Excalidraw alternatives
Top Whiteboards & Diagramming like Excalidraw
All Excalidraw alternatives
tldraw is a free online whiteboard at tldraw.com with an infinite canvas, clean drawing tools, sticky notes, arrows and real-time multiplayer collaboration. The same technology is offered as an SDK that developers embed in their own apps to build canvas-based products, with its code public on GitHub under tldraw's own source-available license and commercial terms.
7 tldraw alternativesPros
- Free whiteboard with clean, responsive drawing tools
- Real-time multiplayer collaboration through shared links
- SDK lets developers build canvas features into their own apps
Cons
- Source-available license, with commercial terms for the SDK in production
- Fewer templates and integrations than full whiteboard suites
Cost / LicenseFreeSource availableCategoriesPlatformsdraw.io, also known as diagrams.net, is a free and open source diagramming tool from JGraph for flowcharts, UML, network, BPMN and org charts. It requires no account, saves diagrams wherever you choose, such as your device, Google Drive, OneDrive or GitHub, and is available as a desktop app for offline use and as an integration for Confluence and Jira.
10 draw.io alternativesPros
- Completely free and open source, with no account required
- Saves diagrams to your device, Google Drive, OneDrive or GitHub
- Offline desktop app plus Confluence and Jira integrations
Cons
- Interface looks dated next to modern whiteboard tools
- Real-time collaboration is more limited than in paid rivals
Cost / LicenseFreeOpen sourceCategoriesPlatformsMiro is a visual collaboration platform built around an infinite whiteboard where teams run workshops, brainstorms, retrospectives and planning sessions with sticky notes, diagrams and mind maps. It offers thousands of community templates, AI features for clustering and summarizing content, and integrations with Jira, Slack, Teams and Zoom.
12 Miro alternativesPros
- Huge library of community templates for workshops and planning
- Integrations with Jira, Slack, Teams and Zoom
- Apps on the web, desktop and mobile
Cons
- Free plan limits the number of editable boards
- Large boards can become slow and cluttered
- Per-seat pricing adds up for big teams
Cost / LicenseFreemiumProprietaryCategoriesWhimsical is a visual workspace that combines flowcharts, wireframes, mind maps, sticky-note boards and docs in one place. Its deliberately simple editor with smart connectors and keyboard shortcuts makes diagrams quick to produce, AI can generate flowcharts or mind maps from a prompt, and boards can be shared with teammates for real-time editing.
12 Whimsical alternativesPros
- Flowcharts, wireframes, mind maps and docs in one place
- Smart connectors and shortcuts make diagrams fast to draw
- Clean, simple editor that is quick to pick up
Cons
- Deliberate simplicity limits styling and advanced diagram options
- Free plan caps how much content you can create
Cost / LicenseFreemiumProprietaryCategoriesPlatformsFigJam is the collaborative whiteboard from Figma, used for brainstorming, user flows, retrospectives and diagrams alongside design files. It offers sticky notes, stamps, voting, timers, widgets and plugins, AI that can generate boards or diagrams from a prompt, and shares accounts and libraries with Figma, which keeps product and design teams in one tool.
12 FigJam alternativesPros
- Shares accounts and libraries with Figma design files
- Playful facilitation tools such as stamps, voting and timers
- AI can generate boards and diagrams from a prompt
Cons
- Most valuable for teams already using Figma
- Free plan limits how many boards you can keep
- Fewer advanced diagramming features than dedicated tools
Cost / LicenseFreemiumProprietaryCategoriesMicrosoft Whiteboard is a freeform digital canvas for sketching, brainstorming and teaching together, with pen and touch input, sticky notes, templates and reactions. It is built into Microsoft Teams meetings, saves boards to OneDrive, and is free with a Microsoft account on the web, Windows, iOS and Android.
8 Microsoft Whiteboard alternativesPros
- Free with a Microsoft account on web, Windows and mobile
- Built into Microsoft Teams meetings
- Natural pen and touch input for sketching
Cons
- Fewer templates and integrations than Miro or Mural
- No native Mac app, only the web version
- Best suited to teams in the Microsoft ecosystem
Cost / LicenseFreeProprietaryCategoriesLucidchart is a browser-based diagramming tool from Lucid Software for flowcharts, org charts, network and cloud architecture diagrams, ERDs and process maps. Teams edit diagrams together in real time, link shapes to live data, import Visio files and generate diagrams with AI, with integrations for Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Atlassian and Slack.
10 Lucidchart alternativesPros
- Broad shape libraries for flowcharts, ERDs and cloud architecture
- Imports Visio files and links shapes to live data
- Integrates with Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Atlassian and Slack
Cons
- Free plan caps the number of documents and shapes
- Team plans get expensive as seats are added
Cost / LicenseFreemiumProprietaryCategoriesMural is a digital whiteboard for collaborative workshops and meetings, with facilitation tools such as a timer, voting, private mode and the ability to bring all participants to the same spot. It is aimed at enterprise teams running design thinking, agile ceremonies and strategy sessions, supported by templates, AI assistance and integrations with Microsoft Teams, Zoom and Webex.
9 Mural alternativesPros
- Facilitation tools: timer, voting, private mode and summoning participants
- Templates for design thinking and agile ceremonies
- Integrations with Microsoft Teams, Zoom and Webex
Cons
- Geared toward enterprises, with pricing to match
- Free plan limits the number of boards
Cost / LicenseFreemiumProprietaryCategoriesMicrosoft Visio is a diagramming application for flowcharts, floor plans, network diagrams, org charts and engineering schematics, with large stencil libraries and support for standards such as BPMN and UML. The full desktop app runs on Windows, a lighter web version is included with many Microsoft 365 business plans, and diagrams can be co-authored and linked to Excel data.
8 Microsoft Visio alternativesPros
- Extensive stencil libraries with BPMN and UML support
- Diagrams can be linked to Excel data
- Web version included with many Microsoft 365 business plans
Cons
- Full desktop app runs only on Windows
- Expensive for occasional use, with no free plan
- Interface feels heavy compared with modern web tools
Cost / LicensePaidProprietaryCategoriesBalsamiq is a wireframing tool that deliberately keeps mockups rough and sketch-like, so discussions focus on structure and flow rather than visual polish. It offers a drag-and-drop library of UI controls, links between screens for simple click-through prototypes and comments for feedback. It is available as a web app and a desktop app for Windows and macOS, with integrations for Confluence, Jira and Google Drive.
8 Balsamiq alternativesPros
- Sketch style keeps discussions on structure, not visual polish
- Very easy to learn, even for non-designers
- Integrations with Confluence, Jira and Google Drive
Cons
- Not suited to high-fidelity designs or detailed prototypes
- No free plan once the trial ends
Cost / LicenseFree trialProprietaryCategoriesXmind is a mind mapping app for brainstorming, planning and note-taking, with structures such as logic charts, org charts, fishbone diagrams, timelines and matrices. It offers themes, an outliner view, a pitch mode for presenting maps and AI features to expand ideas, on Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS and Android, with a free version and a paid Pro subscription.
9 Xmind alternativesPros
- Many structures, from logic charts to fishbone diagrams and timelines
- Native desktop and mobile apps that work offline
- Pitch mode turns a map into a presentation
Cons
- Key features require the Pro subscription
- Focused on mind maps rather than freeform whiteboarding
Cost / LicenseFreemiumProprietaryCategories
Excalidraw vs its alternatives at a glance
Pricing, platforms and the key features of Excalidraw, compared with its most popular alternatives.
| App | Pricing | Platforms | Diagrams & flowcharts | End-to-end encryption | Infinite canvas | Offline mode | Real-time collaboration |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Excalidraw | FreemiumOpen source | Web, Self-hosted | |||||
 tldraw | FreeSource available | Web | |||||
 draw.io | FreeOpen source | Web, Windows, Mac, Linux, Self-hosted | |||||
 Miro | Freemium | Web, Windows, Mac, iPhone, Android | |||||
 Whimsical | Freemium | Web | |||||
 FigJam | Freemium | Web, Windows, Mac |
Excalidraw alternatives: frequently asked questions
What is the best alternative to Excalidraw?
The most popular alternative to Excalidraw is tldraw: Free infinite canvas whiteboard and SDK for developers. Other great alternatives are draw.io, Miro, Whimsical, and FigJam.
Is there a free alternative to Excalidraw?
Yes, 9 alternatives are free or have a free plan, including tldraw, draw.io, Miro, and Whimsical.
Is there an open source alternative to Excalidraw?
Yes, one open source alternative is listed: draw.io.
Is Excalidraw free?
Excalidraw has a free plan, with paid plans that unlock more features.
Compare Excalidraw with its alternatives
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