks
  • Collecting mixed material such as screenshots, clippings and sketches on one page, where a document editor would force a linear structure.not Google Tasks

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Google Tasks

  • No team collaboration or task assignment features; cannot share task lists
  • No priority levels beyond a binary star; cannot rank tasks by priority (P1, P2, P3)
  • No subtasks, task dependencies, or complex hierarchies
  • No file attachments; cannot attach documents, images, or links directly to tasks
  • Lacks work visualization tools like Gantt charts, Kanban boards, or project timelines
  • Limited reminder functionality for task deadlines
  • No third-party service integrations; requires full Google ecosystem dependency

Microsoft OneNote

  • Notes live in a proprietary notebook format on OneDrive or SharePoint and the only exports are a OneNote file, a PDF or a Word document, produced section by section, so a large notebook is effectively unmovable to any other tool.
  • Personal notebooks consume OneDrive quota, which is 5 GB on a free Microsoft account, so a notebook full of scans, images and recordings quietly exhausts the whole account including the space Outlook needs for mail.
  • Sync happens at section level and conflicts are resolved by placing both versions on the page, so simultaneous edits to a large or media-heavy section produce duplicated content that somebody has to merge by hand.
  • Search behaves differently across clients, so what the Windows desktop app finds inside handwriting, images and attachments is not necessarily what the browser or mobile version finds, and the same query gives different answers on different devices.
  • There is no relational structure, no database and no properties, so anything that needs a table of records with fields has to be maintained by hand or moved elsewhere, and OneNote's own tables cannot be queried or filtered.

Pricing, plan by plan

Google Tasks

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Google Tasks review.

Microsoft OneNote

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Microsoft OneNote review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Google Tasks if

  • You need task creation.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, Gmail.
  • You also want subtasks.
Google Tasks review

Choose Microsoft OneNote if

  • You need free-form page canvas.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android, MacOS, Windows.
  • You also want notebook hierarchy.
Microsoft OneNote review

Questions people ask

Is Google Tasks or Microsoft OneNote better?
Neither clearly leads. Google Tasks starts at Free and Microsoft OneNote at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Google Tasks or Microsoft OneNote?
Google Tasks starts at Free and Microsoft OneNote at Free.
Does Google Tasks or Microsoft OneNote run on more platforms?
Google Tasks runs on Web, iOS, Android, Gmail. Microsoft OneNote runs on Web, IOS, Android, MacOS, Windows.
Can I use Google Tasks for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Google Tasks best used for?
Google Tasks is most often used for scheduling, appointment booking, time tracking, resource management. Of those, scheduling and appointment booking are not what Microsoft OneNote is typically brought in for.
What can Google Tasks do that Microsoft OneNote cannot?
Google Tasks covers Task creation, Subtasks, Due dates, Multiple lists. Microsoft OneNote covers Free-form page canvas, Notebook hierarchy, Indexed handwriting, Audio recording.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Google Tasks: Is Google Tasks truly free?

Yes, Google Tasks is completely free with no hidden costs or premium version. You get full access to all features with any free Google account, on both web and mobile.

Source
Microsoft OneNote: Is OneNote really free?

Yes. The application is free with a Microsoft account, with no time limit and no feature gate. What you may end up paying for is the OneDrive storage the notebooks consume.

Google Tasks: Does Google Tasks work offline?

Google Tasks on Android and iOS apps support offline reading and editing with automatic sync when back online. However, the desktop web version at tasks.google.com requires an active internet connection.

Source
Microsoft OneNote: Can I keep notebooks off Microsoft's cloud?

The Windows desktop app can keep local notebooks, but they will not sync to other devices and any shared access requires OneDrive or SharePoint.

Google Tasks: How does Google Tasks integrate with Gmail and Google Calendar?

Google Tasks has native integration with Gmail, allowing you to convert emails into tasks with one click. Tasks with due dates automatically appear in Google Calendar as all-day items, and you can manage tasks from within Calendar without opening a separate tab.

Source
Microsoft OneNote: How do I get my notes out?

Section by section as a OneNote file, a PDF or a Word document. A OneNote package preserves a whole notebook but only for another copy of OneNote. Third-party converters exist and the page layout usually does not survive them.

Google Tasks: Can I assign tasks to other people in Google Tasks?

No, Google Tasks has no team collaboration features. You cannot assign tasks to others, share task lists, or add comments within Google Tasks itself, making it unsuitable for team-based work.

Source
Microsoft OneNote: Which version should I install?

Microsoft consolidated onto a single OneNote application on Windows after retiring the Store version, so install the one distributed with Microsoft 365 rather than looking for an alternative.

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