drawio (diagrams.net) vs Excalidraw
Self-host pick — both replace Miro (Online whiteboard / visual collaboration).
Both drawio (diagrams.net) and Excalidraw self-host as a replacement for Miro (Online whiteboard / visual collaboration). Pick drawio (diagrams.net) if you want a Apache-licensed codebase (Apache-2.0); pick Excalidraw for MIT (MIT). Both run in roughly the same cost bracket — $3/mo vps; static frontend vs $3-5/mo vps for the static frontend; collab server adds light node footprint.
| drawio (diagrams.net)open-source | Excalidrawopen-source | |
|---|---|---|
| License | Apache-2.0 | MIT |
| Setup time | 5min docker run | 5min docker run |
| Monthly cost | $3/mo VPS; static frontend. | $3-5/mo VPS for the static frontend; collab server adds light Node footprint. |
| GitHub | jgraph/drawio | excalidraw/excalidraw |
| Replaces | Miro | Miro + 1 other |
Good fit for
drawio (diagrams.net)
Diagrams (architecture, ER, flowcharts) where Miro is overkill and you want files in git.
Weak at:No real-time collaboration; not a freeform whiteboard.
Excalidraw
Engineering teams that want quick whiteboards inside conversations — architecture sketches, retro boards, ad-hoc diagrams.
Weak at:Templates and pre-built frameworks are minimal compared to Miro's library.
In a terminal? npx -y github:SolvoHQ/os-alt-cli miro prints Miro's self-host options including both —
how the CLI works →
FAQ
Which is easier to self-host, drawio (diagrams.net) or Excalidraw?
drawio (diagrams.net): 5min docker run. Excalidraw: 5min docker run.
What does each cost to run?
drawio (diagrams.net): $3/mo VPS; static frontend.. Excalidraw: $3-5/mo VPS for the static frontend; collab server adds light Node footprint.. Both projects are free and open source.
Do drawio (diagrams.net) and Excalidraw replace the same SaaS?
Yes — both are open-source alternatives to Miro.