Comparison

Outliner for iPad vs Note Always

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

Head to head
About

Outliner for iPad

This application is an iPad-exclusive outlining tool. It is a legacy version, with a universal app available for new users. Contact the developer for any inquiries.

Highlights
  • Outlining tool
  • iPad exclusive
Read full description

** This is the iPad only version of Outliner. Outliner is now a Universal app, so new users should purchase that version instead. Please contact us for any questions. Thanks! **

About

Note Always

A dedicated notebook app optimized for Apple Pencil, offering a smooth writing experience and intuitive editing tools. Effortlessly organize thoughts, draft ideas, and modify content without switching tools.

Highlights
  • Outstanding writing feel
  • Circle, grab, and move content
  • Intuitive modification (erase, undo)
  • Diagram creation
  • Photo editing
  • Drag and drop to other apps
Read full description

“Write smoothly. Correct intuitively.” Note Always is a dedicated notebook app for Apple Pencil. - Outstanding feel The fastest response. Realistic, smooth renderings of blurring and blotching. Because this app is just for the Apple Pencil, we were able to achieve this outstanding feel. - Circle, grab and move All it takes is enclosing the part you wish to move in a circle and move the hand icon. Color, width, and the size are also adjustable. - Smooth modification Erase with your finger, undo by tapping with two fingers, and “circle and move”. Without switching tools, perform “erase, undo, and modify” intuitively. Draft your thoughts. Sort out and elaborate drafts. In order to support the repeated process of think, write, and re-write, the product is made to pursue the pleasant ease of write and stress-free modification. Perfect for sorting ideas, drafting presentation or manuscript, self-brainstorming. For research, travel journaling, and schedule management. Main Features Stickies Intuitive stickies “writing with a pen and move with your finger” Free sorting is the most suitable for sorting out ideas and thoughts. Diagrammatization Straight line, square and circle can be modified beautifully without losing the handwritten style. Tip of the pen can be pushed in strongly, too. Edit photos Clipping and applying a retrospective filter, Shading gridlines. Casually making it look slightly stylish. Drag & drop Enclose and push with your finger to drop into another app as is! Easy linkage even with a part of a page in a notebook. Other features include zooming, Split View, rearranging pages, exporting to PDF, and saving on the iCloud. Note Always was created specifically for the Apple Pencil. You can use the app without one, but your writing will be much less smooth and responsive. We ask for your understanding.

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Outliner for iPad at $4.99 against Note Always's $14.99. Outliner for iPad also leads on rating (4.8 vs 3.9) and review sentiment (82% vs 68%). Note Always's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 4 months) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.0). On ratings volume, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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

Outliner for iPad costs $4.99 and Note Always $14.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Outliner for iPad holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.9. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 13 and 27 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 82% of Outliner for iPad's written reviews are positive against 68% of Note Always's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Outliner for iPad ships an update every 4 months, Note Always every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 6, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Outliner for iPad versus Note Always: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterOutliner for iPadNote Always
Price$4.99 — better$14.99
Rating4.8 (13 ratings) — better3.9 (27 ratings)
Positive reviews81.5% of reviews — better68.4% of reviews
Number of ratings1327 — better
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidFree — better
DevicesiPadiPad
Requires iOS15.011.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size11 MB36 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperCarbonFinAlways Sunny Ltd.

Customer experience

Outliner for iPad

All ratings13 ratings
Positive92.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative7.7%
Written reviews130 reviews
Positive81.5%
Neutral5.4%
Negative13.1%

Note Always

All ratings26 ratings
Positive73.1%
Neutral3.8%
Negative23.1%
Written reviews38 reviews
Positive68.4%
Neutral10.5%
Negative21.1%

Bugs and requests

Outliner for iPad

Reported bugs

12 issues
  • Font size settings don't include larger options
  • Copy and paste functionality lost in recent updates
  • OPML export doesn't preserve outline hierarchy in Word
  • Text selection and cursor placement issues
  • Sync authentication failures causing data loss
Show 7 more
  • App crashes when creating new outlines
  • Formatting lost when cutting and pasting
  • Dropbox sync not automatic, requires manual setup per file
  • Dialog changes don't update until closed
  • Slow startup time on iPad
  • Small touch targets for expand/collapse buttons
  • Multi-line note preview not available

Requested features

20 requests
  • Larger font size options and accessibility settings
  • Color coding and text formatting (bold, italics)
  • Folder-based organization for outlines
  • Due dates and reminders for tasks
  • Password protection and encryption
Show 15 more
  • PDF export functionality
  • Keyboard shortcuts for navigation and hierarchy changes
  • Multi-select and batch operations
  • Columns for additional metadata
  • Dark mode or customizable color themes
  • Gantt chart or timeline view
  • Desktop application for Windows/Mac
  • Universal app (single purchase for iPhone and iPad)
  • Automatic syncing without manual trigger
  • Ability to move outlines between lists
  • Rich text formatting in notes
  • Web link detection and built-in browser
  • Image and attachment support
  • Numbered list export
  • Integration with Google Tasks or iOS Reminders

Note Always

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Outliner for iPad

No in-app purchases

None

Note Always

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Outliner for iPad free?
Outliner for iPad costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Note Always free?
Note Always costs $14.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Outliner for iPad or Note Always?
Outliner for iPad is rated higher. Outliner for iPad averages 4.8 out of 5 from 13 ratings, while Note Always averages 3.9 from 27 ratings.
Do Outliner for iPad or Note Always have ads?
Neither Outliner for iPad nor Note Always shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Outliner for iPad or Note Always?
Outliner for iPad ships an update every 4 months, and Note Always every 2 weeks. Most recently, Outliner for iPad was updated on October 6, 2026 and Note Always on October 7, 2026.

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