The Kinopio Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Kinopio in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Kinopio
The Insider’s Guide
Freeform canvas for notes, mind maps and moodboards
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among whiteboard and mind map tools, read from Kinopio’s own pages.
Made by Kinopio LLC · checked Oct 6, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Kinopio’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Kinopio’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 6, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.4
GPA, above 6 of the 30 other whiteboard and mind map tools we grade
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.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Kinopio, taken from its own pages and our grades.
It's made by a one-person company, with no ads and no AI.
- 1
Best for arranging notes and pictures on a freeform canvas
Kinopio is a freeform canvas: click anywhere, type a card, then connect, box up or tag it, with collaborators' cursors moving live.
- 2
Paid plans start at $6.67 a month when paid by the year
As its pricing page puts it: $8 per month, or $80 per year.
- 3
There is a 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.
- 4
It runs on 5 platforms
Web, macOS, Windows, Linux and iOS, with a browser extension too.
- 5
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.
- 6
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.
- 7
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.
- 8
A 2.4 GPA, above 6 of 30
That is against the other whiteboard and mind map tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
The plain part of Kinopio you could make: mind mapping, notes, linked notes and tasks. What surrounds it you could not. The 4 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
Kinopio at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $8 per month, or $80 per year
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Browser extension
- Made by
- Kinopio LLC, since 2018
- Category
- Whiteboards & Mind Maps
- Our grade
- 2.4 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for arranging notes and pictures on a freeform canvas
Kinopio is a freeform canvas: click anywhere, type a card, then connect, box up or tag it, with collaborators' cursors moving live. It's made by a one-person company, with no ads and no AI. The free plan stops at 100 cards and 5 MB uploads, there's no Android app, it can't be opened offline yet, and data isn't end-to-end encrypted.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | $8 a month, or $80 a year, which is the middle of this category exactly. The $250 lifetime plan only pays for itself after three years, and upgrading inside the iOS app costs more than on the website, which the maker puts down to Apple's fees. |
| Free plan and trial | C | Every feature is free, collaboration included, and you don't even need an account. But it's 100 cards and 5 MB per upload, which one busy board can use up. Cards you add to an upgraded user's space don't count. |
| Features | C | The basics of a canvas, done its own way: cards holding text, links, images, PDFs and code, joined by lines or grouped in boxes and lists, with backlinked tags, todos with due dates, live cursors and a public API. No drawing tools, no templates, and the help pages say it can't be opened offline yet. |
| Ease of use | B | No rating on record, but there's nothing to set up at all: no account needed, click anywhere on the canvas and type, and drag from a card to connect it to another. Painting over items selects them in one go. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web, Mac, Windows, Linux, an iOS app and a browser extension, plus a public API and hooks for Zapier, Telegram and Are.na. What stops it going higher is Android: there's no native app, and the maker suggests adding the site to your home screen. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Kinopio is for
- Fits if you think by arranging notes in space, not in lists
- Works for moodboards that put images, links and PDFs side by side
Who it is not for
- Tight if you're staying free, since 100 cards and 5 MB uploads go quickly on a busy board
- Skip it if you need to open your boards offline, which it can't do yet
- Not for you if you need end-to-end encryption, because the data isn't encrypted that way
- Skip it if you're on Android, as there's no native app, only the site saved to your home screen
- Watch out: upgrading in the iOS app costs more than on the website, and only upgraded users can make groups
Good to know
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.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$6.67
A month to start, paid by the year. There is a free plan too
Kinopio has a free plan. Paid plans start at $8 per month, or $80 per year.
Every feature is free, collaboration included, and you don't even need an account.
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.
The 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.
Read from kinopio.club on Oct 6, 2026.
Ways to pay less
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.
Stated on kinopio.clubLifetime 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.
Stated on kinopio.clubEducation
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.
Stated on kinopio.club
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
6
Places it runs: Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Browser extension
Freeform canvas for notes, mind maps and moodboards. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: public API, real-time collaboration, notes, linked notes, whiteboard, tasks, mind mapping.
No drawing tools, no templates, and the help pages say it can't be opened offline yet.
- 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.
Where it runs
- Web
- macOS
- Windows
- Linux
- iOS
- Browser extension
What it works with
- phonetonote
- Are.na
- Zapier
- Telegram
- YouTube
- Spotify
Kinopio is made by Kinopio LLC, and has been around since 2018.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
6/30
Other whiteboard and mind map tools it is graded above
Kinopio's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 6 of the 30 other whiteboard and mind map tools we grade, and level with 6.
It stands best on ease of use (B, above 17 of 30) and worst on features (C, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $6.67 a month when paid by the year, against a middle price of $8.29 for the category: 7 of the 23 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.7 out of 4. 3 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 31 whiteboard and mind map tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. Kinopio’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 4 of 30
- CFree plan and trialAbove 1 of 30
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 30
- BEase of useAbove 17 of 30
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 5 of 30
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 28 whiteboard and mind map tools. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Kinopio is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
The plain part of Kinopio you could make: mind mapping, notes, linked notes and tasks. What surrounds it you could not. The 4 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 18 of the 30 other whiteboard and mind map tools grade higher. It costs $80 a year.
What you could make
- Mind mapping, notes, linked notes and tasks: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- An endless canvas that stays smooth with hundreds of things on it.
- Apps for macOS, Windows, Linux and iOS that stay in step with each other.
- Several people working in it at the same moment.
- It plugs into other products, phonetonote, Are.na and Zapier among them, and has an API.
What this rests on. Kinopio’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Milanote, Miro, Excalidraw, tldraw and Scapple
The 5 tools Kinopio is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.8GPA
Milanote
Free plan · from $9.99/mo
Visual boards for organizing creative projects.
- Only Kinopio lists a Linux app.
- Only Milanote lists an Android app.
- Kinopio also covers linked notes and tasks.
- 3.0GPA
Miro
Free plan · from $8/mo
Online whiteboard for team brainstorming, diagrams and planning.
- Only Kinopio lists a Linux app.
- Only Kinopio lists a browser extension.
- Only Miro lists an Android app.
- 2.6GPA
Excalidraw
Free plan · from $6/mo
Open-source whiteboard for hand-drawn style sketches and diagrams.
- Only Kinopio lists macOS, Windows, Linux and iOS apps.
- Only Kinopio lists a browser extension.
- Excalidraw is open source, self-hostable and end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- 3.2GPA
tldraw
Free
Free online whiteboard with a local desktop app.
- Only Kinopio lists an iOS app.
- Only Kinopio lists a browser extension.
- Kinopio also covers notes, linked notes, tasks and mind mapping.
- 2.6GPA
Scapple
Free trial · from $20.99 one-time
Freeform mind-mapping app for writers, on Mac and Windows.
- Kinopio has a free plan. Scapple does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Kinopio lists a web app.
- Only Kinopio lists Linux and iOS apps.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
14
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Kinopio free?
Kinopio has a free plan. Free: every feature, including collaboration, up to 100 cards and a 5 MB upload file size limit.
How much does Kinopio cost?
Kinopio lists 4 plans. Free: $0.
What platforms does Kinopio work on?
Kinopio is available on Web, macOS, Windows, Linux and iOS. It also has a browser extension.
Does Kinopio offer any discounts?
Kinopio publicly lists the following: About 17% less on the yearly plan; Lifetime plan for $250; Discount for students and financial need.
Does Kinopio have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 6, 2026. Kinopio is listed for Web, macOS, Windows, Linux and iOS.
Is Kinopio open source?
Kinopio is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 6, 2026.
Does Kinopio have an API?
Yes. Kinopio offers a public API, according to its own site.
What does Kinopio integrate with?
Kinopio's listing names phonetonote, Are.na, Zapier, Telegram, YouTube and Spotify.
Does Kinopio have a student discount?
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.
Who makes Kinopio?
Kinopio is made by Kinopio LLC. It dates from 2018.
What are the alternatives to Kinopio?
The closest alternatives to Kinopio in our directory are Milanote, Miro, Excalidraw, tldraw and Scapple.
How does Kinopio compare with other whiteboard and mind map tools?
Kinopio's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 6 of the 30 other whiteboard and mind map tools we grade, and level with 6.
Is Kinopio good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Kinopio C for value for money. Its paid plans start at $6.67 a month when paid by the year, against a middle price of $8.29 for the category: 7 of the 23 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Kinopio?
The plain part of Kinopio you could make: mind mapping, notes, linked notes and tasks.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Kinopio’s own pages on Oct 6, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Kinopio's own pages on 6 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-05-26.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Kinopio LLC. Prices change, so check kinopio.club before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
3,189
Tools graded, in 94 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
3,189
tools graded
94
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Kinopio, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/kinopio
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Kinopio: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 6, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/kinopio
Know someone choosing between whiteboard and mind map tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/kinopio/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded whiteboard and mind map tools after Kinopio, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Whiteboards & Mind Maps Insider's GuideEvery one of the 31 whiteboard and mind map tools we grade, compared
- Microsoft Whiteboard Insider's GuideFree collaborative canvas built into Microsoft 365 and Teams3.4 GPA
- draw.io Insider's GuideFree diagram editor that saves files to storage you choose3.2 GPA
- tldraw Insider's GuideFree online whiteboard with a local desktop app3.2 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Kinopio’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Kinopio is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Kinopio LLC. Prices and plans change: check kinopio.club before you buy.