Understory
Mac notes app for outlining and drafting essays, papers and books
What is Understory?
Understory is a Mac app that combines a notes app with an outliner. Notes are written as ordinary Markdown text and nested under one another as subnotes, and the same note can sit in several outlines at once. A finished outline can be published as a PDF, Rich Text, Markdown or a website. Notes are kept in a folder of Markdown files or in the user's own iCloud account, with no Understory account.
Understory has a free plan. Paid plans start at $24.99 one-time purchase. See every plan
Good for
- Students and researchers turning reading notes into a paper
- Writers who outline before drafting an essay, script or book
- Mac users who want notes kept as plain Markdown files
Worth knowing
- It is a Mac app only, requiring macOS 14.8 or later; the FAQ says there is no iPhone or iPad version yet.
- The free version stops at 100 notes in the Personal Notebook and 20 in each Project Notebook.
- Sync between Macs covers only the Personal Notebook and needs an iCloud account; Project Notebooks are local folders.
- The App Store release notes for version 1.1 (October 2026) describe the Publish feature as experimental.
Key features
- Notes and subnotes
- A note is plain text and needs no title or filename. Any note can hold subnotes, each a full note with its own text, links and attachments, so a note grows into a tree.
- One note in several outlines
- The same note can appear in more than one tree without being copied. An edit in one place shows up in the others, and shared notes are shown in italics.
- Two-way links
- Wiki-style links connect notes in the text, and the linked note shows a backlink automatically. Anchors can point to a specific place inside another note.
- Publishing
- Selected notes or a whole outline can be published in their arranged order as a PDF with bookmarks and page numbers, Rich Text, Markdown or a website, or printed.
- Markdown folders or iCloud
- A Project Notebook is a folder on the Mac holding one Markdown file per note. A Personal Notebook lives in the user's own iCloud account and syncs between Macs.
- Version history
- Every version of a note is kept, so an earlier draft can be read again and brought back. Deleted notes go to a trash.
Understory pricing
- Starts at
- $24.99 one-time purchase
- Free plan
- 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.
- Free trial
- None listed
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Up to 100 notes in the Personal Notebook and 20 in each Project Notebook, with every feature included, from publishing to iCloud sync. |
| One-Time Payment | $24.99one-time purchase (US Mac App Store) | Removes the note caps and opens shared notebooks of any size for editing. The vendor notes that the App Store sets a different price in each region. |
Read from understory.ussherpress.com on Oct 9, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with Understory before you buy.
Works with
Understory alternatives
- Understory vs The Archive
Free trial · from $19.99 one-time
- Understory vs Bike Outliner
Free plan · from $29.99 one-time
- Understory vs Obsidian
Free plan · from $4/mo
- Understory vs OmniOutliner
Free trial · from $24.99 one-time
- Understory vs Tinderbox
Free trial · from $289 one-time
Common questions
Is Understory free?
Understory has a free plan. 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. Paid plans start at $24.99 one-time purchase.
How much does Understory cost?
Understory lists 2 plans. Free: $0. One-Time Payment: $24.99 one-time purchase (US Mac App Store). Prices were read from understory.ussherpress.com on Oct 9, 2026.
What platforms does Understory work on?
Understory is available on macOS.
Does Understory have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. Understory is listed for macOS.
Does Understory have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. Understory is listed for macOS.
Is Understory open source?
Understory is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 9, 2026.
Does Understory 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.
What does Understory integrate with?
Understory's listing names iCloud. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Who makes Understory?
Understory is made by Allen Ussher. It dates from 2026.
What are the alternatives to Understory?
The closest alternatives to Understory in our directory are The Archive, Bike Outliner, Obsidian, OmniOutliner and Tinderbox. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with Understory.
Sources for this page
The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Oct 9, 2026.