Alternatives to Miro
Miro alternatives for whiteboard collaboration and organizing ideas on a canvas
Many companies use Miro, especially async-first companies. It is the go-to tool when it comes to collaboration with remote participants on virtual whiteboards. Sometimes, Miro is even used with all people in the same room.
The setting is simple, yet powerful: There is a two-dimensional infinite canvas and users can put unlimited sticky notes onto the canvas. Sticky notes can be moved and arranged, other text, images or shapes can be added, and different users can comment and collaborate.
The principle is quite successful. However, there are a number of competitors to Miro that also offer good benefits. This is a list of possible alternatives to Miro that companies, product teams and product managers can use.
Main Miro Alternatives
These tools work just like Miro, serve broadly the same use cases, yet differ in detail and price.
Mural - Possibly the biggest competitor. A digital workspace for visual collaboration, brainstorming, and design thinking with sticky note functionality. Notable benefits: Offers a range of templates and frameworks for different types of projects, including design thinking and agile workflows.
Stormboard - A virtual sticky note and whiteboard tool for brainstorming and project management. Notable benefits: Offers a wide range of templates and frameworks for different types of projects.
Canva - A suite of collaboration tools that is currently gaining momentum. Notable benefits: Offers the possibility to create a whiteboard from any other product parts of the suite.
LucidSpark - A visual whiteboarding tool using stickey notes very much like Miro. Notable benefits: Many templates and integration, and a breakout room feature.
Conceptboard - A virtual whiteboard for team collaboration and project management with sticky note functionality. Notable benefits: Offers a range of collaboration and project management features, including task assignments and time tracking.
Whimsical - A visual collaboration tool for wireframing, flowcharts, and mind maps with sticky note functionality. Notable benefits: Offers a range of visual collaboration tools for different types of projects, including wireframing and mind mapping.
Collaboard - A visual whiteboard that brings more to the canvas than square sticky notes. Notable benefits: GDPR-compliant hosting and focus on privacy and security.
Bentimento - A virtual sticky note and whiteboard for efficient collaboration. Notable benefits: AI-powered whiteboarding and semantic data connections.
Apple’s and Microsoft’s Alternatives
These tools are comparatively new. It looks like Apple and Microsoft want to get a share of the whiteboard market and recently started offering similar tools. Both of them are have fewer feature, but are worth a try.
Apple Freeform: Apple’s new product to compete in the whiteboards space. Limited functionality compared to Miro and Mural, but also worth a try.
Microsoft Whiteboard: Microsoft also joined the whiteboard space with a product.
Other Promising Alternatives
These tools are not known and used as much. Some of them have a different primary use case, yet all of them can serve as alternatives to Miro.
Milanote - A visual workspace for creative projects with a focus on mood boards and visual notes, including sticky notes. Notable benefits: Offers a range of creative tools, including image and video integration, for visual collaboration.
Creately - A diagramming and collaboration tool with a library of templates and integrations, including sticky notes. Notable benefits: Offers a range of diagramming tools and templates for different types of projects, including flowcharts and mind maps.
Stormz - A collaborative workshop platform with sticky note functionality and real-time collaboration. Notable benefits: Offers a range of facilitation tools for running effective workshops and meetings.
GroupMap - A collaborative decision-making tool with sticky note functionality and real-time collaboration. Notable benefits: Offers a range of decision-making frameworks and tools for group collaboration.
Ideaflip - A web-based brainstorming and collaboration tool with sticky note functionality. Notable benefits: Offers a range of creative tools, including image and video integration, for visual collaboration.
Scapple - A mind-mapping tool with sticky note functionality for organizing ideas and thoughts. Notable benefits: Offers a simple and intuitive interface for organizing and visualizing ideas.
Freehand Drawing
Whiteboards need not always be about sticky notes: These two tools let you write and draw content by hand and synchronize it across devices.
Google Jamboard - A digital whiteboard for team collaboration and brainstorming with Google Drive integration. Notable benefits: Offers seamless integration with Google Drive and other Google tools.
Limnu - A web-based whiteboard tool with sticky note functionality and real-time collaboration. Notable benefits: Offers a range of collaboration tools, including video conferencing and screen sharing.
Related Content
What I read
This is separate section of this newsletter. I will list some of the best articles I read on the internet. They may or may not be related to the topic of this article. I will keep a list of the best articles (currently >650) at https://www.digital-product-management.com. These are today’s picks:
Asking about career goals in the first 1:1: A useful way to learn more about the people on your team. Ask it the very first time you meet new team members.
Managing Expectations: Questions you can ask yourself to manage expectations effectively and facilitate a successful partnership.
Product Management hacks that feel illegal to use: Unexpected but useful product management hacks.
Update: Added Collaboard and Bentimento to the list.
Added Canva thanks to a suggestion on another channel.