Microsoft Loop Vs OneNote: A Comparison |

It’s true! Effective note-taking shapes how teams collaborate and communicate.

As a candidate for a role, have you ever asked a company about its meeting culture? It speaks volumes about their collaboration and task management. 

Green flags include:

• “We ditch unnecessary meetings.”
• “We follow a clear meeting framework.”
• “Each meeting has goals, not just a calendar slot.”

Here’s where visual note-taking apps like Microsoft Loop and OneNote excel. They help streamline your thoughts, organize tasks, and enable team collaboration.

But which one fits your working style best? In this blog, we’ll break down Microsoft Loop vs. OneNote to help you decide. If you need more than just notes, combines tasks, docs, and collaboration—all in one place.

What is Microsoft Loop?

Microsoft Loop is a collaborative productivity tool within Microsoft 365. It lets teams create and share content in real-time using interactive Loop components, seamlessly integrating across apps like Teams, Outlook, and Word.

Introduced on November 15, 2023, Microsoft Loop brings powerful real-time co-authoring through its Fluid Framework, allowing multiple users to collaborate on documents and tasks simultaneously.

Microsoft Loop features

Microsoft Loop transforms your team’s co-creation experience by connecting teams, content, and tasks across all your tools and devices. It also lets you organize your ideas, content, and resources as your project develops.

Feature #1: Portable building blocks

Loop components are small, movable pieces of content that stay up-to-date no matter where you put them. Drop a task list in Teams, embed it in an email, or add it to a Word doc—any changes sync instantly across all locations.

Here’s a list of components that you can create:

• Tables for organizing data
• Task boards for tracking progress
• Notes for quick updates
• Checklists for step-by-step processes

What’s neat is how these components connect with other Microsoft tools. For example, if you make a task list, it will automatically sync with Planner and To Do.

Feature #2: Dedicated project hub

The Loop Workspaces is a standalone app you can access through the Microsoft Loop web app. Use it to:

• Set up custom layouts using drag-and-drop tools
• Create dedicated areas for different project phases
• Keep all project materials in one virtual, organized spot

Feature #3: Flexible canvases

Pages in Loop provide a flexible environment, functioning like digital whiteboards that adapt to your needs. Add people, tasks, links, and data—all editable in real time.

With Loop Pages, teams can:

• Start with a basic outline
• Add components as needed
• Share pages across Microsoft 365 apps
• Edit content together, seeing changes instantly

Feature #4: Microsoft 365 integration

Loop plays nice with the entire Microsoft ecosystem. Whether it’s Microsoft Teams, documents, spreadsheets, or presentations, you can effortlessly work together within the Loop workspace, eliminating the barriers between different productivity tools:

• Teams: Share components right in your chats
• Outlook: Add Loop content to emails
• Word (web version): Include Loop elements in documents
• Whiteboard: Use Loop during brainstorming sessions

Feature #5: Real-time updates

Stay on the same page—literally. When someone edits a new Loop component:

• Changes appear instantly for all users
• Updates sync across all places where the component is shared
• Team members always see the latest version

Microsoft Loop pricing

What is OneNote?

Microsoft OneNote is a professional note-taking app that lets you capture, organize, and share information across devices. It offers a flexible, unified workspace for jotting ideas, managing tasks, and collaborating.

Microsoft OneNote features

With features like multimedia support, rich text formatting, and seamless integration with other Microsoft apps, OneNote is ideal for both personal and professional use.

Feature #1: Free-form canvas

Unlike standard word processors, which force you into rigid formats, Microsoft OneNote gives you a blank canvas to work on. You can click any spot on the page to type, sketch, or add multimedia—the space adapts to how you naturally organize information.

Feature #2: Smart organization

OneNote mimics the structure of a traditional binder, organizing your notes into notebooks, sections, and pages. You can create multiple notebooks—whether it’s for work projects or personal planning. 📑

Within each notebook, you can add sections like ‘Meeting Notes,’ ‘Project Ideas,’ ‘Camping Trip,’ etc., and fill them with individual pages, making it easy to stay organized and efficient.

Feature #3: Rich multimedia support

Who says your notes have to be just text? With OneNote, you can bring them to life! Add images, tables, spreadsheet data, hand-drawn sketches, record audio, or embed videos into your pages. 

Whether capturing a lecture, saving a tutorial video, or using visuals to map your ideas, OneNote makes it easy to keep everything in one creative, interactive space.

Feature #4: Search that works

Have you ever spent ages hunting for a specific note, only to come up empty-handed? Well, OneNote’s powerful search feature lets you find what you need in seconds. It can find words: 

• Within your handwritten notes
• Inside an image (using OCR technology)
• In some forgotten audio recordings (using phonetic search)

From quick reminders to buried meeting notes, OneNote ensures you can locate everything effortlessly, so you spend less time searching and more time getting things done.

Microsoft OneNote pricing

• Free
• Unlimited: $6.99/month per user
• Business: Starts at $6/user/month per user
• Enterprise: Custom pricing

Microsoft Loop vs. OneNote: Features Compared

If you’ve been trying to pick between Microsoft Loop and OneNote, you’re likely weighing their different approaches to team collaboration and note organization. Let’s break down how they stack against each other to help you pick the right one. 💁

Here’s a quick checklist table comparing their key features:

Features	Microsoft Loop	OneNote
Real-time co-authoring	✅	✅
Free-form canvas	✅	✅
Notebook structure	❌	✅
Rich multimedia support	✅	✅
Advanced task management	✅	❌
Seamless integration with Microsoft 365 apps	✅	✅
Collaborative workspaces	✅	❌
Offline access	❌	✅
Search across content	✅	✅
Version history for notes	✅	✅
Tagging and organization	✅	✅
Mobile app support	✅	✅
AI-powered features	✅	❌

Not convinced yet? Here’s a more in-depth understanding of both tools.

Feature #1: Purpose and core functionality

Microsoft Loop focuses on three main sections: Components (reusable bits you can embed anywhere), Pages (flexible canvases for work), and Workspaces (where everything lives). These parts are designed to move and change as your team needs them.

OneNote follows a familiar structure: Notebooks contain ‘Sections,’ which hold ‘Pages.’ It’s more fixed than a physical notebook system, which makes it great for keeping information tidy.

Feature #2: Microsoft 365 integration and collaboration

Loop fits into Word, Excel, Teams, and other Microsoft 365 apps. You can pull in data and content from across these tools to create a central workspace, allowing for real-time collaboration.

OneNote connects, too, but more as a place to store embedded documents than an interactive hub. While you can include content from other Microsoft apps, it stays more static. It can handle multiple editors but is more about sharing reference materials.

Feature #3: Project tracking tools

Loop comes ready to handle project management—you can assign tasks, set due dates, and monitor progress. This feature makes it particularly useful for teams juggling complex projects with many moving parts.

OneNote doesn’t include built-in project management features. While remarkable for information organization, it’s not designed to track tasks and project timelines.

Feature #4: Personalization

Loop offers templates and components you can tailor to your specific needs, whether you’re running creative projects or managing complex processes.

OneNote offers pre-formatted templates, too, but they are mainly used for organizing notes. While you can arrange information how you like, it’s less adaptable for creating different workflows with limited customization.

Microsoft Loop vs. OneNote on Reddit 

We turned to Reddit to explore where users stand on the Microsoft Loop vs. OneNote debate, and many shared insights on the strengths of each tool.

A user comments on the collaboration capabilities of both the tools:

Another one, favors OneNote for search functionality:

Another user believes both serve different use-cases:

Meet —The Best Alternative to Microsoft Loop vs. OneNote

If you think Microsoft Loop and OneNote are impressive, wait to see what can do. 

When it comes to vs. Microsoft Loop and OneNote, steals the spotlight by blending Loop’s collaboration and OneNote’s organization.

, the everything app for work, single-handedly manages projects, jots down notes, tracks deadlines, and creates detailed workflows that adapt to your working style and specific needs.

Whether you’re a student trying to keep track of assignments, a small business owner juggling priorities, or part of a large team coordinating projects, has your back!

Wondering what sets apart? Let’s see:

’s One Up #1: Docs

With Docs, teamwork gets a whole lot easier. Its real-time document editing feature lets you assign action items, tag team members in comments, and even convert text into tasks to delegate responsibilities without a hitch.

Need something more polished? Use intuitive tools like nested pages, tables, and ready-to-use templates to build verified wikis, research roadmaps, or detailed documents. 

Its research and task management software supports advanced formatting, providing color-coded banners and syntax-highlighted code blocks, making ideal for creative and technical projects.

Plus, privacy settings let you control who sees or edits your docs, keeping sensitive info secure and designed to enable collaboration with external teams.🤝

Here’s what’s more to love in Docs:

• Custom page details: Track your Doc’s word count and reading time while creating notes. You can also tailor page details by including or excluding properties like the author name, creation date, sticky table of contents, cover image, and more ✅
• Focus mode: Eliminate distractions and enjoy a more minimalistic writing experience ✅
• Offline mode: Jot down notes anytime, anywhere with offline mode, and seamlessly sync your changes to once you’re back online ✅
• Archive Docs: Sort through your Docs and archive the ones you rarely use; quickly retrieve them with the help of tags ✅
• Doc templates: Pick from ’s extensive library of pre-built templates or create your custom ones from scratch. Kick things off with ’s meeting notes templates! ✅

’s One Up #2: Notepad

Want quick, private note-taking that works hand-in-hand with your project management? Notepad brings a fresh take on digital notes by combining personal jotting with seamless task creation.

From your workspace, you can open the Notepad through the Quick Action menu in the top-right corner. Pin it to your toolbar, and you’re ready to capture ideas on the go.

Let us explain with an example:

Taking notes during a client call

• Open Notepad from the Quick Action menu in the upper-right toolbar
• Name your note (e.g., ‘Client Meeting – Website Redesign’)
• Start typing your notes using the rich text editor
• Add attachments like mockups or screenshots using /attach

Converting notes into tasks

After the call, you can:

• Select important points from your notes
• Click ‘Convert to Task’
• Choose where to place the task in your workspace
• Add due dates and assign team members

Jazz up your notes with the help of a text toolbar and /Slash Commands that help you add:

• Rich text formatting
• File attachments like images and videos
• Checklists for quick to-dos
• Tables to organize information
• Google Sheets or Docs embeds

One Up #3: AI Notetaker

Unlock the true potential of your meetings. ’s AI Notetaker provides 10x more actionable insights from your notes

And let’s be honest, sometimes meetings are a blur. AI Notetaker fixes that:

• Records every decision, so you can tell the people who weren’t there (or were there but daydreaming) exactly what they missed ✅
• Turns those vague ‘we’ll get to that’ statements into actual tasks, and assigns them to relevant folks ✅
• Links all the bits and pieces, so you don’t have to relive the entire meeting whenever you need to find one tiny detail. Basically, It prevents meeting-induced Groundhog Day  ✅

One Up #4: Whiteboards

When comparing Microsoft Loop and OneNote, the conversation often centers around how well each handles collaboration and idea organization.

But what if we tell you that there’s a tool that brings fresh perspectives and possibilities to both these areas? Meet Whiteboards!

Whiteboards revolutionize note-taking by providing a dynamic, interactive canvas where teams can meet in a shared visual space to map ideas, strategies, and workflows.

Whiteboards go beyond basic drawing tools, offering rich formatting options such as changing colors, adding text styling, and converting elements from one type to another as your ideas take shape. It takes a simple click to convert that brainstormed product feature idea into a trackable task or link a timeline to your project schedule. 

One Up #5: Brain

We all need a shortcut to dig up information, whether we’re scrambling for numbers in a board meeting or cozying up with a cup of coffee. This is where Brain helps—like flipping through a well-organized photo album, it makes finding what you need effortless.

Brain is a powerful AI assistant that provides a centralized hub for tasks, documents, and organizational knowledge.

Its smooth task management integration within your Workspace, Google Workspace ecosystem, and project boards adds another layer of organization to your note-taking workflow.

Using Brain for note-taking

Here’s a practical example of using Brain for meeting notes:

Prompt example:

“Create meeting notes for our weekly team sync, including action items and discussion points.”

Steps:

1. Open Brain 
2. Click the ‘Ask AI’ button on the top right corner and enter the prompt

3. A Weekly Team Sync Meeting Notes window “within a “SMART Goals” project’ will appear

4. Start typing your meeting notes and key discussion points to start your meeting document. Choose from custom fields to speed up the process
5. Add action items and convert them to tasks
6. Share the notes with team members

This approach helps you maintain organized meeting records, enhance team communication, and improve task management while ensuring follow-up tasks are completed.

Features like ‘Assignees,’ ‘Dates,’ and ‘Time Estimate’ ensure accountability and efficient scheduling. Tags like ‘meeting’ and ‘notes’ enable easy categorization and retrieval of meeting information.

Bonus features that make the everything app for work

Tasks allow you to:

• Turn important notes into actionable tasks
• Add due dates and assign team members
• Track progress on items discussed in meetings
• Link related documents and resources together

Also, ’s Connected Search gives your team a better grasp of knowledge management, allowing them free access to knowledge and effective information sharing. 

It allows you to:

• Ask questions and get verified, comprehensive answers in real time
• Differentiate between business and personal notes
• Store critical information
• Enable team-wide access to important documents

-date Your Digital Note-Taking

Yet, as seen in this Microsoft Loop vs. OneNote comparison, each tool has limitations. While Loop excels at real-time teamwork and OneNote excels at note organization, neither offers the complete package modern teams need.

That’s where comes in. 

Think about what matters most to your team. It could be sharing ideas quickly during brainstorming sessions, keeping project files tidy, or ensuring everyone stays on track with their tasks. gracefully handles all of this.

Ready to give your team the complete collaboration solution they deserve? Try for free today.

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