Outerline
What Outerline is
Outerline is a native Markdown editor for Mac and iPhone. It saves notes as ordinary Markdown files in a folder you choose, without a proprietary format, and writing works offline without an Outerline account. The editor includes syntax highlighting, autosave, full-text search, word count, reading time, and preview. Nested folders, starred documents, and colored inline tags organize notes. Wikilinks connect documents, while an inspector shows backlinks and external links. You can highlight passages in five colors, attach notes, and add anchored comments without changing the Markdown. Notes export to Markdown, HTML, or PDF, and the library can be backed up as a zip. Siri and Shortcuts are supported, and the Mac app offers an optional local MCP server. macOS and iOS can sync the same library, with iCloud listed as a sync option. The Outerline plan costs $9.99 a month; Outerline Publish costs $1.99 a month for publishing shareable links. Publishing requires a free account and subscription.
Who it suits
Outerline suits Mac and iPhone users who want offline Markdown files, linked notes, annotations, and standard exports. Publishing users need both a free account and the separate Publish subscription.
What it does well
- Ordinary Markdown files
- Works offline without account
- Exports Markdown, HTML, and PDF
- Five annotation colors
- Mac and iPhone apps
What to know first
- No free plan
- Publishing requires separate subscription
- Requires iOS 26.0 or later
- Requires macOS 26.0 or later
Plans
| Plan | Billed and limits | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Outerline Publish | Monthly in-app subscription · Publishing requires a free Outerline account and subscription | $1.99 a month |
| Outerline | One-time universal purchase for Mac and iPhone · Use on Mac and iPhone | $9.99, paid once |
As outerline.so lists them, read 11 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.
Verdict
Outerline focuses on local, portable Markdown writing with organization, linking, annotations, and exports. Its general plan is $9.99 a month, while public publishing adds a 1.99 USD monthly subscription.
Facts from Outerline's own pages
- Annotations
- Users can highlight passages in five colors, attach notes, and add anchored comments without changing the Markdown. · apps.apple.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Compatibility
- The App Store listing requires iOS 26.0 or later on iPhone and macOS 26.0 or later on Mac. · apps.apple.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Export and backup
- Notes can be exported as Markdown, HTML, or PDF, and the library can be backed up as a zip. · apps.apple.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Export formats
- standard · outerline.so, 22 Sept 2026
- Files
- Notes are ordinary Markdown files stored in a folder the user chooses, with no proprietary format. · apps.apple.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Free plan
- No · outerline.so, 22 Sept 2026
- Integrations
- Outerline supports Siri and Shortcuts; the Mac app also offers an optional local MCP server for AI assistants. · apps.apple.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Links
- Wikilinks connect notes, and an inspector shows backlinks and external links. · apps.apple.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Mobile apps
- Yes · outerline.so, 22 Sept 2026
- Offline use
- The app works offline and does not require an Outerline account to write. · apps.apple.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Organization
- The app supports nested folders, starred documents, and colored inline tags. · apps.apple.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Privacy
- The privacy policy says Outerline does not transmit documents to its servers except documents explicitly published through an Outerline account. · outerline.so, 11 Oct 2026
- Product
- Outerline is a native Markdown editor for Mac and iPhone. · outerline.so, 11 Oct 2026
- Publishing
- Publishing a note to a shareable link requires a free Outerline account and an Outerline Publish subscription; other app features work without either. · apps.apple.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Publishing tools
- Yes · outerline.so, 22 Sept 2026
- Support
- Outerline Help provides Mac and iPhone guides covering editing, links, publishing, backups, and AI setup. · outerline.so, 11 Oct 2026
- Sync
- Outerline for macOS can sync the same library as iOS, and the website identifies iCloud as a sync option. · apps.apple.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Version history
- Automatic timestamped snapshots, a diff viewer, and one-tap restore are available. · apps.apple.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Writing tools
- Features include syntax highlighting, autosave, full-text search, word count, reading time, and editor preview. · apps.apple.com, 11 Oct 2026
Where Outerline stands on Freedom251
- Writing Apps#125 of 135