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Miro is our best overall pick for teams that plan work on shared canvases, but its free plan is limited to three editable boards and paid pricing is per member. Excalidraw is a lower-cost option for sketching, while Lucidspark suits collaborative brainstorming. The listed starting prices range from $3 for FigJam to $12 for Bluescape; billing periods and several free-plan caps aren’t specified here. We’ve ranked all 13 tools by their fit for common whiteboard needs, value and important caveats. AWW App is last because its standalone service is discontinued.
Quick picksThe shortlist
MiroMiroBest overall · $8/mo
LucidsparkLucidsparkBest for brainstorming · $9/mo
ExcalidrawExcalidrawBest budget sketching · $6/mo
WhimsicalWhimsicalBest for diagrams · $10/mo
MilanoteMilanoteBest for creative projects · $9.99/mo
ZiteboardZiteboardBest for online lessons · $5/mo
ConceptboardConceptboardBest for workshops and tasks · €5/mo
FigJamFigJamBest for Figma teams · $3/mo
MuralMuralBest for visual workshops · $9.99/mo
PadletPadletBest for classroom boards · $10/mo
BluescapeBluescapeBest for access controls · $12/mo
Whiteboard FoxWhiteboard FoxBest for quick sketches · $7.90/mo
AWW AppAWW AppBest for product history · Custom
01Compared at a glance
| Tool | Score | From | Free plan | Trial |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MiroMiro | 7.2 | $8/mo | Yes | — |
| LucidsparkLucidspark | 7.5 | $9/mo | Yes | 7 days |
| ExcalidrawExcalidraw | 7.6 | $6/mo | Yes | 14 days |
| WhimsicalWhimsical | 7.2 | $10/mo | Yes | — |
| MilanoteMilanote | 7.0 | $9.99/mo | Yes | — |
| ZiteboardZiteboard | 7.1 | $5/mo | Yes | — |
| ConceptboardConceptboard | 6.8 | €5/mo | Yes | 30 days |
| FigJamFigJam | 6.7 | $3/mo | Yes | — |
| MuralMural | 6.6 | $9.99/mo | Yes | — |
| PadletPadlet | 6.8 | $10/mo | Yes | Yes |
| BluescapeBluescape | 6.5 | $12/mo | Yes | 30 days |
| Whiteboard FoxWhiteboard Fox | 5.5 | $7.90/mo | Yes | — |
| AWW AppAWW App | 2.3 | Custom | No | — |
02The picks, in detail
- Best overallMiroMiro
Miro is our strongest general pick for teams planning work together: it supports shared canvases, research synthesis, diagrams and roadmaps. The listed starting price is $8, and there’s a free plan, but that plan is capped at three editable boards. Paid pricing is per member, so estimate the full team cost before moving in.
What works
- Free plan includes three editable boards
- Starter includes unlimited private boards
- AI can turn prompts, documents or data into outputs
What doesn't
- Free plan is capped at three editable boards
- Paid plans are priced per member
- Monthly-billing prices are not shown
- Best for brainstormingLucidsparkLucidspark
Lucidspark is a strong fit for teams running collaborative brainstorms, planning workshops or connecting ideas to tasks in Lucid. Its listed starting price is $9, with a free plan. The caveat is value: our comparison flags the free plan and price increases as potential sticking points, so check the current limits and team total.
What works
- Infinite canvas for organizing shared ideas
- AI generates ideas and summarizes sessions
- AI can identify and sort themes
What doesn't
- Free plan is limited to 3 editable boards
- Monthly prices are not published upfront
- Team plan requires at least 3 users
- Best budget sketchingExcalidrawExcalidraw
Excalidraw pairs a strong free sketching canvas with a listed starting price of $6. It fits solo diagramming, quick wireframes and workflows, and teams that need encrypted collaboration. The limit matters for group use: Plus is required for unlimited scenes and folders. Choose it for drawing value, not as a like-for-like replacement for every planning suite.
What works
- Free solo plan includes one infinite scene
- Unlimited collaborators on the free plan
- Autosaves locally without an account
What doesn't
- Free plan is limited to one scene
- Plus costs $6 annually or $7 monthly per user
- Free plan caps AI at 10 requests per day
- Best for diagramsWhimsicalWhimsical
Whimsical is a good match for product teams mapping ideas, making quick wireframes and sharing diagrams. The listed starting price is $10, and a free plan is available. The main buying check is editor cost: pricing is per editor, so a wider rollout can cost more than a small-team evaluation suggests.
What works
- Diagrams, wireframes, and documentation in one workspace
- Real-time multiplayer editing and board comments
- Templates can jump-start new work
What doesn't
- Free plan caps board objects at 50 monthly
- Free plan also caps doc blocks at 50 monthly
- Free exports have a watermark
- Best for creative projectsMilanoteMilanote
Milanote suits creative projects that mix media, including moodboards and storyboards, and small teams that plan visually. Its listed starting price is $9.99, with a free plan. Our comparison warns buyers to check the free-plan cap and paid price before moving in; the cap amount isn’t specified here.
What works
- Combines notes, images, videos, sketches, links and tasks
- Boards can support both big-picture and detailed planning
- Collaborators can edit, comment or view
What doesn't
- Free plan caps notes, images and links at 100
- Free plan allows 10 file uploads
- Individual monthly billing costs $12.50 per person
- Best for online lessonsZiteboardZiteboard
Ziteboard is a practical option for tutors and teachers running online lessons, students using a shared board and teams wanting a simple visual workspace. The listed starting price is $5, and it has a free tier with clearly tiered Pro pricing. Compare the published Pro tiers with your needs before committing; no specific feature caps are provided here.
What works
- Infinite canvas supports lessons, plans, wireframes, and prototypes
- Real-time collaboration works across locations and devices
- Free plan includes unlimited shared boards and collaborators
What doesn't
- Free Starter limits owned boards to 3
- Starter has limited data traffic and only 3 basic colors
- Monthly Pro costs $9 after the one-week pass
- Best for workshops and tasksConceptboardConceptboard
Conceptboard is worth considering if you want workshops and task tracking on one board, or need unlimited boards for a small team. Its listed starting price is $5, with a free plan. The trade-off is pricing flexibility: our comparison says it’s less appealing if flexible pricing is a priority, and notes access controls for organizations.
What works
- Starter lists unlimited boards and objects
- Boards can hold tasks, assignees, deadlines, and tags
- Includes Kanban-style workflows and roadmapping
What doesn't
- Free plan allows only three active boards
- Free plan is limited to one user
- Advanced requires 10+ users and a 12-month contract
- Best for Figma teamsFigJamFigJam
FigJam makes the most sense for teams already working in Figma, especially for product workshops and visual planning. The listed starting price is $3, and it offers free entry. Before switching, check seat costs and whether its feature set covers what you use in Miro; our comparison specifically flags Miro feature gaps.
What works
- Free Starter plan with unlimited drafts
- Starter includes UI kits and templates
- Shared workspace for teammates and AI agents
What doesn't
- Professional Full seat is listed at $16 per user/month
- AI credit allowances vary substantially by seat
- Professional pricing toggle does not clarify the selected rate
- Best for visual workshopsMuralMural
Mural is designed for teams running visual workshops, frequent collaborators who need private rooms and organizations that need SAML SSO. Its listed starting price is $9.99, with a free plan. Check the mural cap and full team cost before switching; the cap amount isn’t specified in our comparison.
What works
- Free plan allows unlimited members
- Team+ includes unlimited editable murals
- AI supports brainstorming and workflows
What doesn't
- Free plan caps editable murals at three
- Free plan only has open rooms
- Business monthly rate is not published
- Best for classroom boardsPadletPadlet
Padlet fits teachers building classroom activities, individuals sharing visual boards and teams organizing ideas. The listed starting price is $10, and there’s a free plan. Our comparison calls out free limits and team pricing as areas to inspect closely, but doesn’t specify the caps. Check both before rolling it out to a group.
What works
- Free plan includes one user account and three padlets.
- Boards collect, organize, and share thoughts.
- Digital canvases support whiteboards, lessons, and activities.
What doesn't
- Free uploads are capped at 20MB.
- Free video recordings are limited to two minutes.
- Free audio recordings are limited to five minutes.
- Best for access controlsBluescapeBluescape
Bluescape is aimed at teams coordinating people and AI agents, security and emergency response operations, and visual reviews with access controls. Its listed starting price is $12, with a free plan. Check storage limits and Enterprise pricing before switching; those details aren’t specified in our comparison, which makes the full cost harder to judge here.
What works
- Free Go plan for one user
- Pro includes unlimited workspaces
- Business includes 200 GB storage
What doesn't
- Go is limited to 600 MB storage
- Pro includes 25 GB storage
- Business costs $24 per user monthly
- Best for quick sketchesWhiteboard FoxWhiteboard Fox
Whiteboard Fox is positioned for quick collaborative sketches, browser-based drawing sessions and simple permissions. The listed starting price is $7.90, with a free plan. Our comparison says to think twice about sensitive work and check plan limits. Since those limits aren’t specified here, confirm the current terms before using it for confidential material.
What works
- Participants can draw together in a browser
- Invite by email link or Whiteboard ID
- Set participants to view or edit
What doesn't
- Free boards expire after 14 days
- Personal plan has seven drawing colors
- Pro costs $7.90 per month
- Best for product historyAWW AppAWW App
AWW App may interest buyers researching retired whiteboard tools or comparing former collaboration products, but it isn’t a current option to switch to. Our comparison describes it as a capable browser whiteboard in its day and says the standalone service is discontinued. No current starting price is listed, so we rank it last for anyone shopping for active software.
What works
- Browser-based, with no software installation required
- No mandatory sign-up, according to the published details
- Supported drawing, shapes, text, and sticky notes
What doesn't
- The standalone service was phased out
- Current plans and starting prices are not published
- No current subscription option is listed
03How we chose
We weigh published pricing, plan limits, product documentation, and Reddit sentiment when those sources are available. We focus on whether each tool fits common whiteboard jobs—brainstorming, planning, diagramming, and visual teamwork—and on the practical cost of switching, including limits that could affect a team. Reddit comments are treated as anecdotal, not proof of product quality. We do not claim hands-on testing. If a price, cap, or feature is absent from the available published material, we mark it as not published rather than infer it.
04Choose by the work your team needs to do
Start with the job, not the feature list. A team that mainly runs brainstorms needs a different workflow from one that plans projects or draws diagrams. Decide whether people will work in the same session, contribute asynchronously, or move between both. Then check the documentation for the specific features and access rules your team needs; the published published material does not establish which of Miro, Milanote, Excalidraw, Mural, Whimsical, Whiteboard Fox, Padlet, FigJam, Lucidspark, Conceptboard, AWW App, Ziteboard, or Bluescape best fits each use case.
Before switching, list the boards and templates you need to keep, who must be able to edit them, and how the team shares finished work. Ask shortlisted vendors how existing content transfers. If that information is not published, treat migration effort as an open question—not a promised one-click move.
05Compare the real cost before you move
Do not compare tools on a starting price alone. Check the pricing page for the plan your team would actually need, then record the published price, billing term, user or board caps, and any feature limits that matter to your workflow. The published published material for this guide includes no prices or plan caps for these products, so those figures are not published here. Verify them directly before making a shortlist.
Also count the people who need access, including occasional collaborators, and identify any features that may require a paid tier. Confirm whether the plan limit applies per user, team, or workspace; do not assume. Read the docs for export, sharing, and account access, and treat Reddit reports as anecdotal signals to investigate. A low entry price is not a saving if the required plan or migration work changes the total cost.
Questions people ask
Which whiteboard software is best?
There is no single best choice for every team. Pick based on the work you need to do, who must collaborate, and the plan limits that fit your group. The published published material does not provide enough product-level evidence to rank these tools reliably.
How much does online whiteboard software cost?
Prices vary by product and plan, but no current prices are included in the published material for this guide. Check each vendor’s pricing page for the billing term, user limits, and feature caps that apply to your team before comparing totals.
Can we move our existing boards to another tool?
Do not assume boards will transfer intact. Check the destination tool’s documentation for supported import or export options, and ask the vendor about content that is not covered. The available published material does not confirm migration support for any of the listed products.
What should a team compare before switching?
Compare the workflows you rely on, required collaborators, published plan limits, documentation, and total cost at the needed tier. Make a list of boards and templates to preserve, then verify sharing and migration details. Treat user reports as leads to check, not guarantees.