The tldraw Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about tldraw in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
tldraw
The Insider’s Guide
Free online whiteboard with a local desktop app
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among whiteboard and mind map tools, read from tldraw’s own pages.
Made by tldraw · checked Oct 6, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from tldraw’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on tldraw’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 6, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
3.2
GPA, above 28 of the 30 other whiteboard and mind map tools we grade
tldraw is a free whiteboard at tldraw.com for drawing, diagramming and working with others in real time, with an optional free account that saves files to the cloud. A free desktop app, tldraw offline, keeps boards as local files on macOS, Windows and Linux. The company's commercial product is the tldraw SDK, which other software makers license to build canvas features into their own products.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about tldraw, taken from its own pages and our grades.
Sharing needs a sign-in, there are no phone apps, templates or comments, and it isn't open source.
- 1
Best for a free whiteboard with no sign-up
The website is the showcase for the SDK the company sells, so early versions get tried out on it.
- 2
It is free
tldraw has no paid plan at all. The tldraw.com whiteboard, a tldraw.com account and the tldraw offline desktop app are all free. The tldraw SDK for building canvas products is licensed separately.
- 3
It runs on 4 platforms
Web, macOS, Windows and Linux.
- 4
Infinite canvas drawing tools
Draw freehand, add shapes, arrows and text with rich formatting, and drop in images and bookmarks. The site says it works in browsers on phones, tablets and desktops.
- 5
Accounts and cloud files
The app works without logging in. Signing in to a free account saves files to the cloud, syncs them between devices and lists them in a sidebar.
- 6
Sharing and multiplayer
A signed-in owner can invite guests as editors or viewers with a link, keep a file private, or publish a snapshot that can be updated later without a new link.
- 7
A 3.2 GPA, above 28 of 30
That is against the other whiteboard and mind map tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
tldraw is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
tldraw at a glance
- Pricing
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web, macOS, Windows, Linux
- Made by
- tldraw, since 2022
- Category
- Whiteboards & Mind Maps
- Our grade
- 3.2 GPA, very good
The report card
Best for a free whiteboard with no sign-up
tldraw is a free whiteboard you can open and draw on without an account, with a free sign-in to save boards to the cloud and a desktop app that keeps them as local files. The website is the showcase for the SDK the company sells, so early versions get tried out on it. Sharing needs a sign-in, there are no phone apps, templates or comments, and it isn't open source.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | Free. The whiteboard at tldraw.com, an account to save your files, and the offline desktop app all cost nothing. What the company sells is its SDK, licensed to other software makers, and that price isn't published. |
| Free plan and trial | A | Everything a person would use is free: the whiteboard with or without an account, cloud files that sync between devices, sharing by link, and the desktop app for macOS, Windows and Linux. |
| Features | C | Freehand drawing, shapes, arrows, rich text, images and bookmarks on an infinite canvas, with guests joining by link and snapshots you can publish and update. The drawing basics, covered. But the listing shows no templates and no comments, and sharing needs you to sign in first. |
| Ease of use | B | No store rating on record, but there is nothing to set up: open tldraw.com and start drawing, no login asked for. The offline desktop app has no accounts and no server either, so that's download, open, go. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Browser, macOS, Windows and Linux, with plugins that let ChatGPT, Codex and Cursor draw on a board. No native iOS or Android apps are listed, so on a phone or tablet it runs in the browser. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who tldraw is for
- Fits if you want to sketch something right now without making an account
- Works for keeping boards as local files with the offline desktop app
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you want native phone or tablet apps, as none are listed
- Not for you if you want a tool that sits still, since early SDK versions get tested on tldraw.com
- Not for you if you need open source, because the SDK is source-available and its commercial license price isn't published
- Too light for workshops, with no templates or comments listed
- Watch out: sharing a board from tldraw.com needs you to sign in
Good to know
Good for
- Quick sketches and diagrams without creating an account
- People who want whiteboard files kept locally on their computer
- Working on a canvas alongside coding agents such as Codex or Claude Code
- Developers evaluating the tldraw SDK for their own product
Worth knowing
- The vendor describes tldraw.com as the flagship demo of its SDK and ships early SDK versions there for testing and evaluation.
- Sharing a board from tldraw.com requires signing in to an account.
- No native iOS or Android apps are listed; on phones and tablets tldraw runs in the browser.
- tldraw is not open source: the SDK is source-available, and using it in a product needs a commercial license whose price is not published.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
Free
No paid plan at all
tldraw is free to use.
The whiteboard at tldraw.com, an account to save your files, and the offline desktop app all cost nothing.
Free
$0
The whiteboard at tldraw.com, with or without an account, and the tldraw offline desktop app for macOS, Windows and Linux.
The free plan
The tldraw.com whiteboard, a tldraw.com account and the tldraw offline desktop app are all free. The tldraw SDK for building canvas products is licensed separately.
Read from tldraw.com on Oct 6, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
4
Places it runs: Web, macOS, Windows and Linux
Free online whiteboard with a local desktop app. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: works offline, AI features, real-time collaboration, whiteboard, diagrams.
But the listing shows no templates and no comments, and sharing needs you to sign in first.
- Infinite canvas drawing tools
- Draw freehand, add shapes, arrows and text with rich formatting, and drop in images and bookmarks. The site says it works in browsers on phones, tablets and desktops.
- Accounts and cloud files
- The app works without logging in. Signing in to a free account saves files to the cloud, syncs them between devices and lists them in a sidebar.
- Sharing and multiplayer
- A signed-in owner can invite guests as editors or viewers with a link, keep a file private, or publish a snapshot that can be updated later without a new link.
- tldraw offline
- A desktop app with no accounts and no server. Boards are saved as self-contained .tldraw files, and others on the same local network can join a file.
- Canvas for AI agents
- A plugin for ChatGPT and Codex and an MCP App for Cursor let agents draw on a board, and tldraw offline lets local agents such as Claude Code edit and script files.
Where it runs
- Web
- macOS
- Windows
- Linux
What it works with
- ChatGPT
- Codex
- Cursor
- Claude Code
tldraw is made by tldraw, and has been around since 2022.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
28/30
Other whiteboard and mind map tools it is graded above
tldraw's GPA of 3.2 is higher than 28 of the 30 other whiteboard and mind map tools we grade, and level with 1.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 27 of 30) and worst on features (C, above 0).
tldraw has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.7 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 31 whiteboard and mind map tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. tldraw’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 23 of 30
- AFree plan and trialAbove 27 of 30
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 30
- BEase of useAbove 17 of 30
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 5 of 30
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 28 whiteboard and mind map tools. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. tldraw is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
tldraw 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 3.2 is higher than 28 of the 30 other whiteboard and mind map tools we grade.
What you could not
- An endless canvas that stays smooth with hundreds of things on it.
- A diagram editor.
- Apps for macOS, Windows and Linux that stay in step with each other.
- Several people working in it at the same moment.
- AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself.
What this rests on. tldraw’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.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Excalidraw, draw.io, Miro, FigJam and Whimsical
The 5 tools tldraw is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.6GPA
Excalidraw
Free plan · from $6/mo
Open-source whiteboard for hand-drawn style sketches and diagrams.
- Only tldraw lists macOS, Windows and Linux apps.
- Excalidraw is open source, self-hostable and end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- 3.2GPA
draw.io
Free
Free diagram editor that saves files to storage you choose.
- draw.io is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- tldraw also covers whiteboard.
- draw.io also covers templates.
- 3.0GPA
Miro
Free plan · from $8/mo
Online whiteboard for team brainstorming, diagrams and planning.
- Only tldraw lists a Linux app.
- Only Miro lists iOS and Android apps.
- Miro also covers templates and mind mapping.
- 3.0GPA
FigJam
Free plan · from $3/mo
Online whiteboard from Figma for brainstorms, diagrams and meetings.
- Only tldraw lists a Linux app.
- Only FigJam lists iOS and Android apps.
- FigJam also covers templates.
- 2.4GPA
Whimsical
Free plan · from $10/mo
Whiteboard for flowcharts, wireframes, mind maps and docs.
- Whimsical also covers templates, documents and mind mapping.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
13
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is tldraw free?
Yes. tldraw is free to use. The tldraw.com whiteboard, a tldraw.com account and the tldraw offline desktop app are all free.
How much does tldraw cost?
tldraw lists one plan. Free: $0.
What platforms does tldraw work on?
tldraw is available on Web, macOS, Windows and Linux.
Does tldraw have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 6, 2026. tldraw is listed for Web, macOS, Windows and Linux.
Does tldraw have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 6, 2026. tldraw is listed for Web, macOS, Windows and Linux.
Is tldraw open source?
tldraw is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 6, 2026.
Does tldraw work offline?
Yes, according to its own site. What works without a connection differs by plan and platform, so check the vendor's page for the detail.
What does tldraw integrate with?
tldraw's listing names ChatGPT, Codex, Cursor and Claude Code. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Who makes tldraw?
tldraw is made by a company of the same name. It dates from 2022.
What are the alternatives to tldraw?
The closest alternatives to tldraw in our directory are Excalidraw, draw.io, Miro, FigJam and Whimsical.
How does tldraw compare with other whiteboard and mind map tools?
tldraw's GPA of 3.2 is higher than 28 of the 30 other whiteboard and mind map tools we grade, and level with 1.
Is tldraw good value for money?
ToolGPA grades tldraw A for value for money. tldraw has no paid plan. On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.7 out of 4.
Could I make my own version of tldraw?
tldraw is free, so making your own would save you nothing. And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from tldraw’s own pages on Oct 6, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from tldraw's own pages on 6 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-06-17.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by tldraw. Prices change, so check tldraw.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
3,189
Tools graded, in 94 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
3,189
tools graded
94
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- tldraw, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/tldraw
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "tldraw: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 6, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/tldraw
Know someone choosing between whiteboard and mind map tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/tldraw/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded whiteboard and mind map tools after tldraw, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Whiteboards & Mind Maps Insider's GuideEvery one of the 31 whiteboard and mind map tools we grade, compared
- Microsoft Whiteboard Insider's GuideFree collaborative canvas built into Microsoft 365 and Teams3.4 GPA
- draw.io Insider's GuideFree diagram editor that saves files to storage you choose3.2 GPA
- FigJam Insider's GuideOnline whiteboard from Figma for brainstorms, diagrams and meetings3.0 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what tldraw’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. tldraw is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by tldraw. Prices and plans change: check tldraw.com before you buy.