Dynalist vs Zavala
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Dynalist
Outlining app for nested lists, notes and tasks
Where they differ
- Dynalist starts at $7.99 per month, billed annually ($95.88 per year). Zavala is free.
- Only Dynalist lists a web app.
- Only Dynalist lists Windows, Linux and Android apps.
- Only Dynalist lists a browser extension.
- Zavala is open source, according to its own site.
- Dynalist also covers Markdown and tasks.
At a glance
| Dynalist | Zavala | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free |
| Starts at | $7.99 per month, billed annually ($95.88 per year) | Free |
| Free plan | Unlimited items and documents, internal links, Markdown, dates, tags, checklists, sharing and collaboration, export and import, and 5 bookmarks. | 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 | 14-day Pro trial, unlocked by completing the onboarding tutorial | None listed |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Browser extension | ||
| Made by | Dynalist | Vincode, Inc (Maurice Parker) |
| Price read from | dynalist.io | zavala.vincode.io |
| Checked | Oct 6, 2026 | Oct 9, 2026 |
Who each one suits
Dynalist
- People who think in outlines and nested bullet lists
- Mixing notes with dated tasks in the same list
- A free outliner with no cap on items or documents
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
Dynalist
- The free plan allows 5 bookmarks and leaves out file attachments, version history, recurring dates and Google Calendar sync.
- The changelog's most recent major feature entry is dated June 2020, and the site footer carries a 2021 copyright.
- File attachments need Pro and are limited to 50 MB per file.
- The terms of service say a paid account can be cancelled at any time but is not refunded.
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
Dynalist
- Outlines with notes, tags and colors
- Content is arranged as nested bullets that can carry a note, tags and a color label, and lists can be sorted, numbered and edited several items at a time.
- Dates and checklists
- Any list can become a checklist, and items can be given dates and filtered by them. Recurring dates and Google Calendar sync are Pro features.
- Cross-linking and backlinks
- Items and documents can link to one another, and an option shows the number of links pointing at an item along with its references.
- Markdown formatting
- Supports bold, italics, code, images, links and LaTeX, typed as Markdown inside any item.
- Sharing and public lists
- Documents are shared with collaborators under adjustable permissions, or published so visitors can read them without signing up.
- Export, version history and backup
- Exports to OPML, plain text or formatted text on every plan. Version history and daily backups to Dropbox or Google Drive need Pro.
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
Dynalist
Free$0
Unlimited items and documents, internal linking, Markdown, dates, tags, checklists, sharing, export and import, with 5 bookmarks.
Pro$7.99
per month, billed annually ($95.88); $9.99 billed monthly
Adds Google Calendar integration, capture to inbox, recurring dates, unlimited bookmarks, file attachments, version history and daily backups.
Zavala
Zavala$0
The full app from the App Store for Mac, iPhone and iPad, including iCloud sync, sharing and encrypted outlines.
Ways to pay less
Dynalist
- Annual discount
20% off with annual billing
Pro costs $95.88 a year on annual billing, which works out to $7.99 a month against $9.99 billed monthly. The pricing page labels this 20% off.
- Education
50% off Pro for students
Students can request a 50% discount on Dynalist Pro by emailing from a school address. The discount has to be renewed every year.
- Other savings
Referral credit toward Pro
Each friend who signs up through an invite link earns $5 of Dynalist Pro credit, which can cover up to half of each payment.
Zavala
No public discounts listed.
