Breef vs OneNote
OneNote is Microsoft’s free digital notebook: pages you can type, draw and handwrite on, on almost any device. Breef is made for studying: your notes link to each other, come back for review at the right time, and quiz you. Here’s how they compare, and when to pick which.
Breef and OneNote, side by side
| Feature | Breef | OneNote |
|---|---|---|
| How you write | In partTyped notes that format as you go, with formulas, images and files | YesType, draw or handwrite anywhere on an open page |
| Spaced review | YesEvery note comes back after 1, 3, 7, 21, 60 and 120 days | NoNot built in |
| Quizzes from your notes | YesThree questions from each due note; 10 new quizzes a month free | In partCopilot study guides with flashcards and quizzes, for school and work accounts on Windows |
| Lecture recording | YesRecords a lecture and writes it up into sections and key points | In partRecords audio beside your notes on Windows; transcription with Microsoft 365 |
| Links between notes | YesLinks both ways, and a map of every note and link | In partLinks to pages and paragraphs, and [[ ]] links once turned on; no backlinks |
| Organising | YesProjects for courses, subjects to colour them, and search across everything | YesNotebooks, sections and pages, with search that reads handwriting |
| Working with others | In partShare a note or a course as a page anyone with the link can read; no editing together | YesShared notebooks edited in real time, and Class Notebooks for schools |
| Apps and offline | In partIn the browser on any computer or phone, and installable as an app | YesWindows, Mac, iPad, iPhone, Android and the web, with notebooks kept for offline use |
| Price | YesFree to start; Pro is €6 a month or €48 a year | YesFree; Copilot comes with Microsoft 365 plans |
What’s said here about other apps comes from their own websites, as of October 2026, and may have changed since.
Which one is for you
Choose OneNote if
- You handwrite or draw as well as type.
- Your class or team shares OneNote notebooks.
- You need apps that work offline on every device.
Choose Breef if
- You want to remember what you write, not just keep it.
- You want spaced reviews and quizzes built in, on every plan.
- You want lectures written up for you, on any device with a browser.
Moving from OneNote
Breef doesn’t read OneNote’s own files. In OneNote for Windows, export a page or a section as a Word document or a PDF (File › Export); on a Mac, an iPad or the web, save pages as PDFs. Drop them into Breef and each is written up as linked notes you can review, counted against the month’s pages: 50 on the free plan, 2,000 with Pro. Handwriting alone has no text to read, so typed pages come across best.
Questions
Can I move my notes from OneNote?
Yes, as Word or PDF files: export pages or sections from OneNote for Windows, or pages as PDFs elsewhere, and drop them into Breef, which writes them up as linked notes.
Does OneNote have spaced repetition?
Not built in. Copilot can make flashcards and quizzes for school and work accounts, but nothing brings them back on a schedule. In Breef, every note comes back after 1, 3, 7, 21, 60 and 120 days.
Can I handwrite in Breef?
No. Breef is for typed notes, with formulas, images and files. If handwriting is how you study, OneNote is the better fit.
Is Breef free, like OneNote?
Breef is free to start: writing, linking, reviews and your map are free, with 2 hours of voice notes and 10 quizzes a month. Pro is €6 a month or €48 a year.
More comparisons
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