Alternatives to Allume

A canvas app for thinking with nested boards of text, ink, images and PDFs, formerly Muse. The listings below can replace it for an important use case. Each note says what changes if you switch.

  • Allume

    A canvas app for thinking with nested boards of text, ink, images and PDFs, formerly Muse.

    FreemiumProprietarymacOSiOS

Replacements

Listings that take over the same core job as Allume.

  • Milanote

    A visual board tool for arranging notes, images, links and files for creative projects.

    FreemiumProprietaryWebBrowser extension

    Milanote offers free-form visual boards for notes, images, links and files in a web app and browser extension, but boards live on the vendor's servers and there is no pencil-focused Apple app.

  • Heptabase

    Visual note-taking app that organizes research as cards on whiteboards.

    PaidProprietaryWindowsmacOSWeb

    Heptabase organises research as cards on whiteboards on Windows, macOS and the web, dropping Apple pencil ink but requiring a paid subscription instead of a freemium plan.

  • Kinopio

    A spatial note-taking canvas for collecting cards and connecting ideas, alone or with others.

    FreemiumProprietaryWebBrowser extension

    Kinopio is a spatial canvas of connected cards in the browser with no sign-up needed to start, but its free tier is limited to 100 cards and it lacks ink support.

  • Scrintal

    A visual note-taking web app that places linked notes on boards for research and study.

    PaidProprietaryWeb

    Scrintal places linked notes on boards in a paid web app that requires an account, trading Allume's nested ink and PDF canvases for research-focused visual linking.

  • AFFiNE Community

    Combine notes, tables and a drawing canvas in a local-first workspace.

    FreeOpen sourceWindowsmacOSLinuxSelf-hostedWeb

    AFFiNE combines notes, tables and a drawing canvas in an MIT-licensed, local-first workspace that runs on Windows, macOS, Linux and the web, and can be self-hosted.

Similar software

Related functionality, not a direct replacement.

  • LiquidText

    An active-reading app for annotating PDFs and pulling excerpts into a flexible workspace.

    FreemiumProprietaryWindowsmacOSiOS

  • GoodNotes

    Handwriting-first notes app for iPad with Apple Pencil support and OCR search.

    FreemiumProprietarymacOSiOS

  • MindNode

    A mind mapping and outlining app for Apple devices that turns loose ideas into structured plans.

    FreemiumProprietarymacOSiOS

  • Xmind

    A mind mapping and brainstorming app for web, desktop and mobile with AI and Gantt planning.

    FreemiumProprietaryWeb

  • Tinderbox

    A Mac app for making, visualizing and analyzing notes, with map views and automation.

    PaidProprietarymacOS