OpenBoard review (2026): is it any good?
Free open-source interactive whiteboard software for classrooms
OpenBoard report card
Very good · out of 4.0 · graded Nov 12, 2026
Best for a free classroom whiteboard on your own computer
OpenBoard is a free, open-source whiteboard program for schools, built to run with an interactive whiteboard or a pen tablet. It is desktop only, has no online collaboration, and is maintained by a community with no paid support plan.
Who OpenBoard is for
- Fits if you teach with an interactive whiteboard or a pen tablet and want free software
- Works for a school that wants open-source tools
Who OpenBoard is not for
- Skip it if you want live online collaboration, as none is listed
- Skip it if you want a web or phone version, since only Windows, macOS and Linux are listed
- Not for you if you need paid support, as none is offered
- Watch out: it is community maintained, by the Geneva education department
- Watch out: it is aimed at classrooms, not at office whiteboarding
Why OpenBoard gets a 3.0
Five grades, each with its reason. The GPA is their average: an A is 4 points, an F is none.
- AValue for moneyFree to download and use under the GPLv3 licence, with no registration.
- AFree plan and trialFree outright, with no cap a normal person would reach.
- CFeaturesHandwriting, annotation and classroom hardware support. It covers the classroom job fully, which is a smaller job than a shared whiteboard, and the site lists no online collaboration.
- BEase of useNo store rating on record, but you install it and start writing with nothing to set up.
- CPlatforms and integrationsWindows, macOS and Linux programs only. No web, iOS or Android version is listed.
What these grades rest on. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from OpenBoard's own pages on 12 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. How we review and grade.
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<a href="https://toolgpa.com/tools/openboard#review"><img src="https://toolgpa.com/badge/openboard.svg" alt="OpenBoard: 3.0 GPA on ToolGPA" width="196" height="56"></a>Where OpenBoard stands among whiteboard and mind map tools
OpenBoard's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 53 of the 61 other whiteboard and mind map tools we grade, and level with 5.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 53 of 61) and worst on features (C, above 0).
OpenBoard has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 62 whiteboard and mind map tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. OpenBoard’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 47 of 61, level with 14
- AFree plan and trialAbove 53 of 61, level with 8
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 61, level with 42
- BEase of useAbove 45 of 61, level with 14
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 61, level with 21
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 55 whiteboard and mind map tools. Further left costs less, and higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Point at a dot to see which tool it is.
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
Keep OpenBoard, or make your own?
Keep it
OpenBoard is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces. It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 3.0 is higher than 53 of the 61 other whiteboard and mind map tools we grade.
What you could not
- An endless canvas that stays smooth with hundreds of things on it.
- Apps for macOS, Windows and Linux that stay in step with each other.
- Hooks into the device itself: handwriting.
What this rests on. OpenBoard’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
What is OpenBoard?
OpenBoard is cross-platform teaching software for interactive whiteboards, aimed at schools and universities. It works with an interactive whiteboard, with a pen-tablet display and projector, or on a computer alone. It is free, released under the GPLv3 license, and needs no registration.
Worth knowing
- Desktop only: the site lists Windows, macOS and Linux and no web, iOS or Android version.
- Built around classroom teaching; there is no real-time online collaboration listed on the site.
- Community-maintained with no paid support plan listed.
Key features
- Works with classroom hardware
- Can be used with an interactive whiteboard, in a dual-screen setup with a pen-tablet display and projector, or on a computer alone.
- Handwriting and annotation
- Teachers can write and annotate a course with a pen tablet, an interactive whiteboard or a mouse.
- Windows, macOS and Linux
- The project lists all three desktop systems as supported.
- Community maintained
- Code is on GitHub; the site says the Education Department of the canton of Geneva currently maintains it.
OpenBoard pricing
As of Nov 12, 2026, OpenBoard is free to use.
- Starts at
- Free
- Free plan
- Free and open source under the GPLv3 license, with no registration needed.
- Free trial
- None listed
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | The full software, free to download and use under GPLv3. |
Read from openboard.ch on Nov 12, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with OpenBoard before you buy.
OpenBoard alternatives
- OpenBoard vs Explain Everything
Free plan · from $7.49/mo
- OpenBoard vs Ziteboard
Free plan · from $9/mo
- OpenBoard vs Limnu
Free plan · from $5/mo
Common questions
Does OpenBoard have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. OpenBoard is listed for Windows, macOS and Linux.
Does OpenBoard have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. OpenBoard is listed for Windows, macOS and Linux.
Is OpenBoard open source?
Yes. OpenBoard is open source, according to its own site.
Sources for this page
The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Nov 12, 2026.