illumi
FreemiumAI visual workspace for structured thinking from messy notes to polished output.
By Tanmay Verma, Founder · Last verified 03 Jul 2026
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Added 7d ago
77/100Safe BetIn short
illumi — AI visual workspace for structured thinking from messy notes to polished output. Best for Founders doing strategy and planning, Product teams synthesizing research and insights, Consultants building client proposals and deliverables. Free to start; paid plans from $1216/mo.
Is illumi actually worth it?
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Editorial Verdict
Best for
Founders doing strategy and planningProduct teams synthesizing research and insightsConsultants building client proposals and deliverablesMarketing teams planning GTM campaigns and contentIndividuals managing complex thinking work across AI sessions
Not ideal for
Users needing mobile or desktop native apps (web only)Developers looking for API access to integrate into workflowsTeams requiring real-time synchronous collaboration (coming soon)Simple note-taking — overkill for linear listsOrganizations needing enterprise SSO or advanced admin controls
illumi is a genuinely useful workspace for complex thinking work. The free tier offers real value with basic models, but Pro at $12/mo annual is a steal for access to premium models and extended history. If you regularly struggle to keep context across AI sessions, this is worth a trial.
Compare with: illumi vs Aithor, illumi vs Claude, illumi vs SlidesAI
Last verified: July 2026
What's new in illumi
Checked 7 days agoAcross the latest 6 updates: 1 feature update, 1 launch and 4 news mentions.
NewsBlog·May 19Newest
The hire you almost made: Why workflow outlasts hype
Article on AI agents requiring structured workflows and human oversight.
NewsBlog·May 12
Is AI making knowledge work harder, not easier?
Article on AI increasing cognitive load without context and structure.
LaunchBlog·Apr 19
We’re launching in 48 hrs. Join us before the big day!
Announcement of upcoming product launch in 48 hours.
FeatureBlog·Apr 2
Your context doesn't have to start with typing
Product update on eliminating manual context entry.
NewsBlog·Mar 30
When output gets cheaper, value has to be redefined
Article on redefining value around judgment, not speed, as AI output grows.
NewsBlog·Mar 16
Great Work Has Never Been Solo, And AI Doesn't Change That
Article arguing AI-native individuals raise the floor, teams raise the ceiling.
In users’ own words
“Welcome to the subredit dedicated to illumi take this 📍📍📍📍📍📍📍 and put it in your brain then the welcoming ceremony has been completed”
Real posts from independent users, linked to the source — not testimonials we collected.
Viability Score
77/100
Safe BetHow likely is illumi to still be operational in 12 months? Based on 4 signals — momentum (how recently it shipped), wrapper dependency, revenue model, and web presence.
momentum
55
funding runway
80
website health
90
wrapper dependency
100
Last calculated: July 2026
How we score →Key Features
- Spatial canvas for sticky notes, cards, shapes
- AI model comparison side-by-side (Claude, GPT, Gemini, etc.)
- Context management: edit prompts and remove noise per output
- Multi-model support: 30+ models including image generation
- Transparent collaboration: share inputs, prompts, reasoning
- Export to PDF, Markdown, DOCX
- Send as email directly from workspace
- Workspace templates for common workflows
- Context boards to organize work by topic
- Guest viewer links for read-only sharing
- History retention (7-180 days)
- Structured thinking workspace with spatial capture
- Collaborator editing with permissions
- Publish with guest viewer links
- Supports premium and basic AI models
About illumi
FreemiumIntermediateNo APIWeb
illumi is an AI-powered visual workspace that helps knowledge workers move from scattered thinking to deliverable-ready output without losing context. Designed for founders, product teams, consultants, and marketers, it provides a spatial canvas where you can capture ideas, notes, research, prompts, and AI outputs in one place. The platform emphasizes context management: edit what each AI output considers as your work evolves, ensuring coherence. It supports multi-model comparison — run prompts across premium models like Claude 4.6 Sonnet, GPT-5.2, Gemini 1.5 Pro, and DeepSeek R1, then compare responses to pick the best direction. Collaboration is transparent: teammates can see the inputs, prompts, and reasoning behind outputs, not just the final result. Exports include PDF, Markdown, and DOCX, with a “Send as email” option on Pro. illumi differentiates from tools like Notion or Miro by keeping the thinking visible and connected from initial messy input through to final export, with AI deeply integrated into the structuring process rather than bolted on.
Behind the Verdict
illumi fills a real gap for anyone who finds themselves jumping between a note-taking app, ChatGPT, Claude, and a Google Doc, trying to keep a coherent thread. The spatial canvas and context management are its standout features — you can literally see how your thinking evolved. We'd reach for this when doing research synthesis, strategy planning, or client proposals where the reasoning matters as much as the final output. The free tier is generous: basic models and 5 boards are enough to evaluate whether the workflow clicks for you. That said, it's not for everyone. If you need a mobile app, real-time synchronous collaboration, or API access, look elsewhere. The Team plan is still 'coming soon' and pricing is TBA, so larger organizations should wait. Also, the sheer number of AI models can be overwhelming; most users will stick to 2-3 favorites. Compared to alternatives like Notion AI, illumi offers better visual organization and context control, but less of a mature collaboration ecosystem. In practice, we've found the workspace stays fast even with dozens of cards, and the export quality (especially PDF) is solid. One caveat: history retention is only 7 days on the free tier, so don't leave unfinished work sitting for long unless you upgrade.
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Use Cases
- Synthesize research notes and AI outputs into a structured report
- Plan a go-to-market strategy collaboratively with team context
- Develop client proposals by iterating on prompts and comparing model responses
- Capture workshop outputs and turn them into actionable deliverables
- Refine content plans by managing context across multiple AI models
- Build knowledge repositories that keep the thinking behind each decision visible
Models Under the Hood
Claude 4Claude 4.5 HaikuClaude 4.5 SonnetClaude 4.6 SonnetClaude 4.6 OpusGPT-4.1GPT-5GPT-5.2GPT-5.4DeepSeek V3
Limitations
- Free tier limits: 5 boards, 7-day history, basic models only.
- Pro plan is required for premium models and longer retention.
- Team plan is not yet available (coming soon).
- No API or mobile apps as of mid-2026.
12-month cost
Project the real annual outlay, including the implied monthly cost when only an annual tier is published.
Annual total
Free
Over 12 months
Effective monthly
Free
Billed monthly
Vendor list price only. Add-on usage, seat overages, and contract minimums are surfaced under Hidden costs & gotchas.
Resources & Guides
Frequently Asked Questions
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Common stack mates teams adopt alongside illumi, with the specific reason each pairing earns its keep.
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