Top 10 Open-Source Alternatives to Miro in 2025

The demand for open-source collaborative tools continues to grow as teams seek flexible, privacy-focused options for virtual whiteboarding and project management. The following list outlines the top 10 open-source alternatives to Miro in 2025, highlighting their key features and best use cases to help you find the right tool for your needs.

Boost Your SEO by Getting Featured in Our Blogs and get a backlink.

We publish content about startups, education, tech, funding, etc. that ranks well not only in Google but also in Perplexity, ChatGPT, Grok and other AI tools.

👉 Get featured now!

1. AFFiNE

Description: AFFiNE is an all-in-one workspace that combines whiteboarding, document editing, and project management into a single platform. It emphasizes data privacy by allowing users to store their data locally.
Key Features:
Combines note-taking, drawing, and task management.
Focuses on local data storage for enhanced user privacy.
Offers AI integration for writing, drawing, and planning.
Uses modular blocks for flexible customization.
Fosters community engagement through its open-source nature.
Best for: Freelancers, teams seeking a flexible workspace for creative and strategic planning, and users concerned about data privacy.
Learn more about AFFiNE

2. Excalidraw

Description: Excalidraw is a virtual whiteboard tool with a focus on hand-drawn style visuals. It is known for its simplicity and ease of use, making it great for quick sketches and collaborative brainstorming.
Key Features:
Real-time collaboration capabilities.
Hand-drawn visual style.
Simple, intuitive interface.
End-to-end encrypted option.
Low-friction input.
Best for: Teams looking for a straightforward, intuitive digital whiteboard for brainstorming and sketching.
Discover Excalidraw

Get your FREE Landing Page Analysis!

Insert your landing page link and get a super useful analysis and easy fixes to get more clicks!

👉 Get Your Analysis Here!

3. OpenBoard

Description: OpenBoard is an open-source, cross-platform interactive whiteboard application designed primarily for use in educational settings like schools and universities. It's suitable for both interactive whiteboards and dual-screen setups.
Key Features:
Cross-platform compatibility (Windows, macOS, Linux).
Easy installation without registration.
Maintained by the community on GitHub.
Simple, powerful, and easy to use.
Supports handwriting via pen tablet, interactive whiteboard, or mouse.
Best for: Educational institutions, teachers, and lecturers needing a free interactive whiteboard for instruction and collaborative teaching.
Learn more about OpenBoard

4. Diagrams.net (formerly draw.io)

Description: Diagrams.net is a free, open-source diagramming tool that supports a wide variety of diagrams, including flowcharts, network diagrams, and organizational charts. It is available as a web application and a desktop application.
Key Features:
Wide variety of diagram types supported.
Real-time collaboration.
Offline desktop application.
Storage options include Google Drive, Sharepoint, OneDrive, GitHub, GitLab, Dropbox, or local storage.
Supports UML, C4, ArchiMate, BPMN, and SysML shapes.
Best for: Teams needing a robust tool for creating detailed and precise diagrams, with a focus on data security through offline storage options.
Explore Diagrams.net

5. Freeplane

Description: Freeplane is a free, open-source mind mapping software written in Java. It is designed for creating and managing complex mind maps, allowing users to visualize ideas and information.
Key Features:
Concept mapping and information management.
Cross-platform compatibility (any OS with Java).
Portable and can be run from a USB drive.
Integrated task management features.
Organize and categorize information effectively.
Best for: Power users who need comprehensive mind-mapping capabilities without the limitations of proprietary software, or users who prefer a desktop-based tool.
Discover Freeplane

Validate your startup idea with the unique borrowed authority approach: we publish articles about your product in our blog and you get traffic and testers for your MVP

Prove Market Demand: See real organic traffic and waitlist conversions

Unlock High-Potential Keywords: Receive a curated list of top-performing keywords directly from Google Search Console data.

Estimate Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC): Gain financial foresight with an estimated CAC based on real keyword performance data.

🔗 Start validating your startup now

6. FreeMind

Description: FreeMind is a free, open-source mind mapping software developed in Java. It offers an intuitive interface for creating hierarchical mind maps.
Key Features:
Lightweight and fast performance.
Cross-platform compatibility (Windows, macOS, Linux).
Exports files in multiple formats (HTML, PDF, PNG).
Drag-and-drop functionality.
Easy node management.
Best for: Users who need a simple, intuitive, and fast tool for creating hierarchical mind maps and brainstorming.
Learn more about FreeMind

7. Tldraw

Description: Tldraw is a collaborative digital whiteboard that prioritizes simplicity and low-friction input. It is available on tldraw.com, and its code is also open-source.
Key Features:
Collaborative real-time editing.
Simple, intuitive interface with a focus on low-friction input.
Open-source editor and UI libraries.
Can be used as a drop-in whiteboard for other products.
Best for: Developers looking for a ready-to-use whiteboard component for their applications or teams that prefer a minimal and quick sketching experience.
Explore Tldraw

8. Xmind (Open Source Version)

Description: Xmind offers both a paid and open-source version of their mind-mapping software. The open-source version provides users with essential mind-mapping capabilities.
Key Features:
Cross-platform compatibility.
Various mind map structures.
Supports different file formats.
Best for: Users seeking an established mind-mapping tool with a history of development, who don't need the advanced features of the paid version.
Learn more about Xmind

9. MindMup

Description: MindMup is a web-based mind mapping tool with a minimalist interface.
Key Features:
Web-based.
Quick and easy to use.
Minimalist interface.
Best for: Users who prefer a very simple, web-based tool for quickly creating mind maps.
Discover MindMup

10. WiseMapping

Description: WiseMapping is a free, web-based, open-source mind mapping tool.
Key Features:
Web-based, collaborative.
Shareable and embeddable maps.
Multiple export formats (SVG, PNG, FreeMind).
Option to install internally.
Best for: Users who prefer a collaborative, web-based mind-mapping tool that can be shared and embedded.
Explore WiseMapping

Join ElonaHunt (like ProductHunt but for women) and explore the coolest women-focused startups out there!

Discover your next big inspiration and connect with like-minded female entrepreneurs!

👉 Join the Hunt Here

FAQ

1. What is AFFiNE and how does it enhance data privacy?

AFFiNE is an all-in-one workspace that combines whiteboarding, document editing, and project management with a strong focus on data privacy by enabling users to store their data locally. Learn more about AFFiNE

2. How does Excalidraw make collaborative brainstorming easier?

Excalidraw offers real-time collaboration with a hand-drawn visual style and an intuitive interface, perfect for quick collaborative sketches. Explore Excalidraw

3. What features make OpenBoard suitable for educational settings?

OpenBoard is a cross-platform interactive whiteboard application optimized for use in schools and universities, supporting handwriting and dual-screen setups. Discover OpenBoard

4. What diagram types can you create with Diagrams.net?

Diagrams.net supports various diagram types, including flowcharts, network diagrams, and organizational charts, with options for offline and online use. Learn more about Diagrams.net

5. What are the key features of Freeplane for mind mapping?

Freeplane offers comprehensive mind-mapping capabilities, real-time collaboration, and cross-platform compatibility, making it ideal for managing complex mind maps. Learn about Freeplane

6. How is FreeMind different from other mind mapping tools?

FreeMind is known for its lightweight performance and intuitive interface, enabling users to create hierarchical mind maps quickly and efficiently. Discover FreeMind

7. What makes tldraw a unique digital whiteboard?

tldraw is known for its simple, low-friction input and open-source editor, making it a highly intuitive tool suitable for quick sketches and integration into other products. Learn more about tldraw

8. What does the open-source version of Xmind offer?

Xmind’s open-source version provides essential mind-mapping features with cross-platform compatibility, suitable for users who do not require advanced functionalities of the paid version. Explore Xmind

9. How does MindMup distinguish itself among mind mapping tools?

MindMup offers a quick, web-based mind mapping experience with a minimalist interface, ideal for users who prefer simplicity and ease of use. Learn more about MindMup

10. What collaborative features does WiseMapping offer?

WiseMapping is a web-based mind mapping tool that allows collaboration, map sharing, and multiple export formats, perfect for collaborative projects. Learn more about WiseMapping

About the Author

Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur. She’s been living, studying and working in many countries around the globe and her extensive multicultural experience has influenced her immensely.

Violetta is a true multiple specialist who has built expertise in Linguistics, Education, Business Management, Blockchain, Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property, Game Design, AI, SEO, Digital Marketing, cyber security and zero code automations. Her extensive educational journey includes a Master of Arts in Linguistics and Education, an Advanced Master in Linguistics from Belgium (2006-2007), an MBA from Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden (2006-2008), and an Erasmus Mundus joint program European Master of Higher Education from universities in Norway, Finland, and Portugal (2009).

She is the founder of Fe/male Switch, a startup game that encourages women to enter STEM fields, and also leads CADChain, and multiple other projects like the Directory of 1,000 Startup Cities with a proprietary MeanCEO Index that ranks cities for female entrepreneurs. Violetta created the "gamepreneurship" methodology, which forms the scientific basis of her startup game. She also builds a lot of SEO tools for startups. Her achievements include being named one of the top 100 women in Europe by EU Startups in 2022 and being nominated for Impact Person of the year at the Dutch Blockchain Week. She is an author with Sifted and a speaker at different Universities. Recently she published a book on Startup Idea Validation the right way: from zero to first customers and beyond and launched a Directory of 1,500+ websites for startups to list themselves in order to gain traction and build backlinks.

For the past several years Violetta has been living between the Netherlands and Malta, while also regularly traveling to different destinations around the globe, usually due to her entrepreneurial activities. This has led her to start writing about different locations and amenities from the POV of an entrepreneur. Here’s her recent article about the best hotels in Italy to work from.

About the Publication

Fe/male Switch is an innovative startup platform designed to empower women entrepreneurs through an immersive, game-like experience. Founded in 2020 during the pandemic "without any funding and without any code," this non-profit initiative has evolved into a comprehensive educational tool for aspiring female entrepreneurs.The platform was co-founded by Violetta Shishkina-Bonenkamp, who serves as CEO and one of the lead authors of the Startup News branch.

Mission and Purpose

Fe/male Switch Foundation was created to address the gender gap in the tech and entrepreneurship space. The platform aims to skill-up future female tech leaders and empower them to create resilient and innovative tech startups through what they call "gamepreneurship". By putting players in a virtual startup village where they must survive and thrive, the startup game allows women to test their entrepreneurial abilities without financial risk.

Key Features

The platform offers a unique blend of news, resources,learning, networking, and practical application within a supportive, female-focused environment:

Skill Lab: Micro-modules covering essential startup skills
Virtual Startup Building: Create or join startups and tackle real-world challenges
AI Co-founder (PlayPal): Guides users through the startup process
SANDBOX: A testing environment for idea validation before launch
Wellness Integration: Virtual activities to balance work and self-care
Marketplace: Buy or sell expert sessions and tutorials

Impact and Growth

Since its inception, Fe/male Switch has shown impressive growth:

3,000+ female entrepreneurs in the community
100+ startup tools built
5,000+ pieces of articles and news written

Partnerships

Fe/male Switch has formed strategic partnerships to enhance its offerings. In January 2022, it teamed up with global website builder Tilda to provide free access to website building tools and mentorship services for Fe/male Switch participants.

Recognition

Fe/male Switch has received media attention for its innovative approach to closing the gender gap in tech entrepreneurship. The platform has been featured in various publications highlighting its unique "play to learn and earn" model.