For everyone who has been following my recent deep dive into the Google vs. Microsoft ecosystem, you know I have been hitting a major roadblock: OneNote.
Despite Google’s impressive productivity suite, I have argued that I simply can’t make the switch because nothing in Google Workspace replicates the free-form, infinite-canvas flexibility of Microsoft’s digital notebook.
While I appreciate the enthusiasm for Google’s latest AI powerhouse, after putting it through its paces, I have realized there is a fundamental misunderstanding of what this tool actually is.
I paired NotebookLM with YouTube and learned faster than I ever did with note-taking apps
This unlikely duo upgraded my learning routine
NotebookLM is a powerful layer on top of your notes
In my workflow, the actual library is a tool like OneNote or Evernote. These are the places where I store messy meeting minutes, handwritten scribbles, and unpolished thoughts.
They provide the structural DNA, like the folders, tags, and infinite canvases that allow a ‘Second Brain’ to exist for years.
NotebookLM, on the other hand, is the expert librarian. It doesn’t want to help you write notes; it wants to help you understand the notes you have already written.
When I feed it my project notes, it becomes a brilliant layer of synthesis. It surfaces connections I missed and answers questions I didn’t know I had. But the moment I try to treat it as a note-taker, everything falls apart.
Overall, NotebookLM isn’t designed to organize your life; it’s designed to help you make sense of what you have already organized.
When I need to find a specific theme across twenty PDFs or generate a summary of a month’s worth of research, NotebookLM is unbeatable.
NotebookLM lacks traditional note-taking features
If you try to treat NotebookLM as a direct successor to OneNote or Evernote, you will hit a productivity wall very quickly. The reason is simple: it’s missing almost every essential feature that defines a true note-taking app.
For starters, there is no real hierarchy. In OneNote, I rely on the Notebook > Section > Page structure to keep my life categorized. In comparison, there are no sub-folders, nested pages, or tagging systems in NotebookLM.
If you have hundreds of notes, you can’t just slap a to-do or urgent tag on something and find it later. You are essentially forced to rely on the AI to find things for you, which is a major gamble when you need to pull up a specific piece of information instantly.
Then there is the actual act of taking a note. The web editor is bare-bones. If you are used to rich formatting, highlighting, or using drawing tools with a stylus on your iPad or Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, you are out of luck.
NotebookLM’s written notes are basically plain-text sticky notes. You can’t sketch a quick diagram or even create a complex table easily.
The biggest dealbreaker for me is the mobile experience.
A huge part of my workflow is quick capture, like snapping a photo of a receipt, recording a quick voice memo while walking, or using a home screen widget to jot down an idea before it disappears.
You have to navigate a web interface, which is far too slow for capturing thoughts in real time.
By forcing yourself into this ecosystem, you aren’t just changing apps; you are adding friction to every single step of your day. You will spend more time managing the tool’s limitations than actually doing your work.
If your productivity depends on speed and organization, treating NotebookLM as a primary note-taker is a guaranteed way to slow down.
These are the instances where the traditional note-taking approach by OneNote, Evernote, and even Google Keep wins by a wide margin.
I started using NotebookLM with Google Keep and it’s been a game-changer
My notes are better with NotebookLM and Google Keep
The ideal hybrid workflow
The real magic happens when you stop trying to make one tool do everything and start playing to its individual strengths. For me, the ideal workflow isn’t about choosing between OneNote and NotebookLM.
Whether I’m on my Mac, S24 Ultra, or Windows desktop, my inbox is always OneNote. This is where I dump raw data: web clippings, meeting transcripts, screenshots of diamond designs, or quick voice memos.
After a project reaches a certain point, I export that specific section as a PDF or a batch of text files. This is the only manual part of the process, but it’s a vital one.
It forces me to decide what information is actually worth teaching to the AI.
I upload these documents and PDFs to NotebookLM, ask it targeted questions, and receive relevant answers in no time.
I can generate mind maps, audio overviews, and even video overviews based on added data.
The NotebookLM trap
NotebookLM is a brilliant research engine, but it’s not and was never meant to be a replacement for a traditional note-taking powerhouse.
NotebookLM isn’t a replacement for OneNote and Evernote because it isn’t trying to be your digital filing cabinet — it’s your digital consultant.
If you are still trying to migrate your entire note-taking into a tool that lacks basic hierarchical organization and robust formatting, you aren’t upgrading your workflow — you are breaking it.
