Bike Outliner vs OmniOutliner
We give Bike Outliner a 2.8 GPA and OmniOutliner a 3.0, out of 4.0. Bike Outliner grades higher on the free plan. OmniOutliner grades higher on features and platforms. They get the same grade on value for money and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Bike Outliner
Fast outliner and structured writing app for Mac
OmniOutliner
Outliner for Mac, iPhone, iPad and Apple Vision Pro
How we grade them
| 2.8GPABike OutlinerGood | 3.0GPAOmniOutlinerVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A$29.99 once on the Hog Bay site, with a year of updates, and what you've got keeps working after that. Or $19.99 a year on the Mac App Store. Either way it's well under the $5.99 a month this category typically starts at. Renewing for more updates is $14.99. | AEssentials is $24.99 once for all four Apple platforms, with every 6.x update. That's about four months of a typical $5.99 a month plan here. Pro is another matter at $99.99 once or $49.99 a year, and a licence covers version 6 only, with later major versions a discounted upgrade. |
| Free plan and trial | BFree mode never expires and lets you read, write and edit outlines. That's a real free version. But text wrap, sorting, rich text, row types like headings and task lists, and the focus and typewriter modes are all locked. | CNo free plan. There's a 14-day trial with full features, started by signing in to an Omni Account. After that it's a licence or the yearly subscription. |
| Features | BIt does outlines and nothing else, and does them well: built to stay fast on very large files, with rich text, headings and task rows, focus and typewriter modes, and links that survive a file being moved. It's minimal on purpose, and the listing shows no sharing or sync of its own. | AIt's an outliner and it goes all the way: unlimited levels, row notes of any length, inline images, attachments, templates and themes. It exports to Word, PowerPoint, OPML, HTML and CSV. Pro adds columns for dates, numbers and pop-up lists, saved filters, audio recording and Omni Automation plug-ins. |
| Ease of use | BWe have no App Store rating on record, so a B is as high as we go. It's a document app like any other on a Mac: open a file, type, indent. The buying options take a minute, as App Store copies only unlock by subscription. | BWe have no App Store rating on record for it, so a B is our ceiling. Basic outlining is type, tab, drag. You do need a recent system, though: version 6 wants macOS 15, iOS or iPadOS 26, or visionOS 26. |
| Platforms and integrations | DMac only. The site lists no iPhone, iPad, Windows or web version. Files are open, though: its own format is HTML a browser can show, and it reads and writes OPML and plain text. Shortcuts and AppleScript work with a licence. | CMac, iPhone, iPad and Apple Vision Pro, synced through iCloud Drive, with AppleScript on the Mac. One family of devices. The site lists no Windows, Android or web version. |
| Best for | fast, minimal outlining on a Mac | serious outlining across Apple devices |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Bike Outliner and OmniOutliner. How we grade
Where they differ
- 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.
At a glance
| Bike Outliner | OmniOutliner | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free trial |
| Starts at | $29.99 one-time license, or $19.99 per year on the Mac App Store | $24.99 one-time license for version 6 (Essentials) |
| Free plan | 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. | None |
| Free trial | None listed | 14-day free trial with full features, started by signing in to an Omni Account |
| macOS | ||
| iOS | ||
| Made by | Hog Bay Software | The Omni Group |
| Price read from | apps.apple.com | omnigroup.com |
| Checked | Oct 6, 2026 | Oct 6, 2026 |
Who each one suits
Bike Outliner
- Mac users who want a fast, minimal outliner
- Writers who draft in outline form with focus and typewriter modes
- People who want outlines kept as open HTML, OPML or text files
OmniOutliner
- Writers, students and planners who organize their thinking as outlines
- People who work across a Mac, iPhone, iPad and Apple Vision Pro
- Buyers who prefer a one-time license to a subscription
Worth knowing
Bike Outliner
- It is a Mac app only; the site lists no iPhone, iPad, Windows or web version.
- Rich text, row types, focus and typewriter modes, Shortcuts actions and AppleScript are locked in free mode.
- The one-time license covers one year of updates; later updates need a renewal, offered at half price.
- Copies from the Mac App Store or Setapp are unlocked by subscription only, not by the one-time license.
OmniOutliner
- It runs on Apple platforms only: the site lists Mac, iPhone, iPad and Apple Vision Pro, with no Windows, Android or web version.
- Version 6 requires macOS 15, iOS or iPadOS 26, or visionOS 26; older systems need a previous version from the downloads archive.
- Columns, saved filters, style customization, audio recording and automation need Pro, at $99.99 once or $49.99 a year.
- A perpetual license covers 6.x updates only; later major versions are a paid upgrade, offered at a discount.
Key features
Bike Outliner
- Outlining built for speed
- Designed to handle very large outlines and to stay quick at basics such as opening files, scrolling and resizing windows.
- Rich text and row types
- Format text as bold, italic or links, and mark rows as headings, ordered lists, task lists and more. Both are unlocked by a license.
- Distraction-free writing modes
- Full screen, typewriter and focus modes, with live word counts and other text statistics in the status bar. Focus and typewriter modes need a license.
- Open file formats
- The native .bike format is HTML that can be viewed in a web browser, and Bike also reads and writes OPML and plain text files directly.
- Links and navigation
- Deep links into an outline keep working when the file is renamed or moved, and a navigation bar offers back and forward controls and a breadcrumb trail.
- Scripts and Shortcuts
- AppleScript and Shortcuts actions let other applications control Bike and fit it into existing workflows. Both need a license.
OmniOutliner
- Outlines of unlimited depth
- Rows nest to any level, expand and collapse, and reorder by drag and drop. Optional status checkboxes turn an outline into a checklist.
- Row notes and attachments
- Each row can carry a note of any length, resizable inline images and attached reference files. Pro can also record audio into a document.
- Columns and saved filters
- Pro documents can hold several columns for pop-up lists, checkboxes, numbers, dates or durations, and filters saved on text, checkbox status or column value.
- Templates, themes and styles
- Built-in templates and themes adapt to Dark Mode automatically. Pro adds structural and named styles and row numbering for control over appearance.
- Import and export
- Imports OPML, plain text and RTF, and exports CSV, HTML, OPML, plain text, RTF, Word and PowerPoint, plus Excel with Pro. An OPML mode edits OPML files directly.
- Omni Automation and AppleScript
- Pro runs cross-platform Omni Automation plug-ins, which can use Apple Intelligence on supported devices, and supports AppleScript on the Mac.
Plans
Bike Outliner
Free mode$0
Core outlining with no time limit: read, write and edit outlines saved as .bike, OPML or plain text files.
Bike License – Monthly$2.99
per month, Mac App Store subscription
Unlocks all features in the Mac App Store copy for as long as the subscription is active.
Bike License – Yearly$19.99
per year, Mac App Store subscription
The same Mac App Store subscription billed once a year.
One-Time Purchase License$29.99
one-time, includes one year of updates
Sold on the Hog Bay Software site. Unlocks all features; updates released within the year keep working unlocked afterwards.
OmniOutliner
v6 Essentials License$24.99
one-time purchase, includes all 6.x updates
Core outlining on Mac, iPhone, iPad and Apple Vision Pro: unlimited levels, checkboxes, row notes, attachments, themes, keyword filtering and Omni Links.
Annual Subscription$49.99
per year, renewing automatically
The latest Pro version on all four Apple platforms, with no charge for major version upgrades while subscribed.
v6 Pro License$99.99
one-time purchase, includes all 6.x updates
Adds columns, saved filters, style customization, audio recording, the section list, batch find and Omni Automation plug-ins.
Ways to pay less
Bike Outliner
- Other savings
License renewal at 50% off
After the first year, a one-time license can be renewed for another year of updates at half price; the renewal is listed at $14.99 in the vendor's checkout.
- Annual discount
Yearly subscription costs about 44% less
On the Mac App Store the yearly Bike License is $19.99 against $2.99 a month, which works out to about 44% less over twelve months.
OmniOutliner
- Education
Education licenses at $14.99 and $59.99
Students, faculty and staff of accredited, degree-granting institutions can buy OmniOutliner 6 Essentials for $14.99 or Pro for $59.99 in Omni's education store. Subscriptions are excluded.
- Other savings
Quantity discount of up to 30%
Each perpetual license beyond the first in the same order takes a further 5% off the whole order, up to 30%. Subscriptions do not qualify.
- Other savings
Upgrade discounts for existing owners
Owners of versions 1 to 5 can upgrade to version 6 at about half price: the US App Store lists the upgrade at $12.49 for Essentials and $49.99 for Pro.
