Miro is an online whiteboard for brainstorming, diagramming and workshops. No single open-source tool copies all of it, but there are good options for freehand whiteboarding, structured diagrams, encrypted collaboration and classroom use, and most can run on your own server.
Every tool below is under an OSI-approved licence (MIT, Apache-2.0, AGPL-3.0, GPL-3.0 or MPL-2.0), checked against its repository. tldraw, a popular canvas SDK, is listed separately because its licence is not OSI-approved.
Licences checked against each repository on November 7, 2026.
What you're replacing
•An infinite canvas for brainstorming and sticky-note workshops
Design and prototyping with real-time collaboration
MPL-2.0
Docker
1. Excalidraw
MIT
Best for: Quick hand-drawn whiteboards and sketches
An open-source virtual hand-drawn style whiteboard. Collaborative and end-to-end encrypted on the hosted app, with PNG and SVG export and an open .excalidraw JSON format. The repository includes a Dockerfile and docker-compose.yml, and an npm package lets you embed it in React apps.
Strengths
+ Simple, fast hand-drawn style
+ Open file format and image export
+ Embeddable as a React component
Trade-offs
− Lighter on workshop features than Miro
− Real-time collaboration is described for the hosted app; check the self-host docs
A privacy-focused, local-first, open-source alternative for Notion and Miro. The Community Edition is free to self-host under the MIT licence, starting from Docker.
Strengths
+ Whiteboard and documents in one app
+ Local-first with a Docker self-host path
+ MIT licence
Trade-offs
− An Enterprise Edition with extra features is planned
Best for: Instant shared whiteboard with no accounts
An online collaborative whiteboard where many users draw simultaneously on a large virtual board, updated in real time and persisted. Run it with the official Docker image or Node.js, with optional JWT authentication and read-only boards.
A configurable diagramming and whiteboarding application. Self-host it with the jgraph/docker-drawio image or the packaged WAR files, or use the desktop app.
Strengths
+ Mature diagram editor
+ Docker image, WAR and desktop options
+ Apache-2.0 for the source code
Trade-offs
− The README says real-time collaborative editing is not supported in this version
Best for: End-to-end encrypted collaboration suite
A collaboration suite that is end-to-end encrypted and open-source. Includes document, sheet, presentation, form, kanban, code and whiteboard apps, with real-time sync. Official Docker images are published for AMD64 and ARM64.
Strengths
+ Server cannot read stored content
+ Whiteboard, kanban and docs in one suite
+ Official Docker images
Trade-offs
− Whiteboard is one app among many, not a full Miro replacement
An open-source cross-platform interactive whiteboard application designed primarily for use in schools. Runs on Windows, macOS and Debian, with Web Widgets placed directly on the board.
Strengths
+ Built for teaching and presenting
+ Web Widgets on the board
+ 35 languages via community translations
Trade-offs
− Desktop app, not an online collaborative board
− Other Linux distributions rely on community packages
Best for: Design and prototyping with real-time collaboration
The open-source design platform for product teams that need scalable collaboration. Offers real-time collaboration, components, design tokens and an open API. Self-hosting options include Docker and Kubernetes.
Strengths
+ Real-time collaboration on designs
+ Open formats such as SVG, CSS, HTML and JSON
+ Plugin system and open API
Trade-offs
− A design tool rather than a brainstorming whiteboard
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How to choose
If you need…
Start with
A fast whiteboard for sketching and quick workshops
Excalidraw
Notes, docs and a whiteboard in the same workspace
AFFiNE
A throwaway shared board with no sign-up
WBO
Flowcharts, UML and architecture diagrams
draw.io
Encrypted collaboration where the server can't read content
CryptPad
A classroom board you present from
OpenBoard
Often called open source, but aren't
Public source code, but under licences the Open Source Initiative doesn't approve. Fine to use; read the terms first.
tldraw(tldraw licence)
The README says the tldraw SDK is provided under the tldraw licence: free for development, but production use requires a licence key. It is not an OSI-approved licence.
Open-source Miro alternatives: FAQ
Quick answers to common questions
Is there an open-source alternative to Miro?
Not a single one that covers everything. Excalidraw and WBO cover whiteboarding, draw.io covers diagrams, and AFFiNE combines docs with an edgeless whiteboard and describes itself as an alternative for Notion and Miro.
Which Miro alternative can I self-host?
Excalidraw, AFFiNE, WBO, draw.io, CryptPad and Penpot all offer Docker or server deployment options. OpenBoard is a desktop application.
Is tldraw open source?
tldraw's code is public, but the README says the SDK is under the tldraw licence and that production use requires a licence key, so it isn't an OSI-approved open-source licence.
Does draw.io support real-time collaboration when self-hosted?
The draw.io README states that real-time collaborative editing is not supported in this version. For live multi-user whiteboarding, Excalidraw, WBO or CryptPad are better choices.
Can I import Miro boards?
Miro boards can generally be exported as images or PDFs, but there is no standard import path into these tools, so expect to redraw or paste in assets manually. Check each project's documentation for supported formats.
Maintain an open-source Miro alternative?
List it on TechLogHub and we'll review it for this page.
