Bike- ProductivityProductivity

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About

Bike (Bike Outliner) is a fast, native macOS outliner from Hog Bay Software for thinking, writing and organizing. It combines fluid outlining with a rich text editor and stores outlines in open formats such as HTML-based .bike files, OPML and plain text.

Bike is an outliner built by Jesse Grosjean, the developer behind TaskPaper and WriteRoom, with an emphasis on speed: it stays responsive with very large outlines and is a fully native macOS app. You write in rows that can be folded, focused and moved with keyboard-driven commands, and with a license you can turn rows into headings, ordered and unordered lists, task lists, quotes, code blocks and notes, apply rich text formatting, use focus and typewriter modes, and create deep links to individual rows that keep working when files are renamed or moved. Outlines are saved in open formats (.bike files are HTML that can be opened in a browser, plus OPML and plain text), and Bike can be automated with Shortcuts, AppleScript and outline path queries. The core outliner is free to use without expiry; advanced features require a license, either bought directly from Hog Bay Software (one-time purchase with one year of updates, renewable at 50% of the price) or as a Mac App Store or Setapp subscription. Bike 2, in public preview since 2025 and still updated very frequently in 2026, adds a JavaScript extension system, a sidebar, search and filtering, attributes such as due dates and priorities, attachments and native Markdown files. Bike is Mac-only; on iOS, third-party apps can edit Bike outlines.

Who Is Bike Best For?

Bike is particularly well-suited for:

Mac users who think in outlines

Writers structuring long documents

Keyboard-centric power users

People who want open, local files

Automation and scripting enthusiasts

View all Productivity apps

Credibility of This Listing

We show what we know, where it comes from, and what is still incomplete.

Review Coverage

Limited

Third-party review coverage is limited for this listing. Treat the score as directional rather than comprehensive.

NoteFinderz Research

October 9, 2026

NoteFinderz research refreshed on October 9, 2026.

Product Freshness

October 8, 2026

Latest known product update: October 8, 2026.

Descriptions, use cases, pros, and limitations are written and curated by NoteFinderz. Ratings and review volume are aggregated from public signals when they exist.

Visible Review Sources

Coverage in progress

No third-party review sources are linked to this listing yet. We still keep the app in the directory, but confidence in the score is lower.

Features

Rich Text

Markdown

Tasks/TODO

Focus Mode

Keyboard Shortcuts

Drag & Drop

Import Options

Export Options

Offline Mode

Local-first

Automations

Pricing

Freemium

Free Tier Available

Project Health

Status

Active

Publisher & Origin

Developer

Hog Bay Software (Jesse Grosjean)

Source Model

Closed source

License

Proprietary

Country of Origin

United States

Headquarters

Bangor, Maine, United States

Origin Type

Indie creator

Origin Note

Hog Bay Software is the one-person studio of Jesse Grosjean, who has made Mac writing and thinking apps in Bangor, Maine since 2004 (WriteRoom, TaskPaper). Bike launched in 2022.

Pros

✓Very fast and native, even with very large outlines

✓Open file formats (HTML-based .bike, OPML, plain text, Markdown in Bike 2)

✓Free core outliner with no time limit

✓Strong automation via Shortcuts, AppleScript and Bike 2 extensions

✓Direct license unlocks the app permanently, with optional update renewals

✓Active developer with frequent preview releases and a responsive forum

Cons

⚠Mac only, with no official iPhone, iPad or web app

⚠Document-based files with no dedicated sync service of its own

⚠Many writing features (rich text, row types, focus modes) require a license

⚠Bike 2 and its extension system are still in preview

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Bike free to use?

Yes, Bike offers a free tier that you can use without payment. The core outliner (reading, writing and editing outlines) is free with no expiry. A license unlocks row types, rich text, focus and typewriter modes, links to rows, sorting, Shortcuts actions and AppleScript. Options: Mac App Store subscription at $2.99/month or $19.99/year; Setapp membership; or a direct license from Hog Bay Software that unlocks the app permanently with one year of updates, renewable at 50% of the purchase price.

What platforms does Bike support?

Bike is available on macOS. Download the app for your preferred platform to get started.

Does Bike work offline?

Yes, Bike supports offline mode. You can access and edit your notes without an internet connection, and changes will sync when you're back online.