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Updated July 2026 · real, multi-region App Store reviews
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Microsoft OneNote

65
Value score / 100 Worth paying? No Skip it

Microsoft OneNote is a highly-rated, free note-taking app that offers extensive organization and cross-platform syncing, but it is plagued by numerous bugs, syncing issues, and feature limitations on mobile devices.

Free + in-app purchases seen up to $12.99 4.7★ lifetime (1,051,146) since 2011

Microsoft OneNote is a popular, free note-taking application with a high lifetime rating, praised for its organizational capabilities and cross-platform accessibility. However, recent reviews highlight significant issues with search functionality, syncing, app stability, and a lack of features on iPad and iPhone versions, making its value proposition questionable despite being free.

Free vs paid

The app is listed as free with in-app purchases, but reviews do not specify what features are locked behind a paywall. Users consistently praise the core functionality of the free app for organizing notes, saving data, and cross-platform use R8R17R26. However, many complaints about missing features on mobile, bugs, and syncing issues suggest that even if there are paid features, the fundamental experience is flawed R1R2R5R6.

Value complaints

    Where it delivers

    • Excellent for organizing notes, ideas, and various data with notebooks, sections, and pages.R8R11R19R26
    • Highly useful for planning, work, and academic purposes, serving as a reliable digital mechanism for jotting down and retrieving important information.R17R20R21R22
    • Offers cross-platform accessibility, allowing users to access notes on laptops, phones, and iPads, and works well with different operating systems.R17R59R66
    • The search facility is generally effective for finding information within extensive note complexes, though some users report issues.R22R44
    Worth paying if

    Based on the reviews, there is no clear indication that paying for OneNote would resolve the widespread functional issues or unlock significantly better features. Users who find the free version's core organizational structure indispensable despite its flaws might consider paying if specific, desired features were clearly paywalled and guaranteed to work.

    Skip / stay free if

    You should skip paying for OneNote if you rely on robust search functionality, consistent syncing across devices, or a bug-free experience, especially on iPad or iPhone R1R2R5R6. Users needing advanced features like rulers, full desktop functionality on mobile, or reliable copy-paste without formatting issues should also avoid paying R5R13.

    Evidence note: While the lifetime rating is very high, a significant portion of recent reviews are negative, detailing numerous bugs and functional issues. The absence of specific complaints about in-app purchase value suggests that core issues are with the free functionality rather than paid features.

    Frequently asked

    Is Microsoft OneNote free to use?
    Yes, Microsoft OneNote is free to download and use, though it does offer in-app purchases ranging from $1.99 to $12.99, which are not clearly defined in reviews R1R40.
    Does OneNote have issues with search functionality?
    Yes, many users report that the search functionality is broken or weak, especially for large note complexes, failing to find basic typed text or exact locations of words R1R6R18R64.
    Are there problems with OneNote syncing across devices?
    Yes, numerous users experience significant syncing issues, including notes not updating, taking forever to sync, or not transferring to new devices R16R33R45R48.
    Does OneNote work well on iPad and iPhone?
    OneNote on iPad and iPhone is frequently reported to be glitchy, slow, and lacking many features available on desktop versions, such as a ruler, full integration, or consistent stylus support R2R5R13R15.

    What reviewers actually said

    Built only from these 120 real reviews (foreign ones translated). Superscripts jump to the quote here. Apple has no per-review links, so [ref] opens that app's reviews on the App Store.

    1. [R8] 5/5 · US Wonderful application for segregating all folders and ids properly: Must have this application "OneNote" cuz it saves all data at one palce like sticky notes, folders and Ids at one place with bequtiful colours available to choose to.
    2. [R11] 5/5 · US Very friendly platform: I love all the tools that I can use and the way I can draw all my map on concept for my classes
    3. [R19] 5/5 · US Exceptional: I have been using Onenote for years. Its my go to app for everything i want to save. Highly recommended
    4. [R26] 5/5 · US Makers love OneNote: I love OneNote and have been using it for years. I like that I can collect multiple thoughts or subjects on one page and include attachments, photos, even video for that particular subject all collected in one book. I am a maker- all things textile (fabric). From sewing garments, Quilting, bag making, costume making, and sew on (pun intended). I can have sub folders within my
    5. [R17] 5/5 · US Finally, an application that does what it promises: I stumbled on this app finishing my bachelor’s degree. I am working on my master’s now & am still using this app. It works across platforms & operating systems. OneNote has come in handy as a dependable digital mechanism when I need to jot down something super important. I can then retrieve it easily due to its accessibility.
    6. [R20] 5/5 · US Great tool for planning: OneNote is great application for planning events. Easily navigate through tabs. Easily shareable and work in a group.
    7. [R21] 5/5 · US So convenient: Easy to store a few scripts to have at the ready to answer my emails. Great for taking notes in a meeting. I just wish these would show up under the Notes tab in the Outlook browser.
    8. [R22] 5/5 · US My brain: OneNote serves as a backup to my memory…except for one thing. I can enter info into OneNote and forget about it because I can always search and find what I think I remember is there! Thanks!
    9. [R59] 5/5 · US Invaluable: I use OneNote to keep anything I’m going to need to access. Camping reservation. Vet reports for my dogs so prove vaccinations. Gardening ideas. It is available everywhere - laptop, phone, or iPad.
    10. [R66] 5/5 · US SO much better than before!: Finally an app that works GREAT in Windows and iOS!
    11. [R44] 5/5 · US Amazing Tool: Awesome Tool for Notetaking Was introduced to Microsoft One Note some years ago. Have used it extensively for my writing and also documenting my PhD research ideas. It is simple to use and has many features. One of the features that I like is the Search Facility. It is also well organized into sections and pages. It works well with Google Indic keyboard and am able to type easil
    12. [R1] 1/5 · US Search is broken: I’ve used OneNote for years. I love it. My note complex has become humongous. Dozens of notebooks. Hundreds of sections. Thousands of pages. Search just keeps disappointing. Unable to search for basic typed text. Search is mission critical. It is not acceptable to suck this bad. Fix it or I’m migrating.
    13. [R40] 3/5 · US Getting slightly better: I started using OneNote about 3-4 years ago after Evernote turned me off for good. OneNote became a fine replacement until I realized I wanted more. I would really love to see unfinished tasks carry over from one note to the next. And the ability to prioritize tasks would be chefs kiss. The integration of ai into OneNote gives me hope that Microsoft hasn’t _completely_ ab
    14. [R6] 3/5 · US Is helpful, but with opportunities: I like being able to organize my notes and the easy access. I also love the feature that lets me select the meeting the notes are about. Major opportunities are dragging info down, not working, and making a mess. The text box overlaps, spelling doesn’t work well, and when searching for keywords, it shows you the notebook name but not the tab name. Still love it
    15. [R18] 4/5 · US Good but: search is weak
    16. [R64] 3/5 · US This is my memory in the cloud: Updated: 2026-06-10 - The search is still bugged: doesn’t show that it is still searching for the search term - it just looks like it stopped looking. Not improved since my last update. Updated: 2021-11-19 - Still mostly great! But the search feature on this app still only brings you to the page versus the exact location of the word. Updated: 2018-06-16 - the m
    17. [R16] 1/5 · US Sync issues: It takes forever to update sometimes
    18. [R33] 4/5 · US Over all good: Enjoy the features that it’s easy to use… but the only draw back is that I am unable sync a new workbook from the phone to the desktop
    19. [R45] 2/5 · US Awful launch, sign-in, authentication experience: I have to sign-in EVERY TIME I send an email to OneNote, from Outlook, which is the same account. And all. Too often, it fails after making me enter my credentials and wait for it to respond. Idiotic. Insultingly so. And now I’ve just been informed that my notes on iPhone haven’t been syncing to the cloud for perhaps as long as the last 3 weeks?!?
    20. [R48] 1/5 · US No sync: It doesn’t sync with the onenote on my desktop
    21. [R2] 2/5 · US Great phone app, but...: A reason update by y'all has made "show page preview" not work even when the button is toggled on. Please fix this quick reference tool of rhw great phone app.
    22. [R5] 3/5 · US No ruler: For some reason there is no ruler on the iPad version, would be 5 stars with a ruler
    23. [R13] 3/5 · US More features: I am disappointed to find so many features missing. Is there any chance the iPad version will be updated to include more of the features provided on the Mac version?
    24. [R15] 1/5 · US Overheating: I was using OneNote on a 2020 iPad and within minutes of using the app. I thought the it was because my iPad was old. Just bought a new iPad M4 and Microsoft OneNote is the only app, and it STILL overheats within minutes.

    Synthesized from 120 recent App Store reviews · updated July 2026 · View on the App Store