Productivity · head to head
Microsoft OneNote vs Todoist
Microsoft OneNote
Productivity
Microsoft's free-form notebook, free with a Microsoft account and synced through OneDrive
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- 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.; Todoist no built-in time tracking for tasks; requires third-party integration like Toggl
- They diverge on capability: Microsoft OneNote covers Free-form page canvas, Todoist covers Natural language input.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Microsoft OneNote and Todoist actually diverge.
| Attribute | Microsoft OneNote | Todoist |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | freemium | Unknown |
| Founded | 1975 | 2007 |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), platforms (Web, IOS, Android, MacOS, Windows), 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 Todoist
- Natural language input
- Recurring tasks
- Projects and sub-tasks
- Labels and filters
- Priority levels
- Productivity tracking
- Templates
- Notifications
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 Todoist
- Lecture or meeting notes where a recording needs to line up with what you were typing at the time.not Todoist
- A team already inside Microsoft 365 that needs a shared notebook without buying anything or seeking approval.not Todoist
- Collecting mixed material such as screenshots, clippings and sketches on one page, where a document editor would force a linear structure.not Todoist
Todoist
- Personal task managementnot Microsoft OneNote
- Team project coordinationnot Microsoft OneNote
- Goal trackingnot Microsoft OneNote
- Habit buildingnot Microsoft OneNote
- Daily planningnot 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.
Todoist
- No built-in time tracking for tasks; requires third-party integration like Toggl
- Free plan limited to 5 personal projects only
- No Gantt charts, resource allocation, or advanced project management features for large enterprises
- Phone support not available; email and help center only
- Calendar view and advanced filtering only available on paid plans
Pricing, plan by plan
Microsoft OneNote
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the Microsoft OneNote review.
Todoist
Free- BeginnerFree
- 5 personal projects
- Smart Quick Add
- Task reminders
- Pro$5/month
- 300 personal projects
- Calendar layout
- Custom task reminders
- Business$8/month
- Everything in Pro
- Shared team workspace
- Up to 500 team projects
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 Todoist if
- You need natural language input.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows.
- You also want recurring tasks.
Questions people ask
- Is Microsoft OneNote or Todoist better?
- Neither clearly leads. Microsoft OneNote starts at Free and Todoist at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Microsoft OneNote or Todoist?
- Microsoft OneNote starts at Free and Todoist at Free.
- Does Microsoft OneNote or Todoist run on more platforms?
- Microsoft OneNote runs on Web, IOS, Android, MacOS, Windows. Todoist runs on Web, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows.
- Can I use Microsoft OneNote for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- 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 Todoist is typically brought in for.
- What can Microsoft OneNote do that Todoist cannot?
- Microsoft OneNote covers Free-form page canvas, Notebook hierarchy, Indexed handwriting, Audio recording. Todoist covers Natural language input, Recurring tasks, Projects and sub-tasks, Labels and filters.
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.
Todoist: Does Todoist work offline?
Basic editing and task management work offline, but advanced features like syncing reminders and shared updates require internet connectivity.
SourceMicrosoft 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.
Todoist: Does Todoist have a free plan and what does it include?
Yes, Todoist offers a free Beginner plan with 5 personal projects, Smart Quick Add, task reminders, flexible layouts, 3 filter views, and 1 week activity history. More advanced features require the Pro or Business plans.
SourceMicrosoft 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.
Todoist: Can I use Todoist on mobile devices?
Yes, Todoist offers native apps for both iOS and Android with over 30 million downloads. Mobile apps provide full task management functionality across devices.
SourceMicrosoft 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.
Todoist: What integrations does Todoist support?
Todoist integrates with over 100 apps including Slack, Google Calendar, Outlook, Microsoft Teams, Gmail, and Toggl Track. Additional integrations are available through Zapier, Make, and IFTTT automation platforms.
SourceTodoist: How much does Todoist cost?
Free plan is $0. Pro plan costs $5/month (billed annually) or $7/month (monthly billing). Business plan costs $8/month per user (annual) or $10/month per user (monthly), as of December 2025.
SourceRelated pages
More on Microsoft OneNote
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