Legend vs outl

Legend brings notes, documents, tasks, email, files, outlines, and projects into one productivity interface. Users organize work in Boards made up of Panes, which provide separate work areas and context switching. Panes can show Outline, grouped, List, or Calendar views, and filters can use prefixes, item contents, words, or tags. Writing features include Markdown, formatting hotkeys, backlinks, and mirrors that connect notes with tasks. The Agenda view sorts tasks by priority and date. Legend says it syncs in real time across devices and collaborators, works offline, and resolves changes after devices reconnect. Its privacy policy describes client-side encryption before item data syncs to Firebase, with optional password encryption. The Free plan costs nothing and includes 10 Panes, one plugin sync account, and unlimited documents and items. Basic costs $5 a month billed annually; Pro costs $9 a month billed annually. The Browser Pane is not available in the mobile app, though saved links can open in a browser.

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.