Software & Apps > Apps 165 165 people found this article helpful Evernote vs. OneNote vs. Google Keep A fast overview of major features in top note-taking apps By Cindy Grigg Cindy Grigg Writer Cindy Grigg is a former freelance contributor to Lifewire and a productivity writer who teaches Microsoft Office software to students and pros. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on April 16, 2024 Apps Best Apps Payment Services Trending Videos Close this video player Taking digital notes can be a great productivity move, so make sure you have the right tool for you. Google Microsoft OneNote, Evernote, and Google Keep are three of the most popular note-taking applications on the market. But you may be wondering how anyone decides which one is right for them, so before investing time and energy in adopting a new note-taking tool, here is an overview. This chart gives you a bird's-eye view of more than 40 features many professionals, students, families or individuals look for in great note-taking apps. OneNote Evernote Keep Developer Microsoft Evernote Google Delivery Web, Mobile, Desktop Web, Mobile, Desktop Web, Mobile Windows Yes Yes Online Only Mac OS X Yes Yes Online Only Android Yes Yes Yes iOS Yes Yes Online Only Windows Phone Yes Yes Online Only Blackberry Online Only Yes Online Only # of Devices Per License Unlimited Unlimited Unlimited OneNote Evernote Keep Packages and Cost in USD Free Free or Premium Available ($5 to 10 USD/user/month) Education or Business version also available (varied) Free Microsoft Office Document Compatibility Can Attach Can Attach Can't Attach Files Open Document Compatibility Can Attach Can Attach Can't Attach Files Portable Document Format (PDF) Can Attach Can Attach Can't Attach Files Autosave and Backup Excellent Excellent Excellent Security, Document Password Protection, Encryption Excellent Excellent Excellent Accessibility Excellent Poor (Your device may have some features) Good (Your device may have more) Update Process Excellent Excellent Excellent Support Good Good Good OneNote Evernote Keep Web Clipper App OneNote Web Clipper Evernote Web Clipper Chrome App or "Share via" News App Several including Feedly and News 360 Several including Feedly and News 360 No Email App Email to OneNote, CloudMagic and Powerbot CloudMagic and Powerbot Gmail Printing / Scanning App Several including OfficeLens and NeatConnect Several including ScannerPro and CamScanner Google Drive Apps available SmartPen App Livescribe and ModNotebooks Livescribe and ModNotebooks LiveScribe to Google Docs (not Keep) Connection to Other Major Web Apps IFTTT and Zapier IFTTT and Zapier IFTTT and Zapier (though with fewer options) Home Screen Display Widget Available Available Available Annotation / Quick Sketch App Skitch Skitch and Penultimate Sketch for Keep OneNote Evernote Keep User Interface & Customization Excellent Excellent Excellent Text & OCR Excellent (with Office Lens) Excellent Good Handwriting Excellent Excellent Poor Images Excellent Excellent Excellent Audio Excellent Excellent Good Task Lists and Alerts / Reminders Excellent Excellent Good Notebooks, Tags, & Categories Excellent Excellent Good (hashtags available but not as many organization tools) References Poor Poor Poor Comments Poor Poor (Markup available though) Poor Spelling & Grammar Check Excellent Excellent Excellent Printing & Exporting Good (requires cloud printing) Good (requires cloud printing) Good (requires cloud printing) Cloud Environment Microsoft OneDrive Evernote Cloud Google Drive Asynchronous Collaborative Editing Excellent - available in free version Good - available in Shared Notes (Premium version) or Related Notes (Business version) Poor (no collaborative editing) Online to Offline Syncing & Editing Excellent Good in Free, Excellent in Premium Only in the Chrome app Social Sharing With Zapier app Depends on device (Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn) With Zapier app Templates Excellent (page templates) Excellent (download from Evernote site) Poor When considering prices, keep in mind that some of the additional features listed as apps in this table (near the center of the first column or list of features) may require purchase of a premium version or membership, or the purchase of a third-party app which then works in conjunction with OneNote, Evernote, or Keep. That said, most of the associated apps mentioned here are free. As you continue to consider your best option, keep in mind that all three of these apps offer a free version. Some users benefit from simply downloading the app and giving it a spin. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies