Bike Outliner vs Dashword
Bike Outliner
hogbaysoftware.com
Dashword
dashword.appSide by side
| Figure | Bike Outliner | Dashword |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $1.67/mo | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Windows | — | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 4 | 1 |
| Spec score · Outliner Software | 8.3 (#9) | 7.8 (#18) |
| Maker | Hog Bay Software is run by Jesse Grosjean, who says he has run it since 2004 and builds mostly Mac software for writing and thinking. | Dashword says the app was created by a small initiative group. |
| Purpose | Bike is a Mac writing and outlining app for thinking, writing, organizing, lists, notes, and documents. | Dashword describes itself as an outliner for structuring thoughts, planning projects, and creating concepts. |
| Support | Hog Bay Software provides support forums for Bike Outliner, TaskPaper, and WriteRoom. | The site directs users to email for help and invites feedback, donations, and investment inquiries. |
Plans
Bike Outliner
- Free modeFree
- Bike License – Monthly$2.99 a month
- Bike License – Yearly$19.99 a year
- One-Time Purchase License (Hog Bay Software)Price not published
In their own words
Bike Outliner
Bike Outliner is a macOS app for thinking, writing, organizing lists, notes, and documents. Its outlines support headings, ordered lists, task lists, and other row types, while a rich text editor handles formatting. Full-screen, typewriter, and focus modes provide distraction-free writing. Navigation includes keyboard movement by focus heading, back and forward controls, breadcrumbs, inline buttons, and a navigation bar. Deep links remain valid when an outline file is moved or renamed. Bike uses an HTML-based .bike format and also supports .opml and .txt files, with Markdown support, printing, Quick Look previews, and Finder thumbnails. Scripts, Shortcuts, and AppleScript can control the app. Free mode never expires and covers reading, writing, and editing outlines; additional row types, rich text formatting, Shortcut Actions, and AppleScript require purchase.