# Kinopio

> Freeform canvas for notes, mind maps and moodboards

Kinopio is a freeform canvas for notes, mind maps, moodboards and whiteboards. Cards are typed anywhere on a space and joined with connection lines, grouped into boxes or lists, and labeled with backlinked tags, and collaborators see each other's cursors and edits in real time. It is made by a one-person company that is funded by its customers rather than investors, and the vendor states that it carries no ads and no AI features.

- **Category:** Whiteboards & Mind Maps
- **Made by:** Kinopio LLC (since 2018)
- **Website:** https://kinopio.club
- **Runs on:** Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Browser extension
- **Facts last checked:** Oct 6, 2026

## Pricing

Kinopio has a free plan. Paid plans start at $8 per month, or $80 per year.

- **Pricing model:** Free plan
- **Free plan:** Free: every feature, including collaboration, up to 100 cards and a 5 MB upload file size limit. No account is required to start.
- **Free trial:** None listed.

| Plan | Price | What you get |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 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. |

Read from https://kinopio.club/help/how-much-does-kinopio-cost/ on Oct 6, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with Kinopio before buying.

## Ways to pay less

- **About 17% less on the yearly plan** (Annual discount): The yearly plan is $80 against $8 a month. Twelve monthly payments come to $96, so paying yearly works out about 17% cheaper. Source: https://kinopio.club/help/how-much-does-kinopio-cost/
- **Lifetime plan for $250** (Lifetime license): A single payment of $250 gives unlimited cards and uploads with no subscription. The vendor says it added the plan in response to demand. Source: https://kinopio.club/help/how-much-does-kinopio-cost/
- **Discount for students and financial need** (Education): 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. Source: https://kinopio.club/help/how-much-does-kinopio-cost/

## Key features

- **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.

## Good for

- 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

## Worth knowing

- 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.

## Works with

phonetonote, Are.na, Zapier, Telegram, YouTube, Spotify

**Tags:** Whiteboard, Mind mapping, Notes, Real-time collaboration, Linked notes, Tasks, Public API

## Alternatives

- [Milanote](https://toolgpa.com/tools/milanote): Visual boards for organizing creative projects. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/kinopio-vs-milanote)
- [Miro](https://toolgpa.com/tools/miro): Online whiteboard for team brainstorming, diagrams and planning. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/kinopio-vs-miro)
- [Excalidraw](https://toolgpa.com/tools/excalidraw): Open-source whiteboard for hand-drawn style sketches and diagrams. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/excalidraw-vs-kinopio)
- [tldraw](https://toolgpa.com/tools/tldraw): Free online whiteboard with a local desktop app. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/kinopio-vs-tldraw)
- [Scapple](https://toolgpa.com/tools/scapple): Freeform mind-mapping app for writers, on Mac and Windows. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/kinopio-vs-scapple)

## Sources

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

- https://kinopio.club/help/how-much-does-kinopio-cost/
- https://kinopio.club/
- https://kinopio.club/help
- https://kinopio.club/help/apps/
- https://kinopio.club/help/offline-support/
- https://kinopio.club/help/encryption/
- https://kinopio.club/help/groups/
- https://kinopio.club/help/sharing/
- https://kinopio.club/help/who-makes-kinopio/
- https://kinopio.club/help/terms-of-service/

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