The Kumu Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Kumu 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.
Kumu
The Insider’s Guide
Relationship maps for systems, stakeholders and networks
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among whiteboard and mind map tools, read from Kumu’s own pages.
Made by Kumu · checked Nov 12, 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 Kumu’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Kumu’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 12, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.0
GPA, above 8 of the 98 other whiteboard and mind map tools we grade
Kumu is a browser-based tool for turning data about people, organizations and concepts into relationship maps. Public projects on kumu.io are free, while private projects are billed per project. A self-hosted Enterprise edition is available for teams with sensitive data.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Kumu, taken from its own pages and our grades.
You import data and set up decorations before a map reads well.
- 1
Best for mapping stakeholder and systems networks
Kumu draws relationship maps from spreadsheets, for stakeholder, systems and social networks.
- 2
Paid plans start at $9 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $9 per month per private project.
- 3
There is a free plan
Free registration and unlimited public projects, with unlimited collaborators, maps and views.
- 4
It runs on Web
Web.
- 5
Relationship maps
Data about people, organizations or concepts is drawn as a network, with decorations, filters and clustering applied on top.
- 6
Spreadsheet import
Maps can be built from imported spreadsheets rather than drawn by hand, which suits larger datasets.
- 7
Public and private projects
Projects can be public and visible to everyone, or private with access given to named people. Maps can be embedded on other sites.
- 8
A 2.0 GPA, above 8 of 98
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 Kumu you could make: mind mapping. What surrounds it you could not. The 1 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
Kumu at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $9 per month per private project
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- Two-week free trial of private projects
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- Kumu
- Category
- Whiteboards & Mind Maps
- Our grade
- 2.0 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for mapping stakeholder and systems networks
Kumu draws relationship maps from spreadsheets, for stakeholder, systems and social networks. Public projects are free but visible to everyone and indexed by search engines, and each private project costs $9 a month, so the bill grows with every project.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | Private projects are $9 a month each on Basic, and Pro is $10 a workspace plus $20 a month per private project. That sits in the ordinary range for one project and climbs fast with more. |
| Free plan and trial | C | Registration and unlimited public projects are free, but public means anyone can see them. A two-week trial of private projects is offered. |
| Features | C | It does one job fully: network maps with filters, clustering and spreadsheet import. That is a narrower job than a whiteboard. |
| Ease of use | C | No store rating on record. You import data and set up decorations before a map reads well. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | Web only, with no apps and no integrations listed. |
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 Kumu is for
- Fits if you map stakeholders or systems and are happy to share the map publicly
- Works for people who start from a spreadsheet of relationships
Who it is not for
- Tight if your work is private, because each private project is its own monthly charge
- Watch out: free public projects are visible to everyone and indexed by search engines
- Watch out: all kumu.io customer data lives in one shared database, and sensitive work is pointed to Enterprise
- Watch out: archived private projects cost $20 to unarchive on a Pro workspace
- Skip it if you want a desktop or phone app, as none is listed
Good to know
Good for
- Researchers and consultants mapping stakeholders or systems
- Public-interest projects that can stay public at no cost
- Students who need private projects for coursework
Worth knowing
- Private projects are billed per project, so the monthly cost rises with each one: $9 on Basic, $20 on Pro.
- All kumu.io customer data lives in one shared database; the vendor points sensitive work to Kumu Enterprise.
- The Free workspace's public projects are visible to everyone and indexed by search engines.
- Archived private projects cost $20 to unarchive on a Pro workspace.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$9
A month to start. There is a free plan too
Kumu has a free plan. Paid plans start at $9 per month per private project.
That sits in the ordinary range for one project and climbs fast with more.
Basic workspace
$0
Unlimited public projects; private projects cost $9 per month each; daily backups.
Pro workspace
$10
per workspace / month, plus $20 per month per private project
View-only access control, custom branding, activity feeds, real-time comments, hourly backups, private project archiving.
Enterprise
Custom
Self-hosted or cloud-hosted private instance with SAML single sign-on and a 99.95% uptime SLA. Sold through sales.
The free plan
Free registration and unlimited public projects, with unlimited collaborators, maps and views.
Trying it first
Two-week free trial of private projects
Read from kumu.io on Nov 12, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Education
Private projects for students
Students doing classroom work or doctoral research can email from a .edu address to get 3 private projects at no charge.
Stated on kumu.io
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: Web
Relationship maps for systems, stakeholders and networks. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: mind mapping, diagrams.
It does one job fully: network maps with filters, clustering and spreadsheet import.
- Relationship maps
- Data about people, organizations or concepts is drawn as a network, with decorations, filters and clustering applied on top.
- Spreadsheet import
- Maps can be built from imported spreadsheets rather than drawn by hand, which suits larger datasets.
- Public and private projects
- Projects can be public and visible to everyone, or private with access given to named people. Maps can be embedded on other sites.
- Workspaces
- Projects are grouped into workspaces, each with its own name and billing profile. Pro workspaces add view-only roles and branding.
- Use cases
- The vendor's examples include stakeholder maps, systems maps and causal loop diagrams, and social network maps.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
Kumu is made by Kumu.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
8/98
Other whiteboard and mind map tools it is graded above
Kumu's GPA of 2.0 is higher than 8 of the 98 other whiteboard and mind map tools we grade, and level with 14.
Its paid plans start at $9 a month, against a middle price of $8 for the category: 41 of the 69 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.0 out of 4. 43 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 99 whiteboard and mind map tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. Kumu’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 11 of 98
- CFree plan and trialAbove 10 of 98
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 98
- CEase of useAbove 1 of 98
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 98
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 88 whiteboard and mind map tools. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Kumu 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 Kumu you could make: mind mapping. What surrounds it you could not. The 1 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 76 of the 98 other whiteboard and mind map tools grade higher. It costs $108 a year.
What you could make
- Mind mapping: an app builder makes this well.
What you could not
- A diagram editor.
What this rests on. Kumu’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
MindMeister, Coggle, Cmap, Plectica and Miro
The 5 tools Kumu is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.2GPA
MindMeister
Free plan · from €6.50/mo
Browser-based mind mapping with real-time collaboration.
- Only MindMeister lists iOS and Android apps.
- Kumu also covers diagrams.
- MindMeister also covers templates and presentations.
- 2.4GPA
Coggle
Free plan · from $5/mo
Collaborative mind maps and flowcharts in the browser.
- Coggle is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Coggle also covers Markdown.
- 3.0GPA
Cmap
Free
Free concept-mapping software from IHMC for school and research.
- Only Cmap lists macOS, Windows, Linux and iOS apps.
- 2.0GPA
Plectica
Free plan · from $3/mo
- 3.0GPA
Miro
Free plan · from $8/mo
Online whiteboard for team brainstorming, diagrams and planning.
- Only Miro lists macOS, Windows, iOS and Android apps.
- Miro also covers whiteboard and templates.
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 Kumu free?
Kumu has a free plan. Free registration and unlimited public projects, with unlimited collaborators, maps and views.
How much does Kumu cost?
Kumu lists 3 plans. Basic workspace: $0.
What platforms does Kumu work on?
Kumu is available on Web.
Does Kumu offer any discounts?
Kumu publicly lists the following: Private projects for students.
Does Kumu have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Kumu is listed for Web.
Does Kumu have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Kumu is listed for Web.
Is Kumu open source?
Kumu is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 12, 2026.
Does Kumu have a student discount?
Private projects for students. Students doing classroom work or doctoral research can email from a .edu address to get 3 private projects at no charge.
Does Kumu have a free trial?
Yes. Two-week free trial of private projects.
Who makes Kumu?
Kumu is made by a company of the same name.
What are the alternatives to Kumu?
The closest alternatives to Kumu in our directory are MindMeister, Coggle, Cmap, Plectica and Miro.
How does Kumu compare with other whiteboard and mind map tools?
Kumu's GPA of 2.0 is higher than 8 of the 98 other whiteboard and mind map tools we grade, and level with 14.
Is Kumu good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Kumu C for value for money. On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.0 out of 4.
Could I make my own version of Kumu?
The plain part of Kumu you could make: mind mapping. What surrounds it you could not.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Kumu’s own pages on Nov 12, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 12, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Kumu's own pages on 12 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
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 Kumu. Prices change, so check kumu.io before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
7,721
Tools graded, in 95 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.
7,721
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Kumu, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/kumu
- 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, "Kumu: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 12, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/kumu
Know someone choosing between whiteboard and mind map tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/kumu/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded whiteboard and mind map tools after Kumu, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Whiteboards & Mind Maps Insider's GuideEvery one of the 99 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 Kumu’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. Kumu is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Kumu. Prices and plans change: check kumu.io before you buy.