Allume vs NotePlan
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Allume
This app provides a digital canvas for organizing thoughts and ideas. It allows users to create nested boards, link content, and combine various media types like text, images, and PDFs. Collaborate with others in real-time on shared workspaces.
- Nested boards for deep ideation
- Linked cards for referencing
- Remixing content from PDFs and images
- Unified canvas for text, ink, and files
- Real-time collaboration with shared workspaces
- PDF annotation and export
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Allume (formerly Muse) is a canvas for thinking that helps you get clarity on things that matter. Think in private or collaborate with others. BEYOND WHITEBOARDS with nested boards Each Muse board is like a whiteboard that can hold even more whiteboards. Your boards grow organically over time as you develop an idea. Stay in the ideation flow, worry about organizing later. REFERENCE & REMIX with linked cards & excerpts Linked cards let you reference boards from multiple places. And excerpts let you remix parts of PDFs and images without losing the context of the source. Grow your Muse into a space of interconnected whiteboards. ONE CANVAS FOR ANYTHING with ink + text + cards Developing an idea starts with collecting inspiration and stray thoughts. Muse lets you put everything on a single canvas: writing, scribbles, notes, images, videos, PDFs, web links, and any other files. Lay out all the raw materials, then connect the dots with ease. COLLABORATION with shared workspaces Add collaborators to a Muse workspace to plan and strategize together. They'll feel right at home with live cursors, comments, following, and templates. AND PLENTY MORE → Search and quick-jump to boards → Read and annotate PDFs → Create connections between cards → Export boards as PDFs or PNGs → Local-first data with instant sync LEARN MORE Website: https://allume.com/ Community: https://allume.com/community Contact us: hello@allume.com Terms of service: https://allume.com/terms
NotePlan
Organize your tasks, notes, and calendar in one unified app. Quickly plan your day with Markdown, link notes bi-directionally, and stay on top of your to-dos with powerful review and search features. Seamlessly integrates with your existing calendars and syncs across all your Apple devices.
- Unified task, note, and calendar view
- Markdown for quick task and note creation
- Bi-directional note linking
- Calendar integration (iCloud, Google, Exchange)
- Flexible recurring tasks
- Global Command Bar for fast navigation
- Plaintext note storage
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Having trouble planning your day, managing your to-do list, and organizing your notes? Always jumping between apps and losing track of what to do and where you put things? Say hello to NotePlan! NotePlan lets you manage everything in one place: your tasks, notes, and calendar. Perfect for project managers, designers, researchers, writers, students, or anyone who wants to be organized and efficient. QUICKLY PLAN YOUR DAY WITH MARKDOWN • Plan your day by seeing your calendar, notes, and tasks in a single view • Create tasks and notes quickly with Markdown • Add #tags to organize tasks and notes • Use @mentions to find people • Reschedule to-do items easily • Create flexible recurring tasks • Work faster with autocomplete BUILD YOUR NETWORK OF NOTES • Create your own network of notes • Organize any way you want to: from simple folders over P.A.R.A. to a Zettelkasten system • Bi-directional notes: link your calendar and your notes in any direction, automatically • Cross-reference and link notes easily STAY ON TOP OF THINGS WITH REVIEW • Search all tasks and notes, instantly • See all open tasks with the click of a button • Get a list of overdue to-do items • See upcoming tasks at a glance • Create custom filters with your own queries using status, #tags, @mentions, or even text SEAMLESS INTEGRATION WITH YOUR CALENDAR • Create events and reminders right in NotePlan • Support for iCloud, Google, and Exchange calendars • Time-block tasks on your calendar simply by typing AVAILABLE ON MAC, IPHONE & IPAD • Sync everything between your Apple devices • Use any sync method you like: CloudKit or iCloud Drive • A single subscription for all your devices OPEN, PRIVATE & FAST • All your notes are stored in plaintext so you're never locked in • Your information is private and cannot be accessed • Enjoy lightning speed thanks to local files and native apps ANY THEME YOU WANT • Choose from a variety of built-in themes • Work with light or dark versions • Create your own custom theme SHORTCUTS FOR MAXIMUM SPEED • Extended Markdown syntax support with customization options • Move around without ever leaving the keyboard • Find everything with the Global Command Bar NotePlan is developed independently and prioritizes user features and requests. We have long-term roadmaps and listen to customers to improve the apps. - - - - - Price may vary by location. Subscriptions will be charged to your credit card through your iTunes account. Your subscription will automatically renew unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. After purchase, manage your subscriptions in App Store Account Settings. - - - - - Email: hello@noteplan.co Web: noteplan.co Discord: https://discord.gg/D4268MT Twitter: NotePlanApp Reddit: reddit.com/r/NotePlanApp Learn NotePlan course: https://noteplan.eo.page/newsletter Terms of use: http://noteplan.co/tos/ Privacy policy: https://noteplan.co/privacy/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is monetization model: Allume at free with in-app purchases against NotePlan's subscription. Allume also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs monthly). NotePlan's advantage is review sentiment (85% vs 64%) and rating (4.8 vs 4.6). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Allume sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month and NotePlan sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
NotePlan holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 332 and 1.5K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 64% of Allume's written reviews are positive against 85% of NotePlan's.
Allume ships an update every 2 weeks, NotePlan monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Allume | NotePlan |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (332 ratings) | 4.8 (1.5K ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 64.4% of reviews | 85.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 332 | 1.5K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks — better | Monthly |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases — better | Subscription |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 100 MB | 210 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Milestone Made, LLC | NotePlan LLC |
Customer experience
Allume
NotePlan
User reviews
Allume
From 332 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Organize ideas and information
- 🚀 Unique and very cool features
- 👍 Indispensable app - incredibly well designed
- 👍 Great thinking and creative tool
- 👍 Exceptional app
Room to improve
- 💰 Too expensive subscription price
- 🔒 Lack of privacy of user data
- 🔒 Requires email to try
- 🐛 Bugs are prevalent
- 🔒 Outrageous pricing
NotePlan
From 1.5K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Powerful note-taking and task management
- 👍 Seamless calendar and reminders integration
- 💡 Flexible and customizable workflow
- 🔒 Secure and open-format data storage
- 👍 Responsive and helpful developer
Room to improve
- 💰 Expensive subscription model
- 🐛 Occasional sync and performance issues
- 👤 Limited collaboration and sharing features
Bugs and requests
Allume
Reported bugs
6 issues- Eraser size issues
- Undo history reset when navigating between boards
- Crashes when erasing large areas
- Syncing issues between devices
- iPhone app not usable without iPad or Mac
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- Freezing and performance issues
Requested features
7 requests- More pen color and workspace options
- Zoom in/out within a board
- Search functionality
- Checklists
- Support for pen tablets on Mac
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- Straight line drawing with arrowheads
- Monthly payment plan
NotePlan
Reported bugs
2 issues- Inconsistent sync between devices
- Crashes when opening certain files
Requested features
4 requests- Improved iPad and mobile app experience
- Better integration with other productivity apps
- More automation and scripting capabilities
- Weekly or monthly calendar view
In-app purchases
Allume
- Unlimited membership, monthly$9.991 Month
- Pro membership, monthly$9.991 Month
- Unlimited membership, yearly$99.991 Year
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- Pro membership, yearly$99.991 Year
NotePlan
- Personal Weekly$4.997 Days
- Personal Monthly$6.991 Month
- Personal Monthly1 Month trial$11.991 Month
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- Personal Monthly2 variants$12.001 Month
- Personal Annual7 Days trial$59.991 Year
- Personal Annual7 Days trial2 variants$99.991 Year
- Personal Annual1 Month trial$119.991 Year
- Business Class1 Month trial$199.991 Year









