draw.io vs FigJam
Both are alternatives to Miro. Here's how they stack up — verified facts, no spin.
Also searched as FigJam vs draw.io — same comparison, one verdict.
draw.io is open source (Apache-2.0) and FigJam is not (Proprietary (hosted service)) — so the real question is whether you want to own the whiteboards & diagramming stack or rent it.
draw.io
Structured diagrams that live as files in your own repository.
draw.io is the precise, structured counterpart to Excalidraw's sketchiness: network topologies, UML, flowcharts, org charts, with extensive shape libraries and stencils for AWS, Azure and GCP. Apache-2.0, runs entirely in the browser or as a desktop application, and stores diagrams as files you keep — in Git, in Drive, wherever. That last point matters more than it sounds: a diagram in your repository is reviewed alongside the code it describes, and a diagram in a SaaS canvas is not.
FigJam
If your designers already pay for Figma, this is included.
FigJam is Figma's whiteboard, and for organisations already paying for Figma it is often included or nearly so — which makes buying Miro alongside it a duplicated cost worth noticing. It handles sticky notes, voting, timers and workshops competently, and the ability to pull real design components onto the canvas is something Miro cannot do. Proprietary and hosted. Listed because the most common way to stop paying for Miro is to discover you already own something that does the job.
Side by side
6 points of comparison, every one read from a verified field. Green marks the side that wins a row outright. A dash means we do not hold that fact — never that it is zero.
| draw.io | FigJam | |
|---|---|---|
| Sovereignty ScoreOur transparent 0–100 composite for data ownership and exit cost. | 94 | 30 |
| Open source | Yes | No |
| Self-hostable | Yes | No |
| Local-first data | Yes | No |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Proprietary (hosted service) |
| Pricing | Free and open source. Confluence and Jira plugins are paid. | Free tier available; included or heavily discounted with existing Figma seats. Checked 2026-08-04. |
draw.io edges it on the Sovereignty Score, but the right pick depends on the trade-offs below.
draw.io
Strengths
- +Extensive shape libraries including AWS, Azure and GCP stencils
- +Diagrams are files you own — version them in Git
- +Apache-2.0, self-hostable, and works fully offline
- +Best of these for precise structured diagrams
Trade-offs
- −Real-time collaboration is weaker than Miro or Excalidraw
- −Interface is dense and dated
- −No workshop or facilitation features
- −Wrong tool for loose collaborative sketching
FigJam
Strengths
- +Frequently already paid for if your team uses Figma
- +Real workshop tools — voting, timers, templates
- +Design components drop straight onto the canvas
- +Familiar to anyone who already uses Figma
Trade-offs
- −Proprietary and hosted with no self-host path
- −Only compelling if you are already a Figma customer
- −Fewer templates than Miro
- −Another Adobe-owned dependency
Which one fits you
The trade-offs above, turned into a decision. Find the line that describes your team.
Choose draw.io
if you want the source and the option to fork it, and you would rather run it on your own hardware, and your data should stay on machines you control.
Choose FigJam
if frequently already paid for if your team uses Figma.
Neither, yet
if both carry a real cost you should weigh first — real-time collaboration is weaker than Miro or Excalidraw, and proprietary and hosted with no self-host path. If either of those is a dealbreaker for your team, the shortlist is wrong rather than the choice.
draw.io vs FigJam — common questions
Is draw.io a better fit than FigJam for whiteboards & diagramming?
It depends on what you are optimising for, and the honest split is this: draw.io scores 94 to FigJam's 30 on data ownership and exit cost, so it is the safer choice if you care about being able to leave. FigJam earns its place on a different axis — frequently already paid for if your team uses Figma. Neither is a wrong answer for every team; the table above is the actual comparison.
What happens if we want to switch later?
draw.io keeps its data local or in open formats, so leaving is an export rather than a negotiation. FigJam keeps your data on its own infrastructure, which is the part to plan for: confirm the export path before you commit, not when you are already trying to leave.
Can I self-host draw.io?
draw.io can be self-hosted; FigJam cannot, so it stays on the vendor's infrastructure whatever you do.
Are draw.io and FigJam both alternatives to Miro?
Yes — both appear in our Miro comparison, which is why they are worth putting side by side. People usually arrive here already having decided to move off Miro and now choosing between the two replacements, which is a narrower and much easier question.
Related alternative guides
Facts verified 2026-08-04. Licenses and pricing change — spotted something out of date? That's a correction we want.