Miro vs Excalidraw
Which one should you choose? Here's how they compare.
| Feature | Miro | Excalidraw |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | ★ 4.4 | ★ 4.2 |
| Pricing | $8-16/mo | Free |
| Type | freemium | free |
| Company | Miro | Open Source |
| Founded | 2011 | 2020 |
Miro Features
- •AI brainstorming
- •Mind mapping
- •Diagramming
- •Integrations
Excalidraw Features
- •Hand-drawn style
- •Collaborative
- •End-to-end encryption
- •Open source
Miro Pros
- ✓Excellent collaboration
- ✓AI features
- ✓Wide integration ecosystem
Miro Cons
- ✗Expensive for teams
- ✗Can be slow with large boards
- ✗Learning curve
Excalidraw Pros
- ✓Unique hand-drawn look
- ✓Free
- ✓Great collaboration
Excalidraw Cons
- ✗Limited design tools
- ✗No AI features
- ✗Basic functionality
The Verdict
Miro (by Miro, founded 2011) and Excalidraw (by Open Source, founded 2020) both compete in the design space, but they serve slightly different needs. Both tools offer 4 core features, but their strengths differ. Miro excels at ai brainstorming, whereas Excalidraw puts more emphasis on collaborative. However, Miro has a distinct advantage for Team collaboration and Brainstorming. On the other hand, Excalidraw is better suited for Sketching and Prototyping. Miro is particularly popular among Teams and Product managers, while Excalidraw tends to attract Developers and Designers. Excalidraw offers a free tier, making it the more accessible option for individuals or small teams. Miro's freemium model starts at $8-16/mo. No tool is perfect. Miro's main limitation is expensive for teams, which might be a dealbreaker for some workflows. Meanwhile, Excalidraw's biggest drawback is limited design tools. We recommend Miro as the stronger overall choice (4.4 vs 4.2). It pulls ahead with stronger ai brainstorming capabilities. However, if your workflow centers on hand-drawn style, Excalidraw remains a highly capable alternative.
- • You prioritize ai brainstorming
- • You prioritize mind mapping
- • You prioritize hand-drawn style
- • You prioritize collaborative