Is Ideanote or Lucidspark better for collecting ideas over several months?

Ideanote is the closer fit for an ongoing idea program: it collects submissions in idea collections and moves them through configurable review and rating phases. Lucidspark is centered on collaborative whiteboards rather than an idea-submission pipeline.

Which is better for a live brainstorming workshop?

Lucidspark is built around a shared canvas with sticky notes, drawing, and visual organization. Its timer and facilitator controls are available on Team plans, while breakout boards require Enterprise.

How do the free plans compare?

Ideanote's free plan allows up to 10 users and 5 idea collections. Lucidspark's free plan allows 3 editable boards; paid Individual plans provide unlimited editable boards.

What do paid plans start at?

Ideanote Scale starts at $6 per user per month when billed yearly. Lucidspark Individual is listed at $9 per month; its Team plan is listed at $10.

Can either product be self-hosted?

Ideanote offers self-managed cloud and on-premise hosting, as well as vendor-hosted regional options. Lucidspark is a cloud-hosted whiteboard.

Which supports custom scoring and review stages?

Ideanote supports custom phases and rating criteria, including weighted scores and different evaluator groups. Lucidspark supports visual sorting and collaborative voting on boards.

Do Ideanote and Lucidspark support single sign-on?

Ideanote lists SAML single sign-on on its Ultimate plan. Lucid lists SAML sign-on for Enterprise accounts.

Ideanote vs Lucidspark

Ideanote suits teams that need to collect, evaluate, and advance ideas over time; Lucidspark suits teams that need a shared canvas for brainstorming and planning together. Ideanote organizes submissions into idea collections with configurable phases and ratings. Lucidspark gives collaborators an infinite whiteboard for sketching, sorting, and discussing ideas, with meeting tools that vary by plan.

Last updated November 4, 2026.

At a glance

Ideanote compared with Lucidspark, one row per dimension
Dimension	Ideanote	Lucidspark
Primary workspace	Idea collections and management workflows	Infinite collaborative whiteboards
Developing ideas	Custom phases, ratings, and impact reports	Sticky notes, drawing, sorting, and voting
Session tools	Idea collection templates and automation	Timer and facilitator controls on Team; breakout boards on Enterprise
Paid starting price	Scale: $6 per user/month, billed yearly	Individual: $9/month
Free-plan allowance	Up to 10 users and 5 idea collections	3 editable boards
Paid-plan limits	Scale: 50 users, 15 collections, unlimited ideas	Individual: unlimited editable boards
Platforms	Web app; installable on desktop, iOS, Android	Web; iOS app on Team and Enterprise
Integrations	Microsoft Teams, Zapier, Power Automate	Google Workspace, Microsoft Teams, Jira, Zoom
Hosting options	Vendor-hosted, regional, or self-managed/on-premise	Cloud-hosted
SAML single sign-on	Ultimate plan	Enterprise plan
Support	Chat and email on paid plans; priority on Scale	Help center and community; product support tickets on paid plans

Scroll the table sideways to compare each row.

Which should you choose?

Choose Ideanote if

Teams running ongoing idea-submission programs
Reviewers who need custom phases and rating criteria
Organizations needing regional or self-managed hosting
Small teams testing idea management with up to 10 users

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Choose Lucidspark if

Teams brainstorming on a shared visual canvas
Facilitators running workshops and planning sessions
People mapping ideas with sticky notes and drawings
Individuals who want unlimited editable boards on a paid plan

See Lucidspark — 20% CASHBACK

The verdict

Pick Ideanote when ideas need a repeatable path from submission through review, scoring, and action, especially across multiple teams or campaigns. Pick Lucidspark when the work happens visually in workshops, planning sessions, or live collaboration. Both offer free plans, but their limits measure different things: Ideanote caps users and collections, while Lucidspark caps editable boards.