Cloud Outliner vs Zavala

Cloud Outliner is an outlining app for organizing plans, projects, and ideas as interactive notes. Its editor supports drag-and-drop reordering, multi-selection, checkboxes, automatic numbering, item notes, rich-text formatting, and highlighting. A multi-tier document manager adds color stickers, password protection, customizable templates, and document duplication. Search covers outline names and text; entries can be collapsed or expanded, filtered by checked status, and viewed in light or dark themes. The maker says outlines sync through iCloud and Evernote. Export options include PDF, OPML, HTML on macOS, and plain text, with sharing through email, instant messaging, and listed social or Apple services. It runs on iOS and macOS, with iOS read-only mode, indentation gestures, orientation support, and wireless keyboard shortcuts. Downloads are free with in-app purchases; Pro plans add cross-device sync and remove banners or ads.

Zavala is a free, open-source outliner for arranging information in related hierarchical rows. Its outlines support note taking, task lists, brainstorming, project planning, project management, and documentation. The app works offline and can sync through iCloud, which requires iCloud Drive setup; outlines can also be shared through iCloud for real-time collaboration with other Zavala users. It imports and exports OPML, Markdown, and HTML, can print outlines, and lists PDF among its export formats. A share extension downloads a web page and attempts to convert it into an editable outline, with results depending on that page’s structure. Apple Shortcuts actions support creating, finding, editing, exporting, and manipulating outlines and rows. Locked outlines encrypt rows and images on disk and during iCloud sync with AES-GCM and a 256-bit key, but titles, tags, and some metadata are not encrypted. Zavala runs on macOS, iOS, and iPadOS; current listings require version 26 or later.