Alternatives to Excalidraw
Collaborative whiteboard with a hand-drawn look. The listings below can replace it for an important use case. Each note says what changes if you switch.
The original
Excalidraw
Collaborative whiteboard with a hand-drawn look.
Replacements
Listings that take over the same core job as Excalidraw.
tldraw
Fast infinite-canvas whiteboard that runs in the browser.
tldraw is a fast, no-signup infinite-canvas whiteboard in the browser, but it is not open source and has no self-hosted option listed.
Miro
An online collaborative whiteboard where teams plan, diagram and brainstorm on a shared canvas.
Miro offers a shared canvas for workshops and planning with AI diagram generation, but it is closed source with boards stored in Miro's cloud.
FigJam
Figma's online collaborative whiteboard for brainstorming, diagramming, workshops and planning.
FigJam gives real-time browser whiteboarding with snapping shapes and connectors, included with Figma seats, but requires a Figma account and uses Figma's cloud.
Whimsical
A collaborative whiteboard for diagrams, wireframes, flowcharts and mind maps aimed at product teams.
Whimsical combines diagrams, wireframes and mind maps with version history, but boards are stored in its cloud and it cannot be self-hosted.
draw.io
A diagram and flowchart editor whose desktop build stores files locally and never sends your data anywhere.
draw.io is an Apache-2.0 desktop diagram editor suited to precise technical diagrams with large shape libraries, but its desktop build has no real-time collaboration.
Lucidchart
A browser-based diagramming app for flowcharts, process maps, org charts and technical diagrams.
Lucidchart focuses on structured flowcharts and technical diagrams in the browser, requiring an account and keeping diagrams in Lucid's cloud.
Also worth comparing
These listings name Excalidraw as their own alternative, so the relationship runs both ways.
Microsoft Visio
Microsoft's diagramming application for flowcharts, org charts, floor plans, network and UML diagrams.
Excalidraw is an open-source, self-hostable whiteboard with a hand-drawn look and encrypted collaboration, but it is not built for precise technical diagrams.
OpenBoard
Teach and present with an interactive digital whiteboard.
Excalidraw is an open-source MIT browser whiteboard with a hand-drawn look and encrypted collaboration rooms, rather than a desktop classroom tool.
Similar software
Related functionality, not a direct replacement.
MindMeister
An online mind mapping tool with real-time collaboration, AI map generation and a presentation mode.
Xmind
A mind mapping and brainstorming app for web, desktop and mobile with AI and Gantt planning.
CryptPad
End-to-end encrypted collaborative office suite.
Napkin AI
Web app that turns written text into editable diagrams, charts, flowcharts and mind maps.
