Milanote alternative
A Milanote alternative that doesn’t count your notes.
Grein is a visual workspace for creative projects: references, notes, sketches, files, and feedback on one board. The free plan has no cap on how many things you put on it.
In shortMilanote’s free plan stops at 100 notes, images, and links. Grein’s free plan gives you unlimited canvas blocks across two projects. Milanote has a longer track record and a bigger template library, so if those matter most, it’s a solid choice.
Why people look for a Milanote alternative
Milanote is a well-made tool for organizing creative work, and plenty of designers, writers, and filmmakers use it every day. The friction usually starts on the free plan. Its pricing page lists a limit of 100 notes, images, and links and 10 file uploads, so a single moodboard can use up the allowance before a project gets going.
Grein works the same way at its core: an open canvas where you drop references, write notes, and arrange things until the shape of the project shows up. The difference is what you can do before paying. Grein’s free plan counts projects, not cards.
Grein vs Milanote
| Feature | Grein | Milanote |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Unlimited canvas blocks, up to 2 projects | 100 notes, images & links; 10 file uploads |
| Free uploads | Files up to 25 MB each | 10 uploads in total |
| Paid plan | Pro: unlimited projects, larger uploads, full version history | Pro from $9.99/mo billed yearly ($12.50 monthly) |
| Teams | Invite editors and viewers to a project | Team plan, $49/mo billed yearly |
| Sharing with clients | Public view links, no sign-in needed | Shared boards |
| Feedback | Comments and project chat on the board | Team and client collaboration |
| AI | AI creative partner on Pro; connect Claude or ChatGPT on desktop | Not listed on their homepage or plans page |
| Apps | Web, desktop (beta), and mobile | Web, desktop, mobile, tablet |
Milanote details are taken from milanote.com and milanote.com/plans. Plans change, so check their site for the latest. Last checked October 2, 2026. See current Grein plans on the pricing section.
Is Grein right for you?
Grein is a good fit if
- You keep hitting the 100-item limit on Milanote’s free plan.
- Your boards are image-heavy and you want room for real files, not a handful of uploads.
- You want comments and project chat to sit on the board, next to the work being discussed.
- You’d like an AI assistant that can work with your boards.
Milanote may suit you better if
- Your team already runs on Milanote and the paid plan works for you.
- You rely on Milanote’s template library or its native mobile and tablet apps.
- You need a tool with a long track record and big-name customers behind it.
Moving your boards over
Grein doesn’t import Milanote boards directly yet. Most people move one active project at a time instead of everything at once.
- Pick one live project
- Start with the board you open most. Old, finished boards can stay where they are.
- Download your files
- Save the images, PDFs, and documents from that board to a folder on your computer.
- Drag them onto a Grein board
- Drop the whole folder in. Paste links straight onto the canvas and they turn into link cards.
- Rebuild the structure
- Regroup cards and put big sections into nested boards. It’s a good moment to clear out what you don’t need.
Questions, answered.
Yes. The free plan includes unlimited canvas blocks, up to 2 projects, file uploads up to 25 MB, 5-day version history, and public sharing. No credit card is needed to start.
It depends on what you use Milanote for. If you mostly hit the free plan’s item limit while collecting references and planning creative projects, Grein covers the same moodboard-and-notes workflow with unlimited canvas blocks on its free plan.
Not directly yet. Download the files from a Milanote board and drag them onto a Grein board, then paste in any links. Moving one active project at a time works best.
Yes. Any section of a board can become its own board, so the top level stays a readable overview.
Yes. Share a public view link and clients can open the board without signing in. Invite them as editors or viewers when you want them working inside the project.
Create your first
board.
Start with a few references. Bring people in when it’s ready.