Napkin AI

Free Tier Ratings

Last Reviewed: 2026-07-14

Good for diagrams and infographics. Napkin branding on all visuals. 500 credits/week limits volume.

Can visualize logic models, timelines, org charts for grants. Does NOT write grant text. Use with Claude.

Good for impact graphics. Napkin branding may look unprofessional on donor materials.

Excellent for flowcharts, process diagrams, program logic. Core use case.

Good for data visualization. Napkin branding on free tier. Training ON by default—opt out in settings.

Excellent for training diagrams, process flows, visual guides.

Good for infographics. Napkin branding visible. 500 credits/week may limit volume.

Can create visual elements. Branding on free tier.

Excellent for visualizing research findings, data charts, process diagrams.

Good for flowcharts and diagrams explaining policy. Does NOT write policy text.

Good for timelines, org charts, process flows.

Can create financial charts and diagrams. Training ON by default. Opt-out available in settings.

Opt-out required

Napkin will not use your data to train its models if you opt out of data sharing (per pricing FAQ). AI inference subprocessors (currently OpenAI and Google Cloud AI/Gemini — Jina no longer listed as of April 2026) operate under disclosed zero-data-retention (ZDR) agreements: data submitted for processing is not retained beyond the immediate request and is not used for model training by those providers. Napkin's own training data sharing is ON by default—must actively opt out in Account Settings.

Yes

Toggle in Account Settings. ⚠️ Setting is ON by default—must actively opt out.

Possible

Not explicitly excluded. Terms (section 3.2) state Napkin has no obligation to pre-screen content but reserves the right to. Internal access to user data is limited to authorized personnel per privacy policy.

Until deleted

Account-related data (email, preferences, visuals, input text) is kept as long as the account is active. Data is scheduled for deletion upon account deletion request; some data may be retained in secure backups briefly for operational/legal reasons before automatic purging.

Basic, with certification roadmap disclosed

All data encrypted in transit using HTTPS/TLS. Sensitive data encrypted at rest on servers (confirmed in privacy policy). US cloud hosting (Google Cloud Platform). Role-based access controls. As of a newly published Data Processing Agreement (napkin.ai/data-processing-agreement), Napkin discloses ISO 27001 certification work in progress and a SOC 2 Type II audit planned for Q3 2026; GCP and other subprocessors already maintain ISO 27001/SOC 2 Type II. No SOC 2, ISO 27001, or FedRAMP certifications held directly by Napkin yet.

No Nonprofit Discount

From Napkin's FAQ: 'We don't currently offer discounts to non-profits or students.' Not listed on TechSoup or Goodstack. Pricing starts at $9/person/month for Plus (annual: $6.75/month).

Visual/Diagram Tool, NOT Image Generator

Napkin creates diagrams, flowcharts, infographics from YOUR text. Not an AI art generator like Midjourney. It visualizes concepts.

⚠️ DATA SHARING ON BY DEFAULT

Napkin's own data sharing for model improvement is ON by default. You MUST actively opt out in Account Settings (individual) or Teamspace Settings (admin). Note: AI inference subprocessors (OpenAI, Google Cloud AI/Gemini) now operate under disclosed zero-data-retention agreements and are contractually prohibited from training on your inputs regardless of this setting.

Napkin Branding on Free Tier

All visuals on free tier include Napkin branding. Pay $9/person/month for Plus to remove it.

Credit-Based System

~1 credit per word. 500/week on free (~500 words). 10,000/month on Plus (~10,000 words). 30,000/month on Pro. Pro tier allows optional credit top-ups if you exceed the monthly allocation. Note: the new Effects feature costs an additional 100 credits per use on any tier.

Desktop Only for Creation

You can VIEW on mobile, but can only CREATE and EDIT on desktop.

Certification Roadmap Disclosed (New, July 2026)

Napkin has published a formal Data Processing Agreement disclosing that a SOC 2 Type II audit is planned for Q3 2026 and ISO 27001 certification work is in progress. No certifications are held directly by Napkin yet, but this is the first time a concrete timeline has been documented.

2026-04-02

2026-04-02

2026-04-29

2026-02-26

2026-04-14

2026-05-27

For organizations with 5+ staff

Plus ($9/person/month) or Pro tier for volume and brand control. Turn OFF training in Account Settings for all staff. AI inference subprocessors (OpenAI, Google Cloud AI/Gemini) now operate under disclosed zero-data-retention agreements, but Napkin's own data-sharing opt-out must still be done individually per user (or by teamspace admin).

For organizations with fewer than 5 staff

Free tier works for light usage (500 credits/week). Branding on all visuals. For professional materials, Plus at $9/person/month ($6.75/month annual) is still affordable for the value provided.

For health data or vulnerable populations

Turn OFF training in Account Settings. Napkin is for diagrams, not processing client data—low risk for typical visual generation use cases. No HIPAA BAA available, and no certifications are yet held directly by Napkin (SOC 2 Type II is only planned for Q3 2026). Do not input identifiable client information.