Excalidraw vs Miro vs FigJam (2026)
Whiteboarding tools are essential for architecture diagrams, brainstorming, and team collaboration. Here's how the three leaders compare.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Excalidraw | Miro | FigJam |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free (3 boards), $8/mo | Free (3 files), $5/mo |
| Open Source | ✅ Yes | ❌ No | ❌ No |
| Self-Hostable | ✅ Yes | ❌ No | ❌ No |
| Hand-drawn Style | ✅ Default | ❌ Formal | ⚠️ Some |
| Real-time Collab | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Templates | Basic | 2,500+ | 300+ |
| Integrations | VS Code, Obsidian | 100+ apps | Figma, Slack |
| Offline Mode | ✅ PWA | ❌ | ❌ |
| Board Limits | Unlimited | 3 (free) | 3 (free) |
| Best For | Devs, diagrams | Workshops, planning | Design teams |
Excalidraw — The Developer Favorite
Best for: Developers, technical diagrams, architecture sketches.
What makes it special:
- Hand-drawn aesthetic — diagrams look informal and approachable
- Free and unlimited — no board limits, no user limits
- Open source — self-host for full control
- Embeddable — works inside VS Code, Obsidian, Notion
- Offline — works as a PWA, no internet required
Key features:
- Shape library with common diagram elements
- Export to PNG, SVG, or clipboard
- Shareable collaboration links
- Dark mode
- Libraries for AWS, Azure, GCP architecture diagrams
Pros:
- Completely free, no limits
- Perfect for technical architecture diagrams
- Works offline
- VS Code extension is excellent
- Self-hostable
Cons:
- Limited templates
- No built-in voting, timers, or workshop tools
- Less polished collaboration features
- No sticky note "reactions"
Miro — The Enterprise Whiteboard
Best for: Product teams, workshops, strategic planning, remote collaboration.
What makes it special:
- Workshop tools — voting, timers, icebreakers, frameworks
- 2,500+ templates — sprint retrospectives, user story maps, customer journeys
- Integrations — Jira, Slack, Confluence, Asana, 100+ more
- AI features — generate sticky notes, summarize boards, cluster ideas
Key features:
- Infinite canvas with zoom
- Video chat built-in
- Presentation mode
- Comments and mentions
- Facilitation tools for remote workshops
Pricing:
- Free: 3 boards, unlimited team members
- Starter: $8/user/month
- Business: $16/user/month
Pros:
- Best for workshops and team ceremonies
- Most templates and frameworks
- Strongest integration ecosystem
- Enterprise-grade security and compliance
Cons:
- Expensive for teams ($8-16/user/month)
- Can feel bloated for simple diagrams
- 3 board limit on free plan
- Performance degrades on large boards
FigJam — The Design Team Choice
Best for: Design teams already using Figma, quick brainstorming.
What makes it special:
- Figma integration — seamless link between whiteboard and design files
- Fun interactions — stamps, reactions, emojis, cursor chat
- Clean UI — most intuitive of the three
- AI features — generate diagrams, sort sticky notes, summarize
Key features:
- Sticky notes with voting
- Connector lines and shapes
- Widget ecosystem
- Team templates
- Audio/cursor chat
Pricing:
- Free: 3 FigJam files
- FigJam: $5/user/month (or included in Figma Pro)
Pros:
- Best UX for quick brainstorming
- Deep Figma integration
- Cheapest paid plan ($5/mo)
- Fun, engaging interactions
Cons:
- Limited outside Figma ecosystem
- Fewer templates than Miro
- Less powerful for complex diagrams
- 3 file limit on free plan
Use Case Guide
| Use Case | Best Tool |
|---|---|
| Architecture diagrams | Excalidraw |
| System design interviews | Excalidraw |
| Sprint retrospectives | Miro |
| User story mapping | Miro |
| Design brainstorming | FigJam |
| Quick sketch for a PR | Excalidraw |
| Remote workshop (20+ people) | Miro |
| Wireframing | FigJam |
| Technical documentation | Excalidraw |
FAQ
Can I use Excalidraw for team workshops?
Yes, but it lacks voting, timers, and facilitation tools. For casual brainstorming, it works. For structured workshops, use Miro.
Is Miro worth the price?
If your team runs regular workshops, retrospectives, or planning sessions, yes. For occasional use, the free tier with 3 boards is enough.
Can I export between tools?
Excalidraw exports to PNG/SVG. Miro and FigJam can export to PDF/PNG. No direct import between tools.
What about tldraw?
tldraw is another excellent open-source whiteboard, similar to Excalidraw with a different aesthetic. Worth trying if you like Excalidraw's approach.
Bottom Line
Excalidraw for developers and technical diagrams (free, open source). Miro for product teams and workshops ($8/mo). FigJam for design teams already in Figma ($5/mo). Start with Excalidraw — it's free, has no limits, and works for 80% of whiteboarding needs.