Comparison
Miro vs Excalidraw
Miro is a full online whiteboard for team workshops, with templates, sticky notes and integrations. Excalidraw is a lightweight, open-source sketching tool known for its hand-drawn look and instant, no-signup start.
vs
Short answer
Pick Miro for structured team collaboration and Excalidraw for fast, simple diagrams. Many teams use both.
Updated
Built with love by Shushant Lakhyani. Building bestproductivityresources.com
Quick verdict
Pick Miro if…
you run workshops, retrospectives or planning sessions with many collaborators.
Pick Excalidraw if…
you want quick diagrams and sketches in seconds, without accounts or setup.
Key differences
Checked on each maker's own site on 14 October 2026. Plans and limits change, so confirm before you sign up.
| Difference | Miro | Excalidraw |
|---|---|---|
| Style | A polished infinite canvas with 7,000+ templates from Miro and its community. | A sketchy, hand-drawn look made for quick diagrams. |
| Free plan | Unlimited boards, but only the three most recent stay editable. | The editor at excalidraw.com is free. Excalidraw+ is the paid version. |
| Connections and code | 250+ integrations, including Microsoft, Slack, Google and Adobe. | Open source under the MIT licence. |
| Privacy and offline | Boards live in your Miro account in the cloud. | Shared sessions are end-to-end encrypted, drawings autosave in your browser, and it works offline as an installable web app. |
Miro vs Excalidraw at a glance
| Feature | Miro | Excalidraw |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Web App | Web App |
| Pricing | Freemium | Freemium |
| Our rating | 4.5 | 4.7 |
| Platforms | Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android, Cross-Platform | Web, Cross-Platform |
| Best for | Teams, Remote Workers, Managers, Designers | Developers, Designers, Teams, Students |
| Key features | Collaboration, Templates, AI, Integrations, Cloud Sync, Team Features | Open Source, Collaboration, Offline Mode, Templates |
| Works offline | No | No |
| Learning curve | Beginner | Beginner |
Pros and cons
Miro
- Enormous template library
- Great for live workshops
- Works well at team scale
- Boards get messy fast without conventions
- Free plan caps editable boards
Who it suits: Distributed teams that plan, map and workshop together.
Excalidraw
- Free and instant
- Great for rough thinking
- Not for polished diagrams
Frequently asked questions
- Is Miro free?
- Miro has a free plan, with paid plans that unlock more features or usage.
- Is Excalidraw free?
- Excalidraw has a free plan, with paid plans that unlock more features or usage.
- Which is easier to learn, Miro or Excalidraw?
- Both are rated beginner in our directory, so neither has a clear edge for new users.
- Do Miro and Excalidraw work on the same platforms?
- Both are available on Web, Cross-Platform. Miro lists Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android, Cross-Platform; Excalidraw lists Web, Cross-Platform.
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