Write, Organize Visually: The Best Outliner Apps in 2021
Tags: Productivity, Time Management, Outliners, Writers Block, Outline

Managing big chunks of work and solving complex problems on the fly isn’t exactly easy. In today’s article, we set out to find the best outlining software for 2021 that’ll help you plan, organize, and get things done, one indent at a time.

Here’s the thing. The legendary Emacs Org Mode has been around since 2003. But while its utility is still top-notch, it’s not the most user-friendly outliner out there.

If you want to create beautiful and functional outlines but don’t want to leaf through lengthy manuals, we have a steaming-hot lineup of 10 Org Mode alternatives at a ready.

Here’s a list of the best outlining software that’ll let you create intricate tree-structured diagrams with ease.

🌟 Taskade 🌟 Workflowy 🌟 Scrivener 🌟 OmniOutliner 🌟 Dynalist 🌟 Checkvist 🌟 Roam Research 🌟 Obsidian 🌟 Notion 🌟 ATHENS

But first, let’s do some explaining where explaining is due. 👇

What Is Outlining Software Anyway? 👨‍💻

Every action, no matter how simple, can be broken down into a sequence of incremental steps. This principle applies to everyday activities, e.g. preparing breakfast, as well as high-level professional tasks like managing a team, planning projects, or drafting documents.

🌳 Outlining is the process of creating hierarchies to contain whatever you’re thinking or working on. An outline breaks complex processes into smaller, more manageable bits.

Outlining software boosts creativity by allowing you to build an infinite number of outline levels. When combined with features like drag-and-drop editing, folding/unfolding, keyboard shortcuts, and real-time collaboration, you get an ultimate outlining experience.

Key benefits of outlining software include:

⚡️ Unlimited space for high-level outlines

⚡️ Quick indent/outdent to create hierarchies

⚡️ Folding/unfolding outline levels

⚡️ Intuitive navigation with keyboard shortucts

⚡️ Real-time sync and backup in the cloud

⚡️ Drag-and-drop workflows

⚡️ The ability to outline collaboratively

⚡️ Undo/redo to quickly revert changes

⚡️ Customizable visuals and color-coding

⚡️ Deep linking and multimedia elements

⚡️ Powerful search and tagging features

⚡️ And more…

A solid outliner/outline processor is a must-have tool for all kinds of creative and organizational tasks. That can include writing, project planning, knowledge management, note-taking, or bullet journaling!

So, what do you say we take a look at 10 awesome outliners?

Org Mode Alternatives: The Best Outlining Software for 2021 🏆

Outlining software comes in all shapes and sizes. That’s why we’ve put together a selection of the best outlining software so you don’t have to go through trial and error.

Use this list to navigate the article. 👇

#1 Taskade

Taskade is dedicated, collaborative outlining software that combines project and task management with powerful outlining features, all fit for a modern knowledge worker.

Taskade turns the chaos of everyday commitments into a hierarchy of cascading tasks. By breaking complex problems into smaller chunks, you and your team can focus on the work that matters, one step at a time.

And the best part?

Taskade is the only outliner that syncs everything in real-time!

Outlining in Taskade is simple. All you need to do is add a few lines of text inside any of your projects and indent sub-tasks or lower-level elements with the ⌨️ Tab key.

Every outline you create in Taskade can be formatted and customized to give it a unique flavor. Choose from several different bullet styles, checklists, and headings and add finishing touches with beautiful highlight colors.

Finally, Taskade outlines are stored in a tree-structured database, which means they’re designed to be organized hierarchically. You can use Taskade’s flexible workflow to transform your outlines into mind maps or org charts.

But wait, there’s more!

Taskade Select Outlining Features 🌟

Fold/Unfold . Fold (collapse) a parent task/bullet element to hide its subtasks. Indent outline elements with the ⌨️ Tab key and unfold lists with the ⌨️ Shift+Tab keyboard shortcut.

. Fold (collapse) a parent task/bullet element to hide its subtasks. Indent outline elements with the key and unfold lists with the keyboard shortcut. Keyboard Navigation. Use keyboard shortcuts to reorder, format, or complete/check the elements of your outline without taking your hands off of the keyboard!

500+ Templates . Taskade comes packed with 500+ templates for every occasion. Modify templates from our catalog or craft new ones inside your workspaces.

. Taskade comes packed with 500+ templates for every occasion. Modify templates from our catalog or craft new ones inside your workspaces. Multi-Select. Select and format multiple outline elements or bulk-assign tasks to other team members. You can also copy, paste, and indent selected blocks.

Customize Sub-Tasks . Customize the format of your sub-tasks at individual outline levels. Choose from headings, numbered lists, shapes, and more.

. Customize the format of your sub-tasks at individual outline levels. Choose from headings, numbered lists, shapes, and more. Recurring Tasks. Add due dates with start and end time to outline elements. Set tasks to repeat daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly and never forget a thing.

Communication . Combine chat, video conferencing, calls, and project comments. Engage in stimulating conversations while getting work done together in real-time.

. Combine chat, video conferencing, calls, and project comments. Engage in stimulating conversations while getting work done together in real-time. Move Tasks. Move and copy selected tasks/outline elements to other projects across any workspace. You’ll receive a pop-up notification on completion.

Deep Linking . Use internal links and create connections between outlines in your workspaces. Use the @mention functionality to quickly select link destinations.

. Use internal links and create connections between outlines in your workspaces. Use the @mention functionality to quickly select link destinations. Drag-And-Drop File Uploads. Add images, videos, and documents to make your outlines shine. You can now drag-and-drop files to upload.

User Roles & Permissions . Manage outline collaborators, set editing permissions, and define user roles. Choose from four distinct roles, project Owner, Admin, Editor, Checker, and Viewer.

. Manage outline collaborators, set editing permissions, and define user roles. Choose from four distinct roles, project Owner, Admin, Editor, Checker, and Viewer. Sort Tasks. Sort sub-tasks/children elements by completed/uncompleted stats or the due date. Task sorting can be accessed from a convenient pop-up menu.

Project Views . Use Taskade’s flexible workflow to visualize your projects in several different ways. You can transform projects using the List, Mindmap, Org Chart, and Board views.

. Use Taskade’s flexible workflow to visualize your projects in several different ways. You can transform projects using the List, Mindmap, Org Chart, and Board views. Comments. Comment and discuss the contents of your outlines with others. Invite collaborators to edit projects together and gather valuable feedback.

Keyboard Shortcuts . Move between tasks, add new content blocks, change the order of elements, and edit your outlines using universal keyboard shortcuts.

. Move between tasks, add new content blocks, change the order of elements, and edit your outlines using universal keyboard shortcuts. Project Activity. When somebody checks off an outline item, there’s a chat notification with the editor’s name and scope of the changes. Keep everybody on the same page anytime, anywhere.

Search . Find information within outlines or run global searches across workspaces and subspaces. Quickly move between projects anywhere in Taskade.

. Find information within outlines or run global searches across workspaces and subspaces. Quickly move between projects anywhere in Taskade. Project History. See all the changes made by you and other collaborators. Click on the entries to navigate to the edited items within the outline.

Notification Control . Prioritize deep, focused work with push notification settings. You can turn notifications off for each workspace or individual project.

. Prioritize deep, focused work with push notification settings. You can turn notifications off for each workspace or individual project. Export and Print. You can export your outlines as plain text or markdown files. Attach them to emails, presentations, or for print.

Undo/Redo . Correct mistake and safely restore your outlines to a previous state. You can also use undo/redo when editing a project or collaborating with others in real-time.

. Correct mistake and safely restore your outlines to a previous state. You can also use undo/redo when editing a project or collaborating with others in real-time. Mobile and Desktop Apps. Sync your outlines between Mac, Linux, and Windows or outline on the go with Android and iOS mobile apps.

Taskade Pricing 💸

🟢 Free (forever!)

Unlimited outlines, projects, collaborators, and guest users

500MB of storage for files and projects (up to 25MB per file)

Chat, calls, video conferencing, and screen sharing

Real-time syncing across web, desktop, and mobile

Backgrounds, dark mode, and customization

Push notification, project history, and activity feed

Cross-linking, outline sharing, and task management

500+ quality templates across 26 categories

Mind maps, org charts, kanban boards, and lists

Export/print outlines as markdown files

🔵 Unlimited ($5/month per user billed annually)

Everything in the Free plan +

+ Unlimited storage (up to 250MB per file)

Sorting options, recurring tasks, and bulk assign

Upload custom logos and workspace backgrounds

Priority support and custom onboarding

Email, Dropbox, Google Drive, and One Drive integrations

Advanced reporting, permissions, and revision history

SAML, 2FA, and Single Sign-On (SSO)

#2 Workflowy

Workflowy is streamlined outlining software that lets you map out all kinds of projects. The app offers a minimalist, distraction-free outliner environment. You can use Workflow in a web browser or get it for Windows, Mac, Linux, and mobile devices.

Like Taskade, Workflowy was nurtured under Y Combinator’s wings and was designed to address the everyday PM problems. Workflowy uses a hierarchical data structure that accentuates the flexibility of ordinary lists.

Workflowy Select Features 🌟

Infinite nested lists (in Workflowy Pro)

Filtering features

Color-coded tags and highlighting (beta)

Multi-factor authentication

Outline backup to Dropbox

A selection of themes and fonts

Outline sharing and collaboration

Workflowy Pricing 💸

🟢 Basic/Free

All features included

Limited to 250 bullets/month

File upload limited to 100MB

Only basic sharing

🔵 Workflowy Pro ($4.08 billed annually)

Unlimited bullets

Unlimited file uploads

Advanced sharing features

Backup to Dropbox

Premium support

See how Workflowy compares to Taskade (click). 👈

#3 Scrivener

Scrivener is a writing and outlining tool designed for students, academics, and writers. It’s a complete writing suite with everything you need to research, outline, and draft documents. Scrivener works on macOS, Windows, and iOS.

Scrivener Select Features 🌟

Organization into folders and subfolders

Meta-data including keywords and labels

Drag-and-drop outline organization

Customizable templates

Side-by-side outline preview

Full-screen outlining

Printing and export

Scrivener Pricing 💸

🟢 Standard macOS/Windows ($49 one-time purchase)

🔵 Educational macOS/Windows ($41.65 one-time purchase)

🟣 Mobile for iOS ($19.99 one-time purchase)

🟡 Mac + Windows bundle ($80 one-time purchase)

#4 OmniOutliner

A dedicated outlining tool from the creators of OmniFocus. OmniOutliner is a simple outliner app for brainstorming, organizing information, and creating high-level hierarchical lists. The app offers automation via JavaScript.

OmniOutliner Select Features 🌟

Typewriter mode

Bult-in themes

Dark and light modes

Keyword-based search

Document statistics

Resizable columns

Keyboard shortcuts

OmniOutliner Pricing 💸

🟢 Subscription ($4.99/$49.99 monthly/yearly)

🔵 For teams ($4.99/$49.99 per user)

🟣 Mac ($99 one-time purchase)

#5 Dynalist

Another piece of distraction-free outlining software for personal and business use. Previously called Omniflow, Dynalist evolved into a lightweight outliner and a note-taking app for “logical thinkers.” It’s a solid choice for focused work sessions.

Dynalist Select Features 🌟

Markdown formatting

Color-coded labels and tags

List sorting options

Google Calendar sync

File and item finder

Internal cross-linking

A selection of themes and fonts

Dynalist Pricing 💸

🟢 Free

Unlimited items/documents

Internal linking

Markdown formatting

Dates, tags, and checklists

Sharing and collaboration

Up to 5 bookmarks

Export/import

🔵 Pro ($7.99/$9.99 annually/monthly)

Everything in the Free plan +

Google Calendar integration

Version history

Dropbox/Google Drive backup

Custom shortcuts

Priority email support

See how Dynalist compares to Taskade (click). 👈

#6 Checkvist

Checkvist offers a fair balance between a task manager, to-do list, writing app, and, most importantly, an outliner. Built around hierarchical data organization, Checkvist is a match for all kinds of creative projects.

Checkvist Select Features 🌟

Keyboard-first navigation

Focus and dark mode

Private and public sharing

Collaboration features

Markdown formatting

Word and progress counters

Tags, due dates, and attachments

CSS customization

Checkvist Pricing 💸

🟢 Free

Unlimited hierarchical lists

Unlimited sharing and collaboration

Add tasks via email

Markdown, notes, due dates

Import and export

Mobile (offline) web app

🔵 Pro ($3.90/month per user or $39/year)

Everything in the Free plan +

2 GB attachments

Google Calendar sync

UI customization

Private tags and tag colors

Bulk operations (multi-select)

30-day backup + Dropbox sync

#7 Roam Research

Roam Research is a note-taking tool designed for heavy-duty research, brainstorming, and knowledge management. Like other outliners on our list, Roam packs a simple, distraction-free UI that’s perfect for metacognition or “thinking about thinking.”

Rome Research Select Features 🌟

Bi-directional linking

Markdown support

The Daily Note and The Graph

Task management features

Theme customization via CSS

Search, tags, and filtering options

Roam Research Pricing 💸

🟢 Pro ($15/month or $165/year)

3 private or public Roam graphs

Unlimited collaborators

🔵 Believer ($500/5 years)

Everything in the Pro plan +

Priority access to new features

Priority support and community calls

See how Roam Research compares to Taskade (click). 👈

#8 Obsidian

A note-taking, brainstorming, and outlining platform designed to act as a knowledge base or a digital “second brain.” Obsidian can be used with local folders or external/proprietary sync. The app is based on plain text Markdown files.

Obsidian Select Features 🌟

Markdown support

Cross-linking and graph view

Multiple resizable UI panes

Official and community plugins

Pre-made UI themes

Proprietary and external sync

Bi-directional linking

Obsidian Pricing 💸

🟢 Free for personal use

Doesn’t require an account

Plugins and API

🔵 Catalyst ($25/50/100 one-time purchase)

Support the development process

Access to insider builds

🟣 Commercial ($50/year per user)

Ready for commercial use

Priority support

🟡 Sync Add-On ($8/month billed annually)

End-to-end encryption

Built-in version history

Priority email support

🟤 Publish Add-On ($16/month billed annually)

Selective notes publishing

Graph view and outline

Priority email support

See how Obsidian compares to Taskade (click). 👈

#9 Notion

Notion is an all-in-one workspace for personal and team projects. The platform offers a highly customizable workflow fit for engineering, creative, HR, and sales projects of all shapes and sizes. A good choice for productivity geeks.

Notion Select Features 🌟

Integrations and templates

Real-time collaboration

Embed with 500+ tools

Fluid user interface

Drag-and-drop organization

Multiple project views

Notion Pricing 💸

🟢 Personal/Free

Unlimited pages & blocks

5 guests editors

Cross-platform sync

🔵 Personal Pro ($4 per month)

Everything in the Personal plan +

Unlimited file uploads and guests

Access to version history

🟡 Team ($8/month per user)

Everything in the Personal plan +

Unlimited team members

Collaboration tools

Advanced permissions

Admin toolkit

🟤 Enterprise (custom pricing)

Everything in the Team plan +

SAM/SSO + advanced security

Dedicated manager

Custom contract

See how Notion compares to Taskade (click). 👈

#10 Athens Research

An open-source sibling of Roam, Athens Research is an open-source note-taking, knowledge management, and outlining app. Athens is a solid choice for advanced users looking for an independent, self-hosted outlining solution.

Athens Research Select Features 🌟

Built using a graph database (GDB)

Support for bi-directional linking

Organization with block references

Auto-complete and undo/redo

Import from Roam Research

Athens Research Pricing 💸

🟢 Free Open Source

Unlimited pages

Unlimited blocks

Self-hosted, local-first

🔵 Enterprise (custom)

Everything in the Free plan +

For commercial use

Contribute to Athens

Pick the Best Outlining Software Out There 🚀

Outlining is a simple and elegant way to manage the complexities of everyday life. With a solid outliner at hand, you and your team will solve problems, organize knowledge, and tackle every creative venture that comes your way.

⚡️ Map out ideas as you would on paper

⚡️ Create outlines with a great level of detail

⚡️ Keep everything secure in the cloud

⚡️ Use shortcuts and drag-and-drop magic

⚡️ Revert changes to your outlines in a blink

⚡️ Customize everything the way you like it

⚡️ Collaborate with others and get things done

Choosing the best outlining software doesn’t have to be a hassle. Sign up for a free Taskade account today or test things out on our Live Demo page. Oh, and don’t forget to check these articles to learn more outlining tricks. 👇

Till next time! 👋