Boardmix vs Whimsical (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Whimsical grades higher than Boardmix: 2.4 against 2.2 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 5, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
Boardmix grades higher on value for money. Whimsical grades higher on features and platforms. They get the same grade on the free plan and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Boardmix
Whiteboard for diagrams and mind maps with AI tools and lifetime plans
Whimsical
Whiteboard for flowcharts, wireframes, mind maps and docs
Which one is for you
Pick Boardmix if
- Fits if you want mind maps and diagrams on one canvas and may prefer paying once
- Works for a team that wants unlimited editing guests on a paid plan
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if you stay free, since 3 boards and 100 objects per board go fast
- Pricey if you want AI: it starts at $10 a seat and draws on monthly credits
- Skip it if you work from a phone or Linux, as only Windows and Mac apps are listed
- Watch out: single sign-on is on Enterprise only, which has no published price
- Watch out: the lifetime plan covers 10 GB of workspace and a fixed pool of AI credits, not unlimited AI
Pick Whimsical if
- Fits if you're a product team keeping flows, wireframes and specs in one place
- Works for teams where many people only look, since viewers and guests are free
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if you're staying free, with 50 new board objects a month, watermarked exports and 7-day history
- Skip it if you want to edit on your phone, as there's no dedicated mobile app
- Pricey if you lean on the AI, as every plan gets 10 one-off credits and bundles start at 250 for $25
- Watch out: private teams, SAML SSO and SCIM need Business, at $20 an editor a month billed annually
How we grade them
| 2.2GPABoardmixFair | 2.4GPAWhimsicalFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | B$5 a seat a month billed annually sits at the edge of the cheaper quarter ($5.00), and the $99 lifetime plan is under two years of the category's middle price. | CPro is $10 an editor a month billed annually, or $12 monthly, right at the dear end of this category's usual range, where the middle is $8.33. Only editors are billed, so viewers cost nothing. AI is extra after 10 one-off credits, and SSO needs Business at $20. |
| Free plan and trial | CThe free plan allows 3 editable boards, 100 objects per board, 1 GB storage and 10 saved versions. No trial is listed. | CFree has unlimited boards, docs, teams and guests, with voting and a timer. But 50 new board objects and 50 doc blocks a month is a cap you'll hit in an afternoon, exports carry a watermark and version history is 7 days. |
| Features | CMind maps, flowcharts, UML and ER diagrams on one canvas, plus AI tools. The AI tools are metered in credits and start at $10 a seat. | BOne board type does flowcharts, mind maps, sequence diagrams, sticky notes and freehand sketches, with voting, a timer, comments and multiplayer editing. Wireframes go together from drag-and-drop components, docs sit beside boards for specs, and AI drafts from a prompt. The job covered. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. You build your own boards from templates. | CNo store rating on record, and it's a browser tool where the work is building the board. One board type does cover every kind of diagram and wireframes come from drag-and-drop components, so there's less to learn than in most of this category. |
| Platforms and integrations | CWeb, Windows and Mac only: no phone app and no integrations are listed. | BWeb, Mac, Windows and Linux. Boards embed live in Notion and Obsidian and preview in Slack, Jira and Google Docs. There's no dedicated mobile app, though. On a phone you can only view and comment in a browser. |
| Best for | mind maps and diagrams, with a lifetime option | product teams sketching flows and wireframes |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Boardmix and Whimsical. How we grade
Price against what you get
Boardmix starts at $5 a month for each person and scores 2.0 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Whimsical starts at $10 a month for each person and scores 2.7.
Whimsical scores higher, and starts $5 a month higher: the question is whether the extra is worth that to you. Of the other whiteboard and mind map tools on the chart, 12 score higher than Boardmix for less, and 11 score higher than Whimsical for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- Whimsical also covers documents.
At a glance
| Boardmix | Whimsical | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | $5 per member / month, billed annually ($12 billed monthly) | $10 per editor / month, billed annually ($120 a year) |
| Free plan | 1 team workspace, 3 editable boards, 100 objects per board, 1 GB storage and 10 version history records. | Unlimited boards, docs, teams and guests, with a monthly allowance of 50 board objects and 50 doc blocks, watermarked exports, 7-day version history and 10 one-off AI credits. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| Made by | Shenzhen Pixso Technology Co.,Ltd | Whimsical, Inc. |
| Price read from | boardmix.com | whimsical.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Oct 5, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Boardmix
- The Free plan is capped at 3 editable boards and 100 objects per board.
- AI tools start at the $10 AI Starter plan and draw on monthly AI credits.
- Single sign-on (OIDC) is listed only on Enterprise / Private, which has no published price.
- The download page lists Windows and Mac apps and no Linux, iOS or Android app.
Whimsical
- The Free plan allows 50 new board objects and 50 doc blocks a month and puts a watermark on exports.
- There is no dedicated mobile app: on a phone, files can be viewed and commented on in a browser, and iPad use is browser-based.
- AI credits are a one-off 10 per account on every plan; more are sold in bundles starting at 250 credits for $25.
- Private teams, SAML single sign-on and SCIM are limited to Business, at $20 per editor / month billed annually.
Key features
Boardmix
- Mind maps and diagrams
- Mind map, flowchart, UML, ER, organizational chart and Venn diagram makers sit on the same whiteboard canvas.
- AI tools
- AI Starter and above list an AI agent plus AI mind map, flowchart and presentation tools, metered in monthly AI credits.
- Team boards
- Boards are shared in a team workspace. Paid plans allow unlimited visitors with editing rights.
- Desktop and web apps
- Windows and Mac apps are on the download page next to the browser version.
- Export and version history
- Free exports standard-definition files and keeps 10 versions. Paid plans export in HD and Ultra HD without a watermark and keep 100 versions.
- Templates
- The site has template libraries for mind maps, flowcharts and other diagram types.
Whimsical
- Boards on an infinite canvas
- One board type covers flowcharts, mind maps, sequence diagrams, sticky notes and freehand sketches. Voting and a timer are included on every plan.
- Wireframes
- Wireframes are assembled from drag-and-drop components, as a quick way to explore product ideas and iterate on them.
- Whimsical AI
- A prompt generates a flowchart, a branched mind map or an editable wireframe. Each account gets 10 one-off AI credits; more are sold separately at $0.10 each.
- Docs
- Docs hold notes, project plans, briefs and specs next to the boards they describe, with Markdown support, toggles and embedded content.
- Multiplayer editing and comments
- Several people can edit a file at once and leave comments on it. Share links can grant view, comment or edit access on every plan.
- Embeds and AI tool connectors
- Boards embed live in Notion and Obsidian and preview in Slack, Jira and Google Docs. An MCP server and connectors let ChatGPT, Claude and Cursor create diagrams.
Plans
Boardmix
Free$0
3 editable boards, 100 objects per board, 1 GB storage, standard-definition export and 10 version history records.
Starter$5
per member / month, billed annually ($12 billed monthly)
Unlimited boards, objects and projects, unlimited visitors with editing rights, 10 GB storage per seat, HD and watermark-free exports.
AI Starter$10
per member / month, billed annually ($15.9 billed monthly)
Everything in Starter plus an AI agent, AI mind map, flowchart and presentation tools, and 5,000 AI credits per seat each month.
AI Business$20
per member / month, billed annually ($29.9 billed monthly)
Everything in AI Starter with 20 GB storage and 10,000 AI credits per seat each month.
Enterprise / PrivateCustom
Multiple team workspaces, advanced permissions, OIDC single sign-on and a dedicated customer success manager.
Lifetime$99
one-time, for 1 member
Own it with no renewal: 10 GB workspace capacity and 10,000 total AI credits. Larger packs run $399 for 5 members, $699 for 10 and $999 for 20.
Whimsical
Free$0
50 new board objects and 50 doc blocks a month, 5 MB uploads within 1 GB of storage, watermarked exports and 7-day version history.
Pro$10
per editor / month, billed annually ($12 billed monthly)
Unlimited board objects and doc blocks, exports without a watermark, 90-day version history, password-protected files and 100 GB of storage.
Business$20
per editor / month, billed annually ($24 billed monthly)
Private teams, SAML single sign-on, SCIM, content security lock, unlimited version history, invoicing, priority support and storage from 2 TB.
Ways to pay less
Boardmix
- Annual discount
Annual billing
Starter is $5 per member a month billed annually against $12 billed monthly; AI Starter is $10 against $15.9 and AI Business $20 against $29.9.
- Lifetime license
Lifetime plans
One-time purchases from $99 for 1 member, shown against a struck-through $248, up to $999 for 20 members.
- Education
Free access for education
Boardmix says educational use is free; request activation by email and describe the use.
- Nonprofit
Free access for nonprofits
Boardmix says nonprofits get free access; email the team to request activation.
Whimsical
- Annual discount
2 months free with annual billing
Pro is $120 per editor billed annually against $12 a month, and Business is $240 against $24. The pricing page shows this as a 17% saving.
- Education
Free for a year for students and teachers
Teachers and students can apply for the education plan, which provides the same features as Pro free of charge for a year.
- Nonprofit
20% off for nonprofits
Whimsical offers a 20% discount to non-profit organizations that apply through its form.
- Other savings
Free for life for YouTube creators
Creators with a public YouTube channel of at least 1,000 subscribers and a video published in the past 30 days can apply for a plan that is free for life.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Boardmix or Whimsical?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Boardmix is cheaper to start with: $5 a month for each person, against $10 a month for each person for Whimsical. Boardmix starts at $5 per member / month, billed annually ($12 billed monthly), and Whimsical starts at $10 per editor / month, billed annually ($120 a year).
Which has a free plan, Boardmix or Whimsical?
As of Nov 12, 2026, both Boardmix and Whimsical have a free plan.
Which platforms do Boardmix and Whimsical run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only Whimsical lists a Linux app. Both list a web app and macOS and Windows apps. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.