Limnu vs SMART Notebook (2026): which should you pick?

Pick Limnu if

• Fits if you sketch with a stylus or marker and share the board live
• Works for tutors who lead students around a board

Look elsewhere if

• Skip it if you use Android or want a desktop app, as none is listed
• Watch out: exports are of the visible area, not the whole board
• Watch out: team security and admin controls are on the Team plan only
• Watch out: the Slack integration is not currently available
• Tight if you need video calls: the free plan has 30 minutes

Pick SMART Notebook if

• Fits if your classroom already has a SMART Board
• Works for teachers moving PDF and PowerPoint lessons onto an interactive board

Look elsewhere if

• Skip it if you don't own a SMART Board, as the pages frame it as free with one
• Not for you if you want a web or tablet version, since only Windows and macOS are named
• Too light for live work on student devices, which is the separate Lumio product
• Watch out: no price is given for the software on its own

Limnu

• Exports are of the area visible in the viewport, like a screenshot, not the whole board.
• Team security controls and admin controls are on the Team plan; the Free plan has limited ones.
• Limnu lists a browser and an iOS app; no Android or desktop app appears on the pages we read.
• The Slack integration is described as being upgraded and not currently available.

SMART Notebook

• The vendor frames it as free with a SMART Board; the pages read do not give a price for the software on its own.
• Desktop only: Windows and macOS are the platforms named, with no web or tablet version listed.
• Collaboration across student devices is a separate product, Lumio.

Limnu

Freehand drawing

Boards have no edge boundaries and support markers, shapes, text, sticky notes and stylus or Wacom tablet input.

Leading mode

A board admin can lead, so that everyone on the board sees the same area. Leading works in solo-draw and collaboration modes.

File and image markup

PDF, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, JPEG, PNG, GIF and SVG files can be added. They upload as images, one per page, and can be marked up.

Team controls

Team plans add admin controls over who can share and invite, and security settings that can restrict boards to an organization.

Whiteboard API

A separate API product lets a company embed whiteboards in its own app or website, priced through sales.

SMART Notebook

Lesson creation

Teachers build and deliver lessons on a SMART Board from desktop software.

Object awareness

The software is designed so a teacher can pick up a pen or eraser and start writing without changing a tool on screen.

Content import

PDF and PPT files and other curriculum content can be imported into lessons.

Document camera link

A SMART Document Camera can be connected to bring physical material into a lesson.

Limnu

• Free$0

  Unlimited collaborators, collaborative or solo-draw boards, limited admin controls and 30 minutes of video conference time.

• Pro$5

  per month, billed monthly ($50 billed yearly)

  For individuals: unlimited boards and collaborators, private and collaborative boards, unlimited video conference time.

• Team$8

  per team member / month, billed monthly ($80 billed yearly)

  Unlimited boards, team or private boards, team security controls and unlimited video conference time.

• EnterpriseCustom

  Team features plus a customer success manager and a training and onboarding program; sold through sales.

SMART Notebook

• With a SMART Board$0

  Free with the purchase of a SMART Board; the vendor states no subscription is required.

Limnu

• Annual discount

  Yearly billing saves $10 (Pro) or $16 (Team)

  The pricing page shows Pro at $50 a year (save $10) and Team at $80 a year per team member (save $16).

SMART Notebook

No public discounts listed.