Alternatives · Whiteboards
Excalidraw alternatives
Excalidraw compared with 9 alternatives: tldraw, draw.io, Miro, Whimsical, FigJam and 4 more.
Excalidraw has a free plan. Paid plans start at $6 per user / month, billed annually. All 9 alternatives are free or have a free plan.
9 tools · Listings checked up to Oct 6, 2026 · Where the facts come from
At a glance
| Tool | Price | Free plan | Runs on |
|---|---|---|---|
| ExcalidrawThis tool | Free plan · from $6/mo | Yes | Web |
| tldraw | Free | Free | Web, macOS, Windows, Linux |
| draw.io | Free | Free | Web, macOS, Windows, Linux |
| Miro | Free plan · from $8/mo | Yes | Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android |
| Whimsical | Free plan · from $10/mo | Yes | Web, macOS, Windows, Linux |
| FigJam | Free plan · from $3/mo | Yes | Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android |
| Eraser | Free plan · from $15/mo | Yes | Web |
| Kinopio | Free plan · from $8/mo | Yes | Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Browser extension |
| Mermaid | Free plan · from $10/mo | Yes | Web |
| Microsoft Whiteboard | Free | Free | Web, Windows, iOS, Android |
How each one differs from Excalidraw
- Free
tldraw
Free online whiteboard with a local desktop app
- tldraw is free. Excalidraw starts at $6 per user / month, billed annually.
- Only tldraw lists macOS, Windows and Linux apps.
- Excalidraw is open source, self-hostable and end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
Suits: Quick sketches and diagrams without creating an account
- Free
draw.io
Free diagram editor that saves files to storage you choose
- draw.io is free. Excalidraw starts at $6 per user / month, billed annually.
- Only draw.io lists macOS, Windows and Linux apps.
- Excalidraw is end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- draw.io also covers templates.
- Excalidraw also covers whiteboard.
Suits: UML, ERD, network and flowchart diagrams at no cost
- Free plan · from $8/mo
Miro
Online whiteboard for team brainstorming, diagrams and planning
- Miro starts at $8 per member / month, billed yearly. Excalidraw starts at $6 per user / month, billed annually.
- Only Miro lists macOS, Windows, iOS and Android apps.
- Excalidraw is open source, self-hostable and end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- Miro also covers templates and mind mapping.
Suits: Remote workshops, retrospectives and brainstorming sessions
- Free plan · from $10/mo
Whimsical
Whiteboard for flowcharts, wireframes, mind maps and docs
- Whimsical starts at $10 per editor / month, billed annually ($120 a year). Excalidraw starts at $6 per user / month, billed annually.
- Only Whimsical lists macOS, Windows and Linux apps.
- Excalidraw is open source, self-hostable and end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- Whimsical also covers templates, documents and mind mapping.
Suits: Product teams sketching flows, wireframes and specs in one place
- Free plan · from $3/mo
FigJam
Online whiteboard from Figma for brainstorms, diagrams and meetings
- FigJam starts at $3 per Collab seat / month, billed annually. Excalidraw starts at $6 per user / month, billed annually.
- Only FigJam lists macOS, Windows, iOS and Android apps.
- Excalidraw is open source, self-hostable and end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- FigJam also covers templates.
Suits: Teams that already design products in Figma
- Free plan · from $15/mo
Eraser
AI diagramming and docs canvas for engineering teams
- Eraser starts at $15 per member / month, billed annually. Excalidraw starts at $6 per user / month, billed annually.
- Excalidraw is open source, self-hostable and end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- Eraser also covers Markdown and documents.
- Excalidraw also covers whiteboard.
Suits: Engineering teams documenting system architecture
- Free plan · from $8/mo
Kinopio
Freeform canvas for notes, mind maps and moodboards
- Kinopio starts at $8 per month, or $80 per year. Excalidraw starts at $6 per user / month, billed annually.
- Only Kinopio lists macOS, Windows, Linux and iOS apps.
- Only Kinopio lists a browser extension.
- Excalidraw is open source, self-hostable and end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- Kinopio also covers notes, linked notes, tasks and mind mapping.
Suits: People who think by arranging notes in space rather than in lists
- Free plan · from $10/mo
Mermaid
Text-based diagramming platform with AI and a visual editor
- Mermaid starts at $10 per user / month, billed annually ($120 a year). Excalidraw starts at $6 per user / month, billed annually.
- Excalidraw is open source, self-hostable and end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- Mermaid also covers presentations.
- Excalidraw also covers whiteboard.
Suits: Developers who already write Mermaid syntax in docs or Markdown
- Free
Microsoft Whiteboard
Free collaborative canvas built into Microsoft 365 and Teams
- Microsoft Whiteboard is free. Excalidraw starts at $6 per user / month, billed annually.
- Only Microsoft Whiteboard lists Windows, iOS and Android apps.
- Excalidraw is open source, self-hostable and end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- Microsoft Whiteboard also covers templates.
- Excalidraw also covers diagrams.
Suits: Teams meetings where participants sketch on one shared board
Limits worth knowing in Excalidraw
- The free editor has 1 scene and no accounts or cloud saving; anything else has to be exported or saved to a file.
- Unlimited scenes, comments, access management, presentations and voice hangouts all need Excalidraw+.
- The vendor's pages list no desktop or mobile apps; Excalidraw runs in a web browser.
- Excalidraw+ bills every seat in every workspace, accepts credit cards only, and its terms make charges non-refundable.
Common questions
What are the alternatives to Excalidraw?
The alternatives to Excalidraw in this directory are tldraw, draw.io, Miro, Whimsical, FigJam, Eraser, Kinopio, Mermaid and Microsoft Whiteboard. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with Excalidraw.
Is there a free alternative to Excalidraw?
Yes. tldraw, draw.io and Microsoft Whiteboard are free to use. Miro, Whimsical, FigJam, Eraser, Kinopio and Mermaid have a free plan alongside paid ones.
Which Excalidraw alternatives work on Windows?
The Excalidraw listing does not include a Windows app. tldraw, draw.io, Miro, Whimsical, FigJam, Kinopio and Microsoft Whiteboard list one.
Which Excalidraw alternatives work on macOS?
The Excalidraw listing does not include a macOS app. tldraw, draw.io, Miro, Whimsical, FigJam and Kinopio list one.
When were these prices checked?
Each listing shows its own date. On this page they run from Oct 5, 2026 to Oct 6, 2026. Vendors change prices without notice, so confirm on their site before you buy.