The Understory Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Understory 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.
Understory
The Insider’s Guide
Mac notes app for outlining and drafting essays, papers and books
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among note-taking apps, read from Understory’s own pages.
Made by Allen Ussher · checked Oct 9, 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 Understory’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Understory’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 9, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.4
GPA, above 22 of the 147 other note-taking apps we grade
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.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Understory, taken from its own pages and our grades.
No rating on record, but there's nothing to set up: no Understory account, and a note is plain text that needs no title or filename.
- 1
Best for outlining and drafting long writing on a Mac
Understory is a Mac app for writers that mixes notes and outlining, where one note can sit in several outlines without being copied, then go out as a PDF or a website.
- 2
What it costs
Paid plans start at $24.99 one-time purchase.
- 3
There is 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.
- 4
It runs on macOS
macOS.
- 5
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.
- 6
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.
- 7
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.
- 8
A 2.4 GPA, above 22 of 147
That is against the other note-taking apps we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Your call
A notes app at its plainest is text in folders with a search box.
Understory at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $24.99 one-time purchase
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- macOS
- Made by
- Allen Ussher, since 2026
- Category
- Note-Taking Apps
- Our grade
- 2.4 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for outlining and drafting long writing on a Mac
Understory is a Mac app for writers that mixes notes and outlining, where one note can sit in several outlines without being copied, then go out as a PDF or a website. It's Mac only on macOS 14.8 or later with no iPhone or iPad version yet, the free version stops at 100 notes, only the Personal Notebook syncs and it needs iCloud, and Publish is described as experimental.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | $24.99 once on the US Mac App Store, against $6 a month for the middle of this category, so it pays for itself inside five months and then stops. That removes the note caps and opens shared notebooks of any size. The App Store sets a different price in each region. |
| Free plan and trial | C | Every feature is in the free version, publishing and iCloud sync included, but the counting will catch you: 100 notes in the Personal Notebook and 20 in each Project Notebook. At the cap you can still read and edit what you've written. |
| Features | C | It does the outline-then-draft job fully, and that's narrower than a notes app: subnotes, one note in several outlines, wiki links with backlinks, every version kept, and publishing to PDF, Rich Text, Markdown or a website. Its own pages call Publish experimental, and only the Personal Notebook syncs. |
| Ease of use | B | No rating on record, but there's nothing to set up: no Understory account, and a note is plain text that needs no title or filename. Open it and start writing. |
| Platforms and integrations | D | One operating system. Mac only, on macOS 14.8 or later, and the FAQ says there's no iPhone or iPad version yet. Sync between Macs covers only the Personal Notebook and needs iCloud, with Project Notebooks left as local folders. |
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 Understory is for
- Fits if you outline before you draft an essay, a script or a book on a Mac
- Works for turning a pile of reading notes into a paper
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you write on an iPhone or iPad, as there's no version for either yet
- Tight if you're staying free, because the Personal Notebook stops at 100 notes and each Project Notebook at 20
- Not for you if you need dependable export today, since Publish is still described as experimental
- Watch out: only the Personal Notebook syncs between Macs, through iCloud, and Project Notebooks stay as local folders
- Watch out: it needs macOS 14.8 or later, and the App Store sets a different price in each region
Good to know
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.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$24.99 one-time
To start. There is a free plan too
Understory has a free plan. Paid plans start at $24.99 one-time purchase.
That removes the note caps and opens shared notebooks of any size.
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
$24.99
one-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.
The 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.
Read from understory.ussherpress.com on Oct 9, 2026.
What the app costs elsewhere
Each country’s App Store price for “Understory Unlock”, against $24.99 in the United States, in dollars at the day’s rate. The four cheapest and the four dearest of 11.
| Country | Price there | In dollars | Against the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philippines | ₱ 1,490.00 | $23.72 | 5% less |
| Canada | $34.99 | $24.60 | about the same |
| India | ₹ 2,499 | $25.83 | about the same |
| Turkey | ₺1.299,99 | $26.44 | 6% more |
| Brazil | R$ 149,90 | $29.95 | 20% more |
| South Africa | R499.99 | $30.24 | 21% more |
| United Kingdom | £24.99 | $33.04 | 32% more |
| Germany | 29,99 € | $33.61 | 34% more |
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: macOS
Mac notes app for outlining and drafting essays, papers and books. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: works offline, local-first, one-time purchase, notes, Markdown, linked notes, long-form writing.
Its own pages call Publish experimental, and only the Personal Notebook syncs.
- 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.
Where it runs
- macOS
What it works with
- iCloud
Understory is made by Allen Ussher, and has been around since 2026.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
22/147
Other note-taking apps it is graded above
Understory's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 22 of the 147 other note-taking apps we grade, and level with 27.
It stands best on value for money (A, above 62 of 147) and worst on platforms and integrations (D, above 0).
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 148 note-taking apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. Understory’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 62 of 147
- CFree plan and trialAbove 7 of 147
- CFeaturesAbove 2 of 147
- BEase of useAbove 47 of 147
- DPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 147
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.
Your call
A notes app at its plainest is text in folders with a search box.
You could make the core of Understory for yourself: notes, Markdown, linked notes and long-form writing. What you would give up is listed below. Whether that is worth the price is your call. At $24.99, paid once, it costs less than the weekend it would take to replace, which is the argument for keeping it.
What you could make
- Notes, Markdown, linked notes and long-form writing: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- A real app for macOS. Something home-made would be a web page.
- Sharing with other people, which means accounts and invitations.
What this rests on. Understory’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
The Archive, Bike Outliner, Obsidian, OmniOutliner and Tinderbox
The 5 tools Understory is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.4GPA
The Archive
Free trial · from $19.99 one-time
Plain-text note-taking app for Mac built around Zettelkasten.
- Understory has a free plan. The Archive does not, though it has a free trial.
- Understory also covers long-form writing.
- 2.4GPA
Bike Outliner
Free plan · from $29.99 one-time
Fast outliner and structured writing app for Mac.
- Understory also covers Markdown, linked notes and long-form writing.
- 3.6GPA
Obsidian
Free plan · from $4/mo
Markdown note-taking app that keeps your files on your device.
- Only Obsidian lists Windows, Linux, iOS and Android apps.
- Only Obsidian lists a browser extension.
- Understory can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- 2.6GPA
OmniOutliner
Free trial · from $24.99 one-time
Outliner for Mac, iPhone, iPad and Apple Vision Pro.
- Understory has a free plan. OmniOutliner does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only OmniOutliner lists an iOS app.
- Understory also covers Markdown, linked notes and long-form writing.
- 1.8GPA
Tinderbox
Free trial · from $289 one-time
Mac tool for mapping, analyzing and sharing notes.
- Understory has a free plan. Tinderbox does not, though it has a free trial.
- Understory also covers Markdown and long-form writing.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
12
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 Understory free?
Understory has a free plan. Every feature, with up to 100 notes in the Personal Notebook and 20 in each Project Notebook.
How much does Understory cost?
Understory lists 2 plans. Free: $0.
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.
How does Understory compare with other note-taking apps?
Understory's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 22 of the 147 other note-taking apps we grade, and level with 27.
Could I make my own version of Understory?
A notes app at its plainest is text in folders with a search box. You could make the core of Understory for yourself: notes, Markdown, linked notes and long-form writing.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Understory’s own pages on Oct 9, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Understory's own pages on 9 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-02-04.
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 Allen Ussher. Prices change, so check understory.ussherpress.com before you buy.
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
- Understory, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/understory
- 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, "Understory: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 9, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/understory
Know someone choosing between note-taking apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/understory/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded note-taking apps after Understory, 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 Understory’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. Understory is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Allen Ussher. Prices and plans change: check understory.ussherpress.com before you buy.