Open Source Microsoft Whiteboard AlternativesWhiteboards & Note-taking Tools like Microsoft Whiteboard

The best open source alternative to Microsoft Whiteboard is draw.io. If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 50 alternatives to Microsoft Whiteboard and 17 is open source so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting open source alternatives to Microsoft Whiteboard are Excalidraw, Xournal++, Linwood Butterfly and OpenBoard Whiteboard.

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Most Microsoft Whiteboard alternatives are Whiteboards, but you can also narrow the list to Note-taking Tools or Digital Painting Tools. Other popular filters are Free, Team Collaboration, Open Source, Note-taking and Windows. You can also filter for EU-based alternatives if you prefer software from the European Union.
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Alternatives
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Alternatives list

  1. draw.io icon

    draw.io

     1060 likes

    Feature-rich diagram editor offering privacy-focused, ad-free experience with real-time collaboration, offline usage, dark mode, and cloud storage support. No registration required and compatible with various diagram formats, it excels in simplicity by not tracking user data.

    173 draw.io alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Chrome OS
    • Notion
    • Self-Hosted
    • Nextcloud
    • Microsoft SharePoint
    • Flathub
    • Microsoft OneDrive
    • PortableApps.com
    • Google Drive
    • Google Docs
    • Microsoft Teams
    • Google Slides
    • Flatpak
    • Google Sheets
    • GB flagUnited Kingdom
    Use the diagram editor in dark mode. Go to app.diagrams.net/?splash=0&ui=dark
    Good alternative?
     
  2. Excalidraw icon

    Excalidraw

     124 likes

    Excalidraw is an open-source whiteboard tool that lets you easily sketch diagrams that have a hand-drawn feel to them. Available directly online as a web app and also through CodeSandbox to easily see how the code works, and the app is available for self-hosting.

    117 Excalidraw alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Open Source (MIT)

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Online
    • Self-Hosted
    • Cloudron
    • CZ flagCzechia
    • European Union flagEU
    Excalidraw screenshot 1
    Good alternative?
     
  4. Xournal++ icon

    Xournal++

     201 likes

    Handwritten note-taking and PDF annotation using pen input and pressure sensitivity, shape drawing, customizable toolbar layouts, image insertion, audio recording, multi-language options, LaTeX integration, and complete export in PDF or PNG formats across all platforms.

    80 Xournal++ alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Snapcraft
    • Flathub
    • Global
    Xournal++ screenshot 1
    Good alternative?
     
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    3
  5. Linwood Butterfly icon

    Linwood Butterfly

     46 likes

    Butterfly is a note-taking app where your ideas come first. You can paint, add texts, and export them easily on every device. This app works on android, windows, linux, and in the web.

    64 Linwood Butterfly alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • Self-Hosted
    • Snapcraft
    • AltStore
    • Flathub
    • F-Droid
    • Linux Mobile
    • DE flagGermany
    • European Union flagEU
    Linwood Butterfly screenshot 1
    Good alternative?
     
  6. OpenBoard Whiteboard icon

    OpenBoard Whiteboard

     73 likes

    OpenBoard is a cross-platform (Linux / Windows / macOS) interactive whiteboard application. It is currently maintained by the Education Department (DIP) of the Canton of Geneva in Switzerland.

    109 OpenBoard Whiteboard alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    OpenBoard Whiteboard screenshot 1
    Good alternative?
     
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    2
  8. Lorien icon

    Lorien

     15 likes

    Lorien is an infinite canvas drawing/note-taking app that is focused on performance, small savefiles and simplicity. It's not based on bitmap images like Krita, Gimp or Photoshop; it rather saves brush strokes as a collection of points and renders them at runtime (kind of...

    40 Lorien alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source (MIT)

    Application type

    Alerts

    • Discontinued

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    Lorien screenshot 1
    Good alternative?
     
  9. Drawy icon

    Drawy

     2 likes

    Drawy is a work-in-progress infinite whiteboard tool, which aims to be a native desktop alternative to the amazing web-based Excalidraw.

    22 Drawy alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • DE flagGermany
    • European Union flagEU
    Drawy screenshot 1
    Good alternative?
     
  10. Explain Everything icon

    Explain Everything

     6 likes

    Explain Everything is an easy-to-use design, screencasting, and interactive whiteboard tool that lets you annotate, animate, narrate, import, and export almost anything to and from almost anywhere.

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • PL flagPoland
    • European Union flagEU
    Explain Everything screenshot 1
    Explain Everything screenshot 2
    Explain Everything screenshot 3
    Good alternative?
     
  11. SpeedyNote icon

    SpeedyNote

     3 likes

    SpeedyNote is a fast, open-source note-taking application designed for stylus users who need iPad-quality annotation on budget hardware. Built with native C++ and Qt, it delivers 360Hz stylus input on hardware as modest as an Intel Celeron N4000 at 1.

    Cost / License

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • Android Tablet
    • Flathub
    • Flatpak
    • iPad
    SpeedyNote screenshot 1
    Good alternative?
     
  12. xnotes icon

    xnotes

     4 likes

    xnotes is a handwriting-first notebook for phones and tablets, built for pen and stylus. Write, sketch and annotate with pressure-sensitive, variable-width ink, and nothing you draw is ever flattened.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source (MIT)

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Android
    • Android Tablet
    • F-Droid
    • IN flagIndia
    Annotating a PDF in dark mode with pages inverted
    Good alternative?
     
  13. MrWriter icon

    MrWriter

     7 likes

    Notetaking and blackboard replacement application. Inspired by Xournal. Written in C++/Qt for Linux / Windows / Mac.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    MrWriter screenshot 1
    Good alternative?
     
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    1
  14. Pardus Pen icon

    Pardus Pen

     1 like

    A simple and easy whiteboard pen application.

    Cost / License

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • Flathub
    • Flatpak
    • TR flagTürkiye
    Pardus Pen screenshot 1
    Good alternative?
     
12 of 17 Microsoft Whiteboard alternatives