Miro vs tldraw: Which Whiteboard Tool Should You Use in 2026?

A practical comparison of Miro and tldraw for teams doing visual collaboration, diagramming, and workshops — covering pricing, features, and when the free open-source option is enough.

Updated 2026-09 · 2026

Miro

Enterprise-grade visual collaboration platform for workshops, diagramming, and planning.

$0 / $8 / $16user/month (Free / Starter annual / Business annual)

Strengths

+Huge template library for workshops, retros, and mapping exercises
+Deep integrations with Jira, Slack, Asana, Notion, and Microsoft Teams
+Built-in video chat, timer, and voting tools for live facilitation

Weaknesses

-Free plan limited to 3 editable boards
-Gets expensive fast per seat once you need Business features
-Can feel heavy/slow on very large boards

Best for

Mid-size to large teams running regular workshops, sprint planning, or cross-tool workflows that need integrations and admin controls.

tldraw

Open-source whiteboard and diagramming tool for real-time collaboration.

Freeopen-source (self-hosted) or free hosted app at tldraw.com

Strengths

+Completely free and open-source for whiteboarding
+Fast, minimal, infinite canvas that loads instantly
+Can be self-hosted or embedded into your own product via the SDK

Weaknesses

-No built-in video chat or facilitation tools
-No native integrations with Jira, Slack, etc.
-No template marketplace like Miro's

Best for

Small teams, developers, and startups that want a fast free whiteboard without paying for enterprise features they don't use.

Feature Comparison

Feature	Miro	tldraw
Free plan	3 editable boards	Unlimited boards, fully free
Pricing model	Per-seat, up to $16/user/mo	Free (open-source), no seats
Real-time collaboration	Yes, with cursors and comments	Yes, lightweight multiplayer rooms
Templates library	Large built-in library	Minimal, community-shared files
Video/voice chat	Built-in	Not included
Third-party integrations	Jira, Slack, Asana, Teams, etc.	None native; embeddable via SDK
Self-hosting	Not available	Yes, fully self-hostable
Developer SDK / embedding	Limited API	Full SDK to embed canvas in your own app
Performance on large boards	Can lag with heavy content	Fast, minimal rendering overhead
Admin/security controls (SSO, audit logs)	Yes, on Business/Enterprise	DIY if self-hosted
Mobile apps	iOS and Android apps	Web-based, mobile-friendly browser only

The Verdict

Miro wins if you run frequent structured workshops and need Jira/Slack integrations, video chat, and admin controls out of the box. tldraw wins if you just need a fast, free, infinite canvas for sketching and diagramming without per-seat billing — especially for small teams or developers who might eventually embed a canvas into their own product.

How to switch from Miro to tldraw

1Export each Miro board using the board's three-dot menu → Export as PDF, PNG, or CSV; for full workspace migrations, pull board data in bulk via Miro's REST API as JSON.
2Since there's no direct Miro-to-tldraw importer, bring exported PDFs/images into tldraw as background references and manually redraw key diagrams as native tldraw shapes saved in the .tldr file format.
3Replace Miro's native integrations (Jira, Slack, Asana) by embedding tldraw share links directly into those tools, or build custom sync using the tldraw SDK if automated updates are required.
4Set up a shared tldraw workspace — either self-host the open-source app for full control, or use free multiplayer rooms at tldraw.com with shareable links in place of Miro team workspaces.
5Rebuild your most-used Miro templates (retro boards, roadmaps, user flows) as reusable tldraw files that team members can duplicate for new projects.
6Run Miro and tldraw in parallel for 2-3 weeks, confirm the team can do everything critical in tldraw, then cancel Miro seats to lock in the savings.

Miro vs tldraw: common questions

How do I export my boards from Miro before switching?+

Open each board, click the three-dot menu, and choose Export as Image, PDF, or CSV for board metadata. For bulk exports across many boards, use Miro's REST API (GET /boards) to pull board JSON programmatically. There's no built-in 'export all boards' button in the UI, so large workspaces need the API for a full migration.

What do I lose moving from Miro to tldraw?+

You lose Miro's template library, built-in video chat, voting/timer facilitation tools, and native integrations with Jira, Slack, and Asana. You also lose exact board fidelity — Miro exports come out as flat images or PDFs, not editable tldraw shapes, so complex boards need to be manually rebuilt in tldraw if you want them fully interactive again.

Is tldraw's free tier enough for a small team?+

Yes, for most small teams tldraw's free hosted app covers real-time whiteboarding without seat limits or paywalls. It won't replace Miro's workshop facilitation tools (video, voting, timers), so teams that rely heavily on those for remote workshops may still want to keep Miro for that use case.

Does tldraw integrate with Slack, Jira, etc. like Miro does?+

No, tldraw has no native integrations with Slack, Jira, or Asana. You can share tldraw boards as links (which render as embeds in some tools like Notion), but there's no automated sync — you'd need to build that yourself using the tldraw SDK if it's important.

How much will I save switching to tldraw long-term?+

A 10-person team on Miro Business ($16/user/mo annual) pays roughly $1,920/year; the same team on tldraw's free hosted app pays $0. The tradeoff is losing built-in integrations and facilitation tools, so factor in the cost of any workaround tooling (like a separate video call app) when comparing total savings.