# Allume

> Nested-board thinking canvas for Mac, iPad and iPhone

Allume, known as Muse until a 2026 rename, is a thinking canvas for Mac, iPad and iPhone. Boards nest inside other boards, and each one holds handwriting, text, images, videos, PDFs, web links and other files side by side. Data is stored local-first and synced between devices, so the app does not depend on a constant connection, and shared workspaces add live cursors and comments. It is made by an independent developer, Milestone Made, LLC.

- **Category:** Whiteboards & Mind Maps
- **Made by:** Milestone Made, LLC
- **Website:** https://allume.com
- **Runs on:** macOS, iOS
- **Facts last checked:** Oct 6, 2026

## Pricing

Allume has a free plan. Paid plans start at $9.99 per month, or $99.99 per year.

- **Pricing model:** Free plan
- **Free plan:** a small board size, 2 workspaces, 100 cards per workspace and 1 other collaborator per workspace, on Mac, iPad and iPhone. The vendor describes it as free forever.
- **Free trial:** None listed.

| Plan | Price | What you get |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Free | $0 | Small board size, 2 workspaces, 100 cards per workspace, 1 other collaborator per workspace and community support. |
| Unlimited | $9.99 per month, or $99.99 per year | Huge board size, unlimited workspaces, cards and collaborators, and priority email support. |
| Setapp | $14.99 per month, through a Setapp subscription | Huge board size, unlimited workspaces and cards, and 5 collaborators. A Mac is required for Setapp; iPad and iPhone are optional. |

Read from https://allume.com/ on Oct 6, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with Allume before buying.

## Ways to pay less

- **About 17% less on the yearly plan** (Annual discount): Unlimited is $99.99 a year or $9.99 a month. Twelve monthly payments come to $119.88, so paying yearly works out about 17% cheaper. Source: https://allume.com/
- **Education discount on request** (Education): The pricing section says students and teachers can email Allume for an education discount. The size of the discount is not published. Source: https://allume.com/

## Key features

- **Nested boards:** Each board works like a whiteboard that can contain further whiteboards, so an idea or project can grow in place and be organized later rather than up front.
- **Ink, text and cards on one canvas:** Handwriting, typed notes, images, videos, PDFs, web links and other files sit together on a board, and connections can be drawn between cards.
- **Linked cards and PDF excerpts:** A linked card references the same board from several places. PDFs can be read and annotated, and excerpts pull part of a PDF or image onto a board while keeping its source.
- **Shared workspaces:** Collaborators added to a workspace get live cursors, comments, following and templates. The Free plan allows 1 other collaborator per workspace.
- **Local-first sync:** Data is kept locally and synced between Mac, iPad and iPhone. The vendor lists an always-online requirement among the things the app does not have.
- **Command line app and MCP:** Version 4.0 adds a command line app to search, export and add content, plus an MCP connection for AI tools such as Claude and ChatGPT. Both are switched off by default.

## Good for

- iPad and Mac users who mix handwriting, text and files on one canvas
- Reading and research: PDFs can be annotated and excerpted onto boards
- Solo thinkers who want their data stored locally and usable offline
- Projects that outgrow a single board and need boards inside boards

## Worth knowing

- Allume is offered only for Mac, iPad and iPhone; the vendor lists no web, Windows or Android version.
- The Free plan has a small board size and allows 2 workspaces, 100 cards per workspace and 1 other collaborator per workspace.
- The vendor deliberately leaves out drawing brushes, complex text formatting, and endless canvas zooming or rotation.
- Through Setapp the app is limited to 5 collaborators and needs a Mac, against unlimited collaborators on the Unlimited plan.

## What people say

- **App Store rating of the iPhone and iPad app:** 4.6 out of 5 from 336 ratings in the United States, read Oct 6, 2026. This is the store's rating of the app, not a score from ToolGPA. Source: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/id1501563902

## Works with

Claude, ChatGPT, LM Studio

**Tags:** Whiteboard, Local-first, Works offline, Real-time collaboration

## Alternatives

- [Milanote](https://toolgpa.com/tools/milanote): Visual boards for organizing creative projects. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/allume-vs-milanote)
- [Kinopio](https://toolgpa.com/tools/kinopio): Freeform canvas for notes, mind maps and moodboards. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/allume-vs-kinopio)
- [Scapple](https://toolgpa.com/tools/scapple): Freeform mind-mapping app for writers, on Mac and Windows. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/allume-vs-scapple)
- [MindNode](https://toolgpa.com/tools/mindnode): Mind mapping and outlining app for Apple devices. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/allume-vs-mindnode)
- [Heptabase](https://toolgpa.com/tools/heptabase): Visual notes app that arranges linked cards on whiteboards. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/allume-vs-heptabase)

## Sources

The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Oct 6, 2026:

- https://allume.com/
- https://apps.apple.com/us/app/allume-for-focused-thinking/id1501563902
- https://allume.com/memos/2026-07-allume-v4/
- https://allume.com/terms

Page: https://toolgpa.com/tools/allume
Listed by ToolGPA (toolgpa.com).