Derive vs OneNote
The OneNote alternative that checks every line of your working.
Write the way you already do. Derive finds the step where your working breaks, tells you why, and shows you the next move. On iPad, Mac, Windows and the web.
- Opens your OneNote files
- 7-day trial, cancel in the app
- 30-day refund
The short answer
Choose Derive if you…
- Study maths, physics, engineering or computer science and want every line of working checked
- Want a personal tutor that catches your mistakes in real time, right on the line you wrote
- Study on a Mac as well as Windows, an iPad or the web, and want the checking there too
- Want 3D graphs, runnable code and practice exams inside your notebook
On Android? There is no app yet, but Derive runs in your browser at web.derivenotes.com.
Derive and OneNote, feature by feature.
Checked against OneNote’s published information on 9 October 2026. Sources are listed at the foot of the page.
With a catch, named underneathDerive pricing
7 days free with a card, then billed unless you cancel. Cancel in the app any time. 30-day refund.
Where Derive pulls ahead.
01
It finds the step, not just the answer
- Checks every line against the one above
- Flags the exact step that broke
- Tutor card: why, and what to try next
- Live as you write, on iPad, Mac, Windows and web
02
Graphs and code, right in the notebook
- Lasso an equation, graph it in 2D or 3D
- Drop in a code cell and run it
- Working, graph and code on one page
03
Practice exams from your own notes
- Turns your pages into a practice test
- Marks your handwritten answers
- Built from your course, not a question bank
Where OneNote is better
Worth knowing before you choose.
- Free, on Windows, Mac, iPad, iPhone, Android and the web
- Shared notebooks, plus Class Notebook for teachers
- Transcribes your voice into your notes
- Part of Microsoft 365, next to Word, Outlook and Teams
- Copilot built in on paid plans
Bring every notebook with you.
- 1
Export from OneNote
- On Windows: File, then Export
- A page, section or notebook
- OneNote file keeps the most, PDF works too
- 2
Import into Derive
- Drop the files into Derive
- Handwriting arrives as ink
- Everything becomes searchable
- 3
Keep writing
- Write straight onto imported pages
- New working checked as you write
Exporting makes a copy. Nothing is removed from OneNote, so you can keep both while you decide.
Questions
Switching from OneNote, answered.
Can I bring my OneNote notebooks into Derive?
Yes. Export them from OneNote as OneNote files or PDFs and import them into Derive. Handwriting from OneNote files comes in as ink, and every imported page is searchable and can be written on.
How is Derive different from OneNote Math Assistant?
Math Assistant works on a selection: lasso an equation, select Math, then pick an action such as solve, verify or graph in 2D, and it can show the steps for a method. Microsoft lists it for Windows, the web and iOS, with a Microsoft 365 subscription. Derive steps in live, in any notebook: it checks every line of your working against the one above, flags the step where it breaks, and explains why with a tutor card. It does that on iPad, Mac, Windows and the web.
Can Copilot in OneNote check my maths?
Copilot can read your handwritten notes and answer questions about them when you ask, on a plan that includes Copilot. Derive does not wait to be asked: it checks each line as you write it and points to the exact step that went wrong.
Does Derive work on Windows and Android?
Derive has apps for iPad, Mac and Windows, and runs in the browser at web.derivenotes.com. There is no Android app yet, so on an Android tablet or Chromebook use the browser version: same notebooks, same checking, synced with your other devices.
Can I turn the AI off?
Yes. Recognition and the tutor run only with your consent, and you can switch them off at any time in settings. With them off, your content is not sent to our AI providers.
How do I try it?
Start a 7-day trial. You add a card, but nothing is charged for 7 days, we email you before it ends, and cancelling is self-serve in the app. If you pay and it is not for you, email us within 30 days for a full refund.
Try it on your next problem set.
Bring your OneNote notebooks with you, write the way you already do, and see what Derive catches.
Start your 7-day trial7 days free with a card, then billed unless you cancel. Cancel in the app any time. 30-day refund.
Comparison checked on 9 October 2026 against OneNote’s published information. Products change; if something here is out of date, email matt@derivenotes.com and we will correct it. OneNote, and the other product names on this page, are trademarks of their respective owners. Derive Notes Pty Ltd is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by them; the names are used only to identify the products being compared.
Sources: Microsoft: Solve math equations with Math Assistant in OneNote · Microsoft: Draw graphs with Math Assistant in OneNote · Microsoft: Generate a practice math quiz with Math Assistant · Microsoft: OneNote Copilot now supports inked notes · Microsoft: FAQ about Copilot in OneNote · Microsoft: Create a Copilot Notebook Study Guide · Microsoft Q&A: Python script in OneNote · Microsoft: OneNote product page · OneNote: take notes anywhere for free · Microsoft 365 plans: AU · US · CA · NZ · OneNote on the App Store · OneNote on the Mac App Store · OneNote on Google Play · Microsoft: Math Assistant in Class Notebook · Microsoft: Export notes from OneNote as a PDF