The Dynalist Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Dynalist in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Dynalist
The Insider’s Guide
Outlining app for nested lists, notes and tasks
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among note-taking apps, read from Dynalist’s own pages.
Made by Dynalist · checked Oct 6, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Dynalist’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Dynalist’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 6, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
3.0
GPA, above 107 of the 147 other note-taking apps we grade
Dynalist is an outliner in which everything is a nested bullet list that can be tagged, cross-linked and formatted with Markdown, with dates and checklists for tracking tasks. Lists are kept in documents and folders that can be shared with collaborators or published as public pages. The Pro plan adds Google Calendar sync, file attachments, version history and automatic backups.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Dynalist, taken from its own pages and our grades.
No store rating on record, so we go by the listing, and a bullet list needs no explaining.
- 1
Best for a free outliner with no cap on your lists
Dynalist is an outliner where everything is a nested bullet, with tags, dates, links and Markdown, and the free plan has no limit on items or documents.
- 2
Paid plans start at $7.99 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $7.99 per month, billed annually ($95.88 per year).
- 3
There is a free plan
Unlimited items and documents, internal links, Markdown, dates, tags, checklists, sharing and collaboration, export and import, and 5 bookmarks.
- 4
It runs on 6 platforms
Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android, with a browser extension too.
- 5
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.
- 6
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.
- 7
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.
- 8
A 3.0 GPA, above 107 of 147
That is against the other note-taking apps we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
The plain part of Dynalist you could make: notes, Markdown, linked notes, tasks and web clipper. What surrounds it you could not. The 4 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
Dynalist at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $7.99 per month, billed annually ($95.88 per year)
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- 14-day Pro trial, unlocked by completing the onboarding tutorial
- Runs on
- Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android, Browser extension
- Made by
- Dynalist
- Category
- Note-Taking Apps
- Our grade
- 3.0 GPA, very good
The report card
Best for a free outliner with no cap on your lists
Dynalist is an outliner where everything is a nested bullet, with tags, dates, links and Markdown, and the free plan has no limit on items or documents. The changelog's last major feature entry is dated June 2020 and the footer says 2021. Attachments, version history, recurring dates and calendar sync need Pro at $7.99 a month billed annually, and paid accounts aren't refunded.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | Pro is $7.99 a month billed annually ($95.88), or $9.99 month by month, which is the dearer half of this category and, paid monthly, its dearest tenth. That buys calendar sync, recurring dates, attachments, version history and daily backups. No refunds, the terms say. |
| Free plan and trial | A | No cap on the thing that matters: unlimited items and unlimited documents, with internal links, Markdown, dates, tags, checklists, sharing and export all included. The only number on the free plan is 5 bookmarks. |
| Features | C | Nested bullets with notes, tags and colors, dates, checklists, backlinks, LaTeX, shared documents and public pages: outlining, which is a smaller job than note-taking. Attachments, recurring dates and version history are Pro, files stop at 50 MB, and the changelog's last big feature is from June 2020. |
| Ease of use | B | No store rating on record, so we go by the listing, and a bullet list needs no explaining. Finishing the onboarding tutorial unlocks a 14-day Pro trial. |
| Platforms and integrations | A | Web, Mac, Windows, Linux, iPhone, Android and a browser extension, the full set. It syncs with Google Calendar, backs up to Dropbox and Google Drive, and there's a documented API if you like wiring things together. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Dynalist is for
- Fits if you think in outlines and nest everything three levels deep
- Works for people whose notes and dated to-dos belong in the same list
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you want an app that's still getting big new features, as the last major one in the changelog is from June 2020
- Tight if you're staying free and need attachments, recurring dates, version history or more than 5 bookmarks
- Pricey if you pay monthly, at $9.99 against $7.99 a month on annual billing, and the terms say no refunds
- Watch out: attachments stop at 50 MB a file even on Pro, and the student discount must be renewed every year
Good to know
Good for
- 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
Worth knowing
- 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.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$7.99
A month to start. There is a free plan too
Dynalist has a free plan. Paid plans start at $7.99 per month, billed annually ($95.88 per year).
That buys calendar sync, recurring dates, attachments, version history and daily backups.
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.
The free plan
Unlimited items and documents, internal links, Markdown, dates, tags, checklists, sharing and collaboration, export and import, and 5 bookmarks.
Trying it first
14-day Pro trial, unlocked by completing the onboarding tutorial
Read from dynalist.io on Oct 6, 2026.
Ways to pay less
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.
Stated on dynalist.ioEducation
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.
Stated on help.dynalist.ioOther 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.
Stated on help.dynalist.io
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
7
Places it runs: Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android and Browser extension
Outlining app for nested lists, notes and tasks. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: works offline, public API, notes, Markdown, linked notes, web clipper, tasks.
Web, Mac, Windows, Linux, iPhone, Android and a browser extension, the full set.
- 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.
Where it runs
- Web
- macOS
- Windows
- Linux
- iOS
- Android
- Browser extension
What it works with
- Google Calendar
- Dropbox
- Google Drive
Dynalist is made by Dynalist.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
107/147
Other note-taking apps it is graded above
Dynalist's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 107 of the 147 other note-taking apps we grade, and level with 21.
It stands best on platforms and integrations (A, above 128 of 147) and worst on features (C, above 2).
Its paid plans start at $7.99 a month, against a middle price of $5.83 for the category: 46 of the 66 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 3.0 out of 4. 8 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 148 note-taking apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. Dynalist’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 16 of 147
- AFree plan and trialAbove 100 of 147
- CFeaturesAbove 2 of 147
- BEase of useAbove 47 of 147
- APlatforms and integrationsAbove 128 of 147
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 103 note-taking apps. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Dynalist is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
The plain part of Dynalist you could make: notes, Markdown, linked notes, tasks and web clipper. What surrounds it you could not. The 4 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 3.0 is higher than 107 of the 147 other note-taking apps we grade. It costs $95.88 a year.
What you could make
- Notes, Markdown, linked notes, tasks and web clipper: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- Apps for macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android that stay in step with each other.
- It plugs into other products, Google Calendar, Dropbox and Google Drive among them, and has an API.
- What a company asks for before it lets staff use something: roles and permissions.
- Sharing with other people, which means accounts and invitations.
What this rests on. Dynalist’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Workflowy, Logseq, Roam Research, OmniOutliner and Bike Outliner
The 5 tools Dynalist is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.8GPA
Workflowy
Free plan · from $6.99/mo
Outliner that keeps notes, to-dos and plans in one nested list.
- Dynalist also covers Markdown and web clipper.
- Workflowy also covers kanban boards.
- 3.0GPA
Logseq
Free plan · from $5/mo
Open-source outliner for linked notes stored as local files.
- Only Dynalist lists a browser extension.
- Logseq is open source, according to its own site.
- Dynalist also covers web clipper and tasks.
- 2.0GPA
Roam Research
Free trial · from $15/mo
Outliner for networked notes with bidirectional links.
- Dynalist has a free plan. Roam Research does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Dynalist lists Windows, Linux and Android apps.
- Only Dynalist lists a browser extension.
- 2.6GPA
OmniOutliner
Free trial · from $24.99 one-time
Outliner for Mac, iPhone, iPad and Apple Vision Pro.
- 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.
- 2.4GPA
Bike Outliner
Free plan · from $29.99 one-time
Fast outliner and structured writing app for Mac.
- Only Dynalist lists a web app.
- Only Dynalist lists Windows, Linux, iOS and Android apps.
- Only Dynalist lists a browser extension.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
15
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Dynalist free?
Dynalist has a free plan. Unlimited items and documents, internal links, Markdown, dates, tags, checklists, sharing and collaboration, export and import, and 5 bookmarks.
How much does Dynalist cost?
Dynalist lists 2 plans. Free: $0.
What platforms does Dynalist work on?
Dynalist is available on Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android. It also has a browser extension.
Does Dynalist offer any discounts?
Dynalist publicly lists the following: 20% off with annual billing; 50% off Pro for students; Referral credit toward Pro.
Is Dynalist open source?
Dynalist is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 6, 2026.
Does Dynalist work offline?
Yes, according to its own site. What works without a connection differs by plan and platform, so check the vendor's page for the detail.
Does Dynalist have an API?
Yes. Dynalist offers a public API, according to its own site.
What does Dynalist integrate with?
Dynalist's listing names Google Calendar, Dropbox and Google Drive. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Does Dynalist have a student discount?
50% off Pro for students. Students can request a 50% discount on Dynalist Pro by emailing from a school address.
Does Dynalist have a free trial?
Yes. 14-day Pro trial, unlocked by completing the onboarding tutorial.
Who makes Dynalist?
Dynalist is made by a company of the same name.
What are the alternatives to Dynalist?
The closest alternatives to Dynalist in our directory are Workflowy, Logseq, Roam Research, OmniOutliner and Bike Outliner.
How does Dynalist compare with other note-taking apps?
Dynalist's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 107 of the 147 other note-taking apps we grade, and level with 21.
Is Dynalist good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Dynalist C for value for money. Its paid plans start at $7.99 a month, against a middle price of $5.83 for the category: 46 of the 66 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Dynalist?
The plain part of Dynalist you could make: notes, Markdown, linked notes, tasks and web clipper.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Dynalist’s own pages on Oct 6, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Dynalist's own pages on 6 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-05-05.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Dynalist. Prices change, so check dynalist.io before you buy.
- dynalist.io/pricing
- dynalist.io
- dynalist.io/features
- dynalist.io/download
- dynalist.io/changelog
- dynalist.io/terms
- help.dynalist.io/article/117-student-discount
- help.dynalist.io/article/107-referral-program
- help.dynalist.io/article/124-do-you-have-desktop-and-mobile-apps
- help.dynalist.io/article/139-what-browsers-and-mobile-platforms-does-dynalist-support
- apidocs.dynalist.io/
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
3,189
Tools graded, in 94 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
3,189
tools graded
94
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Dynalist, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/dynalist
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Dynalist: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 6, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/dynalist
Know someone choosing between note-taking apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/dynalist/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded note-taking apps after Dynalist, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Note-Taking Apps Insider's GuideEvery one of the 148 note-taking apps we grade, compared
- Microsoft OneNote Insider's GuideMicrosoft's free digital notebook for typed, inked and audio notes3.8 GPA
- Goodnotes Insider's GuideHandwritten notes, PDF markup and whiteboards with an AI assistant3.6 GPA
- Joplin Insider's GuideOpen source Markdown notes with sync through a service you choose3.6 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Dynalist’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Dynalist is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Dynalist. Prices and plans change: check dynalist.io before you buy.