Productivity · head to head
Microsoft OneNote vs Zeplin
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.; Zeplin the free plan is limited to 1 project and 100 screens and works only in a personal workspace
- They diverge on capability: Microsoft OneNote covers Free-form page canvas, Zeplin covers Design specs.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Microsoft OneNote and Zeplin actually diverge.
| Attribute | Microsoft OneNote | Zeplin |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | freemium | subscription |
| Platforms | Web, IOS, Android, MacOS, Windows | Web, Desktop, Mobile |
| Category | Productivity | Design |
| Founded | 1975 | 2014 |
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 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 Zeplin
- Design specs
- Asset export
- Code snippets
- Design tokens
- Comments
- Version control
- Handoff workflow
- Accessibility checks
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 Zeplin
- Lecture or meeting notes where a recording needs to line up with what you were typing at the time.not Zeplin
- A team already inside Microsoft 365 that needs a shared notebook without buying anything or seeking approval.not Zeplin
- Collecting mixed material such as screenshots, clippings and sketches on one page, where a document editor would force a linear structure.not Zeplin
Zeplin
- Handing off design specs from Figma or Sketch to developersnot Microsoft OneNote
- Sharing screens, assets and style guides with an engineering teamnot Microsoft OneNote
- Reviewing and commenting on design versionsnot 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.
Zeplin
- The free plan is limited to 1 project and 100 screens and works only in a personal workspace
- Free plan AI reviews are capped at 3 per week
- Role based permissions require the Advanced plan or higher
- Single sign on, multi factor authentication, activity logs and invoiced billing are Enterprise only
- Priority 24 hour support is Enterprise only
- Basic plan caps screens at 1,000 per project and is priced per project rather than per seat
- Enterprise pricing is by quote with no published rate
Pricing, plan by plan
Microsoft OneNote
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the Microsoft OneNote review.
Zeplin
Free- FreeFree
- 1 project
- 1 workspace
- Basic specs
- Starter$19/month
- Unlimited projects
- Multiple workspaces
- Advanced specs
- Professional$49/month
- Everything in Starter
- Team collaboration
- Admin controls
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 Zeplin if
- You need design specs.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Desktop, Mobile.
- You also want asset export.
Questions people ask
- Is Microsoft OneNote or Zeplin better?
- Neither clearly leads. Microsoft OneNote starts at Free and Zeplin at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Microsoft OneNote or Zeplin?
- Microsoft OneNote starts at Free and Zeplin at Free.
- Does Microsoft OneNote or Zeplin run on more platforms?
- Microsoft OneNote runs on Web, IOS, Android, MacOS, Windows. Zeplin runs on Web, Desktop, Mobile.
- 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 Zeplin is typically brought in for.
- What can Microsoft OneNote do that Zeplin cannot?
- Microsoft OneNote covers Free-form page canvas, Notebook hierarchy, Indexed handwriting, Audio recording. Zeplin covers Design specs, Asset export, Code snippets, Design tokens.
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.
Zeplin: How much does Zeplin Advanced cost?
Advanced costs $12 per seat per month when paid annually, with annual subscriptions offering 2 months off versus monthly rates.
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.
Zeplin: What's the difference between Free and Basic plans?
Free covers 1 project with 100 screens and 30-day version history. Basic offers 1-12 projects with practically unlimited screens per project and 1-year version history.
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.
Zeplin: Can I add unlimited team members?
Yes, Free and Basic plans allow unlimited team members. Advanced/Enterprise assign roles with Reviewers being free and unlimited.
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.
Zeplin: What can Reviewers do?
Reviewers can view designs and documentation and approve requests, but lack access to developer specs.
SourceRelated pages
More on Microsoft OneNote
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- Zeplin vs ProtoPie
- Zeplin vs InVision
- Zeplin vs Corel Painter
- Zeplin vs PaintTool SAI
- Zeplin vs Axure RP
- Zeplin vs Cadence Allegro
- Zeplin vs Krea
- Zeplin vs Adobe XD