DeepNotes vs Kinopio

DeepNotes

• Visual thinkers who map ideas as notes and arrows on a canvas
• People who want encrypted notes with the source code published
• Small groups editing canvases together, each on a Pro subscription

Kinopio

• People who think by arranging notes in space rather than in lists
• Moodboards and research boards that mix images, links and PDFs
• Buyers who would rather pay once: there is a lifetime plan
• Anyone who wants a canvas without AI features or ads

DeepNotes

• There is no offline mode: the help center says DeepNotes does not support offline usage.
• Text cannot be searched across pages; the vendor gave that up as a trade-off of encrypting each page separately.
• The Basic plan stops at 50 pages and is for personal use; pages created on Pro become read-only when the subscription expires.
• The download page shows App Store and Google Play badges, but both store listings returned a not-found page on 2026-10-09.

Kinopio

• The free tier stops at 100 cards and a 5 MB upload file size, and only upgraded users can create groups.
• There is no native Android app; the vendor suggests adding the site to an Android home screen instead.
• Data is not end-to-end encrypted, and the app cannot yet be opened while offline, though edits made after a connection drops are synced later.
• Upgrading inside the iOS app costs more than on the website, which the vendor attributes to Apple's fees.

DeepNotes

Infinite canvas pages

Each page is an unbounded canvas. Double-clicking creates a note, and notes can be moved, expanded, colored and connected with arrows.

Nested notes and linked pages

Containers hold notes inside other notes, and pages link to one another, so navigation follows the links you make and not a fixed page hierarchy.

End-to-end encryption

Notes and arrows are encrypted under a key hierarchy that starts from the user's password, set out in a public whitepaper. Email addresses and metadata are not end-to-end encrypted.

Real-time collaboration in groups

Pro subscribers can create private, public or password-protected groups, invite other subscribed members and manage their roles. Public groups can be viewed by anyone with a page link.

Page history

The Pro plan keeps 14 days of history for each page. Page history is not in the Basic plan's feature list.

Web and desktop apps

DeepNotes runs in the browser, with a Windows app in the Microsoft Store and Mac and Linux builds published on GitHub.

Kinopio

Cards and connections

Clicking anywhere and typing creates a card. Cards hold text, links, images, PDFs and code blocks, and dragging from a card's connector draws a line to a related one.

Boxes, lists and paint select

Boxes keep related items together and lists stack cards vertically, which suits kanban-style boards. Painting over several items selects them all for a bulk edit.

Real-time collaboration and groups

Invited collaborators see each other's cursors and edits live. A space can be private, public read-only or open to comments, and groups share a set of spaces with a team.

Backlinked tags and linked spaces

Double-bracket tags connect a theme across every space it appears in, and a card can link straight to another space, so related boards stay reachable.

Todos, mentions and due dates

A card or box can be turned into a checkable todo, assigned to a collaborator with an @mention and given a due date.

Import, export and public API

Spaces import and export in several formats, including open JSON Canvas files, and can be saved as PDF. A public API supports custom integrations and tooling.

DeepNotes

• Basic$0

  Up to 50 pages for personal use, with end-to-end encryption, graph-based navigation, use across your own devices and two-factor authentication.

• Pro$3.99

  per month, billed yearly ($47.88)

  Unlimited pages, private, public and password-protected groups, user roles and 14-day page history. $4.99 if billed monthly; full refund within 7 days.

Kinopio

• Free$0

  All features, limited to 100 cards and 5 MB uploads. Cards added to a space created by an upgraded user do not count.

• Monthly$8

  per month

  Unlimited cards and uploads, billed monthly. Upgraded users can also create groups.

• Yearly$80

  per year

  The same unlimited cards and uploads, billed once a year.

• Lifetime$250

  one-time

  Unlimited cards and uploads for a single payment, with no subscription.

DeepNotes

• Annual discount

  Save 20% with yearly billing

  The pricing page labels yearly billing as saving 20%: Pro comes to $3.99 per month ($47.88 per year) against $4.99 when billed monthly.

Kinopio

• Annual discount

  About 17% less on the yearly plan

  The yearly plan is $80 against $8 a month. Twelve monthly payments come to $96, so paying yearly works out about 17% cheaper.

• Lifetime license

  Lifetime plan for $250

  A single payment of $250 gives unlimited cards and uploads with no subscription. The vendor says it added the plan in response to demand.

• Education

  Discount for students and financial need

  Students, and people who cannot afford the price because of where they live or other circumstances, can email the maker for a discount on subscription and lifetime plans.