Best Outliner Software in 2026
Updated
In short: Checkvist is ranked #1 of 31 as of 2 October 2026, ahead of Dynalist and Workflowy. 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.
When your notes branch into nested ideas, tasks, and references, an outliner’s navigation, Markdown support, and backlink handling can shape how easily you work through them. These entries are compared on app platforms, offline access, export formats, and real-time collaboration, as well as free plans and starting prices. The ranking begins with Checkvist, Dynalist, and Workflowy, followed by Legend, Indenta, Logseq, Tine, and Zavala. Consider whether you need to work across particular devices, collaborate live, or move outlines into another tool; the comparison criteria help show which options fit those needs.
31 outliner software ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
| # | Platform | Score | Why | From | Free plan | Paid from | App platforms | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Checkvist | 9.0 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $3.90/mo | Yes | 3.9 /user/mo | web, chrome_extension, api, mobile progressive web app | View |
| 2 | Dynalist | 8.9 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $9.99/mo | Yes | 7.99 /user/mo | web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android | View |
| 3 | Workflowy | 8.9 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $6.99/mo | Yes | — | — | View |
| 4 | Legend | 7.4 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $5/mo | Yes | — | web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android | View |
| 5 | Indenta | 7.3 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | Yes | — | web, Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS | View |
| 6 | Logseq | 7.0 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $5/mo | Yes | — | — | View |
| 7 | Tine | 6.9 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | Linux, macOS, Windows, Android | View |
| 8 |  Zavala | 6.8 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | macOS, iOS, iPadOS | View |
| 9 | outl | 6.8 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | Yes | — | macOS, Linux, Windows, iOS, Android | View |
| 10 |  Org mode | 6.6 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | Windows, macOS, Linux | View |
| 11 |  FocusNote | 6.4 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | macOS | View |
| 12 |  Cloud Outliner | 6.1 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | iOS, macOS | View |
| 13 |  Fractal Note | 6.0 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | — | — | macOS, Windows, Linux, Chrome extension | View |
| 14 |  Cloud Outliner | 6.0 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | iOS, macOS | View |
| 15 | OmniOutliner | 5.9 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | No | — | macOS, iOS, iPadOS, visionOS | View |
| 16 |  Gingko Writer | 5.9 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $0.81/mo | No | — | web | View |
| 17 |  Kindling | 5.9 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | macOS, Windows, Linux | View |
| 18 |  TreeLine | 5.9 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | Windows, Linux | View |
| 19 |  Kosshi Outliner | 5.8 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | No | — | macOS, iOS (iPhone, iPad) | View |
| 20 | Bike Outliner | 5.7 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | macOS | View |
| 21 | AI Outliner | 5.6 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | No | — | Windows, macOS, Linux | View |
| 22 |  Roam Research | 5.6 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | No | — | — | View |
| 23 | Drummer | 5.6 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | web, macos | View |
| 24 |  MemPad | 5.6 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | — | View |
| 25 |  Leo Editor | 5.5 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | — | — | windows, macos, linux | View |
Is your platform on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored. They are labelled, and the editorial order and scores never change for payment.
Questions about this list
Which outliner software is ranked first on Inferse?
Checkvist is ranked #1 of 31 with a score of 9.0. Dynalist is second and Workflowy third.
How many of these have a free plan?
7 of the 25 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, open and connectable first: a public API, open-source code, the depth of its documentation and a free tier to try it on. Model lists are sorted by the figure in their title, exactly as each provider publishes it. Paid placements never change a rank.