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Lunacy vs Microsoft OneNote

Lunacy logo

Lunacy

Design

Free design software that keeps your flow

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: Lunacy desktop application only, not cloud-based like Figma, limiting accessibility across different computers; 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: Lunacy covers Vector editing, 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 Lunacy and Microsoft OneNote actually diverge.

Attributes where Lunacy and Microsoft OneNote differ
AttributeLunacyMicrosoft OneNote
Pricing modelUnknownfreemium
PlatformsWindows, macOS, LinuxWeb, IOS, Android, MacOS, Windows
CategoryDesignProductivity
Founded20161975

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 Lunacy

  • Vector editing
  • Auto layouts
  • Components
  • Real-time collaboration
  • Built-in photos & icons
  • AI background remover
  • AI upscaler
  • Sketch file support

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.

Lunacy

  • UI/UX designnot Microsoft OneNote
  • Web designnot Microsoft OneNote
  • Mobile app designnot Microsoft OneNote
  • Icon designnot Microsoft OneNote
  • Marketing graphicsnot 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 Lunacy
  • Lecture or meeting notes where a recording needs to line up with what you were typing at the time.not Lunacy
  • A team already inside Microsoft 365 that needs a shared notebook without buying anything or seeking approval.not Lunacy
  • Collecting mixed material such as screenshots, clippings and sketches on one page, where a document editor would force a linear structure.not Lunacy

Where each one falls short

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

Lunacy

  • Desktop application only, not cloud-based like Figma, limiting accessibility across different computers
  • Animation capabilities are basic, lacking timeline-based animation editing or spring physics available in modern design tools
  • Paid collaboration features, unlike Figma's free cloud-based team collaboration

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

Lunacy

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Lunacy review.

Microsoft OneNote

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Microsoft OneNote review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Lunacy if

  • You need vector editing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux.
  • You also want auto layouts.
Lunacy 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 Lunacy or Microsoft OneNote better?
Neither clearly leads. Lunacy 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, Lunacy or Microsoft OneNote?
Lunacy starts at Free and Microsoft OneNote at Free.
Does Lunacy or Microsoft OneNote run on more platforms?
Lunacy runs on Windows, macOS, Linux. Microsoft OneNote runs on Web, IOS, Android, MacOS, Windows.
Can I use Lunacy for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Lunacy best used for?
Lunacy is most often used for ui/ux design, web design, mobile app design, icon design. Of those, ui/ux design and web design are not what Microsoft OneNote is typically brought in for.
What can Lunacy do that Microsoft OneNote cannot?
Lunacy covers Vector editing, Auto layouts, Components, Real-time collaboration. Microsoft OneNote covers Free-form page canvas, Notebook hierarchy, Indexed handwriting, Audio recording.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Lunacy: Is Lunacy free to use?

Yes. Lunacy is absolutely free for personal and commercial use. There is no subscription required or trial period limitation.

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.

Lunacy: Can Lunacy open and work with Sketch files?

Yes. Lunacy has smooth integration with Sketch files, allowing designers to import and collaborate on Sketch projects without requiring a Sketch subscription.

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.

Lunacy: Does Lunacy require internet connection to work?

No. Lunacy can work offline, allowing designers to work without an internet connection. It is a desktop application that runs locally on Windows, macOS, and Linux.

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.

Lunacy: What are Lunacy's hardware requirements?

Lunacy is not demanding on hardware and runs smoothly even on moderate laptops. It has minimal system requirements compared to resource-intensive design tools.

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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