Are you paying $10+/month for a digital whiteboard (like Miro) that feels "bloated" and locks in your data?
There's an Open-Source alternative I've fallen in love with. It's $6/mo, and its free version is end-to-end encrypted.
It’s called Excalidraw.
When I'm breaking down complex topics, I live on whiteboards. But tools like Miro and FigJam always felt... heavy. They're expensive, and you're all-in on their platform.
Excalidraw is different. Its core philosophy is "zero-friction": No sign-up required. It's local-first and works offline. Your data stays with you. The "hand-drawn" style is a psychological masterstroke. It lowers creative inhibition and invites collaboration. It’s for ideas, not polish.
It operates on a brilliant dual-model:
- The "Free" Version (The Privacy Model): It's not a "free trial", it's a full-featured, open-source (MIT) tool. You get unlimited, E2EE collaboration. This is a "trustless" system: the server cannot read your data. This is a massive win for privacy-conscious teams.
- The "Plus" Version (The Business Model): For $6/mo, you're not buying a better editor. You're buying a persistent, secure workspace. It solves the "local-first" problem for teams.
You get:
- Cloud sync, folders & team management
- Comments, voice hangouts & live presentations
- "Last-mile" features like PDF/PPTX export
Here’s the C-Suite clincher: Security. The "Plus" model is built on "trusted" enterprise controls (AES-256). And as of June 2025, Excalidraw+ is SOC 2 Type 1 compliant.
This is the final piece of the puzzle. It signals they are enterprise-ready. With SSO/SAML and self-hosting on the roadmap , it's a powerful, low-cost, and secure alternative to avoid vendor lock-in.
It's not perfect (tablet input is "wonky" and it can lag on massive boards ), but it's become my default.
For me, it's the "anti-bloat" champion vs. Miro and more "universal" than the Figma-locked FigJam.
Sources:
Official website (start drawing): https://excalidraw.com/
Excalidraw Plus: https://plus.excalidraw.com/
Github repository: https://github.com/excalidraw/excalidraw
Roadmap: https://plus.excalidraw.com/roadmap
