Whiteboard apps are essential tools for collaboration, brainstorming, and organizing ideas. Whether you’re part of a creative team, working in a tech company, or even learning remotely, these tools provide a visual canvas to bring ideas to life. The variety of features available across these platforms can be overwhelming. That’s why we’ve rounded up the top whiteboard apps to help you find the perfect tool for your needs.
Miro
Miro is one of the most well-known whiteboard apps out there. It is favored for its collaborative features and easy-to-use interface. Teams can come together, no matter where they are, to create diagrams, flowcharts, mind maps, and more. The app offers an extensive library of templates that are perfect for almost any kind of brainstorming session.
Pricing:
- Free Plan: Includes 3 editable boards.
- Team Plan: $8 per user/month.
- Business Plan: $16 per user/month.
While Miro is excellent for real-time collaboration, it can get expensive, especially for larger teams. Still, for teams that require a range of templates and features, Miro remains a top choice.
Lucidchart
Lucidchart is a diagramming app that excels at creating flowcharts, org charts, wireframes, and other structured designs. Its strength lies in its ease of use and integration with major tools like Google Workspace and Microsoft Office. If you need a tool that’s more focused on structured diagramming, Lucidchart should be at the top of your list.
Pricing:
- Free Plan: Up to 3 documents.
- Individual Plan: $7.95 per month.
- Team Plan: $9 per user/month.
The premium plans offer advanced features, but the free version might be enough for individuals or small teams. Lucidchart offers robust features for professional diagramming.
Microsoft Visio
Visio is the gold standard for creating professional, detailed diagrams. If you’re working in an enterprise setting and need complex network diagrams or engineering layouts, Visio has the tools for you. The app integrates seamlessly with the Microsoft Office suite and offers a level of detail that few others can match.
Pricing:
- Visio Online Plan 1: $5 per user/month.
- Visio Online Plan 2: $15 per user/month.
- Visio Desktop Plan: $280 one-time purchase.
Visio is excellent for technical users, though its pricing can be a turn-off for smaller teams. Additionally, it’s best suited for structured, professional-level diagrams rather than creative brainstorming.
diagrams.net (Draw.io)
diagrams.net (formerly Draw.io) is an open-source, free tool that can handle a wide variety of diagram types. Whether you need a simple mind map or a complex process flow, diagrams.net delivers. Its user-friendly interface and cloud integrations with Google Drive and GitHub make it a popular choice for both personal and team use.
Pricing:
- Free: Fully free and open-source.
- Premium Version: Available for specific enterprise needs with self-hosting.
For those looking for a cost-effective solution, diagrams.net is ideal. While it lacks some of the collaboration features of Miro or Lucidchart, it’s a great choice for those on a budget or those who need to self-host their boards.
Mural
Mural is a creative collaboration tool that allows teams to visually brainstorm, organize, and plan. It’s particularly strong in design thinking processes and is often used by UX/UI teams. With a focus on ease of use and visual appeal, Mural offers interactive elements that help bring ideas to life.
Pricing:
- Free Plan: 3 editable boards with limited features.
- Team Plan: $12 per user/month.
- Enterprise Plan: Custom pricing.
Mural shines for ideation and creative work, offering great features for teams working in design and strategy. However, the cost can be prohibitive for smaller teams.
Freeform
Freeform is a simple, intuitive whiteboard app that encourages quick sketching and note-taking. It’s perfect for small teams or individual users who need a flexible, easy-to-use whiteboard. Freeform integrates well with Google Drive and Slack, making it an excellent choice for informal brainstorming sessions.
Pricing:
- Free: Available in a basic, free version.
- Pro Plan: $5 per user/month.
While Freeform doesn’t have the complexity of other tools like Miro or Mural, it offers simplicity and speed for quick idea generation.
Excalidraw
Excalidraw is an open-source whiteboard that stands out because of its hand-drawn, sketch-like aesthetic. This makes it particularly popular among creative teams and individuals who want their diagrams to feel more informal and personal. Excalidraw supports real-time collaboration and can be self-hosted if needed.
Pricing:
- Free: Fully free and open-source.
Excalidraw’s open-source nature makes it an attractive option for teams that want full control over their whiteboard tool. Its simple interface and hand-drawn style are both a pro and con, depending on your needs.
Figma
Figma is a design tool known for its collaboration features, and its whiteboard feature makes it an excellent choice for teams working on design projects. It allows users to collaborate in real time and provides powerful prototyping and design capabilities.
Pricing:
- Free Plan: For up to 3 projects.
- Professional Plan: $12 per editor/month.
- Organization Plan: $45 per editor/month.
Figma’s whiteboard is ideal for teams in design and development, though it may not have as many features for general brainstorming or process mapping as other tools.
Notion Whiteboard
Notion’s whiteboard feature integrates smoothly into the Notion workspace, making it perfect for teams already using Notion for notes, tasks, and wikis. This feature is best for creating simple diagrams and organizing thoughts in an already flexible workspace.
Pricing:
- Free Plan: Available with core features.
- Personal Pro Plan: $4 per month.
- Team Plan: $8 per user/month.
Notion’s whiteboard is great for casual use and integrates seamlessly with other Notion pages. However, it lacks the robust features of other standalone whiteboard apps.
Self-Hosting and Limitations
Some whiteboard apps allow self-hosting, giving users greater control and flexibility. Below is a summary of each tool’s self-hosting capabilities:
| Tool | Pros | Cons | Pricing | Self-Hostable | Limitations for Self-Hosting | Integrations |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miro | Excellent real-time collaboration, extensive templates, easy-to-use | Expensive for larger teams, overwhelming for beginners | Free Plan: 3 editable boards Team Plan: $8/user/month Business Plan: $16/user/month |
No | Cloud-based; no self-hosting option | Slack, Google Drive, Zoom, Asana, Jira, Microsoft Teams |
| Lucidchart | Great for structured diagrams, easy to use, intuitive UI | Limited for brainstorming, high cost for premium features | Free Plan: 3 documents Individual Plan: $7.95/month Team Plan: $9/user/month |
No | Cloud-based; no self-hosting option | Google Workspace, Microsoft Office, Jira, Trello |
| Visio | Professional, detailed diagrams for tech-heavy projects, MS Office integration | Expensive, not beginner-friendly, requires MS 365 subscription | Visio Plan 1: $5/user/month Visio Plan 2: $15/user/month Visio Desktop: $280 one-time |
No | Only available through MS 365 subscription, no self-hosting | Microsoft Office, Teams |
| diagrams.net | Free and open-source, flexible templates, simple interface | Limited collaboration features, less polished UI compared to others | Free: Fully free and open-source Premium Version: Available for enterprise self-hosting |
Yes | Requires manual setup and server management | Google Drive, GitHub, Notion |
| Mural | Highly collaborative, rich template library, ideal for creative teams | Expensive, steeper learning curve for new users | Free Plan: 3 editable boards Team Plan: $12/user/month Enterprise Plan: Custom pricing |
No | Cloud-based; no self-hosting option | Microsoft Teams, Slack, Trello, Asana, Google Drive |
| Freeform | Simple and easy to use, great for quick sketches, flexible design | Limited features compared to others, lacks advanced diagramming tools | Free Plan: Basic features Pro Plan: $5/user/month |
Yes (beta) | Limited feature control in beta self-hosting, still developing | Google Drive, Slack |
| Excalidraw | Open-source, hand-drawn style, real-time collaboration, free | Limited to sketches, not suitable for professional diagrams | Free: Fully free and open-source | Yes | Can be self-hosted with minimal setup; requires server | GitHub, Notion |
| Figma | Real-time collaboration, excellent for design teams, powerful prototyping | Not focused on simple whiteboarding, higher learning curve | Free Plan: Up to 3 projects Professional Plan: $12/editor/month Organization Plan: $45/editor/month |
No | Cloud-based; no self-hosting option | Slack, Google Drive, Notion, Jira, Trello |
| Notion Whiteboard | Seamless integration with Notion, great for light whiteboarding and organizing thoughts | Limited features, not as powerful as standalone tools for complex diagrams | Free Plan: Core features Personal Pro: $4/month Team Plan: $8/user/month |
No | Limited to Notion ecosystem; no standalone whiteboard option | Notion |
Final Thoughts
There are plenty of whiteboard apps available, each catering to different needs and preferences. If you’re looking for a tool with rich collaboration features, Miro and Mural stand out, though they come with a price. Lucidchart and Visio are great for structured, professional diagramming but come with high costs. For those on a budget or in need of open-source solutions, diagrams.net and Excalidraw are excellent, free alternatives that can be self-hosted.
Ultimately, the right choice depends on your specific needs. Do you need simple sketching and brainstorming, or do you require professional diagrams and structured flowcharts? Whatever your preference, there’s a whiteboard app that will suit your workflow perfectly.
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