Productivity · head to head
Microsoft OneNote vs Mimestream
Microsoft OneNote
Productivity
Microsoft's free-form notebook, free with a Microsoft account and synced through OneDrive
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
Mimestream
Productivity
Native Mac email client built specifically for Gmail and Google Workspace accounts, and nothing else
- From
- $4.99/month
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Microsoft OneNote has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: 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.; Mimestream it only works with Gmail and Google Workspace, so it is entirely useless for anyone with an iCloud, Outlook, Yahoo or other IMAP account.
- They diverge on capability: Microsoft OneNote covers Free-form page canvas, Mimestream covers Native Gmail labels.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Microsoft OneNote and Mimestream actually diverge.
| Attribute | Microsoft OneNote | Mimestream |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | $4.99/month |
| Pricing model | freemium | Per user per month |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Platforms | Web, IOS, Android, MacOS, Windows | Mac |
| Founded | 1975 | Unknown |
Identical on both: 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 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
Only in Mimestream
- Native Gmail labels
- Gmail filters
- Fast local search
- Conversation threading
- Multiple account support
- Native macOS integration
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Microsoft OneNote
- Handwritten notes on a pen tablet that you still need to find months later by searching for a word you wrote.not Mimestream
- Lecture or meeting notes where a recording needs to line up with what you were typing at the time.not Mimestream
- A team already inside Microsoft 365 that needs a shared notebook without buying anything or seeking approval.not Mimestream
- Collecting mixed material such as screenshots, clippings and sketches on one page, where a document editor would force a linear structure.not Mimestream
Mimestream
- A Mac user whose email is entirely Gmail or Google Workspace and wants a faster native alternative to the Gmail web appnot Microsoft OneNote
- Someone who finds Apple Mail handling of Gmail labels and search unreliable or confusingnot Microsoft OneNote
- A Google Workspace user managing multiple accounts who wants them combined in one native menu bar appnot Microsoft OneNote
- A user who wants Gmail-specific filters and search operators without opening a browser tabnot Microsoft OneNote
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
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.
Mimestream
- It only works with Gmail and Google Workspace, so it is entirely useless for anyone with an iCloud, Outlook, Yahoo or other IMAP account.
- It is a subscription with no permanent free tier or lifetime purchase option, so the cost is ongoing for as long as it is used.
- It is Mac only, so it does nothing for a Windows machine or for mobile email, which still relies on the standard Gmail app or another client.
- Because it depends entirely on Gmail API access, any change Google makes to that API could affect Mimestream functionality outside the developer control.
- A user who wants one email client for multiple different providers has to run Mimestream alongside a second app for non-Gmail accounts, rather than consolidating everything in one place.
Pricing, plan by plan
Microsoft OneNote
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the Microsoft OneNote review.
Mimestream
$4.99/month- Mimestream$4.99/month
- 49.99 USD per year if billed annually
- Free trial before purchase
- Covers multiple Gmail or Google Workspace accounts
Which should you pick?
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.
Choose Mimestream if
- You need native gmail labels.
- You work on Mac.
- You also want gmail filters.
Questions people ask
- Is Microsoft OneNote or Mimestream better?
- Neither clearly leads. Microsoft OneNote starts at Free and Mimestream at $4.99/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Microsoft OneNote or Mimestream?
- Microsoft OneNote has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Microsoft OneNote and $4.99/month for Mimestream.
- Does Microsoft OneNote or Mimestream run on more platforms?
- Microsoft OneNote runs on Web, IOS, Android, MacOS, Windows. Mimestream runs on Mac.
- Can I use Microsoft OneNote for free?
- Yes. Microsoft OneNote has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Mimestream starts at $4.99/month.
- What is Microsoft OneNote best used for?
- Microsoft OneNote is most often used for handwritten notes on a pen tablet that you still need to find months later by searching for a word you wrote., lecture or meeting notes where a recording needs to line up with what you were typing at the time., a team already inside microsoft 365 that needs a shared notebook without buying anything or seeking approval., collecting mixed material such as screenshots, clippings and sketches on one page, where a document editor would force a linear structure.. Of those, handwritten notes on a pen tablet that you still need to find months later by searching for a word you wrote. and lecture or meeting notes where a recording needs to line up with what you were typing at the time. are not what Mimestream is typically brought in for.
- What can Microsoft OneNote do that Mimestream cannot?
- Microsoft OneNote covers Free-form page canvas, Notebook hierarchy, Indexed handwriting, Audio recording. Mimestream covers Native Gmail labels, Gmail filters, Fast local search, Conversation threading.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
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.
Mimestream: Does Mimestream work with Outlook or iCloud Mail?
No. It connects only to Gmail and Google Workspace accounts and cannot be used with any other provider.
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.
Mimestream: Is Mimestream free?
No. It is a subscription at 4.99 US dollars a month or 49.99 dollars a year, with a free trial but no permanent free tier.
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.
Mimestream: Is it available on iPhone or iPad?
No. Mimestream is a Mac-only native app with no iOS version.
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.
Related pages
More on Microsoft OneNote
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