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Productivity · head to head

iA Writer vs Microsoft OneNote

iA Writer logo

iA Writer

Productivity

Distraction-free markdown writer with powerful focus mode

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: iA Writer pricing varies by platform: Windows $29.99 while Mac/iPhone/iPad cost $49.99, creating $20 premium for Apple platforms; 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: iA Writer covers Distraction-free writing, 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 iA Writer and Microsoft OneNote actually diverge.

Attributes where iA Writer and Microsoft OneNote differ
AttributeiA WriterMicrosoft OneNote
Pricing modelone-timefreemium
PlatformsMacOS, IOS, IPadOS, Android, WebWeb, IOS, Android, MacOS, Windows
Founded20081975

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

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 iA Writer

  • Distraction-free writing
  • Markdown editing
  • Syntax highlighting
  • Dark and light themes
  • Cross-platform sync
  • Typewriter mode
  • Focus mode
  • Statistics

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.

iA Writer

  • Distraction-free writing and note-taking applicationnot Microsoft OneNote
  • Markdown document creation and editingnot Microsoft OneNote
  • Cross-platform writing with iPad, iPhone, Mac, and Windows supportnot 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 iA Writer
  • Lecture or meeting notes where a recording needs to line up with what you were typing at the time.not iA Writer
  • A team already inside Microsoft 365 that needs a shared notebook without buying anything or seeking approval.not iA Writer
  • Collecting mixed material such as screenshots, clippings and sketches on one page, where a document editor would force a linear structure.not iA Writer

Where each one falls short

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

iA Writer

  • Pricing varies by platform: Windows $29.99 while Mac/iPhone/iPad cost $49.99, creating $20 premium for Apple platforms
  • One-time purchase model means major version updates may require additional payment beyond initial purchase
  • Update schedule uncertain, making it unclear when new versions become available and whether paid upgrades will be required

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

iA Writer

Free
  • Free TrialFree
    • 7-day free trial
    • Mac and Windows
    • No credit card required
  • Windows$29.99/one-time
    • One-time purchase
    • Own it forever
    • No subscription fees
  • Mac$49.99/one-time
    • One-time purchase
    • Own it forever
    • No subscription fees
  • iPhone & iPad$49.99/one-time
    • One-time purchase via App Store
    • Own it forever
    • No subscription fees

Microsoft OneNote

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Microsoft OneNote review.

Which should you pick?

Choose iA Writer if

  • You need distraction-free writing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on MacOS, IOS, IPadOS, Android, Web.
  • You also want markdown editing.
iA Writer 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 iA Writer or Microsoft OneNote better?
Neither clearly leads. iA Writer 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, iA Writer or Microsoft OneNote?
iA Writer starts at Free and Microsoft OneNote at Free.
Does iA Writer or Microsoft OneNote run on more platforms?
iA Writer runs on MacOS, IOS, IPadOS, Android, Web. Microsoft OneNote runs on Web, IOS, Android, MacOS, Windows.
Can I use iA Writer for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is iA Writer best used for?
iA Writer is most often used for distraction-free writing and note-taking application, markdown document creation and editing, cross-platform writing with ipad, iphone, mac, and windows support. Of those, distraction-free writing and note-taking application and markdown document creation and editing are not what Microsoft OneNote is typically brought in for.
What can iA Writer do that Microsoft OneNote cannot?
iA Writer covers Distraction-free writing, Markdown editing, Syntax highlighting, Dark and light themes. Microsoft OneNote covers Free-form page canvas, Notebook hierarchy, Indexed handwriting, Audio recording.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

iA Writer: How much does iA Writer cost?

iA Writer costs $29.99 one-time for Windows, $49.99 one-time for Mac, and $49.99 one-time for iPhone & iPad. A 7-day free trial is available with no credit card required.

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.

iA Writer: What is iA Writer's licensing model?

iA Writer uses a one-time purchase model where customers pay once per platform and own the software forever with no subscription required, though major updates may require additional payment.

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.

iA Writer: Do minor updates cost extra for iA Writer?

Minor updates are included with the one-time purchase, while major updates may require additional payment. The update schedule is uncertain.

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.

iA Writer: Are there educational discounts for iA Writer?

Educational customers receive a 20% discount on Mac and Windows purchases made directly from iA, equaling approximately $39.99 for Mac and $23.99 for Windows.

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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