Best Free Miro Alternatives for Teachers (2026)

Best Free Miro Alternatives for Teachers (2026)

Miro has become one of the most popular collaborative whiteboard tools in education. Teachers use it for brainstorming sessions, mind mapping, lesson planning, and interactive classroom activities. But here's the challenge: Miro's free plan only allows 3 editable boards, which isn't enough for most educators managing multiple classes and projects.

The good news? There are excellent free alternatives that offer unlimited boards, better education pricing, or features specifically designed for classroom use.

Why Teachers Need Miro Alternatives

Before we explore the alternatives, let's understand why Miro might not be the best fit for every educator:

Quick Comparison: Top Miro Alternatives for Teachers

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1. FigJam (Figma) — Best Free Option for Education

Price: 100% Free for educators and students Platform: Web, Desktop (Windows, Mac) Website: figma.com/figjam

FigJam is Figma's collaborative whiteboard tool, and it's completely free for education. This makes it arguably the best Miro alternative for teachers who want unlimited access without any cost.

Why It's Great for Teachers:

• 100% free for education — K-12 districts get Enterprise tier free; higher education gets Professional tier free
• Google Classroom integration — Create and distribute boards directly to students
• Open sessions — Invite students without requiring Figma accounts
• AI-powered features — Summarize sticky notes, generate ideas, categorize themes automatically
• Fun collaboration tools — Stamps, stickers, emotes, audio notes, and voting

Key Features:

• Infinite canvas — Never run out of space
• Real-time collaboration — See cursors and edits live
• Templates — Meeting agendas, retrospectives, mind maps, flowcharts
• Widgets — Polls, timers, voice recordings, interactive elements
• FigJam AI — Generate boards from text prompts, summarize content

Best For:

• K-12 classrooms needing free unlimited whiteboards
• Design and art classes
• Group projects and collaborative assignments
• Teachers who use Google Classroom

How to Get Free Education Access:

1. Sign up with your school email at figma.com/education
2. Verify your educator status
3. Get unlimited FigJam boards for your classroom

Verdict: The best free Miro alternative for education. If you're a verified educator, FigJam offers everything Miro does—and more—at no cost.

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2. Excalidraw — Best Free Open-Source Option

Price: 100% Free, open-source Platform: Web (works offline as PWA) Website: excalidraw.com

Excalidraw is a virtual whiteboard with a distinctive hand-drawn aesthetic that makes diagrams feel more approachable and less formal. It's completely free, requires no account, and is loved by developers and educators alike.

Why It's Great for Teachers:

• No account needed — Students can start drawing immediately
• End-to-end encrypted — Student data stays private
• Works offline — Use it without internet after initial load
• Unlimited collaborators — Invite as many students as you need
• Hand-drawn style — Makes diagrams feel informal and approachable

Key Features:

• Infinite canvas — Unlimited space for ideas
• Real-time collaboration — Share a link and collaborate instantly
• Shape library — Rectangles, circles, arrows, lines, and freehand drawing
• Export options — PNG, SVG, or copy to clipboard
• Local storage — Drawings auto-save to your browser
• Dark mode — Easy on the eyes during long sessions

User Reviews:

Best For:

• Quick classroom brainstorming
• Informal sketching and diagramming
• Teachers who value privacy (E2E encryption)
• Schools without budget for paid tools
• Students on Chromebooks

Limitations:

• One drawing per session (use multiple tabs for more)
• Limited integrations compared to Miro
• No built-in templates (but you can find community templates)

Verdict: Perfect for teachers who want a simple, free, private whiteboard without any setup. The hand-drawn style is especially great for making students feel comfortable sharing rough ideas.

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3. Canva Whiteboard — Best for Visual Brainstorming

Price: Free (Canva for Education is 100% free for verified teachers) Platform: Web, iOS, Android Website: canva.com/online-whiteboard

Canva Whiteboard combines the power of Canva's design tools with infinite whiteboard collaboration. If you're already using Canva for Education, this is a natural addition to your toolkit.

Why It's Great for Teachers:

• Canva for Education — 100% free for verified teachers with premium features
• 100+ million assets — Access Canva's massive library of images, graphics, and icons
• Beautiful templates — Mind maps, flowcharts, mood boards, org charts
• Design integration — Turn whiteboard ideas into presentations, posters, or documents
• Real-time collaboration — Colorful cursors show who's working where

Key Features:

• Infinite canvas — Create as many whiteboards as you need
• Sticky notes with reactions — Add emojis and feedback to ideas
• Timer feature — Perfect for timed brainstorming activities
• Diagramming tools — Shapes with automatic connectors
• AI features — New AI-powered brainstorming and content generation
• Export anywhere — PDF, PNG, or share as a link

Best For:

• Visual learners and creative projects
• Teachers already using Canva
• Creating polished presentations from brainstorms
• Mood boards and design thinking activities
• Elementary and middle school classrooms

Canva vs. Miro:

Verdict: The best choice if you want beautiful visuals and seamless integration with other Canva tools. Particularly great for younger students who benefit from visual elements.

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4. Microsoft Whiteboard — Best for Microsoft Schools

Price: Free with Microsoft 365 Education Platform: Web, Windows, iOS, Android Website: microsoft.com/microsoft-whiteboard

If your school uses Microsoft 365, Microsoft Whiteboard is already included in your subscription—and it integrates seamlessly with Teams, OneNote, and other Microsoft tools.

Why It's Great for Teachers:

• Built into Teams — Open whiteboards directly in video calls
• OneNote integration — Export boards to Class Notebooks
• Ink beautification — Handwriting becomes more legible automatically
• Education stickers — Collect poll responses and give feedback
• Accessibility features — Automatic alt text for images, screen reader support

Key Features:

• Unlimited boards — Create as many as you need
• Real-time collaboration — Work together during Teams meetings
• Drawing tools — Pens, highlighters, ruler with angle measurement
• Sticky notes — Resizable notes for brainstorming
• Background options — Including blackboard mode for reduced eye strain
• Ink Grab — Convert photos of physical whiteboards to digital ink

Best For:

• Schools using Microsoft 365 Education
• Teachers who use Teams for video calls
• Math and science classes (ruler with angle measurement)
• Accessibility-focused classrooms

Limitations:

• Requires Microsoft account
• Less creative features than Canva or FigJam
• Limited text formatting options
• No version history

Verdict: The obvious choice if your school is in the Microsoft ecosystem. Deep Teams integration makes it perfect for hybrid learning.

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5. Lucidspark — Best for Structured Brainstorming

Price: Free (3 boards) / Individual $7.95/month / Team $9/user/month Platform: Web Website: lucidspark.com

Lucidspark is the whiteboard tool from Lucid (makers of Lucidchart). It's designed for more structured brainstorming with built-in frameworks and AI-powered organization.

Why It's Great for Teachers:

• Visual activities — Built-in frameworks for brainstorming, voting, and sorting
• AI features — Generate ideas and automatically categorize sticky notes
• Lucidchart integration — Turn brainstorms into professional diagrams
• Presentation mode — Walk through ideas step-by-step
• Gather & Sort — Organize ideas into themes automatically

Key Features:

• Infinite canvas — Unlimited space per board
• Collaborative editing — Real-time work with shareable links
• Emoji reactions — Quick feedback on ideas
• Freehand drawing — Sketch and annotate freely
• Templates — Mind maps, SWOT analysis, retrospectives, and more

Free Plan Includes:

• 3 editable boards
• Unlimited shapes per board
• Basic collaboration
• Commenting
• Presentation mode

Best For:

• Structured brainstorming sessions
• Teachers who also use Lucidchart
• Project-based learning activities
• High school and college classrooms

Limitations:

• Only 3 free boards (same as Miro)
• Advanced features require paid plan
• Some users find pricing inflexible

Verdict: Great if you need structured brainstorming frameworks, but the 3-board limit on the free plan is the same limitation as Miro.

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6. ConceptViz — Best for AI-Generated Science Diagrams

Price: Free tier (3 credits) + Paid plans starting at $14.90/month Platform: Web Website: conceptviz.app

While not a traditional whiteboard, ConceptViz offers something unique: AI-powered diagram generation specifically designed for science education. Instead of drawing diagrams manually, you describe what you need and AI creates it for you.

Why It's Great for Teachers:

• AI-powered — Describe your diagram in plain English
• Science-focused — Built specifically for educational diagrams
• Grade-level presets — Elementary, Middle, High School options
• Labeled & unlabeled versions — Perfect for teaching and quizzing
• No design skills needed — Get professional results instantly

Specialized Tools:

• Animal Cell Diagram Generator
• Plant Cell Diagram Generator
• Photosynthesis Diagram Generator
• Water Cycle Diagram Generator
• Life Cycle Diagram Generator
• Food Chain Diagram Generator

Best For:

• Science teachers needing quick diagrams
• Creating worksheets with labeled/unlabeled versions
• Teachers without design or drawing skills
• Generating educational materials fast

Verdict: Perfect complement to whiteboard tools. Use ConceptViz for professional science diagrams, then incorporate them into your whiteboard sessions.

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Other Notable Alternatives

Jamboard (Google)

• Note: Google Jamboard is being discontinued in late 2024
• Former Google Workspace users should migrate to FigJam, Lucidspark, or other alternatives

MURAL

• Website: mural.co
• Free plan with 3 murals
• Strong facilitation tools for workshops
• Education discount available

Whimsical

• Website: whimsical.com
• Beautiful mind maps and flowcharts
• Free plan with limited boards
• Great for documentation

Milanote

• Website: milanote.com
• Visual boards for creative projects
• Free plan with 100 notes/images
• Popular with art and design teachers

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Which Tool Should You Choose?

Here's a decision guide based on your specific situation:

Choose FigJam if:

• You want the most feature-rich free option
• You use Google Classroom
• You need AI-powered brainstorming
• You want unlimited free boards (with education verification)

Choose Excalidraw if:

• You need something simple and instant
• Privacy is important (E2E encryption)
• You don't want accounts or sign-ups
• You like the informal hand-drawn style

Choose Canva Whiteboard if:

• You already use Canva for Education
• You want beautiful visuals and templates
• You need to turn brainstorms into presentations
• You teach younger students

Choose Microsoft Whiteboard if:

• Your school uses Microsoft 365
• You use Teams for video calls
• You want OneNote integration
• Accessibility features are important

Choose Lucidspark if:

• You need structured brainstorming frameworks
• You also use Lucidchart for diagrams
• You're okay with 3 free boards

Choose ConceptViz if:

• You need science-specific diagrams
• You want AI to create visuals for you
• You're making worksheets and quiz materials

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Comparison with Related Articles

Looking for alternatives to other educational tools? Check out our other guides:

• Best Free BioRender Alternatives for Teachers — For biology illustrations
• Best Free Lucidchart Alternatives for Teachers — For flowcharts and diagrams
• Best Free ChemDraw Alternatives for Teachers — For chemistry structures
• Best Free Canva Alternatives for Science Diagrams — For general science visuals
• Best Free EdrawMax Alternatives for Teachers — For professional diagramming

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Conclusion

You don't need to pay for Miro to get excellent whiteboard collaboration in your classroom. Whether you choose FigJam's comprehensive free education plan, Excalidraw's simple privacy-focused approach, or Canva's beautiful visual tools, there are great options for every teaching style and budget.

Our top recommendations:

1. Best overall free option: FigJam (with education verification)
2. Best for simplicity: Excalidraw
3. Best for visuals: Canva Whiteboard
4. Best for Microsoft schools: Microsoft Whiteboard
5. Best for science diagrams: ConceptViz

Ready to try a new whiteboard tool? Start with Excalidraw for instant, no-signup collaboration, or apply for FigJam's free education plan for the most feature-rich experience.

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FAQ

Q: Is Miro still worth using for teachers? A: Miro is excellent if you can get approved for their free Education plan (unlimited boards for verified educators). However, if you only have access to the standard free plan (3 boards), alternatives like FigJam or Canva Whiteboard offer more value.

Q: Which whiteboard tool works best on Chromebooks? A: Excalidraw, FigJam, Canva Whiteboard, and Lucidspark all work well in Chrome browsers. Microsoft Whiteboard also has a web version but works best with Microsoft accounts.

Q: Can students collaborate without creating accounts? A: Yes! Excalidraw requires no accounts at all. FigJam offers "open sessions" for education plans. Canva allows sharing view/edit links. Microsoft Whiteboard requires Microsoft accounts.

Q: Which tool is best for younger students (K-5)? A: Canva Whiteboard and Excalidraw are the most approachable for young students due to their simple, visual interfaces. FigJam's stickers and emotes also appeal to younger users.

Q: Are there any completely free options with no limits? A: Excalidraw is 100% free with no board limits. FigJam is free for verified educators with unlimited boards. Canva Whiteboard is free with Canva for Education.

Q: Can I import Miro boards to other tools? A: Most tools support importing images or PDFs exported from Miro, but there's no direct migration path. You may need to recreate boards in the new tool.