The latter is a flexible canvas that can include any number of text boxes, pictures, tables, and PDF print-outs. OneNote revolves around colorful Notebooks, which are then divided into Sections and individual Pages. If your institution supports the latter, there's a good chance your teachers and classmates are using OneNote too, making it easier to submit assignments and collaborate on group projects. Thankfully, every Microsoft account comes with a 5GB OneDrive plan, and many school email addresses unlock Office 365 Education, which comes with virtually unlimited OneDrive storage. Well, almost: OneNote requires OneDrive to store and sync your work. The service is available on every major platform, including the web and doesn't cost a dime to use.

If you're on a tight budget, Microsoft OneNote is an obvious choice.