Update: 2017: This is still an app I use every day and still appreciate it after all these years. I hope the developer will add a tip jar feature to encourage further improvements. Outliner remains the best and easiest to use checklist and outlining app available. The only improvement I can think of is to enable automatic sorting of outlines by date modified, so the ones I change show up at the top.

I have used it for a few years now and still find it indispensable whenever I need to make a checklist, especially a complex one with subtasks or one which needs to be used daily (I can easily just tap "Uncheck all" and start in again). The website synching makes it easy to create a new outline's items on a computer and then have it show up on my device..

This app is excellent, and I uses on a daily basis. This should have been a native app for iOS

My only wish is better printing options (at least for the web page) like printing a selection or only a sub-tree

I have been using outliner for a few years now, and I find it to be invaluable. It allows me to set up large scale projects made up of tasks. It runs smoothly, never crashes, and it stays synced up with my Dropbox account. There is no other app that I know of that can do this as well as outliner does.

I was one of the first people to purchase this app and I use it almost everyday. This is the best of the best!

I've used this app for years and have tried several kanban board and mind mapping apps; anything to help me organize ideas. In the end, I keep coming back to this app. If I have a 'todo' or a 'tobuy' it ends up in this app. My one question to the developer recieved a swift response. Thanks for a great app!

I've been actively using this app for years. It's perfect for making and checking off items on chore/to-do lists, goal lists, shopping lists, etc. Lists are easily generated, easily modified, can be published and shared, and there is also a browser-based editor to view and access your backed up lists from a PC or other device. Carbonfin Outliner is not the best app for maintaining your schedule, generating and organizing notes, keeping a journal, and may be too simple for managing a complex project, but for keeping track of things you want to do, stuff you want to buy, etc., I find it perfect and use it pretty much daily.

I've been using this app for years. It's not super powerful but I've got others for that. To be honest, the power of CarbonFin *is* its simplicity. Nine times out of ten if I need to make a list or actions or organize a simple project I reach for CarbonFin because it is FAST and EASY and DIRECT without layers of powerful options to cloud the interface. I love it. And the web access makes it accessible from anywhere. I hope the author sees this as I am one of those silent majority that is too busy doing stuff to bother with feedback. This app rocks. It's a homescreen app for me.

It is a fine outliner, and having the web interface is fantastic. I've been using this since it first came out and the web interface since they added it. I've tried others but always come back to the simplicity of CarbonFin Outliner. And it's like fort knox, I've have outlines that I created back in 2011 still available.

I enjoy using this app. I use it to manage knowledge & learning. All I wish for is to see the web app improve. It has been a while since we've seen a change.

I have missed a program I used to use on a PPC for years. Its finally been implemented for iOS, and its dreadful. I’ve been in mourning. Then I discovered CarbonFin Outliner.

THIS is the program I’ve needed. Clean, straight-forward, does the job handily, and pretty sweetly intuitive. Well done. Worth a lot more than developer is asking.

I was looking for an app that worked on my iPhone, iPad, AND any computer. Most outline apps have dedicated software that runs only on your computer. I wanted one that ran on any browser. This app does just that.

It's simple to use and doesn't bog you down with too many unnecessary functions. My only wish is for a variety of bullet choices. You only get two choices with this. But that limitation doesn't take away from the app at all.

Easy to create and use outlines, very useful for to do lists. Clean and simple interface. No issues using the app. I chose this app after trying several others; very happy with it.

I had a glitch once, a long time ago, but it was pretty easily fixed and I continue to depend on it every day for all my lists - groceries to buy, books I've read, medical test results, cost comparisons and many more. It's a very simple interface and does just what I want. Well worth the price! When I looked around for something else, nothing was even close.

I've now been using this app for several years and I think it's great. Very reliable. I use it almost every day.

Very happy to see the app updated for iOS 9 with side-by-side mode working great on iPad.

This has been my outline app for a couple of years now. I use it for my grocery list among other things. This newest update removed a feature I used all the time - delete all checked items. Please bring it back!

Helps me stay organized and does everything I need it to do. Now just waiting for watch compatibility! 👍

I've tried ALL the outliners on the iPhone and this is my favorite. It's clean and uncluttered. I literally use it every day! With the online sync feature, I know my outlines are stored safely in the cloud and I can even share my outlines with other people.

So why the 4 star rating? Because in the most recent update, something got messed up. I like to create a new sibling node by pressing Enter. And I also like to create a new child node by pressing Enter and then Space. This used to work fine and it still works, however now the outline jumps/scrolls to the bottom of the screen every time I create a new node this way. It's very distracting, please fix the jump! (I'm on iPhone 6.) Thanks!

I have used this app for a long time but have finally switched to something better. The developer just refused to respond to users pleas for enhancements that would make it so much better. I have switched to Cloud Outliner Pro where you can make entries different colors and can change font sizes. Something I asked for many times from the developer of this app. There are so many app designers that are abandoning their apps, now. You start to rely on a productivity tool and then it just gets old and decrepit.

Seriously helps keep me organized. Operates like my brain, but better...

Love this app! And I am not easily pleased.

The focus feature is HUGELY beneficial and not matched by others I have tried. Worth having this app for this feature alone.

As an avid outliner user for projects and to do lists, I find this is the most stable, feature appropriate, and easy to use of the many outline apps I have used on my iPhone 6 and two iPads. Syncs quickly and accurately.

My only three additional requests from Carbonfin would be (1) notes, (2) a night mode and (3) a Mac app, however the web version is adequate for me. Of course I would prefer more than "adequate." Though my second and third too choices for iOS outliners have one or more of these features, this is still my preferred everyday outliner because it is just that superior.

Though there is room for improvement its utility still ranks above the others plus the developer is continually upgrading therefore I give it 5 stars.

Feature rich and works seamlessly. I'm a GTD user and it's perfect for managing my lists. Also there's good export and sync options. Um yea couldn't ask for more.

I have used this app for a number of years and it stays on all my devices and is used constantly. If you're looking for an outline app this is a must for you!

I needed a way to view my trip planning notes from NoteBook (Circus Ponies Software) and bought CarbonFin to try it out. A quick OPML export from NoteBook, then upload to free CarbonFin online service/account and I was viewing and editing my notes on my phone.

Very nice.

Update: Have been using for years now. Nice, efficient, reliable.

This is an excellent goto app. Efficient for taking simple notes, gathering a list of facts, and even creating a quick reference of foreign language vocabulary.

I use this in conjunction with OmniOutliner on my iMac. I can transfer any outline or any part of an outline. Once on my phone, these backup to a website. I can access my outlines from anywhere. These are great for planning trips, tracking projects and general thinking.

If you just want an outline (meaning no checkboxes for the tasks), you have to do it line by line. That is a minimum of 4 taps for every line in your outline. If your outline is 20 lines long, that is 80 taps that could've been reduced to 3 taps (Settings, Checkboxes On/Off, Save).

As a project manager in training this app is incredible. It would be awesome in future updates if tasks could be dragged both vertically and horizontally to change both the order and the task level (1.1.3 to 1.1.3.1 for example). Also, if tasks could be have the option to have reminders or be integrated into a Google Calendar that would be sensational. I strongly recommend this app, but these improvements would make it stellar.

I like making checklists that don't necessarily have due dates. So this is perfect for me.

I've created:

Travel packing lists

Daily routine tasks

Projects checklists

The only thing I really hope to see in the future, is the ability to export & import single lists. You can "share" them, but if I wanted to share the list as a template for other strangers to use, I can't do that.

I used to like this app but stopped using it 2011/12 because the font got too small.

When I got my 6+ the text was a better size. Alas, that was because I using version 3.3.1. When I upgraded to the latest version the small text returned.

I did restore 3.3.1 so I'll give that a try.

The font size really ought to adjust dynamically according to the device's Larger Text setting.

I am a programmer and tend to be very critical of other people's programs. While Outliner is not the best outline application ever written for every possible situation, it has a well designed user interface, it is stable, it does what it says it does and seems to be reliable.

I use it mainly for brainstorming ideas with myself and I am very happy with it.

I have used this app for years, and it has proved to help me time and time again. Whether I need to just jot some ideas down, or make an outline for a huge project, this app has been what I needed. One of the apps I recommend for people with iOS devices. Best outliner app I have used.

I don't one one level lists such as Paperless still exsist. The hierarchical structure of Outliner is simplu the natural way people think and, with a huge glut of these apps availalble, CarbonFin has the best execution of it. With the included sync, it's steamrolls everying else out there.

I’ve used this product for a long time. It’s my go to app to organize complex stuff where I want to be able to drill down or step back for an overview.

I really enjoy seamless syncing between devices and a web app. It just works.

Fabulous product for whatever I paid for it so long ago.

I turned to the CarbonFin Outliner when I wanted an iOS outliner to use on my iPhone and iPad, and I have not been dissappointed. While I mainly create outlines on my Mac laptop using OmniOutliner, I occasionally want to outline something on my iPad or iPhone. However, because I don’t do this often, I didn’t want to spend $30 on OmniOutliner for iPad (no iPhone version as of this review). The $5 CarbonFin Outliner does all of the basic outlining tasks one needs and works on both the iPhone and iPad. And because it can import and export outlines in OPML, I can still move outlines between CarbonFin and OmniOutliner. I have been very happy with the CarbonFin Outliner and highly recommend it.

This is still my most used productivity app. A must for projects and notes big and small. The new zoom focus is great. Would be even better if it worked with a gesture or if the button was not buried in a menu.

This is a flexible note taking and outlining app with standard OPML data format and Dropbox syncing. Just perfect for my needs. Unlike several other outlining apps, this one has the ability to attach a note to any item.

Edit, sync, and open the same outline on my Mac using an app called "Tree".

I used Brainforest way back in the days of PalmPilots, and this is a perfect replacement.

I am a college freshmen and I believe this app is an absolute must-have for college students. Depending on your learning style, you may be able to just use this during class for notes. But I have to write things down, and thus, take up extra time turning my notes into an outline. But once it's in here, it's on the variety of devices I use. I can access my outlines anywhere. It's organized and clean look allows me to print out, or email my outlines to my friends who skip lectures. Or I can easily turn my outlines into flashcards, via flashcard apps. This app has so many uses for so many different needs. You need to buy this, you won't regret it! My only gripe is that there's no highlighting feature. It's a small issue, but for students it's essential.

This is one if the best outliner that I have experienced. Especially good for complex to do lists. Interface intuitive. Has an online version too which sync with your iPhone and iPad.

No better app to create and manage lists on the iPhone, the iPad and on the web. This one is just perfect. Highly recommended!

I am ScreenWriter and I use this app daily. Cloud sync had made this a first page app for me. I need a few things: 1)Allow for preserving hierarchy of tabbed outlines by pasting plain text with tabs as indents. 2) sync tabs independently of outlines. 3) sync manual sort order of outlines. 4) add an export option for plain text via open in and/or share sheet with tabs preserved. 5) allow sync with dropbox as plain text sync so that I could sync with Daedalus or editorial. 6) allow for copy and paste to disclude or include plain text numbers or bullets instead of the dashes. Currently I use texttool to kill the dashes if I paste to drafts and re-import using the online import tool (also, there should be a button for importing next to the help button). I currently use the import feature with texttool as a work around for 4,5 and 6. 7) Finally, enhance the url callback scheme so tabbed outlines in drafts can be be pushed to outliner easily as tabbed plain text. At the very least copy and paste fixes would help until 7 is done.

Using folders in Dropbox, it would be easy to make repeated checklists for various tasks and procedures. For example, a document filing or reviewing checklist.

I have an application that exports book lists as OPML files, and needed a way to quickly get the files to my iPhone so that I could use them as checklists. There are more powerful outlining tools but they are slow and much more complex than I need. I use the CarbonFin online storage to sync my computer and iPhone. I've had the app for several years and it works every time.

My favorite note-taking and organization tool.

And VERY responsive costumer support !!!!!

This is one app that truly delivers on all fronts. You can access online too. That really sold me. Easy, flexible and most importantly useable. This app is worth it!

This is by far my favorite Outliner. I use it for all my lists. CarbonFin Outliner is far from dull like most others. Use Emoji to make your lists stand out. Use 💅 for a nail Apt and ✂️ for a hair cut.

For a shopping list I have all my items listed by aisle 01-eggs and put in notes about the qty needed. All of my shopping items are checked off as completed until I need them. There is a way to toggle the items "hide completed".

I have tried many many other lists but this one by far exceeds them all. Also, customer service is outstanding.

As an educator, I've found thus outlining tool to be intuitive, flexible and useful for sharing outlines with our students. Outlines can be easily shared via a link and accessed from my blog! The tool works seamlessly on my desktop and iPhone, but I prefer it on my iPad.

I’m not sure if it’s the minimalist interface, the dropbox opml syncing, the sharable web preview or the “hit space bar to indent a new list item” feature, but despite Omni Outliner being a better product in many ways, I still feel like Carbonfin Outliner lets me just get work done in a much more enjoyable way.

I have been using this APP for more than a year on both my iPad and iPhone and it does just what I need it to. I frequently import and export OPML files for use on my desk top PC. Never had an issue with it.

This is a good product that I just downloaded a week back and started using it heavily on work and for personal stuff. I think to make this a 5 star, it needs to fix/improve following:

FIX:

1. Syncing through Dropbox is kludge. As I keep alternating between iPad and iPhone, it repeatedly creates conflicted copies despite taking care that I sync one with changes before. Why can't it sync through iCloud automatically in the background like many other apps do.

2. When it creates Conflicted copy after sync, it completely messes up setting for Outline, e.g. it would unselect "show number" or "hide completed". Why can't is keep the settings intact?

IMPROVE:

1. Need date and time for an outline, if its item contain tasks that I want to do on a fixed date and time

2. Need tags to be at the item level instead of at the Outline level. For example, if there is a travel checklist, I should be able to use tags to filter in items that are required when I am driving, or when I am flying, or item that are required during summer vs. those required during fall or winter etc. Similar use of tag could be for shopping list to filter in items to be purchased from grocer A, while others from grocer B or other stores etc.

This tagging feature is already available in other Task List apps, but their major drawback is that these are not outliners.

This app is exactly what I was looking for. It’s a rocksolid outliner that synchs (backs up on the web) in an instant. As a fiction writer, I was looking for a way to list upcoming scenes on my iPad so I could work on the ideas in the evening. But I wanted this outline to be available on my desktop too. With CarbonFin, not only can I access the outlines on the web site — I can change them all I want, using my desktop keyboard. And then when I open them on the iPad in the evening, everything is up to date. For $5, this little app streamlined my writing process and made everything easy and accessible. Not only that, but it’s a snap to import the outline into Scrivener so it’s available as I write the scenes. I couldn’t be more pleased.

I've tried almost all of them, this is easily my favorite - although, for me, the biggest glaring hole is the app's inability to produce quick, elegant output - like, I want to be able to email all or a self-defined portion of an outline in an attractive format without an additional attachment - I want to be able to email to someone else or to myself so I can print ... Please, please add this. One more request would be to duplicate the functionality of some other outliners - the ability to select a line (with or without existing an existing sub-structure) and enter a mode where all you see is that section of the outline - and you have full, normal editing functionality in that mode. When you're done, tap a button, and you're back to the normal view, with everything intact. They improve things slowly, but they never seem to screw up, either - in my experience, nothing ever breaks. I just wish they'd add my two pet wishes! But I do use this app all the time, it's one of my core iPhone/iPad workhorse apps.

I use this application for goal and idea planning. It's reliable. I like the way you can backup data online, and actually create outlines there and put them on your ipod. I would truly give it five stars except for two minor bugs.

1. It is way TOO easy to delete. They should give you a warning.

2. When you enter a lot of data at one time, eventually the data entry begins to stutter and pause until you eventually have to wait a few seconds before a key entry will work. Though, after giving it a rest, or syncing, it goes back to normal speed. It is aggrivating though, because when you really get to brainstorming, it puts you on hold.

What sold me on Carbon Fin is the ability of its web-based alter-ego to import OPML files combined with the app's ability to sync over the air with the web-application. I'm a heavy OmniOutliner user. My workflow with this application is to design and build the outline in OmniOutliner then import it into the web application and then sync it to my iphone. Once on the iphone, I'm constantly updating and editing the outlines on both the iphone and the web application. The ability to sync allows me to keep both current.

By having the "seed" or "template" outline where I can readily import it into the web-application allows me to develop very complex checklists that are easily re-usable. If you have the need for a checklist that you want to use again and again, with iterative improvements, this is an ideal tool.

The synergy between the iphone app and the web-application and OmniOutliner makes this an impressively powerful and capable outlining tool. I didn’t need fancy typography, I just wanted simple and readily accessible outlining. Carbon Fin delivers. The free web-application and no need to buy the desktop version of the app made this the ideal choice for me.

I've been waiting for an application that works as easily as Bonsai did on my Palm Tungsten. Outliner is that app. I moved my collection of 20 outlines from Bonsai to Outliner in less than an hour. All you do is export your Bonsai outline to a .txt file. Open the Outliner web app (I really wish there was a stand-alone app but this will do for now), Import a text file, copy the text form your Bonsai text file and paste it onto the Outliner window. Thats it!

All other functions, promoting, demoting, moving items, tagging, 1-line previews, item notes are all very simply executed with easy-to-use onscreen commands. Numbering can be toggled as necessary.

The search function is very useful and works well. All of the outline commands that are accessible under the outline icon are very easy to use.

I have to say this app works perfectly for what I need and was looking for. It's too bad Natara didn't get their act together and port their Palm application to the iPhone. They totally missed the boat. CarbonFin Outliner has picked up the ball and is running with it.

If you need to get your old Palm Bonsai files to the iPhone, Outliner is the tool to use.

A great outliner! I'm using it to outline and refine technology and writing projects, and it's really helping me drill down into each project! It's great. 5 star app without a doubt, and the web-based outliner to which the iPhone app synchronizes is great as well. I use the iPhone app daily, and the web-based one is always open in my browser.

I will say, though, that not being able to try it out for free before purchasing prevented me from picking this up a few months ago. The price is high as far as iPhone applications are concerned, and although it's worth every penny, is probably a barrier to many people. I think if there was a version that was free, or 99 cents, that maybe had a few limitations (perhaps no sync to the web, or limitations on the number of nodes you could create) would go a long way towards people adopting this as their outliner of choice. People want to try things before they buy!

Also, a demo or video of the web-based outliner would be great as well, perhaps demoing basic usage, some imports/exports, etc. Just to show people that they're buying a great iPhone app with a great web-based option as well.

In summary: Great app!

Carbonfin is very straightforward and intuitive, well designed, and quite useful and powerful. It's the closest thing I've found to BrainForest for the Palm, which I loved. A very nice app overall.

Some issues & limitations:

* Sync doesn't preserve the order of top-level outlines -- i.e. if you reorder outlines either on the iPhone or on the web, the new ordering is not reflected in the sync'ed copy. (Ordering of items at any lower level does get sync'ed properly).

* No search function in the web version. (One can do 'expand all' and use the browser's builtin search, but that's kinda lame).

* No multi-line titles. Only notes seem to accept newline characters.

* Imported outline items always show up as tasks. There's no way to import them as non-tasks. (One can hide task checkboxes, making them look like non-tasks, but this is a bit of a hack).

* No tagging or filtering capabilities.

* No copy/paste of items (including or excluding sub-items) on the web version.

* No task priorities, due dates, recurring tasks, or alarms.

* No automatic sorting. Manual arrangement only.

I tried three list/outliner programs before finding this one. They were adequate, but Outliner really is far and away the best I've used. It could use a few minor tweaks (such as a way to set a completion date when you input the task, and a reminder that a completion date is emminent) but overall it's absolutely fantastic. Thank you!

Update: I use this strictly as a list manager for shopping and packing now. I can create a shopping list, or edit an old list, and email it to my boyfriend. Works great for that...

As an iPhone outliner this is exactly what I've been looking for. It doesn't try to do too much, it just provides all the necessary outlining functions and doesn't clutter my tiny screen with extraneous information. I love it. I'm not, however, comfortable with a web-based companion function on my desktop machines. I want a real outliner application (like Circus Ponies) on my other Macs that syncs with a good outliner like Carbon Fin on my iPhone. I organize my entire life with my outliner (currently Circus Ponies Notebook) and I can't have that info living only in the cloud and accessible only via an ugly browser interface.

I got this app when it was fairly new, and wasn't happy with it. The user interface seemed to have been copied from Things for iPhone, which is a fine app but designed around single tasks. Outliner was cumbersome, requiring multiple taps to enter each line and go on to the next one.

I ran the latest version by accident today, and had a look to see if anything had changed. Entering multiple lines is fast now. So is editing multiple lines. I was also pleased to read that it has ways to import and export. I'm going to start using this app now. Kudos to the developer for taking this app to the next level.

This is absolutely my favorite app. It's simple and intuitive. Because the bells and whistles are minimal I can adapt the outlines to multiple purposes as needed: writing projects, to do lists, storing quotes, project tracking, and shopping lists. It syncs to my computer without any fuss. I think the sync feature is what puts it over the tope for me. I've played with flashier apps in this category, but without a syncing feature they are relatively useless in the long run espeically for writing projects.

First, let me say that I love this app. I often have multifaceted and complex tasks to accomplish for my clients, often requiring not only the outlining of the steps of those tasks but also of the things I need to learn, review or brainstorm to accomplish those tasks. I find myself relying more and more on my iPhone rather than lugging around my laptop. The ability to do nested outlines, and print them and/or get them into another program (e.g., I use NoteTaker on my Macs, which can read/write OPML generated by Outline) was an important need for my iPhone and Outliner has filled that need. Sure there are a few tweaks to the interface that might improve input efficiency somewhat, but the app is very stable as is and I would not want to harm that stability. This incarnation of the app has made it the most used application for my business needs on my iPhone.

Note on the latest version: the inline editing works great. You can add new items this way too. Hitting return while editing one item gives you another new item on the same level. Fantastic program.

If you have the checkbox option turned on, the parent item automatically shows (with a small pie chart) the percentage of items under it that are marked complete. That's always been true, but it's worth repeating.

And as I said before ...

This is a real outliner, as opposed to a list-maker - no knock on list-makers, it's just a different kind of program. This is the closest thing to Bonsai (an outstanding outliner for Palm) I've seen for iPhone. Well suited to almost any kind of hierarchical list. The current version offers a number of small navigation improvements that make data entry even more convenient. Synchronizes with an online version of the application, which offers backup and additional export options - and now, with the latest release, the ability to update the outlines online and sync those changes back to the iPhone. With this last piece in place, Outliner is truly the leader in its class.

This is the first review I've written for any app. I haven't tried other outlining apps but this one worked so well for me that I figured- why bother?

When I first got this, I wasn't sure what I would use it for. First I used it to create video project outlines. A while later I realized that it could be useful in writing a story as well, breaking things down into organized, bite sized portions. It isn't meant for formatting text or adding graphics- nothing to distract you with gimmics. Just pure outlining- really a pleasure!

I use this app for so many things now and it especially helps for unorganized creative types like me!

Thank you!

I'm a student and outlining is how i take notes. I use OmniOutliner outline software which came with my MacBook, and I must say that the sync with Outliner is the real deal. I didn't even know OmniOutliner could have notes on each bullet point, and I've been using it for 3 years!

My only concern is the speed at which I can make notes, I'm not a fan of waiting 0.5 seconds to open a new screen in the program to start writing text, I'd suggest a quick entry method, that allows users to input text right on the outline without having to open a new window/prompt.

PS I also tried ZeptoLiner, but it cannot export OPML, which means your heirarchy that you spent 10 minutes perfecting will not be exported in the outlining software, at least not in OmniOutliner.

and FYI CarbonFin is referring to Carbon Fins as in the fins on a surfboard, so my guess is that these bomb developers surf as well, can't go wrong with CEOs that surf, forreal. THANKS AGAIN!

Plus it's got web sync.

For multiple reasons, Exchange isn't available to me on the work network, which means I can't easily get to my notes or tasks. This is unfortunate, since I make heavy use of both in the course of a day. (iTunes will sync the calendars, which is great, but iPhone OS 3.1.2 doesn't support to-do sync.)

This app lets me do it better, though. Any item I create can be marked as a task *or* as a note, and I can even add subtasks to the main one.

So now instead of Entourage's task list on my desktop, I use the online sync provided by the developer, running in a dedicated browser window; et voila, all my tasks and notes are available to me pretty much anywhere I go.

This is a nice little piece of software, and it provides a level of functionality to iPhone that Apple, bafflingly, has managed so far to overlook.

I'd fretted that an iPhone outliner wouldn't be as easy to use as one on a Mac with the finer detail of control provided by a mouse, but I was wrong. This application does all I expect of an outliner and does it with finess. And since the book outlines I'd be creating on an iPhone aren't that useful if left there, the ability to backup to a website and import or export to applications on other platforms is very handy.

User support is also excellent. A query I made one evening had an answer in my email the next morning. If you need an outliner, you won't go wrong getting this one.

Coming from Palm/Bonsai, I wanted something to be able to import my existing outline/projects/lists. The CarbonFin website provided instructions for exporting Bonsai outlines in OPML format that worked just fine. Outliner still has room for enhancements, but a solid app right now with good "semi-automatic" sync with the Outliner Online. With increasing restrictions at work on installing software, I'm appreciating more and more these iPhone apps that wirelessly sync to a web app. The web supports exports in OPML for backup, which is the final piece-of-mind for me.

I'm in the process of reading GTD and needed a place to put the thoughts I needed to get out of my head. I tried RTM, but it was too complicated for this GTD beginner. Carbonfin's Outline app is almost perfect for my needs. A clean outlining program that allows me to quickly enter information, easily copy or move information around inside an outline and check off completed items. Carbonfin tells me they are considering the things I'd REALLY like to see added. When they add the ability to move items from one outline to another, add tags and have a search option for the tags, I will give it 5 stars.

For the price and my relief in finding such a simple and effective outline app, I was tempted to give it a 5, but I really would like to see the other improvements.

I just wanted a simple outlining program for organizing my thoughts, projects, and lists, and decided to try it out as it had a slick, eye-pleasing interface. I soon found it out to be the perfect companion to Mark Forster's AutoFocus2. Now it resides on my dock as the most used app on my iPhone!

A few suggestions for improvement: tapping a branch doesn't always highlight it and highlighting gets lost when repositioning; repositioning of an item is currently done by arrows but tapping and dragging seems more intuitive; lastly, an editable web app would be nice.

Outliner is well executed and very simple and effective to use. Sure, it doesn't sync with a desktop application, but for a standalone task manger it is a pleasure to use.

I've downloaded many of the free todo applications and as with many of the other free (and some purchased) applications often times there are subtle things that make their use an imperfect experience. This isn't the case with Outliner - it does what it says and it does it well.

You can have lots of main tasks which can then br broken down into hierarchical sub tasks which can have notes, be either a task or not and tracking for completion and when the task was created. Subtasks will fill in part of their parent tasks indicator giving an idea of how complete a task is which is a nice feature.

It would be nice in the future to have a date by which tasks should be completed, but for a first version this is a fine example of what an iPhone app should be.

I am an outlining/bullet-point person, so naturally I am biased towards this app. That being said, it does what is says, and the interface is generally easy to use & flows well. I tried a couple other similar apps that outlined or divided up tasks in different ways, but this is by far the best. I will agree with those who mention that having due dates and a way to mark high-med-low priority (or something like that) would definitely be assets...and would lead me to loving Outliner even more!

Good stand alone outliner, easy to use, doesn't have a bunch of needless features. As others have noted, could be improved by including due dates, priority, etc. I converted from Palm when the 3G came out and this is the best replacement I could find for Bonsai, which was great on the Palm. This app claims to sync, but there is no synchronization involved. If you change on the iPhone, changes appear on the web site, but these are read only. I can export from Bonsai on my PC (OmniOutliner on Mac) but this just copies another version onto 'Outliner Online'. Then I can transfer to the iPhone, but I have two copies! I need to either edit in only one place or resolve edits by hand. I realize that two-way sync is non-trivial, but a bunch of Palm apps did this and did it well. I haven't found this to be case on the iPhone.

Outliner has greatly helped me more than the other to do lists. I can take notes (extensive or brief), organize them in an outline fashion, and then shoot them out via email. I use it to observe teachers (I am a principal), take notes at meetings, keep a list of which of my children likes what on their Subway sandwiches: the list goes on. I only have one recommendation: Could we get it to convert the outlines to a Word or Pages document?

It is an okay outliner, but they need to streamline the interface further and use more iPhone standard conventions. For example, adding a new item should just be done inline. Also, you can't drag and drop items to reorganize them, you have to use another interface of selecting items and then hitting buttons. Same for trashing items, which doesn't use the standard red button and inline delete (and for a small detail- the delete button that does pop up should be red in color).

The online syncing is unimpressive, to say the least. Basically you can go online and have it download a text file or OPML file. Or you can import an OPML file there. This could have been done by emailing from within the app and having a forwarding address to email OPMLs to and from.

I ended up going with a text list in Evernote to keep track of my To-Dos, but I'd love to see this improve.

This app is Amazingly Useful! I Love iBluesky and iThoughts mindmap software. This App turns certain mindmaps into Task Lists with OPML. For either of the forementioned apps you can now take your mindmaps farther by uploading their data to Outliner's Cloud and syncing it back into your iphone. Furthermore if you have Project Management Task Lists that you need others to work on, have them log into your account on their iphone( you'll have to come up with your own checkout method) But it works! PIE CHART ICONS RULE!

Great iPhone outliner - definitely. While awaiting planned updates like being able to edit synced outlines online, which will make working on desktop possible, it's great that you can import and export

existing outlines from the web interface and use other desktop outliners. Not all outliners natively support exporting to OPML, but templates can be made to do this.

Author was kind enough to send me one so I can export from Natara Bonsai, a popular Palm outliner. This makes this outliner much more useful! Great work!

Well, I tried as hard as I could to use a free task management program. But the power of this program is what I really needed. I like a structured list and everything I tried couldnt do nested subtopics. That drove me crazy. That, however, wasnt what broke the camels back. When I tried to do some fancyness on my iphone I accidentally erased all my information on the free program I was using. What is great about this app is that if you want it can sync to an online free server to save your data anywhere OR if you want you can email it to yourself/anyone in an outliner format.

The $10 is actually a great price for something I am using several times a day. In fact the two most used programs on my iphone are this and the iPod program that came with it. I am finally organized! I love it when people ask me about the work I am doing and I can effortlessly bring up exactly where I am in my current project, even though it has many different parts and subsections. Kudos!

The main problem I have with this app is that there isn't an outliner readily available on the Windows platform that I can use to edit the outlines with on my PC. Most of the ones I looked at seem to have been abandoned by their makers, do not support the notes feature, or are over $50 and complicated. Very simple outlines can be edited on several free web-based sites, but they all seem to have significant limitations that make them somewhat uninviting.

I'm switching over to the iPhone from Palm and have used Thought Manager there. I can't find a simple way to transfer my outlines, much less edit them on my PC. Also, the outlines are not easy to read in the main window. EACH line or item has to be opened as a screen by itself to be read if it is more than a few words. Also, only one line is visible when editing items.

This app has potential, but it has a ways to go to be useful for a PC user as more than a stand-alone outliner that can only be edited on the iPhone itself. A web based editor, rather than just viewer (which is what this developer offers) would make a lot of difference. Notebook has that, and it is delightful. This app could use something similar.

This App is Great and as I stated in the Title above ... there's nothing like having Nested Lists to Organize Projects! In my opinion, choosing a ToDo/List/GTD App is highly subjective and everyone is going to have different needs/wants in an App such as this. I have purchased and/or evaluated first hand over 25 of the ToDo/List/GTD Apps on the App Store, including MoleSkinery, SpeedList [Great App but NO Nested Lists], MyLists and ALL of the FREE Apps! However, OutLiner is by far the best one for me!

Right now I'm giving OutLiner 4 Stars because the only thing missing for me would be to have a way to sort the Outlines [aka: Projects] on the Home Page in the way I prefer. Would like to set my Outline Priority levels myself rather than having the last Outline edited at the top as it is currently defaulted to. I believe some other reviewers have mentioned the same preference.

Thanks to Jeremy at CarbonFin for making a GREAT Organizational Tool! Much appreciated!

Easily my most used app. I use it pretty much every day... usually just as a way to remember simple things (since memory is not my strong point :)).

Say I am driving down the road, listening to a podcast, and hear a good book review. I just jam that baby into CarbonFin Outliner so I don't forget. As this happens more frequently, I started organizing into simple hierarchies, eg : "Random Crap" | "Book Reviews" | "From Good to Great" (and in the notes section, I add that i heard about it on TWiT).

I also store "todo lists" in there, and use the hierarchy to separate low/med/high priority stuff.

The app has been stable and intuitive for me. Easily worth the 10 bucks I payed for it... I wouldn't have minded if it costs a bit more... especially if there was a way to edit my lists online.

Thanks CarbonFin! You improved my memory! ;-)

I've always been an avid outliner; from MORE, WebArranger, InControl, Frontier, and finally, OmniOutliner on the Mac. I've always had the desire for a handheld outliner, and this product sure fits the bill better than many others on the iPhone. I don't use it as a task list, but for a brainstorming/note taking/organizing application. I only regret that I waited a few weeks before buying.

I am now able to take notes at a meeting and then email them to myself in plain text AND OPML. No more transcribing from my messy handwritten notes to my computer after a meeting. Big productivity booster and time saver.

I also like that I don't have to go through a 3rd party service to share confidential or sensitive notes. I'm not much of a cloud computing guy.

Importing is the next big step. Looking forward to it. This is already one of my most-used apps. Great job!

This is an organizers dream! Very intuitive. Easy to input, easy to rearrange. I looked over all of the list apps and was drawn to this one because of the designers attitude. Could it be as good as he said? I went to the website and got a little more information - thought it was worth the risk ( i hate not being able to return things ) and bought it. I am very happy. You see I am really scattered - I come up with things to do all the time but feel compelled to put it all in order before I leave the house. I am very excited about this tools potential after just 2 minutes. I caught onto it that fast!

The upgrade has made this program much more stable. No more crashes and loss of list data. Nesting hierarchies are great, as is the checklist feature. However, the program needs to have "check all" and "uncheck all" options. I have a rather long checklist which I use frequently, and the only way to start over each time is to uncheck each item in the list one by one! I'm willing to do this for awhile... While I wait for another update. But failure to add this feature could be a "dealbreaker" in the near future.

I bought this and added a fairly extensive list to use before traveling. However, when I tried to check the items off while I was packing, I ran into several problems. Whenever I checked off more than three items, it crashed. Whenever I scrolled to the top of my list, it crashed. Every single time. Rebooting the phone did not work. So I deleted the app to reinstall, and lost all my work, including the many hours I put in creating that list.

I will never again buy an app that has no way to sync or export its data. This is a great looking app, a nice idea, but I just can't trust it anymore. Even if they fix the crashing problem, I can't be certain something else wouldn't happen where I lose my data.

I'm going to move all my lists to Zenbe lists for now. They're working on sublists, and I can sync my data to the web, and even share lists with my wife. And it's free! Maybe when ListPro comes out, I'll consider another app for my packing list and other outliner needs. But I will not trust my data to Outliner again.

This is exactly what I was looking for. All of the other options to create and maintain lists were either to complex or to simple. Outliner allows me to create lists electronically and modify them as I go as I do on paper everyday. Now there will be no more starting a list over because I miss a step. Because Outliner is so simple it allows me to create headings titled the way that I currently make lists. There was no need to relearn my organizational habits like some of the other programs such as OmniFocus would require.

It did crash once and I lost some data but it was not that big of a problem.

That being said the few things that I would like to see in future versions are the ability to reorder the home screen. It's nice that it places them in order of the last modified/created, however that may not be the current list that I am woking on or want on top.

I would also like to see a desktop version that allows for syncing. Had that been a determinig, let alone important, factor I would have choosen OmniFocus.

I don't understand some of the previous reviews. I haven't had any problems with speed or crashes, it seems to do exactly what it's suppose to do. After using a couple of iPhone Apps, I think Apple should have had some standardized entry screen process. Everyone seems to have invented their own and some are worse than others. I agree with too many steps to enter an item, but it's not that bad given the program works like as a solid outliner and has all the features (except export or sync, which I hope are coming.) The multi step entry also allows you to have notes in with the item which is really nice. I took the risk to buy it and I'm not sorry.

I have purchased several applications and few dozen free applications. so far this is the most useful application i found. very similar to OmniOutliner. Very well laid out and simple to use.

PS. when I purchased it, it wasnt launching when I click on app icon.. i was extremely frustrated because a screen would come and then shuts down. then i powered turned off and on (holding the power button few seconds) and then it worked... i don't know why or if this issue will repeat.