Cloud Outliner vs Zavala
We give Cloud Outliner a 2.8 GPA and Zavala a 3.4, out of 4.0. Zavala grades higher on value for money, the free plan and features. They get the same grade on ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Cloud Outliner
Outliner for iPhone, iPad and Mac with iCloud sync
Free plan · from $4.99
How we grade them
| 2.8GPACloud OutlinerGood | 3.4GPAZavalaVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | BPro is $4.99 on iPhone and iPad and $9.99 on Mac, bought separately, so $14.98 to sync the two. Small money next to the $5.99 a month this category typically starts at. But the listings show no billing period and don't say what Pro adds. | AIt's free. Zavala is open source, there's no paid tier, and its About page says it will be free forever. Paid note apps typically start at about $5.99 a month. |
| Free plan and trial | BBoth apps are free to download, and ads came out of the free iOS version in 2.8.1. But the store listings don't spell out what free leaves out, so we can't say how far you'd get. Sync between a Mac and a phone needs Pro on each. | AThe whole app is free on all three devices, with iCloud sync, sharing and encrypted outlines included. There's nothing held back for a paid plan, because there isn't one. |
| Features | BIt only does outlines, but it does them fully: drag to reorder, indent, collapse, checkboxes, numbering, filters for checked items, templates, password protection, and export to PDF, OPML and plain text. The listing mentions no images or shared editing, though. | AIt only does outlines, and it does them fully. Links and backlinks between outlines, tags, full-text search, locked and encrypted outlines, live sharing, and OPML, Markdown and HTML in and out. Shortcuts actions and a web clipper too. |
| Ease of use | B4.52 from about 750 App Store ratings, just under our line for an A. A swipe changes a row's indent on the phone, and the Mac app has shortcuts you can change. | BNo App Store rating on record, so B is as high as we go. You get it from the App Store and start typing. The Mac app has real menus and shortcuts, and the iPhone one works by gestures. |
| Platforms and integrations | CiPhone, iPad and Mac, and that's all. No Windows, Android or web version. Sync runs through iCloud. The vendor's site still lists Evernote sync, which the current App Store pages don't mention. | CMac, iPhone and iPad, tied together by iCloud and Shortcuts. All Apple. The site lists no Windows, Android or web version, and you can only share with other Zavala users. |
| Best for | simple nested outlines on Apple devices | a free outliner on Mac, iPhone and iPad |
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: Cloud Outliner and Zavala. How we grade
Where they differ
- Cloud Outliner starts at $4.99 in-app purchase on iPhone and iPad; $9.99 on Mac. Zavala is free.
- Zavala is open source, according to its own site.
- Cloud Outliner also covers templates and tasks.
- Zavala also covers linked notes and web clipper.
In commonFree planiOSmacOSNotes
At a glance
| Cloud Outliner | Zavala | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free |
| Starts at | $4.99 in-app purchase on iPhone and iPad; $9.99 on Mac | Free |
| Free plan | 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. | Free on Mac, iPhone and iPad, with no paid tier. The About page says the project is open source and will be free forever. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| iOS | ||
| Made by | Xwavesoft | Vincode, Inc (Maurice Parker) |
| Price read from | apps.apple.com | zavala.vincode.io |
| Checked | Oct 9, 2026 | Oct 9, 2026 |
Who each one suits
Cloud Outliner
- Planning projects and lists as nested outlines on Apple devices
- Checklists that are filtered by checked and unchecked items
- Setapp members, since the Mac app is in the catalog
Zavala
- Apple users who want a plain outliner on Mac, iPhone and iPad
- Planning and drafting in nested lists from the keyboard
- Working on an outline together with other iCloud users
Worth knowing
Cloud Outliner
- Apple only: there are apps for iPhone, iPad and Mac, and no Windows, Android or web version.
- The iOS and Mac apps are separate downloads with separate Pro upgrades ($4.99 and $9.99), and each listing says sync with the other platform needs Pro there.
- The App Store listings show the upgrade prices without a billing period and do not list what the free version lacks.
- The vendor's product page still describes Cloud Outliner 2 with Evernote sync, which the current App Store feature lists do not mention.
Zavala
- Apple platforms only: the site describes it as an outliner for macOS and iOS, with no Windows, Android or web version.
- The current App Store version requires iOS 26.0, iPadOS 26.0 or macOS 26.0 or later.
- Sync and sharing run through iCloud, and collaboration is limited to other Zavala users.
Key features
Cloud Outliner
- Rich-text outline editor
- Rows can be dragged to reorder, indented, multi-selected, collapsed and expanded, with optional checkboxes, automatic numbering and a note attached to any row.
- Text styling and filters
- Text size, color and style can be changed to highlight important rows, and filters show only the checked or only the unchecked items.
- Document manager with protection
- Outlines live in a multi-level document manager with color tags, password protection, custom templates and a duplicate command.
- Sync across Apple devices
- Outlines sync between iPhone, iPad and Mac through iCloud, and the vendor's site also lists sync with Evernote. Each store listing says sync with the other platform needs Pro there.
- Export and sharing
- Outlines export to PDF, OPML and plain text, plus HTML on the Mac, and OPML files can be imported. They can also be printed or sent by email or messenger.
- Gestures and keyboard shortcuts
- On iPhone and iPad a swipe changes a row's indentation and wireless keyboards get shortcuts. The Mac app has customizable shortcuts, autosave and a full-screen mode.
Zavala
- Native outliner on three devices
- The Mac app has menus, keyboard shortcuts and customizable toolbars, the iPhone app uses gestures and context menus, and the iPad app supports multiple and side-by-side windows.
- iCloud sync and realtime sharing
- Outlines sync through iCloud and can be edited offline. An outline shared through iCloud can be worked on in real time with one or more other Zavala users.
- Locked and encrypted outlines
- Individual outlines can be locked and encrypted, and the App Store listing says iCloud sync is encrypted as well.
- Links and backlinks
- A link dialog connects one outline to another, backlinks show which outlines point at the current one, and pasted URLs turn into clickable links.
- Tags, search and Open Quickly
- Outlines take tags that become searches in the sidebar. A full-text search finds outlines, and Open Quickly opens one from part of its name.
- Import, export and Shortcuts
- OPML, Markdown and HTML files can be imported and exported, a web clipper share extension brings in web pages, and Shortcuts actions allow custom automation.
Plans
Cloud Outliner
Free download$0
The iPhone, iPad and Mac apps without the Pro upgrade. The store listings do not spell out the free version's limits.
Unlock Pro Features (iOS)$4.99
in-app purchase; billing period not shown
The Pro upgrade for the iPhone and iPad app on the US App Store. The listing says sync with a Mac requires Cloud Outliner Pro for macOS, sold separately.
Upgrade to Pro (Mac)$9.99
in-app purchase; billing period not shown
The Pro upgrade for the Mac app on the US Mac App Store. The listing says sync with iOS devices requires Cloud Outliner Pro for iOS, sold separately.
Setapp$14.99
per month, through a Setapp membership
The Mac app as part of the Setapp catalog. Setapp's listing prices membership from $14.99 a month, free for 7 days.
Zavala
Zavala$0
The full app from the App Store for Mac, iPhone and iPad, including iCloud sync, sharing and encrypted outlines.
