Comparison

Cloud Outliner vs Metanote

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Cloud Outliner

This app helps you structure your thoughts and tasks into clear, organized lists. It offers visual organization, synchronization across devices, and rich editing features for easy management of your ideas and plans. Share your organized content easily with others.

Highlights
  • Multi-level document management
  • Drag & drop reordering
  • Swipe to indent
  • Rich text formatting
  • iCloud synchronization
  • Export to PDF and OPML
  • Password protection
Features
Read full description

Cloud Outliner helps you turn ideas and tasks into clear, structured lists. Capture thoughts instantly, organize them visually, and keep everything synchronized across your Mac, iPhone, and iPad with iCloud. With rich editing, intuitive gestures, and easy sharing, staying organized has never been easier. Install Cloud Outliner and bring clarity to your work and life. Key Features Organize and Protect • Multi-level document manager • Color tags for quick highlights • Password protection • Custom templates • Duplicate documents Powerful Outline Editor • Drag & drop to reorder • Swipe to change indentation • Multi-select for bulk actions • Checkboxes and auto-numbering • Notes for list items • Rich text formatting and highlighting • Collapse or expand any level • Filters, undo/redo, copy/paste • Link and phone number detection • Read-only mode • Wireless keyboard support with shortcuts Sync and Share • Sync across iPhone, iPad, and Mac with iCloud* • Mac version available • Export to PDF, OPML, plain text • Import OPML files • Print via AirPrint • Share by email or messenger Extra • Light and Dark mode • Clean, intuitive design • Portrait and landscape support * Sync with Mac requires Cloud Outliner Pro for macOS, sold separately.

About

Metanote

A privacy-focused offline editor that supports Org mode for writing, task management, and knowledge wikis. It offers real-time editing of rich content and seamless synchronization across devices.

Highlights
  • Privacy-first offline editor
  • Full Org mode support
  • Real-time rich content editing
  • Seamless synchronization
  • Integrated task management
  • Full-text search
Read full description

Metanote is a privacy-first offline editor that supports org mode. In Metanote, everything is text, everything is editable. Supports real-time editing and rendering of images, hyperlinks, tables, Latex mathematical formulas, source code blocks, attachments and other rich content with the text markup language 'org mode'. Literary creation, academic papers, literary programming, task management, knowledge wiki and other usage scenarios can be easily handled. *** Freedom & Private 100% work offline, no account required, no network required, no private document formats, no data collection, your data and privacy are completely under your control. *** Writing every where Whether on the go or in your bedroom, you can create, view and edit your documents anytime, anywhere, and with built-in synchronization, everything will be there when you return to your desk. *** A silky-smooth editing experience Pure native development, lightweight and smooth, rejecting any lag, even for large files! *** Thinking better Through the structured editing function, ideas come to life on screen. It is not only a beautiful outline, but also efficient thinking. *** Never miss a thing There is no more free task management system than this. Notes are to-dos, and to-dos are notes. Everything is plain-text and everything can be edited. Capture inspiration on the go with 'capture' and keep everything in sight with 'agenda view's. *** Org mode Metanote fully supports org mode 9.3.6 syntax, including features like Capture and Agenda View, allowing for a perfect and even enhanced org mode experience on smartphones. - An incredibly smooth editing experience. - Sync using WebDAV(Apache WebDAV Server, ownCloud, Yandex.disk, etc.), Dropbox, OneDrive, Git, iCloud. - Support for adding Obsidian and Logseq working directories, integrating and managing them in a unified manner - Supports full-text search. - Support images, tables and LaTeX. - Support hyperlinks and attachments. 1. Supports internal links and external links. 2. Click on the attachment link to preview and edit, the following types are supported: 1. iWork and Microsoft Office documents 2. Images 3. Live Photos 4. Text files 5. PDFs 6. Audio and video files - Supports multi-window editing. - Customizable startup page - Supports mini buffer. - Compatible with org mode version 9.3.6 - Todo notifications support - View agenda views by year, month, and day - Customizable workflows - Support for custom capture, custom agenda view, refile, log note, and other features. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Cloud Outliner4 screens
Metanote4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Metanote at every 2 weeks against Cloud Outliner's every 6 months. Cloud Outliner's advantage is ratings volume (756 vs 15). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Cloud Outliner sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Metanote sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Cloud Outliner holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Cloud Outliner has 756 ratings behind it against 15, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 80% of Cloud Outliner's written reviews are positive against 73% of Metanote's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Cloud Outliner ships an update every 6 months, Metanote every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Cloud Outliner versus Metanote: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCloud OutlinerMetanote
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (756 ratings) — better4.3 (15 ratings)
Positive reviews80.0% of reviews — better72.7% of reviews
Number of ratings756 — better15
Update frequencyEvery 6 monthsEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.014.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size23 MB16 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDenys Ievenko雪双 陈

Customer experience

Cloud Outliner

All ratings751 ratings
Positive91.6%
Neutral3.2%
Negative5.2%
Written reviews421 reviews
Positive80.0%
Neutral9.0%
Negative10.9%

Metanote

All ratings11 ratings
Positive81.8%
Neutral9.1%
Negative9.1%
Written reviews11 reviews
Positive72.7%
Neutral9.1%
Negative18.2%

Bugs and requests

Cloud Outliner

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Crashes and freezes on certain devices
  • Issues with restoring Pro purchases on new devices
  • Inconsistent syncing behavior between iOS and macOS versions

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add support for attaching files and images
  • Improve export options beyond OPML
  • Introduce a true dark mode with black text on dark background
  • Add keyboard shortcuts for common actions
  • Enhance the ability to move and reorganize outline items

Metanote

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Cloud Outliner

One-time1
  • Unlock Pro Features$2.99
3 purchases

Metanote

Subscriptions2
  • Metanote Premium$1.991 Month
  • Metanote Premium$12.991 Year
One-time1
  • One-time purchase$19.99

Questions

Is Cloud Outliner free?
Cloud Outliner is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Metanote free?
Metanote is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Cloud Outliner or Metanote?
Cloud Outliner is rated higher. Cloud Outliner averages 4.5 out of 5 from 756 ratings, while Metanote averages 4.3 from 15 ratings.
Do Cloud Outliner or Metanote have ads?
Neither Cloud Outliner nor Metanote shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Cloud Outliner or Metanote?
Cloud Outliner ships an update every 6 months, and Metanote every 2 weeks. Most recently, Cloud Outliner was updated on November 1, 2026 and Metanote on October 24, 2026.

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