Excalidraw
Hand-drawn style whiteboard for diagrams and wireframes, with live collaboration and an embeddable React package.
Sketch diagrams and wireframes with no sign-up, share a link, or embed it in your own app.
Excalidraw is an open-source whiteboard with a hand-drawn look, collaborative and end-to-end encrypted. It suits teams that want quick diagrams, wireframes and workshop sketches without an account.
What it is
The hosted app at excalidraw.com offers an infinite canvas, shape libraries, arrow binding and export to PNG, SVG or an open .excalidraw JSON file. It works offline as a PWA, autosaves to the browser, and supports real-time collaboration and shareable links. The same editor is also published as an npm package for embedding in React apps.
Who it's for
It suits meetings, brainstorming and early wireframes where a rough look is a feature. It is a poor fit for precise engineering drawings or polished design files, and cloud storage, teams and higher AI limits need the paid Excalidraw+ plan.
Key features
Hand-drawn style
Shapes render with a sketch look that keeps attention on ideas.
Real-time collaboration
The hosted app supports live collaboration with end-to-end encryption.
Open file format
Export drawings as .excalidraw JSON, PNG or SVG.
Shape libraries
Reuse ready-made libraries of shapes and sketches.
Embeddable package
Install @excalidraw/excalidraw from npm to add the editor to your React app.
Works offline
The hosted app is a PWA and autosaves to the browser.
Up and running in 3 steps
Our honest verdict
What's great
- No account is needed to start; the README says drawings autosave in the browser.
- Collaboration sessions are end-to-end encrypted, per the README.
- The .excalidraw file format is open JSON, so your drawings are not locked in a binary format.
- Developers can embed the editor via an npm package, and Obsidian and VS Code integrations exist.
Where it falls short
- The README says collaboration and some app features are not yet drop-in plugins in the npm package, so embedding gives you less than the hosted app.
- Running the repository locally is a developer task, following the Development Guide, not a packaged self-host app.
- Free solo use has one scene, 10 AI requests a day and compressed image uploads, per the Excalidraw+ pricing page.
- The hand-drawn look is a deliberate style and may not suit client-ready, precise diagrams.
Pricing & license
The editor and hosted app are free under MIT. Excalidraw+ costs $6 a month per user, adds unlimited scenes, cloud storage and presentations, and has a 14-day free trial; see https://plus.excalidraw.com/pricing.
Open remote AI-training roles
767 open remote AI-training roles, updated November 14, 2026; most pay $20–$175 an hour. Zekai lists them free; the application goes to the employer’s platform.
Alternatives
Use it, or have us set it up
FAQ
Is Excalidraw free?
The editor is free under the MIT licence. The Excalidraw+ pricing page also lists a paid Plus plan at $6 a month per user.
Is my data private?
The README describes collaboration as end-to-end encrypted, and the app autosaves locally in your browser.
Can I put it in my own app?
Yes. The README documents an npm package, @excalidraw/excalidraw, for integrating the editor.
