Why look beyond Miro

Miro provides a comprehensive online whiteboard solution for visual collaboration, supporting diverse activities from brainstorming to agile ceremonies and design sprints. Its feature set includes an extensive template library, integrations with popular tools, and a developer platform for custom extensions Miro Developer Platform overview. However, organizations may seek alternatives for several reasons. Pricing models can be a consideration, as Miro's paid plans are typically per-user per month, which can escalate for larger teams Miro pricing details.

Specific use cases might also drive the need for a different platform. For instance, design teams heavily involved in UI/UX prototyping might find dedicated design tools with whiteboard capabilities more integrated with their existing workflows. Teams focused on detailed technical diagramming might prefer tools optimized for that purpose, offering more specialized shape libraries and stricter diagramming conventions. Furthermore, some enterprises may prioritize solutions that offer deeper native integration within a specific vendor ecosystem, such as Microsoft 365, to streamline IT management and consolidate vendor relationships. Security and compliance requirements, while Miro meets several key standards Miro Trust Center, may also lead organizations to evaluate options that align more closely with their specific industry regulations or internal policies.

Top alternatives ranked

  1. 1. Mural — Facilitating structured and unstructured visual collaboration

    Mural is a visual collaboration platform that offers an online whiteboard experience similar to Miro, focusing on enterprise-grade security and advanced facilitation features. It provides a wide array of templates for design thinking, agile planning, and remote workshops, enabling teams to organize ideas, run meetings, and develop strategies collaboratively. Mural emphasizes guided collaboration with features like a timer, private mode, and voting, which assist facilitators in managing group interactions and ensuring productive sessions. Its interface is designed to be intuitive for visual thinkers, supporting various media types and offering robust organization tools.

    Mural integrates with popular tools such as Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Slack, and Atlassian Jira, allowing for seamless workflow incorporation. The platform supports a range of compliance standards, including SOC 2 Type II, GDPR, and ISO 27001, which is often a critical factor for large enterprises Mural security and compliance information. While both Mural and Miro offer extensive collaboration capabilities, Mural often focuses on more structured facilitation and guided workflows, appealing to organizations that require strong governance and a consistent approach to visual collaboration across many teams.

    Mural profile page

  2. 2. Figma — Collaborative interface design and prototyping with integrated whiteboarding

    Figma is primarily a web-based interface design and prototyping tool that has expanded its capabilities to include robust visual collaboration through FigJam, its online whiteboard offering. Figma is extensively used by UI/UX designers for creating interactive prototypes, design systems, and vector graphics. Its core strength lies in its real-time collaborative editing, allowing multiple designers to work on the same file simultaneously without version conflicts. This feature extends to FigJam, which provides a more freeform canvas for brainstorming, diagramming, and conducting design sprints.

    FigJam offers a variety of tools like sticky notes, drawing tools, connectors, and a template library for common activities such as user flows, mood boards, and retrospectives FigJam whiteboard features. The tight integration between Figma and FigJam means that design teams can seamlessly transition from ideation on a whiteboard to detailed design work within the same ecosystem. This makes Figma an attractive alternative for design-centric organizations that need both advanced design tools and a flexible visual collaboration space. Figma also provides a developer API for integrations and plugins, enhancing its extensibility for specific workflows Figma Developer API documentation.

    Figma profile page

  3. 3. Lucidspark — Dynamic online whiteboarding for ideation and visual planning

    Lucidspark is an online whiteboard designed for freeform ideation, brainstorming, and visual planning, offered by Lucid Software, the creators of Lucidchart. It focuses on providing a dynamic space for teams to collect ideas, organize information, and facilitate collaborative sessions. Key features include sticky notes, freehand drawing, a vast shape library, and templates for various activities such as affinity mapping, journey mapping, and SWOT analysis. Lucidspark also incorporates features like a timer, voting, and private modes to assist with structured facilitation, similar to other dedicated whiteboarding tools.

    One of Lucidspark's advantages is its deep integration with Lucidchart, enabling users to transition from brainstorming in Lucidspark to creating professional diagrams and flowcharts in Lucidchart. This synergy is particularly beneficial for teams that require both robust ideation spaces and precise diagramming capabilities Lucidspark features overview. Lucidspark integrates with other enterprise applications like Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, and Slack, facilitating its adoption within existing tech stacks. It focuses on intuitive usability and scalability for teams of varying sizes, providing an alternative for organizations seeking a dedicated visual collaboration tool with strong diagramming ties.

    Lucidspark profile page

  4. 4. Microsoft 365 — Integrated productivity suite with collaborative whiteboarding

    Microsoft 365 is a comprehensive suite of productivity and collaboration tools that includes Microsoft Whiteboard, an integrated online whiteboard application. Microsoft 365 aims to provide a unified environment for document creation, communication, and file sharing through applications like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Microsoft Teams. Microsoft Whiteboard allows users to brainstorm, plan, and create visually on an infinite canvas, supporting real-time collaboration across devices. It offers features such as sticky notes, shapes, reactions, templates, and ink to shape recognition, enhancing digital ink input.

    The primary benefit of Microsoft 365 as an alternative is its deep integration across the Microsoft ecosystem. Whiteboard sessions can be easily initiated and shared within Microsoft Teams meetings, enhancing real-time collaboration for teams already using Microsoft infrastructure Microsoft Whiteboard in Teams meetings. This makes it a compelling choice for organizations heavily invested in Microsoft products, offering a single vendor solution for many productivity needs, including visual collaboration. While Microsoft Whiteboard may not offer the same depth of specialized features as dedicated visual collaboration platforms, its seamless integration and enterprise-grade security and compliance within the Microsoft 365 framework often outweigh this for businesses seeking consolidated solutions.

    Microsoft 365 profile page

  5. 5. Microsoft Teams — Unified communication and collaborative whiteboarding

    Microsoft Teams is a communication and collaboration platform that acts as a central hub for chat, meetings, calls, and file sharing, and includes an integrated Microsoft Whiteboard experience. As an integral part of the Microsoft 365 ecosystem, Teams facilitates real-time interaction for remote and hybrid teams. The built-in Microsoft Whiteboard allows participants within a Teams meeting to co-create and brainstorm on a shared digital canvas. This direct integration streamlines the workflow for teams that primarily communicate and meet within Teams, eliminating the need to switch between separate applications for visual collaboration.

    Microsoft Teams offers capabilities such as channel-based communication, video conferencing, screen sharing, and document co-authoring. The Whiteboard within Teams supports various visual elements like sticky notes, text, images, and templates for common meeting activities Microsoft Teams Whiteboard overview. For organizations already using Microsoft Teams for their daily operations, leveraging its integrated Whiteboard provides a cohesive and secure environment for visual collaboration. It simplifies administration and ensures consistent security and compliance policies across communication and collaboration tools, making it a practical alternative for a consolidated and streamlined enterprise environment.

    Microsoft Teams profile page

Side-by-side

Feature Miro Mural Figma (FigJam) Lucidspark Microsoft 365 (Whiteboard) Microsoft Teams (Whiteboard)
Core Focus Visual Collaboration Facilitated Whiteboarding UI/UX Design & Whiteboarding Ideation & Visual Planning Integrated Productivity Suite Unified Communication & Collaboration
Real-time Collaboration Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Template Library Extensive Extensive Good Good Basic to Good Basic to Good
Design Prototyping Limited (via plugins) No Primary Function (Figma) No No No
Diagramming Capabilities Good Good Good Excellent (with Lucidchart) Basic Basic
Integrations Broad ecosystem Broad ecosystem Design-focused Productivity & Diagramming Deep Microsoft ecosystem Deep Microsoft ecosystem
Developer Platform / API Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes (Microsoft Graph) Yes (Microsoft Graph/Teams SDK)
Compliance Certifications SOC 2, GDPR, ISO SOC 2, GDPR, ISO SOC 2, GDPR SOC 2, GDPR, ISO Extensive (Microsoft) Extensive (Microsoft)
Free Tier Available Yes Yes Yes Yes No (trial) No (included with M365)

How to pick

Selecting an alternative to Miro involves evaluating your team's primary use cases, existing technology stack, and specific feature requirements. Consider these decision points to guide your choice:

  • For dedicated design teams: If your team's core activities revolve around UI/UX design, prototyping, and creating design systems, Figma (with FigJam) is likely the most suitable option. Its seamless integration between design and whiteboarding tools streamlines the entire product development lifecycle, allowing designers to move fluidly from ideation to high-fidelity mockups within a single platform. The collaborative nature of Figma for design files directly translates to FigJam, providing a consistent experience.
  • For highly facilitated workshops and structured collaboration: Teams that frequently run structured workshops, agile ceremonies, or design sprints with a need for robust facilitation tools should consider Mural. Mural offers advanced features like private mode, voting, and timers that empower facilitators to guide discussions and ensure productive outcomes. Its focus on enterprise-grade security and governance also appeals to larger organizations requiring strict control over collaborative sessions.
  • For general visual ideation and strong diagramming needs: If your team requires a flexible online whiteboard for brainstorming and visual planning, but also frequently needs to create professional diagrams, flowcharts, or technical schematics, Lucidspark is a strong contender. Its integration with Lucidchart provides a powerful synergistic solution, allowing users to transition effortlessly from freeform ideation to structured diagramming, benefiting technical and non-technical teams alike.
  • For organizations heavily invested in Microsoft ecosystems: For businesses that primarily operate within Microsoft 365 and utilize Microsoft Teams for communication, Microsoft 365 (with Whiteboard) or directly Microsoft Teams (with Whiteboard) offer the highest degree of integration. This approach minimizes context switching, simplifies IT administration, and leverages existing security and compliance frameworks. While Microsoft Whiteboard may offer fewer specialized features than dedicated visual collaboration tools, its embedded nature in a familiar environment can significantly enhance adoption and efficiency for Microsoft-centric organizations.
  • Consider scalability and compliance: Evaluate the alternative's ability to scale with your team's growth and its adherence to relevant compliance standards (e.g., SOC 2, GDPR, ISO 27001). Enterprises often have strict requirements for data residency and security, so verify that the chosen platform aligns with these mandates. All listed alternatives provide information on their security and compliance frameworks on their respective websites.
  • Evaluate pricing models: Compare the pricing structures of each alternative against your budget and anticipated usage. Most visual collaboration tools offer per-user per-month pricing, which can vary based on features and commitment terms. Assess whether a free tier or trial period is sufficient for initial evaluation before committing to a paid plan.