Top 10 open source alternatives to Milanote in 2025

As Milanote reigns as a top tool for visual collaboration and note-taking, 2025 showcases advancements in open-source and freemium alternatives. This article delves into the top 10 Milanote alternatives, highlighting their key features, user ratings, and target use cases.

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1. Miro

Description: Miro is a collaborative online whiteboard platform designed for brainstorming, planning, and visual collaboration.
Key Features:
Infinite canvas for extensive idea mapping
Templates for various workflows (brainstorming, kanban, mind mapping, etc.)
Real-time collaboration features
Integrations with various tools like Slack, Jira, etc.
Voting and feedback mechanisms for team input
Open Source? No, offers a free plan with limitations and paid plans for additional features.
Data Points:
G2 Rating: 4.7/5 stars (from 7,428 reviews)
Capterra Rating: 4.7/5 stars
Free Plan: Yes, limited features and number of boards
Use Cases: Brainstorming, planning, agile workflows, workshops, design collaboration
Learn more about Miro

2. OpenProject

Description: OpenProject is a free and open-source project management software focused on advanced project planning and tracking.
Key Features:
Gantt charts for project scheduling
Time tracking capabilities
Agile project management (Scrum, Kanban)
Team collaboration features
Bug and issue tracking
Open Source? Yes
Data Points:
Self-Hosted: Yes
Advanced Project Planning: Includes Gantt charts, time tracking, and agile boards
Scalability: Suitable for various business sizes
Customizable: Offers flexible and customizable features
Discover OpenProject

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3. Trello

Description: Trello is a Kanban-style project management tool known for its simplicity and visual task management.
Key Features:
Board, list, and card structure for task organization
Drag-and-drop interface for easy task management
Collaboration features, including comments and attachments
Power-Ups (integrations) for extending functionality
Mobile apps for on-the-go access
Open Source? No, but it has a free version.
Data Points:
Free Plan: Yes, includes unlimited cards and up to 10 boards per workspace
Ease of Use: Known for its user-friendly interface
Visual Task Management: Kanban-style boards
Flexibility: Adaptable to different project types
Learn more about Trello

4. ClickUp

Description: ClickUp is an all-in-one project management platform with a wide array of features, including whiteboards, task management, and more.
Key Features:
Whiteboard functionality for visual collaboration
Task management with multiple views
Customizable dashboards
Time tracking
Integrations with other tools
Open Source? No, but it offers a free plan.
Data Points:
G2 Rating: 4.7/5 (from over 10,000 reviews)
Free Plan: Yes, with limitations
Comprehensive Features: Combines project management, whiteboarding, and more
Customizable: Offers a high degree of customization
Explore ClickUp

5. Notion

Description: Notion is a versatile workspace tool that combines note-taking, project management, and database functionality.
Key Features:
Customizable pages and databases
Templates for various use cases
Real-time collaboration
Embeds and integrations
Strong document management and wiki-like features
Open Source? No, offers a free personal plan and paid plans for teams.
Data Points:
G2 Rating: 4.7/5 stars (from 5,940 reviews)
Versatile: Combines notes, project management, and databases
Customizable: Highly adaptable to different workflows
Free Plan: Yes, for personal use
Discover Notion

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6. Asana

Description: Asana is a project management tool designed for team collaboration and task tracking.
Key Features:
Task lists and project boards
Timeline view for project scheduling
Collaboration features for teams
Integrations with various tools
Reporting and analytics
Open Source? No, but it offers a free plan for up to 10 teammates.
Data Points:
Capterra Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Free Plan: Yes, for up to 10 users
Team Collaboration: Strong features for teamwork
Project Tracking: Includes lists, boards, and timeline views
Explore Asana

7. Taiga

Description: Taiga is a free and open-source project management software primarily for agile teams, offering Kanban and Scrum support.
Key Features:
Agile project management features
Kanban and Scrum boards
Issue tracking
Team collaboration tools
Customizable workflows
Open Source? Yes
Data Points:
Agile Focused: Designed for agile development methodologies
Customizable: Offers flexible workflows
Free and Open Source: Provides complete access to its source code
Discover Taiga

8. Microsoft Whiteboard

Description: Microsoft Whiteboard is a digital canvas for real-time collaboration, primarily geared towards education and enterprise settings.
Key Features:
Infinite canvas for brainstorming
Pen and touch support
Real-time co-editing
Integration with Microsoft Teams
Templates
Open Source? No, it is free for educational users as part of Microsoft 365 A1 offer.
Data Points:
Free for Education: Included in Microsoft 365 A1
Collaboration: Designed for real-time team interaction
Integration: Works well within the Microsoft ecosystem
Accessibility: Can be used with or without pen/touch devices
Learn more about Microsoft Whiteboard

9. Joplin

Description: Joplin is a free, open-source note-taking app that supports various media and offers organizational features.
Key Features:
Multimedia note support (images, videos, PDFs, audio)
Web clipper for saving web pages
Cross-device synchronization
Notebooks and tagging for organization
Markdown support
Open Source? Yes
Data Points:
Open Source and Free: Provides complete access to its source code
Multimedia Support: Handles various file types within notes
Cross-Device Sync: Allows access to notes across multiple platforms
Explore Joplin

10. Nuclino

Description: Nuclino is a collaborative workspace focusing on organized note-taking, knowledge sharing, and project documentation.
Key Features:
Lightweight and organized interface
Real-time collaborative editing
Easy content linking and structuring
Search and discovery features
Embeds and integrations
Open Source? No, offers a free plan for small teams.
Data Points:
User Friendly Interface: Known for its lightweight design
Knowledge Sharing: Strong for organizing and sharing knowledge
Free plan: Yes, with certain limitations
Learn more about Nuclino

This list provides a mix of open-source and freemium alternatives to Milanote, each with distinct strengths that could cater to a variety of user needs. Be sure to evaluate these tools based on your specific requirements.

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FAQ

1. Is Miro an open-source tool?

No, Miro is a collaborative online whiteboard platform that offers a free plan with limitations and paid plans for additional features. Discover Miro

2. What features does OpenProject offer?

OpenProject offers Gantt charts for project scheduling, time tracking, agile project management, team collaboration, and bug tracking. Learn more about OpenProject

3. What makes Trello a popular choice?

Trello is known for its user-friendly Kanban-style task management, drag-and-drop interface, collaboration features, and Power-Ups for extended functionality. Explore Trello

4. Does ClickUp offer a free plan?

Yes, ClickUp offers a free plan with limitations and combines project management, whiteboarding, task management, and more. Discover ClickUp

5. What are the key features of Notion?

Notion offers customizable pages and databases, real-time collaboration, templates, embeds, and strong document management. Learn more about Notion

6. Can Asana be used for free?

Yes, Asana offers a free plan for up to 10 users and includes task lists, project boards, timeline views, and team collaboration features. Check out Asana

7. What makes Taiga suitable for agile teams?

Taiga is open-source project management software with agile project management features, Kanban and Scrum boards, issue tracking, and customizable workflows. Explore Taiga

8. Is Microsoft Whiteboard available for free?

Microsoft Whiteboard is free for educational users as part of the Microsoft 365 A1 offer and provides an infinite canvas, real-time co-editing, and integration with Microsoft Teams. Learn more about Microsoft Whiteboard

9. What are the main features of Joplin?

Joplin supports multimedia notes, web clipper, cross-device synchronization, notebooks, tagging, and markdown support. Discover Joplin

10. Does Nuclino have a free plan?

Yes, Nuclino offers a free plan for small teams, focusing on organized note-taking, knowledge sharing, and project documentation. Explore Nuclino

About the Author

Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur. She’s been living, studying and working in many countries around the globe and her extensive multicultural experience has influenced her immensely.

Violetta is a true multiple specialist who has built expertise in Linguistics, Education, Business Management, Blockchain, Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property, Game Design, AI, SEO, Digital Marketing, cyber security and zero code automations. Her extensive educational journey includes a Master of Arts in Linguistics and Education, an Advanced Master in Linguistics from Belgium (2006-2007), an MBA from Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden (2006-2008), and an Erasmus Mundus joint program European Master of Higher Education from universities in Norway, Finland, and Portugal (2009).

She is the founder of Fe/male Switch, a startup game that encourages women to enter STEM fields, and also leads CADChain, and multiple other projects like the Directory of 1,000 Startup Cities with a proprietary MeanCEO Index that ranks cities for female entrepreneurs. Violetta created the "gamepreneurship" methodology, which forms the scientific basis of her startup game. She also builds a lot of SEO tools for startups. Her achievements include being named one of the top 100 women in Europe by EU Startups in 2022 and being nominated for Impact Person of the year at the Dutch Blockchain Week. She is an author with Sifted and a speaker at different Universities. Recently she published a book on Startup Idea Validation the right way: from zero to first customers and beyond and launched a Directory of 1,500+ websites for startups to list themselves in order to gain traction and build backlinks.

For the past several years Violetta has been living between the Netherlands and Malta, while also regularly traveling to different destinations around the globe, usually due to her entrepreneurial activities. This has led her to start writing about different locations and amenities from the POV of an entrepreneur. Here’s her recent article about the best hotels in Italy to work from.

About the Publication

Fe/male Switch is an innovative startup platform designed to empower women entrepreneurs through an immersive, game-like experience. Founded in 2020 during the pandemic "without any funding and without any code," this non-profit initiative has evolved into a comprehensive educational tool for aspiring female entrepreneurs.The platform was co-founded by Violetta Shishkina-Bonenkamp, who serves as CEO and one of the lead authors of the Startup News branch.

Mission and Purpose

Fe/male Switch Foundation was created to address the gender gap in the tech and entrepreneurship space. The platform aims to skill-up future female tech leaders and empower them to create resilient and innovative tech startups through what they call "gamepreneurship". By putting players in a virtual startup village where they must survive and thrive, the startup game allows women to test their entrepreneurial abilities without financial risk.

Key Features

The platform offers a unique blend of news, resources,learning, networking, and practical application within a supportive, female-focused environment:

Skill Lab: Micro-modules covering essential startup skills
Virtual Startup Building: Create or join startups and tackle real-world challenges
AI Co-founder (PlayPal): Guides users through the startup process
SANDBOX: A testing environment for idea validation before launch
Wellness Integration: Virtual activities to balance work and self-care
Marketplace: Buy or sell expert sessions and tutorials

Impact and Growth

Since its inception, Fe/male Switch has shown impressive growth:

3,000+ female entrepreneurs in the community
100+ startup tools built
5,000+ pieces of articles and news written

Partnerships

Fe/male Switch has formed strategic partnerships to enhance its offerings. In January 2022, it teamed up with global website builder Tilda to provide free access to website building tools and mentorship services for Fe/male Switch participants.

Recognition

Fe/male Switch has received media attention for its innovative approach to closing the gender gap in tech entrepreneurship. The platform has been featured in various publications highlighting its unique "play to learn and earn" model.