Bike Outliner vs outl
Bike Outliner
hogbaysoftware.com
outl
outl.appSide by side
| Figure | Bike Outliner | outl |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $1.67/mo | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | Yes |
| Windows | — | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | — | Yes |
| iOS | — | Yes |
| Android | — | Yes |
| API | — | Yes |
| Self-hosted | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 4 | 2 |
| Spec score · Outliner Software | 8.3 (#9) | 8.5 (#8) |
| Spec score · Outlining Software | 8.4 (#8) | 8.5 (#7) |
| 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. | The project is maintained by Thiago Avelino and states that there is no company behind outl. |
| Outlining | It supports headings, ordered lists, task lists, and other row types in outlines. | The product provides block-level outlining, indentation, folding, and Vim-style navigation. |
| Privacy | The maker says it collects information users provide when contacting it, forum content for the forum, newsletter email addresses, and anonymous website usage information. | The project says it collects no note data, operates no backend, and has no account, sign-in, advertising, crash-reporting, or third-party analytics SDK in the apps. |
| Support | Hog Bay Software provides support forums for Bike Outliner, TaskPaper, and WriteRoom. | Users are directed to Discord for questions and GitHub issues for bugs. |
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.
outl
outl is a free, local-first outliner and bullet-point note app that stores plain Markdown files on disk. Its nested blocks, wiki-style links, backlinks, tags, and daily journal support structured note-taking. Stable block IDs and metadata are kept in sidecar files rather than the Markdown notes. Notes can be edited offline, and devices on the same Wi-Fi can sync directly without internet; device syncing uses peer-to-peer end-to-end encryption and does not require an account or cloud. Markdown code blocks can run Python, JavaScript, Lua, and Rust, with Lisp available behind a build flag. An MCP server lets compatible hosts including Claude, Cursor, Zed, and ChatGPT read and write local notes. Native desktop builds are listed for macOS, Linux, and Windows, alongside iOS TestFlight and Android APK beta builds. The product is pre-1.0, and the download page describes builds as public beta. The macOS desktop DMG is currently unsigned. An optional Docker deployment can run an always-on peer with a full replica of notes. Export formats include Markdown, JSON, and Hugo; navigation includes search, a fuzzy switcher, and a command palette.