# OutlineProcessor vs Novelist

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Novelist at 79% against OutlineProcessor's 20%. Novelist also leads on rating (4.4 vs 3.5) and in-app purchases (none vs 1). On price and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. OutlineProcessor sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Novelist asks for nothing beyond the download.

Novelist holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 3.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Novelist has 209 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 20% of OutlineProcessor's written reviews are positive against 79% of Novelist's.

OutlineProcessor ships an update every 59 months, Novelist every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 4, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | OutlineProcessor | Novelist |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.5 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/outlineprocessor/id1043577975/reviews) | **[4.4 (209 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/novelist-write-novels/id1564737393/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 4 | **209** |
| Positive reviews | 20.0% of reviews | **79.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 59 months | **Every 6 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 3 MB | 54 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [hirokazu murabe](https://appshunter.io/developer/894364772) | [Alessandro Riperi](https://appshunter.io/developer/1564737395) |

## What reviewers say

### OutlineProcessor

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/outlineprocessor/id1043577975)

This app helps you organize thoughts and ideas with a simple yet powerful outliner. Create nested lists, manage multiple projects, and use intuitive controls to structure essays, novels, or tasks. Its clean interface minimizes distractions for focused thinking.

**Highlights:** Infinite hierarchy for nested lists, Intuitive controls for reordering items, Multiple document management, Focus-oriented minimalist interface, Idea capture and development

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Hide Advertisement | $2.99 | one-time |


### Novelist

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/novelist-write-novels/id1564737393)

This app provides a comprehensive suite of tools for authors to write, organize, and plot their novels. It offers features for scene creation, story structuring, goal setting, and manuscript export. The platform is designed to support the entire novel-writing process, from initial ideas to the final draft.

**Highlights:** Plotting with customizable story elements, Scene writing with rich formatting, Story organization into acts and chapters, Word count goals and deadline scheduling, Manuscript export in EPUB, ODT, HTML, Autosave and version history, Companion web app

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Amazingly different application
- 🔒 Completely free, with no ads or in-app purchases
- 👍 Well-organized all-in-one app for writing, plotting, outlining, and scheduling
- 👍 Intuitive and easy to use
- 👍 Helps with organizing and keeping things clean

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Confusing menu options and backup/restore process
- 🐛 Glitches when editing text, cursor behaves unexpectedly
- 🐛 Crashes or freezes on some devices
- 🐛 Syncing issues between devices
- 🐛 Lack of font customization options

**Reported bugs**

- Backup/restore process can lead to data loss
- Cursor and text editing issues
- Crashes and freezes on some devices
- Syncing problems between devices

**Requested features**

- Ability to import/export in various formats (PDF, Markdown, etc.)
- Improved syncing and cloud integration
- More font and formatting options
- Ability to add images/illustrations to the book
- Collaboration/co-writing features


## Frequently asked questions

### Is OutlineProcessor free?

OutlineProcessor is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Novelist free?

Novelist is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, OutlineProcessor or Novelist?

Novelist is rated higher. OutlineProcessor averages 3.5 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while Novelist averages 4.4 from 209 ratings.

### Do OutlineProcessor or Novelist have ads?

Neither OutlineProcessor nor Novelist shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, OutlineProcessor or Novelist?

OutlineProcessor ships an update every 59 months, and Novelist every 6 weeks. Most recently, OutlineProcessor was updated on October 4, 2026 and Novelist on October 17, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*