Archived listing Discontinued On: October 1, 2023

Muse team announced shutdown in October 2023. The app is no longer available for purchase but existing installs continue to work locally.

Muse Visual Thinking

Muse is an archived product listing kept for reference.

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About

Muse was a spatial canvas app designed for deep thinking, featuring nested boards and local-first sync on macOS and iPadOS, built by former Apple and Ink & Switch researchers.

Muse offered a freeform spatial canvas optimized for deep, individual thinking rather than team collaboration. Its signature feature was infinitely nested boards, allowing users to organize complex ideas hierarchically while maintaining visual context. The app supported PDF annotation, research paper management, ink drawing, text, images, links, and web clippings β€” all arranged spatially on an infinite canvas. Built with a local-first architecture, Muse worked fully offline and synced via iCloud. It was deeply optimized for Apple Pencil on iPad and provided a native macOS experience. Designed by former Apple engineers at Muse Software (a spinoff of the Ink & Switch research lab), it represented a thoughtful approach to spatial computing for thought.

Who Is Muse Best For?

Muse is particularly well-suited for:

researchers
deep thinkers
iPad power users
academics
writers
View all Visual Thinking apps

Credibility of This Listing

We show what we know, where it comes from, and what is still incomplete.

Review Coverage

4.6/5

Aggregated score built from 1 public review source.

NoteFinderz Research

Pending

NoteFinderz research date not yet recorded.

Product Freshness

Unknown

Product update date not yet recorded.

Descriptions, use cases, pros, and limitations are written and curated by NoteFinderz. Ratings and review volume are aggregated from public signals when they exist.

Visible Review Sources

350 aggregated reviews

Features

Visual Canvas
Offline Mode
Local-first
Image Support
File Attachments
Drag & Drop
Search
Focus Mode

Ratings & Reviews

4.6
(350 reviews)

Aggregated from 1 sources

Pricing

Freemium
Free Tier Available

Category

Visual Thinking

Project Health

Status
Defunct
Discontinued On
October 1, 2023
Status Note
Muse team announced shutdown in October 2023. The app is no longer available for purchase but existing installs continue to work locally.

Publisher & Origin

Developer
Muse Software Inc
Source Model
Closed source
Country of Origin
United States
Headquarters
San Francisco, California, United States
Origin Type
Indie creator
Origin Note
Founded by former Apple and Ink & Switch researchers focused on spatial computing for thought.

Pros

βœ“ Infinitely nested boards for complex idea hierarchies
βœ“ Local-first architecture works fully offline
βœ“ Beautiful Apple Pencil integration
βœ“ Thoughtful, distraction-free design
βœ“ No cloud dependency β€” data stays on device

Cons

⚠ Shut down in October 2023
⚠ Apple-only (macOS and iPadOS)
⚠ No collaboration features by design
⚠ No Windows, Linux, or Android support

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Muse free to use?

Yes, Muse offers a free tier that you can use without payment. Free (limited boards), Pro $9.99/month or $99/year

What platforms does Muse support?

Muse is available on macOS, iPadOS. Download the app for your preferred platform to get started.

Does Muse work offline?

Yes, Muse supports offline mode. You can access and edit your notes without an internet connection, and changes will sync when you're back online.

Resources & Links

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