Curio
Freeform Mac notebook with mind maps, lists and Kanban
What is Curio?
Curio is a Mac notebook app from Zengobi for gathering notes, documents and research on freeform pages called idea spaces. Its built-in collections include mind maps, lists, tables, index cards, pinboards and Kanban boards, with tags, dates and priorities for tracking tasks. Each project is a single local file on your Mac. After a 2-week trial it continues in a free mode limited to 5 idea spaces per project, with paid Standard and Professional editions above that.
Curio has a free plan. Paid plans start at $5 per month, billed yearly ($60), or $99.99 one-time license. See every plan
Good for
- Visual thinkers who plan projects on freeform pages
- Students, writers and researchers collecting notes and documents
- Mac users who want project files stored locally and usable offline
Worth knowing
- Mac only: Curio 34 runs on macOS 15 Sequoia or later, and the site lists no iPhone, iPad, Windows or web version.
- Free mode restricts a project to 5 idea spaces; larger projects open read-only.
- License keys work only with the website download and subscriptions only with the Mac App Store download.
- A license key includes one year of major updates; later updates need a paid renewal, and academic and volume discounts do not apply to subscriptions.
Key features
- Freeform idea spaces
- Place text, Markdown, images, PDFs, documents, web links and media anywhere on a page, and divide larger projects into Organizer sections.
- Integrated collections
- Mind maps, lists, tables, index cards, albums, pinboards, stacks and Kanban boards sit on the same pages and can be nested inside compositions.
- Task and project metadata
- Items carry checkmarks, percent complete, tags, start and due dates, priorities, ratings and resources, all searchable with queries and filters.
- Markdown, wikilinks and backlinks
- Markdown text supports equations, tables, checklists and callouts, and wikilinks, backlinks and jump actions connect items across a project.
- Local project files
- Each project is one local file on your Mac that works offline, with automatic backups and export to PDF, Markdown, HTML, OPML and other formats.
- AI services and Curio CLI
- The Sleuth research window reaches chat services such as ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini, and Professional adds a command line tool with an MCP server for AI agents.
Curio pricing
- Starts at
- $5 per month, billed yearly ($60), or $99.99 one-time license
- Free plan
- Free mode after the 2-week trial: Standard features with projects limited to 5 idea spaces. Larger projects open read-only for viewing, exporting and printing.
- Free trial
- 2-week free trial with all Professional features, no purchase required
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Standard features for small projects, restricted to 5 idea spaces per project. Larger projects open read-only. |
| Standard subscription | $5per month, billed yearly ($60); $6 billed monthly | Mac App Store subscription. Everything in Free with an unlimited number of idea spaces. |
| Professional subscription | $6per month, billed yearly ($72); $8 billed monthly | Mac App Store subscription. Adds Curio CLI and MCP, smart Kanban, table formulas, synced figures, Mermaid diagrams and presentation mode. |
| Standard license key | $99.99one-time, includes 1 year of updates | Bought from Zengobi's website. The license does not expire, and renewals for another year of updates start at $59.99. |
| Professional license key | $119.99one-time, includes 1 year of updates | The Professional edition as a one-time purchase. Renewals for another year of updates start at $79.99. |
Read from zengobi.com on Oct 6, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with Curio before you buy.
Ways to pay less
- EducationAcademic pricing on license keys
Qualifying students, faculty and staff pay $79.99 for a Standard license key or $99.99 for Professional after academic verification. Subscriptions are excluded.
Stated on zengobi.com - Annual discountTwo or three months free with yearly billing
Billed yearly, Standard works out to $5 a month instead of $6 and Professional to $6 instead of $8, which Zengobi describes as 2 and 3 months free.
Stated on zengobi.com - Other savings20% volume discount for 20 or more licenses
Quantity purchases of 20 or more license keys receive an automatic 20% volume discount at checkout.
Stated on zengobi.com - Other savingsDiscounted license renewals
Renewing a license key for another year of updates costs $59.99 to $69.99 for Standard and $79.99 to $89.99 for Professional, depending on the version owned.
Stated on zengobi.com
Works with
Curio alternatives
- Curio vs Heptabase
Free trial · from $8.99/mo
- Curio vs Scrintal
Free trial · from $9/mo
- Curio vs Tinderbox
Free trial · from $289 one-time
- Curio vs Milanote
Free plan · from $9.99/mo
- Curio vs Obsidian
Free plan · from $4/mo
Common questions
Is Curio free?
Curio has a free plan. Free mode after the 2-week trial: Standard features with projects limited to 5 idea spaces. Larger projects open read-only for viewing, exporting and printing. Paid plans start at $5 per month, billed yearly ($60), or $99.99 one-time license.
How much does Curio cost?
Curio lists 5 plans. Free: $0. Standard subscription: $5 per month, billed yearly ($60); $6 billed monthly. Professional subscription: $6 per month, billed yearly ($72); $8 billed monthly. Standard license key: $99.99 one-time, includes 1 year of updates. Professional license key: $119.99 one-time, includes 1 year of updates. Prices were read from zengobi.com on Oct 6, 2026.
What platforms does Curio work on?
Curio is available on macOS.
Does Curio offer any discounts?
Curio publicly lists the following: Academic pricing on license keys; Two or three months free with yearly billing; 20% volume discount for 20 or more licenses; Discounted license renewals.
Does Curio have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 6, 2026. Curio is listed for macOS.
Does Curio have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 6, 2026. Curio is listed for macOS.
Is Curio open source?
Curio is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 6, 2026.
Does Curio work offline?
Yes, according to its own site. What works without a connection differs by plan and platform, so check the vendor's page for the detail.
What does Curio integrate with?
Curio's listing names Apple Shortcuts, Apple Calendar, Apple Reminders, DEVONthink, ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Does Curio have a student discount?
Academic pricing on license keys. Qualifying students, faculty and staff pay $79.99 for a Standard license key or $99.99 for Professional after academic verification. Subscriptions are excluded.
Does Curio have a free trial?
Yes. 2-week free trial with all Professional features, no purchase required.
Who makes Curio?
Curio is made by Zengobi, Inc.
What are the alternatives to Curio?
The closest alternatives to Curio in our directory are Heptabase, Scrintal, Tinderbox, Milanote and Obsidian. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with Curio.
Sources for this page
The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Oct 6, 2026.