Workflowy: Note, List, Outline

• Free

Last verified 31 Jul 2026

4.8 8176 ratings · App Store

1. 5/5The good the bad and the ugly

   I've been using Workflowy for about 5 years and I pay the subscription fee every year. I use this app as a first step in the writing process and not for tasks. Functionally, it's great. Simple and fast to capture ideas. You can easily move sections around (on web platform) and the export function is decent. It's cross platform since it resides on web. The bad: As a paying customer I expected more attention to improving the features and customizations. Why do you not support markup? Why can't I selectively change font color, size or imbed images? Why can't I change background color? The ugly: This app has been left untouched for a long, long while. What the heck?! One annoying part of the functionality is the floating bar that always pops up over the words I'm trying to type. It would be nice to 3D touch on a bullet point and have to option to indent or de indent or move it etc. The app lacks severely the same functionality as the web app. At $50 bucks a year, and no sign of development, im kinda wondering if it's worth it. Hopefully we start seeing some action from the developer. I know from reading the reviews that some of us like to actually support the developer of good apps with our cash, but we also want to see continuous improvement and functionality.

   By_Thor · 31 Jul 2026

2. 5/5My Most Used App

   I have been using Worflowy on an almost daily basis for years. It is a clean, easy to use product that uses a simple outline format that I find useful for all of my note-taking needs. I am a prodigious e-book reader and I capture ideas and quotes from everything I read by just cutting and pasting text directly into Worflowy. The tab button indents automatically so organizing information is quick, and once entered, the "touch and move"feature, along with the editing, highlighting and search options allow you to format and easily locate your text depending on your own specific search criteria. I also use this for my todo lists, for brainstorming and capturing ideas, storing my favorite internet sites and links, long term planning, keeping track of my accomplishments and bucket list items... everything! After several years, I have pages and pages of well organized information in one place that I can retrieve with just a few search terms. I would call this a grown-up app for people who want to keep track of any kind of data in any form. This is my most used app and I would be lost without it.

   Duff Nobles · 31 Jul 2026

3. 5/5Less really is more! My digital whiteboard

   In all my years with Apple this is my first review. I'm a productivity and GTD guy and I've tried a lot of tools. I usually end up back at Evernote trying to force "the Secret Weapon", because tasks become projects and you usually need more than a task manager, which Evernote is not. Don't get me wrong, couldn't live without EN. I almost dismissed WF out of the gate due to the old school look and feel, but the simplicity is really what you need. You can draft agenda's, story's, keep team notes, personnel notes, account notes, task or projects lists, any list. You can infinity expand and and use tags. The clincher for me was that you can share or just copy/paste to word and the bullet points transfer perfectly. So your not trapped in the app. I use it from the web on my work laptop and on my iPad and iPhone via the app. Michael Hyatt has it right, everything seems to start on WF now for me.

   Mike Gutz · 31 Jul 2026

4. 5/5Finally organize chaos

   Honestly I can’t figure out why I like workflowy more than similar apps with more features. If I were to guess, I would say workflowy gives you SPEED. The speed at which I can FIND what I need WHEN I need it is faster than anything else I’ve ever used. And how does workflowy give you speed? By fitting the way your brain naturally stores information. No tabs, no folders, no sidebars yelling for attention. Your brain gets to zoom instead of switch contexts. You can dump half-baked thoughts faster than your brain can judge them. And the “out of sight, out of mind” thing applies here: I can collapse bullets and my monkey brain feels at peace. The UI is practically invisible. You can do everything just by typing, but there are buttons for you if you want them. Other apps try to be your second brain but WorkFlowy is just like “shhh, just think”. 10/10.

   Super.Jelly · 31 Jul 2026

5. 5/5Only app I pay subscription for

   Summary: this app serves as my all-purpose notepad for temporary as well as long-term text storage. What I love: - replaces iPhone Notepad app (there is no benefit to using notepad anymore) - flawless, almost real-time syncing across phone and laptop (and wife’s phone) - super flexible sharing (I can just send anyone a link to view/edit any part of my notes) - non-tree structure (wiki style) allows the same note to appear in multiple places (so I don’t have to pick the one exact perfect place to store things) - automatic backups to Dropbox so I have no fear of losing work (I’ve never once needed this feature, but it’s comforting) What I don’t use it for: - tasks that I want to “disappear” and never see again (I use Todoist) - anything that has a date on which I need to be alerted (iPhone calendar + Todoist) - anything that needs a bunch of formatting (Word) - anything that needs automatic totaling / formulas (Excel) But... (Developers please read this part!) I don’t need Workflowy to do everything. The greatest thing about this app is that it knows its own niche. Please don’t add too many features that lead it away from what it’s so great at doing: Plain text editing with super fast interface. I need it to take the place of PAPER, not all those other apps. And it’s doing a great job. Thanks very much to the Workflowy team for a great app!

   Laowai Chinese · 31 Jul 2026

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