Excalidraw

Open SourceMITSelf-hostable

Open-source virtual whiteboard for sketching hand-drawn-style diagrams, with real-time collaboration and end-to-end encryption — a delightful alternative to Miro for quick diagrams.

Open source alternative to

Miro

Visit Excalidraw View source

About Excalidraw

Excalidraw made the hand-drawn sketch aesthetic its own signature, turning quick diagrams into something that actually looks intentional rather than like clip art. Real-time, end-to-end encrypted collaboration means a shared room stays private even from Excalidraw's own servers.

It's free, open source under MIT, and embeds cleanly into other tools — you'll find it powering the diagram experience inside several other popular apps. For fast, low-ceremony diagramming, it's hard to beat.

Key features

Hand-drawn aesthetic — A distinctive sketchy rendering style that makes rough diagrams look intentional.
End-to-end encrypted rooms — Collaborative sessions are encrypted so even Excalidraw's own servers can't read them.
Huge shape library — A large community library of shapes, icons and templates to drop into a diagram.
Embeddable anywhere — Excalidraw's canvas can be embedded directly into other apps and websites.

The honest read

What we like

Instantly recognizable, likeable hand-drawn style
Genuinely end-to-end encrypted collaboration rooms
Free and fully open source under MIT
Embeds cleanly into other tools and sites
Huge, active community library of shapes

Worth knowing

Not built for large structured board workflows like Miro (templates, voting, timers)
No built-in video or audio for live workshops
Limited built-in template library out of the box
Self-hosting the collaboration server takes extra setup

FAQ

Is Excalidraw free to use?

Yes — Excalidraw is completely free and open source under MIT, including real-time collaboration.

Is Excalidraw collaboration encrypted?

Yes — collaborative rooms are end-to-end encrypted, so even Excalidraw's own servers can't read the contents.

Can I embed Excalidraw in my own app?

Yes — Excalidraw is designed to be embedded, and it already powers the diagramming experience inside several other popular products.

How is Excalidraw different from Miro?

Excalidraw is free, open source and focused on quick hand-drawn-style diagrams, while Miro is a larger paid platform with structured templates, facilitation tools and video for full workshop-style sessions.