Side by side

Kindling vs Tine

Both stand on outliner software. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.

Kindling

Free plan LinuxMacWindows

Kindling keeps outlining, drafting, reference notes, and review tools in a free desktop app. Its local storage and offline workflow may suit writers who prefer project data on their device.

Visit Kindling

Tine offers local Markdown outlining, query tools, sheets, and static-site publishing without an account or built-in sync. Its strongest fit is someone prepared to supply their own sync service and, on iOS, use the TestFlight beta.

Visit Tine

The facts

	Kindling	Tine
Free plan	Yes	Yes
Open source	Not published	Not published
Runs on	Linux, Mac, Windows	Android, iPhone, Linux, Mac, Web, Windows
Lowest paid plan	Free or on request	Free or on request
Plans published	1	1
Maker	Not published	Not published
Website	kindlingwriter.com	tine.page
On outliner software	#13 of 31	#17 of 31

Kindling: what it does well

Scene beats can appear as expandable drafting prompts.
Imports and exports several writing project formats.
Review files support tracked suggestions and threaded comments.
Stores projects locally and supports offline writing.
Free, open source, and available for Windows, macOS, and Linux.

What to know first

There is no mobile version yet.
Real-time collaboration is not available.
Windows 10+, macOS 12+, or x86_64 Linux is required.

Tine: what it does well

Reads and writes the same on-disk format as Logseq.
Split panes, tabs, histories, and layouts are supported.
Queries can display results as lists, tables, or boards.
Can publish graph pages as a static site.
Says it does not upload notes to Tine servers.

What to know first

There is no built-in sync service.
The plugin API is experimental and incompatible with Logseq and Obsidian plugins.
iPhone and iPad access is a TestFlight beta, not an App Store listing.

Alternatives to Kindling Alternatives to Tine The whole list