Milanote

Overview

Milanote is a board-based workspace for people who plan creative work by arranging references, notes and media visually. It is a strong fit for creative teams that need a shared space for ideas and feedback; it is less suited to workflows that depend on editing tables from a phone.

Boards combine an infinite canvas with presentation mode, diagramming tools and workshop templates. Collaborators can edit or comment, while read-only sharing lets people view a board without a Milanote login.

Key features

Boards, clipping and media

Milanote’s board format brings notes, images, videos, sketches and other material together for moodboards, brainstorming, storyboarding, creative writing, visual project management, whiteboarding and mind mapping. That breadth makes it useful when a project needs both visual references and structured planning, rather than a single-purpose moodboard.

The Web Clipper saves text, images, links and video; it is offered for Chrome, Safari, Firefox and Edge, and for Opera via Chrome. Link cards can surface content from services including YouTube, Vimeo, SoundCloud, Google Maps, CodePen, Instagram, Dribbble, Slideshare, Prezi, Marvel and Airtable. Boards can also embed video from YouTube or Vimeo and audio from Spotify, SoundCloud, YouTube Music, Bandcamp, Mixcloud and Apple Music shared links. This range helps teams gather source material in context instead of keeping references scattered across services.

Collaboration and mobile use

Board permissions cover editing, commenting and read-only sharing, including sharing with viewers who do not have Milanote accounts. Mobile apps are available for iOS and Android, but require an internet connection to view or edit boards. They can display tables but cannot edit them, so table-heavy work calls for a desktop or tablet.

Milanote says data is encrypted at rest with AES-256 and in transit with TLS 1.2 or greater. It does not provide SOC 2 reports or other individual audits and is not HIPAA-compliant. Google and Apple OAuth are supported, but Active Directory, SAML and WS-Fed are not. Those gaps matter for organizations with formal audit or enterprise identity requirements. Support is available by in-app live chat and email, with replies normally within 24 hours.

Pricing

Milanote is freemium, with no free trial. Its Free plan costs nothing and allows 100 notes, images or links, 10 file uploads and unlimited shared boards. That is enough to explore board-based work or run a small, bounded project, but the item and upload caps make it a poor fit for a growing archive.

Pay per person costs $9.99 a month billed annually, or $12.50 billed monthly. It removes the caps with unlimited notes, images or links, unlimited file uploads and unlimited shared boards. The annual rate suits individuals or teams ready to commit; the monthly rate costs more but avoids an annual billing commitment.

Team costs $49 a month billed annually and covers up to a selected number of people, with the same unlimited content, uploads and shared boards. Upgrade your team is also $49 a month billed annually, for up to a selected number of people, with those same allowances. Both team options are relevant when several people need paid access, but the per-seat or team-size terms should be checked against the group’s needs before choosing. Milanote was founded in 2016 and is headquartered in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

Platforms

Milanote is available on the web, macOS, Windows, iOS and Android, plus browser extensions. Desktop apps suit work that needs table editing; mobile is better for viewing and updating boards on the move when an internet connection is available.

Who it's for

Milanote is aimed at creative professionals and teams, including filmmakers, writers, designers, photographers, marketers and content creators. It makes sense when a project benefits from visual planning, embedded references and shared board feedback. Choose another tool if mobile table editing, offline board access, HIPAA compliance or enterprise identity support is essential.

Pros and cons

• Pro: Boards combine varied media, notes and diagrams on an infinite canvas, supporting workflows from storyboarding to project planning.
• Pro: Editors, commenters and login-free read-only viewers give teams useful sharing options without requiring every recipient to collaborate directly.
• Pro: Unlimited shared boards are included even on the free plan.
• Con: The free plan caps content at 100 notes, images or links and 10 uploads, which can constrain ongoing projects.
• Con: Mobile apps require internet access and cannot edit tables.
• Con: The stated security and sign-in limitations rule it out for some regulated or centrally managed organizations.

Alternatives

For category browsing, compare Mood Board Software, Online Whiteboard Tools, Design Collaboration Software and Note-taking apps.

• Rayon is another freemium option, with a free plan and free trial on macOS, web and Windows.
• Moodis has a free plan and trial across Linux, web and Windows; its free plan includes unlimited local mood boards for personal, non-commercial use.
• PureRef is a freemium alternative with a free trial on Linux, macOS and Windows.
• mood.site offers a one-time $7.00 USD Premium board plan with custom URL, customization, private boards, captions, GIFs and video, TV Mode and a custom logo.
• Mattoboard is a freemium web option with a free trial.
• Moodboard is a free web option with images, notes, links, tasks, files, starter templates and sharing and review surfaces.
• Kanvaz is a free, MIT-licensed desktop option for Linux, macOS and Windows with no feature paywall.
• ShopLook is a freemium option for web, iOS and Android.

Verdict

Choose Milanote if your creative work benefits from one visual board for references, planning and collaboration, especially when sharing with commenters or read-only viewers matters. Its free plan is useful for a small project, but recurring work will likely need a paid tier; look elsewhere if phone-based table editing, offline access, HIPAA compliance or enterprise sign-in is non-negotiable.