Eraser vs Napkin AI

Eraser

• Engineering teams documenting system architecture
• Developers who prefer to write diagrams as code
• Keeping diagrams in step with a Git repository
• Embedding live-updating diagrams in Notion or Confluence

Napkin AI

• Turning written documents into diagrams for slides and reports
• People who have the text but not the design skills or time to draw
• Bloggers and marketers illustrating posts and social content
• Developers adding generated visuals to a product through the API

Eraser

• The Free plan stops at 3 files and 3 AI diagrams, keeps 7 days of version history and has no private files.
• AI use beyond a plan's monthly credits costs $60 per 100 credits, and only on paid plans with usage-based pricing switched on.
• API calls are billed by usage on top of a paid plan: $80 per 100 prompt-to-diagram calls and $20 per 100 code-to-diagram calls.
• The vendor's site lists no desktop or mobile app; Eraser runs in a browser, and SAML SSO needs the Business plan.

Napkin AI

• The Free plan gives 500 AI credits a week, puts Napkin branding on visuals and exports only PNG and PDF.
• Unused AI credits do not carry over, and generating a visual costs roughly 1 credit per word selected.
• Napkin runs only in a browser and needs an internet connection; the vendor says there is no offline mode.
• The vendor states that it does not offer discounts for nonprofits or students.

Eraser

AI diagram generation

A prompt, an image or a file such as Terraform or a database schema is turned into an editable diagram, which can then be refined through AI chat or by hand in the visual editor.

Diagram-as-code

Architecture, sequence, flowchart, ERD and BPMN diagrams each have a text syntax, so a diagram can be read, compared and edited as code. It is included on every plan.

Canvas with Markdown notes

A file holds one infinite canvas and a note editor with Markdown support. Figures from the canvas can be embedded in the document, and files export to PDF, PNG, SVG or Markdown.

Codebase diagrams and Eraserbot

Diagrams can be generated from a connected Git repository. Eraserbot watches chosen files and comments on pull requests with updated diagrams when they change.

REST API and MCP server

The API renders a diagram from a prompt or from Eraser's diagram code. The MCP server lets Claude, Cursor or ChatGPT create, search, update and export diagrams.

Real-time collaboration and guests

Members edit together in real time and leave comments and mentions. Guests are free on every plan and can edit or comment only on files they are invited to.

Napkin AI

Visuals generated from text

Napkin works from pasted or imported text rather than a prompt. Selecting a passage produces several candidate visuals, and the user picks the one that fits.

Editable results

A generated visual can be restyled and taken apart: wording, colors and individual elements can all be changed, and editing is unlimited on every plan.

Brand styles and fonts

Brand colors and fonts are set up in Brand Studio. Plus allows 3 brand styles, while Pro allows unlimited custom branding and uploaded fonts.

Import and export

PPT, DOC, PDF, HTML and Markdown files can be imported on every plan. PNG and PDF export are free, and PowerPoint and SVG export need Plus or Pro.

Slides (beta)

Napkin Slides builds full presentations with an AI agent. The vendor says it is covered by the Free, Plus and Pro plans with no separate charge.

API

A REST API returns a visual for submitted text as SVG, PNG or PPT and works with Make and n8n. Any plan can create a token; credits, rate limits and watermarks vary by plan.

Eraser

• Free$0

  3 files, 3 AI diagrams and 7-day version history, with unlimited guests, diagram-as-code and Markdown notes.

• Starter$15

  per member / month, billed annually ($20 billed monthly)

  Unlimited files, 40 AI credits a month, 90-day version history, private files, 20 custom icons and usage-based API calls.

• Business$45

  per member / month, billed annually ($60 billed monthly)

  Everything in Starter, plus 250 AI credits a month, unlimited version history, SAML SSO, 100 custom icons and reference diagrams.

• EnterpriseCustom

  Unlimited AI diagrams, flexible deployment including single-tenant and self-hosted, usage reporting, a customer success manager and payment by ACH or wire.

Napkin AI

• Free$0

  500 AI credits per week, unlimited visual editing and file import, PNG and PDF export, standard icons, and Napkin branding on visuals.

• Plus$9

  per person / month, billed yearly ($12 billed monthly)

  10,000 AI credits per month, PPT and SVG export, 3 brand styles, bold icons, no Napkin branding, and team management and billing.

• Pro$22

  per person / month, billed yearly ($30 billed monthly)

  30,000 AI credits per month, exclusive designs, unlimited custom branding, uploaded fonts and optional credit top-ups.

• EnterpriseCustom

  Offered on request through the sales team; the pricing page gives no details beyond a contact link.

Eraser

• Annual discount

  25% less with annual billing

  Starter is $15 per member a month billed annually against $20 billed monthly, and Business is $45 against $60, which works out 25% cheaper on both plans.

• Education

  Education discount on request

  Eraser's docs say discounts are available to education users, who request one by filling out a form. The size of the discount is not published.

• Nonprofit

  Nonprofit discount on request

  Non-profit users can request a discount through the same form linked from the pricing page FAQ and the docs. The size of the discount is not published.

Napkin AI

• Annual discount

  Save 25% with yearly billing

  Napkin's pricing page states a 25% saving on yearly plans: Plus is $9 per person a month against $12 billed monthly, and Pro is $22 against $30.