Freedom251 › Outlining Software
CarbonFin Outliner
What CarbonFin Outliner is
CarbonFin Outliner organizes thoughts, tasks, and projects in nested outlines. Tasks can contain subtasks, with progress indicators for parent tasks that have them. Its editor supports inline editing, cut, copy, paste, undo, redo, drag-and-drop reordering, search, and collapsing or expanding items. Users can tag outlines, filter by tag, search across outlines, archive older work, and optionally number items. Outlines can include notes, and each can have configurable checkboxes, note previews, and numbering. The iPhone and iPad app is listed at $4.99, paid once, while Outliner Online is a free browser companion for syncing, editing, printing, importing, exporting, and sharing. Outliner users can invite other Outliner users to view and edit shared outlines; published outlines are read-only for anyone with the URL. The app can sync OPML files with Dropbox or OneDrive, imports OPML, and exports plain text or OPML. Shared editing through Outliner Online is limited to iPhone or iPad app users. The app has no native printing support, though synced outlines can be printed through Outliner Online and a browser.
Who it suits
It suits people who want to organize tasks, projects, and notes in nested outlines, particularly iPhone or iPad users who want shared editing. The free browser companion also supports syncing and printing.
What it does well
- Tasks support subtasks and progress indicators.
- Outlines can be tagged, searched, and archived.
- Imports OPML and exports plain text or OPML.
- Free browser companion supports syncing and printing.
What to know first
- Shared editing is limited to iPhone or iPad users.
- The app has no native printing support.
Limits
Outliner Online shared editing is limited to people using Outliner on iPhone or iPad; others can view published outlines by URL. Printing is available through Outliner Online and a browser because the app has no native printing support.
Plans
| Plan | Billed and limits | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Outliner Online | browser syncing · editing · printing · importing/exporting · sharing | Free |
| Outliner | iPhone and iPad app · iOS/iPadOS 16+ | $4.99, paid once |
As carbonfin.com lists them, read 15 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.
Getting started
- Visit the CarbonFin website.
- Get the iPhone or iPad app for $4.99, paid once.
- Use the free Outliner Online browser companion for syncing, editing, importing, exporting, and sharing.
- Sync outlines as OPML with Dropbox or OneDrive if desired.
- Import OPML files or export outlines as plain text or OPML.
Verdict
CarbonFin Outliner provides nested task organization, outline editing, and OPML exchange, with a free browser companion. Note the device restriction on shared editing and the browser-based printing workaround.
Questions
How much does CarbonFin Outliner cost?
The iPhone and iPad app is $4.99, paid once. Outliner Online is free.
Is there a free plan?
Outliner Online is a free browser companion for syncing, editing, printing, importing, exporting, and sharing outlines.
Which platforms are listed?
Outliner is listed for iOS, macOS, and web. The mobile app is for iPhone and iPad, and Outliner Online runs in a browser.
Can I import or export outlines?
Outliner imports OPML and exports plain text or OPML. It can sync OPML outlines with Dropbox or OneDrive.
Can shared outlines be edited by anyone?
Outliner users can invite other Outliner users to view and edit shared outlines. Outliner Online shared editing is limited to iPhone or iPad app users; published outlines can be viewed read-only by anyone with the URL.
How does printing work?
The app has no native printing support. Synced outlines can be printed through Outliner Online in a web browser.
Facts from CarbonFin Outliner's own pages
- Conflict behavior
- If collaborators change the same item before syncing, the last synchronization wins. · carbonfin.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Desktop synchronization limit
- There is no direct desktop-app synchronization; desktop editing uses OneDrive, Dropbox or the browser companion. · carbonfin.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Documentation
- Documentation is provided through an in-app help button, a web help center and an FAQ. · carbonfin.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Editor
- The editor supports inline editing, cut/copy/paste, undo/redo, drag-and-drop reordering, searching and collapse/expand controls. · carbonfin.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Extensibility
- The iOS app supports outliner:// URL commands to launch the app or open a named outline. · carbonfin.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Import and export
- Outliner supports importing OPML files and exporting outlines as plain text or OPML. · carbonfin.com, 8 Oct 2026
- Import/export
- Outlines can be imported or exported as OPML and plain text, including through email and the web companion. · carbonfin.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Integrations
- OneDrive and Dropbox synchronization stores outlines as OPML files. · carbonfin.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Licence
- AlternativeTo classifies CarbonFin Outliner as proprietary commercial software. · alternativeto.net, 15 Oct 2026
- Limit: collaboration scope
- An independent legal note-taking guide says collaboration is limited to contributors using iPhone or iPad rather than cross-platform collaborators. · cdn.ymaws.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Limit: Dropbox outage complaint
- An App Store reviewer reported repeated Dropbox reauthorization caused by short-lived access tokens, later saying CarbonFin fixed it. · apps.apple.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Limit: formatting
- A Macdrifter review reports no rich formatting, images, multiple columns or summary rows compared with OmniOutliner. · macdrifter.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Limit: missing task features
- A JustUseApp review requests due dates, deadline views and stronger task-management functions. · justuseapp.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Limit: printing
- The app does not have native printing support; synced outlines can be printed through Outliner Online and a web browser. · carbonfin.com, 8 Oct 2026
- Limit: sharing
- Only iPhone or iPad Outliner users can use Outliner Online for shared editing; other people can view a published outline by URL. · carbonfin.com, 8 Oct 2026
- Limit: usability complaints
- OutlinerSoftware forum users report missing keyboard navigation, a cluttered interface and uncertainty whether the product is for tasks or writing. · outlinersoftware.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Maker identity
- The App Store identifies the seller as Jeremy Dewey and the developer name as CarbonFin. · apps.apple.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Notable release
- Version 3.20 added iOS 27 support, updated Dropbox and OneDrive integrations and included bug fixes in September 2026. · carbonfin.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Notes
- Each outline item can contain notes, with options for note previews, hidden notes and compact fonts. · carbonfin.com, 15 Oct 2026
- OPML limit
- OPML storage omits some creation/completion dates and unsupported OPML data can be removed after synchronization. · carbonfin.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Organization
- Users can tag, archive and filter outlines, and optionally number outline items. · carbonfin.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Praise: simplicity
- Apple reviewers repeatedly describe the app as simple, fast, reliable and easy to learn for checklists and multilevel outlines. · apps.apple.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Praise: structured notes
- Zapier highlights attaching notes to individual outline rows, note previews, collapse-all and zoom as reasons to choose it for note-based outlining. · zapier.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Praise: synchronization
- Independent reviewers praise dependable web, Dropbox and cross-device synchronization over many years. · macdrifter.com, 15 Oct 2026
Where CarbonFin Outliner stands on Freedom251
- Outlining Software#4 of 22