100 Alternatives to Mural for Whiteboarding, Workshops, and Planning

Ardelia Team · October 22, 2026 · 5 min read

Mural is commonly used to turn workshops, planning sessions, and team discussions into shared visual work. But a replacement does not always need to be another online whiteboard. A solo founder might need a lightweight space for thinking, a diagramming tool for processes, a research repository, or a project system that keeps decisions moving after a workshop ends.

Below are 100 alternatives to consider. They are grouped by primary use case rather than ranked. Product features, plans, integrations, and availability can change, so it is worth checking current details against the way your team actually works.

Dedicated online whiteboards

These tools are the closest starting point for teams seeking an open visual canvas for collaborative sessions.

1. Miro — a visual collaboration platform used for whiteboards and workshop work.
2. FigJam — Figma’s collaborative whiteboarding product.
3. Lucidspark — Lucid Software’s virtual whiteboard.
4. Microsoft Whiteboard — a whiteboard option in the Microsoft ecosystem.
5. Zoom Whiteboard — a whiteboarding product connected to Zoom’s collaboration environment.
6. Canva Whiteboards — whiteboard templates and visual creation tools from Canva.
7. Stormboard — a digital workspace centered on structured brainstorming.
8. Conceptboard — an online visual workspace for collaboration and feedback.
9. Klaxoon — a collaborative platform with workshop-oriented tools.
10. Collaboard — an online whiteboard for visual teamwork.

Lightweight canvases and visual notes

For independent founders or smaller groups, a simpler canvas can be more useful than a large facilitation toolkit.

1. Whimsical — visual workspace software for flows, wireframes, and notes.
2. Freehand — InVision’s collaborative whiteboard product.
3. Explain Everything — an interactive whiteboard platform often used for presenting and teaching.
4. Witeboard — a pared-down browser-based whiteboard.
5. Web Whiteboard — an online whiteboard for real-time collaboration.
6. Limnu — a digital whiteboard designed around a marker-like experience.
7. Ziteboard — an online whiteboard that supports collaborative sessions.
8. NoteBookCast — a browser-based whiteboard and presentation tool.
9. tldraw — an open-source collaborative canvas project.
10. Excalidraw — a virtual hand-drawn-style whiteboard.

Diagramming and process mapping

When the output needs to become a durable flowchart, architecture diagram, or process map, dedicated diagramming tools may be a better fit.

1. Lucidchart — diagramming software from Lucid Software.
2. diagrams.net — diagramming software also known as draw.io.
3. Creately — visual workspace and diagramming software.
4. Microsoft Visio — Microsoft’s diagramming application.
5. Gliffy — online diagramming software.
6. Cacoo — a cloud-based diagramming platform.
7. EdrawMax — diagramming software from Wondershare.
8. SmartDraw — software for diagrams and visual plans.
9. OmniGraffle — a diagramming application for Apple platforms.
10. yEd — diagramming software from yWorks.

Design, wireframing, and interface planning

These products are relevant when a whiteboard session should lead directly into a prototype, wireframe, or interface design.

1. Figma — a collaborative interface design platform.
2. Penpot — an open-source design and prototyping platform.
3. Sketch — a digital design toolkit for macOS.
4. Framer — a design and website-building platform.
5. MockFlow — wireframing and product-design software.
6. UXPin — a platform for interface design and prototyping.
7. Axure RP — software for wireframes, prototypes, and specifications.
8. Balsamiq — low-fidelity wireframing software.
9. Moqups — a browser-based design and diagramming tool.
10. Justinmind — a prototyping platform for web and mobile products.

Project and work management platforms

A planning board is only one part of execution. These tools can be alternatives when the central requirement is assigning, tracking, and reviewing work.

1. Notion — a workspace for notes, databases, and projects.
2. Coda — a document-based platform for building team workflows.
3. ClickUp — work management software.
4. monday.com — a work management platform.
5. Asana — software for coordinating work and projects.
6. Trello — a board-based task management platform.
7. Airtable — a database-oriented platform for organizing work.
8. Fibery — a workspace for connected team information and workflows.
9. Basecamp — project communication and management software.
10. Linear — a product-development and issue-tracking platform.

Knowledge, ideas, and shared documentation

For distributed teams, a structured knowledge base can preserve the context that might otherwise live on a whiteboard after a meeting ends.

1. Slite — collaborative documentation software.
2. Nuclino — a lightweight team knowledge base.
3. Confluence — Atlassian’s team workspace and documentation product.
4. Outline — team knowledge base software.
5. GitBook — documentation publishing software.
6. Craft — a writing and document-creation application.
7. Obsidian — a knowledge management and note-taking application.
8. Anytype — a personal knowledge management application.
9. Milanote — a visual notes and planning workspace.
10. Padlet — a digital bulletin-board style collaboration platform.

Workshop facilitation and retrospectives

These options are especially relevant for teams running retrospectives, training, participatory sessions, or structured group feedback.

1. Mentimeter — interactive presentation and audience-engagement software.
2. AhaSlides — interactive presentation software.
3. Slido — audience interaction software for meetings and events.
4. Vevox — polling and audience-engagement software.
5. Parabol — software for agile meeting facilitation.
6. Metro Retro — a virtual retrospective board.
7. TeamRetro — retrospective software for teams.
8. EasyRetro — an online retrospective tool.
9. FunRetro — software for retrospective meetings.
10. SessionLab — workshop planning and facilitation software.

Product discovery and roadmapping

Product teams may need a system that connects customer evidence, prioritization, roadmaps, and delivery more directly than a general whiteboard.

1. Productboard — product management and customer-insight software.
2. Aha! — product development and roadmapping software.
3. Jira Product Discovery — Atlassian software for product discovery work.
4. Dovetail — a research repository and analysis platform.
5. Condens — customer research repository software.
6. airfocus — product management and prioritization software.
7. ProductPlan — roadmapping software.
8. Roadmunk — product roadmapping software.
9. Dragonboat — product portfolio management software.
10. Craft.io — product management software.

Process, operations, and instructional tools

When visual sessions produce repeatable operating procedures, process-focused products can help turn discussion into a usable internal system.

1. Pipefy — workflow and process management software.
2. Kissflow — business process and workflow software.
3. Process Street — process and checklist management software.
4. SweetProcess — software for documenting business procedures.
5. Tango — software for creating process guides.
6. Scribe — software that creates step-by-step process documentation.
7. Trainual — training and process documentation software.
8. Nintex — process automation and workflow software.
9. Minitab Workspace — software for process improvement and visual analysis.
10. Appian — a platform for process automation and application development.

Mind mapping and visual thinking

Mind-mapping tools provide more structure than a blank canvas and can suit early-stage strategy, content planning, and personal thinking.

1. MindMeister — collaborative mind-mapping software.
2. XMind — mind-mapping and brainstorming software.
3. MindNode — a mind-mapping application for Apple platforms.
4. Coggle — a collaborative mind-mapping tool.
5. Mindomo — mind-mapping software for individuals and teams.
6. Ayoa — mind mapping and work management software.
7. GitMind — mind-mapping and diagramming software.
8. SimpleMind — a mind-mapping application.
9. MindManager — mind-mapping and visual planning software.
10. Freeplane — open-source mind-mapping software.

How to narrow the list

Start with the artifact you need after the meeting. Choose a whiteboard for open exploration, a diagramming tool for formal flows, a research platform for evidence, or a work-management system for execution. Also consider who needs to participate: a solo founder, a small internal team, clients, and external collaborators can each require a different balance of simplicity, permissions, and structure.

Finally, test one realistic workflow rather than comparing feature lists in the abstract. A short strategy session, customer-journey exercise, or weekly planning routine will reveal whether a tool supports the way your company makes decisions and follows through.