5 Best Free Whiteboard Apps for Desktop in 2026
Looking for a free whiteboard app? Compare the top 5 desktop whiteboard tools for drawing, teaching, and brainstorming in 2026.
Whether you’re teaching, brainstorming, or sketching diagrams, a good whiteboard app makes all the difference. Here are the 5 best free whiteboard apps you can use on your desktop in 2026.
1. Squiggle (Windows & macOS)
Best for: Drawing, annotation, and teaching
Squiggle is a lightweight desktop whiteboard that doubles as a screen annotation tool. It’s offline-first, privacy-focused, and doesn’t require an account.
Free features:
- Unlimited boards with auto-save
- Pen, highlighter, eraser, shapes, text, sticky notes
- Export as PNG and copy to clipboard
- Dark mode and background patterns
- Board folders, search, and sort
Pro ($5 once): Screen overlay, PDF import/export, templates, blur/redact, spotlight, step markers, connectors.
Why it stands out: It’s one of the few whiteboard apps that also lets you draw on top of other applications. The screen overlay mode is unique.
2. Excalidraw (Web)
Best for: Quick, hand-drawn style diagrams
Excalidraw is a free, open-source web app with a distinctive hand-drawn look. It’s great for quick diagrams and has real-time collaboration via shared links.
Pros: Free, open source, hand-drawn aesthetic, collaboration Cons: Web only (no desktop app), data in browser localStorage (can be lost), no PDF support
Read: Squiggle vs Excalidraw →
3. Microsoft Whiteboard (Windows)
Best for: Microsoft 365 users who need team collaboration
Microsoft Whiteboard comes free with Microsoft 365. It integrates with Teams and supports real-time collaboration. Good for meetings and brainstorming sessions.
Pros: Free with Microsoft 365, team collaboration, Ink to Shape Cons: Requires Microsoft account, cloud-only, no screen annotation, no offline mode
Read: Squiggle vs Microsoft Whiteboard →
4. OneNote (Windows & macOS)
Best for: Mixed note-taking and drawing
OneNote is a note-taking app with drawing capabilities. It’s not a pure whiteboard, but its freeform canvas supports pen input, shapes, and text alongside typed notes.
Pros: Free, cross-platform, handwriting recognition, audio recording Cons: Heavy (500+ MB), requires Microsoft account, not a dedicated whiteboard, hard to export clean images
5. Openboard (Windows, macOS, Linux)
Best for: Classroom teaching with interactive whiteboards
Openboard is an open-source interactive whiteboard app designed for classrooms. It’s been around since 2013 and is widely used in education.
Pros: Free, open source, designed for teaching, works with interactive whiteboards Cons: Dated UI, limited export options, no screen overlay, development has slowed
Quick comparison
| App | Price | Offline | Screen Overlay | PDF Support | Platform |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Squiggle | Free / $5 Pro | Yes | Yes | Yes (Pro) | Win, Mac |
| Excalidraw | Free | Partial | No | No | Web |
| MS Whiteboard | Free* | No | No | Yes | Win, Web |
| OneNote | Free | Partial | No | Yes | Win, Mac |
| Openboard | Free | Yes | No | No | Win, Mac, Linux |
*Requires Microsoft 365 account
Our pick
If you want a fast, private whiteboard that doesn’t need an account or internet connection, Squiggle is the best choice. It’s the only app on this list that also works as a screen annotation tool — and it’s a one-time $5 purchase instead of a monthly subscription.