LabelMe
LabelMe: A free, open-source choice for polygon, scribble, and mask annotation without AI assistance. Ranked #19 of 24 in AI Image Annotation Tools by our editors (7.1/10); pricing: Free plan; best for simple free polygon and mask annotation.
At a glance
- Editor score7.1 / 10
- PricingFree plan
- Best forSimple free polygon and mask annotation
- Free planYes
- Paid fromFree
- AI-assisted labelingNo
- Founded2005 · Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States
- Facts checked21 Sep 2026
Where it wins
- Free and open source under the MIT license
- Supports polygon, scribble, and segmentation mask workflows
- Includes XML templates and a documented JavaScript API
Where it doesn't
- No AI-assisted annotation features
- Self-hosted deployment requires server administration
- Narrower feature set than modern AI annotation platforms
Our verdict on LabelMe
LabelMe is a browser-based image annotation tool for researchers and teams creating computer-vision datasets. It supports polygon drawing and editing, object renaming and deletion, scribble annotation, and segmentation mask storage. The software is available as open source under the MIT license and can be deployed on an Apache web server, making it suited to organizations that want control over their annotation environment rather than a hosted, AI-assisted workspace.
Its strongest area is straightforward, configurable annotation. Users can adjust annotation actions and viewing modes, work with XML annotation templates, and access a JavaScript code API. The project also connects with the LabelMe Matlab toolbox and LabelMe dataset, which can fit research workflows built around those tools. Polygon, scribble, and mask support gives it more flexibility than a polygon-only editor, while server-side collection storage provides a defined structure for managing annotations.
LabelMe is less suitable for teams seeking automated labeling, model-assisted workflows, or a broad modern annotation platform. It does not provide AI assistance, and its documented export format is XML. Self-hosted deployment also places responsibility for the web server and project environment on the organization. Choose LabelMe when free, open-source access and basic-to-intermediate image annotation are the priorities; choose an alternative when AI-assisted labeling, wider integrations, or a more extensive platform feature set matter more.
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LabelMe pricing
LabelMe fact sheet
| Free plan | Yes |
|---|---|
| Paid from | Free |
| Annotation types | polygon, scribble, mask |
| AI-assisted labeling | No |
| Review workflow | Not verified |
| Export formats | XML |
| API access | Yes |
| Deployment | Self-hosted |
| Deployment | Self-hosted |
| Platforms | Web |
| Support | Docs, Community |
| Built for | Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise (editorial estimate) |
| Integrations | 1 integrations: LabelMe Matlab toolbox |
| Pricing | Free plan |
| Website | labelme.csail.mit.edu |
| Facts checked | 21 Sep 2026 |
LabelMe integrations
LabelMe lists 1 integrations on its own site.
- LabelMe Matlab toolbox
Alternatives to LabelMe
- CVATA broad annotation workspace with flexible deployment, AI assistance, and team workflows.9.4
- RoboflowA broad computer vision workspace spanning annotation, training, evaluation, and deployment.9.2
- BasicAIA broad annotation platform with a free plan, model assistance, and private deployment.9.1
See all LabelMe alternatives →
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Featured on iTechGuides
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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
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