OmniOutliner alternatives · Note-Taking
Free alternatives to OmniOutliner
OmniOutliner has no free plan. 123 of the 146 other note-taking apps in this directory are free or have a free plan.
OmniOutliner is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $24.99 one-time license for version 6 (Essentials). 36 of them have no paid plan at all; the rest pair a free plan with paid ones.
123 tools · Listings checked up to Oct 9, 2026 · Where the facts come from
The 12 closest to OmniOutliner
- Free plan · from $29.99 one-time
Bike Outliner
Fast outliner and structured writing app for Mac
What is free: Free mode never expires and can read, write and edit outlines. Rich text, row types, focus and typewriter modes, text wrap, sorting, Shortcuts actions and AppleScript need a license.
- Bike Outliner starts at $29.99 one-time license, or $19.99 per year on the Mac App Store. OmniOutliner starts at $24.99 one-time license for version 6 (Essentials).
- Bike Outliner has a free plan. OmniOutliner does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only OmniOutliner lists an iOS app.
- OmniOutliner also covers templates.
- Free plan · from $6.99/mo
Workflowy
Outliner that keeps notes, to-dos and plans in one nested list
What is free: Basic plan, free forever: listed with all features, limited to 100 nodes (bullets) per month and 100 MB of file uploads. Help pages say AI Nodes and AI Actions need Pro.
- Workflowy starts at $6.99 per month, billed annually (Pro). OmniOutliner starts at $24.99 one-time license for version 6 (Essentials).
- Workflowy has a free plan. OmniOutliner does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Workflowy lists a web app.
- Only Workflowy lists Windows, Linux and Android apps.
- Free plan · from $7.99/mo
Dynalist
Outlining app for nested lists, notes and tasks
What is free: Unlimited items and documents, internal links, Markdown, dates, tags, checklists, sharing and collaboration, export and import, and 5 bookmarks.
- Dynalist starts at $7.99 per month, billed annually ($95.88 per year). OmniOutliner starts at $24.99 one-time license for version 6 (Essentials).
- Dynalist has a free plan. OmniOutliner does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Dynalist lists a web app.
- Only Dynalist lists Windows, Linux and Android apps.
- Free
Zavala
Free open-source outliner for Mac, iPhone and iPad
What is free: Everything. There is no paid plan.
- Zavala is free. OmniOutliner starts at $24.99 one-time license for version 6 (Essentials).
- Zavala has a free plan. OmniOutliner does not, though it has a free trial.
- Zavala is open source, according to its own site.
- OmniOutliner can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Free plan · from $4.99
Cloud Outliner
Outliner for iPhone, iPad and Mac with iCloud sync
What is free: Both apps are free to download, with a Pro upgrade sold in-app. The store listings do not say what the free version leaves out; ads were removed from the free iOS version in 2.8.1.
- Cloud Outliner starts at $4.99 in-app purchase on iPhone and iPad; $9.99 on Mac. OmniOutliner starts at $24.99 one-time license for version 6 (Essentials).
- Cloud Outliner has a free plan. OmniOutliner does not, though it has a free trial.
- OmniOutliner can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Cloud Outliner also covers tasks.
- Free plan · from $5 one-time
NoteCase Pro
Cross-platform outliner and note manager with Lua scripting
What is free: Android only: a free Lite mode without encrypted documents, attachments, search or sorting. The desktop edition needs a license after its 30-day trial.
- NoteCase Pro starts at $5 one-time for Android; desktop licenses start at €7 one-time. OmniOutliner starts at $24.99 one-time license for version 6 (Essentials).
- NoteCase Pro has a free plan. OmniOutliner does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only NoteCase Pro lists Windows, Linux and Android apps.
- Only OmniOutliner lists an iOS app.
- Free
TreeSheets
Open-source hierarchical spreadsheet for free-form notes and data
What is free: Everything. There is no paid plan.
- TreeSheets is free. OmniOutliner starts at $24.99 one-time license for version 6 (Essentials).
- TreeSheets has a free plan. OmniOutliner does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only TreeSheets lists Windows and Linux apps.
- Only OmniOutliner lists an iOS app.
- Free plan · from $24.99 one-time
Understory
Mac notes app for outlining and drafting essays, papers and books
What is free: Every feature, with up to 100 notes in the Personal Notebook and 20 in each Project Notebook. At the cap, notes already written can still be read and edited.
- Understory starts at $24.99 one-time purchase. OmniOutliner starts at $24.99 one-time license for version 6 (Essentials).
- Understory has a free plan. OmniOutliner does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only OmniOutliner lists an iOS app.
- Understory also covers Markdown, linked notes and long-form writing.
- Free plan · from $14.99/yr
Notability
Handwritten notes with synced audio, transcripts and AI study tools
What is free: Starter plan: 5 notes with all editing tools, PDF and document import, access to 20,000+ templates and 7-day version history.
- Notability starts at $14.99 per year, or $4.99 per month (Lite). OmniOutliner starts at $24.99 one-time license for version 6 (Essentials).
- Notability has a free plan. OmniOutliner does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Notability lists a web app.
- Only Notability lists Windows and Android apps.
- Free plan · from $1.99/mo
UpNote
Cross-platform notes app with a lifetime purchase option
What is free: Free to use and sync across all your devices, limited to 50 notes with basic features. Attachments, tables, locks and export need Premium.
- UpNote starts at $1.99 per month, or $39.99 once for lifetime (Premium). OmniOutliner starts at $24.99 one-time license for version 6 (Essentials).
- UpNote has a free plan. OmniOutliner does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only UpNote lists Windows, Linux and Android apps.
- Only UpNote lists a browser extension.
- Free plan · from $7.99 one-time
Noteshelf
Handwritten note-taking and PDF annotation for stylus devices
What is free: Free: 3 notebooks with unlimited pages, hundreds of templates and Noteshelf AI with 30 monthly credits, as listed for Noteshelf 3 on Android.
- Noteshelf starts at $7.99 one-time on Windows; Premium is $9.99 one-time on Android. OmniOutliner starts at $24.99 one-time license for version 6 (Essentials).
- Noteshelf has a free plan. OmniOutliner does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Noteshelf lists Android and Windows apps.
- Free plan · from $13.90 one-time
CollaNote
Handwriting and PDF markup notes for iPad, iPhone and Mac
What is free: Free to download and use on iPad, iPhone and Mac with no account. Neither the site nor the App Store listing says which features the Lifetime Premium purchase unlocks.
- CollaNote starts at $13.90 one-time (Lifetime Premium). OmniOutliner starts at $24.99 one-time license for version 6 (Essentials).
- CollaNote has a free plan. OmniOutliner does not, though it has a free trial.
- CollaNote also covers transcription.
111 more that are free or have a free plan
- Curio
- FSNotes
- Octarine
- Linwood Butterfly
- Penbook
- ZoomNotes
- NotePlus
- MiaoYan
- VNote
- Noteey
- AllMyNotes Organizer
- RightNote
- Zettel Notes
- Noticky
- Bebop
- Notion
- Obsidian
- Anytype
- Logseq
- Evernote
- Reflect
- Goodnotes
- Samsung Notes
- RemNote
- SiYuan
- MyScript Notes
- Agenda
- LiquidText
- Tolaria
- Tot
- Heynote
- Tangent Notes
- Beaver Notes
- FUTO Notes
- Squid
- Noteful
- Notewise
- Kilonotes
- Freenotes
- Notes Writer
- Flexcil
- Notein
- Orgzly Revived
- GitJournal
- Markor
- Quillpad
- Fossify Notes
- NotallyX
- WeNote
- Notenik
- NoteGen
- Bangle.io
- NoteDiscovery
- CherryTree
- QOwnNotes
- Zim
- Simple Sticky Notes
- Notezilla
- Stickies
- KeyNote NF
- Strflow
- SnipNotes
- Inkflow
- Stickier
- Marknote
- MindForger
- Capacities
- Craft
- Bear
- Tana Outliner
- Microsoft OneNote
- Apple Notes
- Google Keep
- Joplin
- Simplenote
- Standard Notes
- Zoho Notebook
- Notesnook
- AFFiNE
- Drafts
- Amplenote
- Trilium Notes
- Supernotes
- mymind
- TiddlyWiki
- ColorNote
- Xournal++
- TheBrain
- Fabric
- AudioPen
- Memos
- Twos
- Saga
- Cryptee
- Lockbook
- Mimiri Notes
- Saber
- Rnote
- Cleft
- Sublime
- Relanote
- Bundled Notes
- Inkpad Notepad
- Blinko
- SilverBullet
- flatnotes
- Jotty
- Coppice
- Stylus Labs Write
- DeepNotes
- AppFlowy
Common questions
Is there a free alternative to OmniOutliner?
Yes. Bike Outliner, Workflowy, Dynalist, Zavala, Cloud Outliner, NoteCase Pro, TreeSheets, Understory and 115 more are free or have a free plan.
Does OmniOutliner have a free plan?
OmniOutliner has no free plan. OmniOutliner is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $24.99 one-time license for version 6 (Essentials).
When was this checked?
Each listing shows its own date. On this page they run from Oct 4, 2026 to Oct 9, 2026. Vendors change prices and plans without notice, so confirm on their site before you buy.
This page is built from the listings. A tool is here because its listing says so, and the order is how close each is to OmniOutliner: the alternatives its listing names first, then the tools that share the most features with it.