Best Outlining Software in 2026
Updated
In short: Workflowy is ranked #1 of 22 as of 4 October 2026, ahead of Dynalist and Logseq. The best-ranked option with a free plan is Dynalist. The lowest first paid tier on this page is Gingko Writer at $0.81/mo.
Outlining software gives you ways to capture ideas and shape them into structures you can develop. Compare import and export formats, Markdown support and templates, and check whether real-time collaboration is available. Desktop and mobile apps may matter if you work across devices; free plans and paid-from pricing help you weigh cost. Workflowy, Dynalist and Logseq are among the options, alongside Tana. Consider which formats fit your work, whether collaboration matters, and where you want to access your outlines, then compare those needs with the listed app and feature details.
22 outlining software ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
22ranked
9free plans on this page
$0.81/molowest paid tier
4 Oct 2026last checked
Input list Outlining Software 22 channels on this page · 66 of 176 spec lines stated by the makers
Ch Tool Free planPaid fromReal-time collaborationMarkdown supportMobile appsDesktop appsExport formatsImport formats Spec sheet Score
01 Workflowy Free planYesPaid fromnot statedReal-time collaborationnot statedMarkdown supportnot statedMobile appsnot statedDesktop appsnot statedExport formatsnot statedImport formatsnot stated 1/8spec lines stated 8.3
02 Dynalist Free planYesPaid from7.99/user/moReal-time collaborationnot statedMarkdown supportYesMobile appsnot statedDesktop appsnot statedExport formatsHTML, plain text, OPMLImport formatsnot stated 4/8spec lines stated 8.1
03 Logseq Free planYesPaid fromnot statedReal-time collaborationYesMarkdown supportnot statedMobile appsnot statedDesktop appsnot statedExport formatsnot statedImport formatsnot stated 2/8spec lines stated 7.9
04 Tana Free planYesPaid from30/user/moReal-time collaborationnot statedMarkdown supportnot statedMobile appsnot statedDesktop appsnot statedExport formatsnot statedImport formatsnot stated 2/8spec lines stated 7.8
05 Checkvist Free planYesPaid from3.9/user/moReal-time collaborationnot statedMarkdown supportYesMobile appsnot statedDesktop appsnot statedExport formatsOPML, plain text, Markdown, rich textImport formatsnot stated 4/8spec lines stated 7.7
06 Legend Free planYesPaid fromnot statedReal-time collaborationnot statedMarkdown supportYesMobile appsnot statedDesktop appsnot statedExport formatsHTML, Plain Text, Markdown, OPML, JSONImport formatsnot stated 3/8spec lines stated 7.7
07 Org mode Free planYesPaid fromnot statedReal-time collaborationnot statedMarkdown supportYesMobile appsnot statedDesktop appsnot statedExport formatsASCII, Beamer, HTML, iCalendar, LaTeX, Markdown, ODT, Org, Texinfo, manImport formatsnot stated 3/8spec lines stated 7.4
08 outl Free planYesPaid fromnot statedReal-time collaborationnot statedMarkdown supportYesMobile appsnot statedDesktop appsnot statedExport formatsMarkdown, JSON, HugoImport formatsnot stated 3/8spec lines stated 7.4
09 Bulletlist Free planYesPaid fromnot statedReal-time collaborationnot statedMarkdown supportYesMobile appsbothDesktop appsmacExport formatsOPML, plain textImport formatsMarkdown, OPML, Workflowy, Notion, Google Docs 6/8spec lines stated 7.3
10 Gingko Writer Free planNoPaid fromnot statedReal-time collaborationnot statedMarkdown supportYesMobile appsnot statedDesktop appsnot statedExport formatsJSONImport formatsnot stated 3/8spec lines stated 7.3
11 Zavala Free planYesPaid fromnot statedReal-time collaborationnot statedMarkdown supportYesMobile appsnot statedDesktop appsnot statedExport formatsPDF, HTML, Markdown, OPMLImport formatsnot stated 3/8spec lines stated 6.9
12 Cloud Outliner Free planYesPaid fromnot statedReal-time collaborationnot statedMarkdown supportnot statedMobile appsnot statedDesktop appsnot statedExport formatsPDF, OPML, HTML, plain textImport formatsnot stated 2/8spec lines stated 6.2
13 CarbonFin Outliner Free planNoPaid fromnot statedReal-time collaborationnot statedMarkdown supportnot statedMobile appsiosDesktop appsmacExport formatsplain text, OPMLImport formatsOPML 5/8spec lines stated 6.0
14 Orgzly Revived Free planYesPaid fromnot statedReal-time collaborationNoMarkdown supportNoMobile appsandroidDesktop appsnot statedExport formatsOrg-mode (.org)Import formatsOrg-mode (.org) 6/8spec lines stated 6.0
15 Outliner by Alfred Fritz Free planYesPaid fromnot statedReal-time collaborationnot statedMarkdown supportnot statedMobile appsandroidDesktop appsnot statedExport formatsCSV, Natara Bonsai, Treepad HJT, Treeline TRLN, OPML, plain text, HTMLImport formatsCSV, Natara Bonsai, Treepad HJT, Treeline TRLN, OPML, plain text 4/8spec lines stated 6.0
16 TaskPaper Free planNoPaid fromnot statedReal-time collaborationnot statedMarkdown supportnot statedMobile appsnot statedDesktop appsnot statedExport formatsnot statedImport formatsnot stated 1/8spec lines stated 5.9
17 TreeLine Free planYesPaid fromnot statedReal-time collaborationnot statedMarkdown supportnot statedMobile appsnot statedDesktop appsnot statedExport formatsHTML, plain text, tab-indented text, CSV, tab-delimited text, TreeLine, XML, ODF, Mozilla HTML bookmarks, XBEL, PDFImport formatsnot stated 2/8spec lines stated 5.9
18 Leo Editor Free plannot statedPaid fromnot statedReal-time collaborationnot statedMarkdown supportYesMobile appsnot statedDesktop appsnot statedExport formatsHTML, MORE, Markdown, Org mode, reStructuredText, Vim outlineImport formatsnot stated 2/8spec lines stated 5.8
19 The Visual Outliner Free plannot statedPaid fromnot statedReal-time collaborationnot statedMarkdown supportYesMobile appsnot statedDesktop appswindowsExport formatsTXT, HTML, MarkdownImport formatsOPML 4/8spec lines stated 5.8
20 Bike Outliner Free planYesPaid fromnot statedReal-time collaborationnot statedMarkdown supportYesMobile appsnot statedDesktop appsnot statedExport formats.bike, .opml, .txtImport formatsnot stated 3/8spec lines stated 5.6
21 OmniOutliner Free planNoPaid fromnot statedReal-time collaborationnot statedMarkdown supportnot statedMobile appsnot statedDesktop appsnot statedExport formatsCSV, HTML, Dynamic HTML, OPML, plain text, RTF, DOCX, PPTX, XLSXImport formatsnot stated 2/8spec lines stated 5.6
22 Oxinot Free plannot statedPaid fromnot statedReal-time collaborationnot statedMarkdown supportYesMobile appsnot statedDesktop appsnot statedExport formatsnot statedImport formatsnot stated 1/8spec lines stated 5.6
Compare all 22 in a table
| # | Tool | Score | Free plan | From | Free plan | Paid from | Real-time collaboration | Markdown support |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Workflowy | 8.3 | Free plan | $6.99/mo | Yes | — | — | — |
| 2 | Dynalist | 8.1 | Free plan | $9.99/mo | Yes | 7.99 /user/mo | — | Yes |
| 3 | Logseq | 7.9 | Free plan | $5/mo | Yes | — | Yes | — |
| 4 | Tana | 7.8 | Free plan | $2,030/mo | Yes | 30 /user/mo | — | — |
| 5 | Checkvist | 7.7 | Free plan | $3.90/mo | Yes | 3.9 /user/mo | — | Yes |
| 6 | Legend | 7.7 | Free plan | $5/mo | Yes | — | — | Yes |
| 7 | Org mode | 7.4 | No | — | Yes | — | — | Yes |
| 8 | outl | 7.4 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | — | Yes |
| 9 | Bulletlist | 7.3 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | — | Yes |
| 10 | Gingko Writer | 7.3 | No | $0.81/mo | No | — | — | Yes |
| 11 | Zavala | 6.9 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | — | Yes |
| 12 | Cloud Outliner | 6.2 | No | — | Yes | — | — | — |
| 13 | CarbonFin Outliner | 6.0 | No | — | No | — | — | — |
| 14 | Orgzly Revived | 6.0 | No | — | Yes | — | No | No |
| 15 | Outliner by Alfred Fritz | 6.0 | No | — | Yes | — | — | — |
| 16 | TaskPaper | 5.9 | No | — | No | — | — | — |
| 17 | TreeLine | 5.9 | No | — | Yes | — | — | — |
| 18 | Leo Editor | 5.8 | No | — | — | — | — | Yes |
| 19 | The Visual Outliner | 5.8 | No | — | — | — | — | Yes |
| 20 | Bike Outliner | 5.6 | No | — | Yes | — | — | Yes |
| 21 | OmniOutliner | 5.6 | No | — | No | — | — | — |
| 22 | Oxinot | 5.6 | No | — | — | — | — | Yes |
Is your tool on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored, and a sponsored row is labelled as paid.
Questions about this list
Which outlining software is ranked first on Specifiction?
Workflowy is ranked #1 of 22 with a score of 8.3. Dynalist is second and Logseq third.
How many of these have a free plan?
9 of the 22 on this page publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.
Which is the cheapest paid option?
On this page, Gingko Writer has the lowest first paid tier we found: $0.81/mo.
How is this list ranked?
Ranked on what each maker publishes, the fullest spec sheet first: how deeply the product is documented, the platforms it runs on, a free tier or trial to test it, and its standing.