About Excalidraw
Excalidraw is a free, open-source virtual whiteboard with a distinctive hand-drawn look. It's incredibly fast, needs no account to start, and is a favourite of developers for architecture sketches and quick diagrams. You can self-host it, and there's a paid Plus tier for teams that want collaboration and storage.
The best free and open-source pick. For quick diagrams and no-friction sketching — especially for developers — nothing is faster or more privacy-friendly.
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The honest list
What we love
＋Completely free and open-source
＋No account needed to start
＋Self-hostable
＋Fast, charming hand-drawn style
Watch out for
−Fewer templates and facilitation tools
−Team features need Excalidraw+
−Not built for big workshops