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Figma vs Excalidraw
Figma vs Excalidraw
A side-by-side look at Figma (the paid SaaS) and Excalidraw (the open source alternative). Use this page to decide if the switch fits your team and workflow.
| Figma | Excalidraw | |
|---|---|---|
| Tagline | Collaborative interface design in the browser. | Virtual whiteboard for sketchy diagrams. |
| License | Proprietary SaaS | MIT |
| Pricing | Free tier; Professional from $15/editor/month. | Free to self-host · optional paid hosted plan |
| Self-host option | No | Yes — difficulty 1/5 |
| Hosted cloud available | Yes (only option) | Yes |
| Desktop apps | Varies by product | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Mobile apps | Official apps typically available | iOS, Android |
Ad slot — between tables
Best for
Quick wireframes and sketch-style diagrams.
Excalidraw strengths
- Great for wireframes and brainstorms.
- End-to-end encrypted rooms on official instance.
- Embeddable in docs and wikis.
Excalidraw weaknesses
- Not a full design tool — sketch-style only.
- Limited component/library system.
- Real-time plus is behind a paid tier.
What's the catch with Figma?
- Cloud-only — no self-hosted option for confidential work.
- Adobe acquisition (later abandoned) shook trust.
- Pricing jumps once teams grow.
Still unsure?
Check the full list of alternatives to Figma: see Figma alternatives, or learn more about Excalidraw on its project page.
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