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Excalidraw vs Maze

Excalidraw logo

Excalidraw

Software

Virtual whiteboard for sketching hand-drawn like diagrams

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Maze logo

Maze

Software

The continuous product discovery platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Excalidraw advanced features (unlimited private scenes/folders, cloud storage, access management, presentations, extended AI, team management) are gated behind Excalidraw+; Maze maze publishes no prices on its pricing page; every plan routes to contact sales, so pricing is by quote only with no published rate or minimum
  • They diverge on capability: Excalidraw covers Hand-drawn style diagrams, Maze covers Prototype testing.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Excalidraw and Maze actually diverge.

Attributes where Excalidraw and Maze differ
AttributeExcalidrawMaze
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
PlatformsWebWeb, Mobile, Api
Founded20202018

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Excalidraw

  • Hand-drawn style diagrams
  • Real-time collaboration
  • Infinite canvas
  • Shape libraries
  • Text support
  • Image import
  • Export options
  • Keyboard shortcuts

Only in Maze

  • Prototype testing
  • Usability testing
  • Card sorting
  • Tree testing
  • Surveys
  • 5-second tests
  • A/B testing
  • Analytics dashboard

Both cover

  • Notion
  • Cloud deployment

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Excalidraw

  • Wireframing and diagrammingnot Maze
  • Real-time collaborative whiteboardingnot Maze
  • Hand-drawn-style illustrations for docs and decksnot Maze
  • Embedding a whiteboard into third-party apps via the npm packagenot Maze
  • Visual planning and note-takingnot Maze

Maze

  • Unmoderated usability testing of prototypes before developmentnot Excalidraw
  • Running surveys and concept or copy validation with recruited participantsnot Excalidraw
  • Card sorting and tree testing to shape information architecturenot Excalidraw

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Excalidraw

  • Advanced features (unlimited private scenes/folders, cloud storage, access management, presentations, extended AI, team management) are gated behind Excalidraw+
  • Free hosted version persists via scene links/local storage rather than a managed multi-scene workspace
  • Self-hosting the full collaborative stack requires standing up a websocket server and storage beyond the npm editor package
  • No official native desktop or app-store mobile apps - web/PWA only

Maze

  • Maze publishes no prices on its pricing page; every plan routes to contact sales, so pricing is by quote only with no published rate or minimum
  • The AI study builder, AI moderated interviews and moderated interview studies are Enterprise only
  • Mobile testing and testing through the Maze mobile app are Enterprise only
  • Interview scheduling, card sorting and information architecture testing are Enterprise only
  • Role-based access, SSO and compliance controls are Enterprise only
  • Panel recruitment is available on all plans but with stated limits, and prototype testing carries limits below Enterprise
  • Qualitative analysis of clip recordings, interview transcription and automated theme analysis are Enterprise only

Pricing, plan by plan

Excalidraw

Free
  • Excalidraw+$6/month
    • Unlimited private scenes and folders
    • Cloud storage
    • Access management

Maze

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 1 active project
    • Preview link testing
    • Basic analytics
  • Starter$75/month
    • 3 active projects
    • Unlimited responses
    • Advanced analytics
  • Team$150/month
    • Unlimited projects
    • Team collaboration
    • Custom branding
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Everything in Team
    • SSO
    • Dedicated CSM

Which should you pick?

Choose Excalidraw if

  • You need hand-drawn style diagrams.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want real-time collaboration.
Excalidraw review

Choose Maze if

  • You need prototype testing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile, Api.
  • You also want usability testing.
Maze review

Questions people ask

Is Excalidraw or Maze better?
Neither clearly leads. Excalidraw starts at Free and Maze at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Excalidraw or Maze?
Excalidraw starts at Free and Maze at Free.
Does Excalidraw or Maze run on more platforms?
Excalidraw runs on Web. Maze runs on Web, Mobile, Api.
Can I use Excalidraw for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Excalidraw best used for?
Excalidraw is most often used for wireframing and diagramming, real-time collaborative whiteboarding, hand-drawn-style illustrations for docs and decks, embedding a whiteboard into third-party apps via the npm package. Of those, wireframing and diagramming and real-time collaborative whiteboarding are not what Maze is typically brought in for.
What can Excalidraw do that Maze cannot?
Excalidraw covers Hand-drawn style diagrams, Real-time collaboration, Infinite canvas, Shape libraries. Maze covers Prototype testing, Usability testing, Card sorting, Tree testing. Both handle Notion, Cloud deployment.
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