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Excalidraw vs Webex by Cisco

Excalidraw logo

Excalidraw

Technology

Virtual whiteboard for sketching hand-drawn like diagrams

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Webex by Cisco logo

Webex by Cisco

Communication

A simpler, smarter way to work

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+; Webex by Cisco listed on UK G-Cloud at £6 per user per month for Cisco Webex, via reseller Conscia Group UK Ltd (ITGL)
  • They diverge on capability: Excalidraw covers Hand-drawn style diagrams, Webex by Cisco covers Video and audio conferencing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Excalidraw and Webex by Cisco actually diverge.

Attributes where Excalidraw and Webex by Cisco differ
AttributeExcalidrawWebex by Cisco
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
PlatformsWebWeb, Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android
CategoryTechnologyCommunication
Founded20201984

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

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 Webex by Cisco

  • Video and audio conferencing
  • Screen sharing and annotation
  • Virtual backgrounds
  • Recording and playback
  • Meeting transcription
  • Chat and messaging
  • Calendar integration
  • Breakout sessions

What people use each for

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

Excalidraw

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

Webex by Cisco

  • Video conferencingnot Excalidraw
  • Webinarsnot Excalidraw
  • Virtual eventsnot Excalidraw
  • Trainingnot Excalidraw
  • Enterprise communicationnot 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

Webex by Cisco

  • Listed on UK G-Cloud at £6 per user per month for Cisco Webex, via reseller Conscia Group UK Ltd (ITGL)

Pricing, plan by plan

Excalidraw

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

Webex by Cisco

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited 1:1 meetings
    • Group meetings (40 min limit, 100 participants)
    • HD video
  • Pro$13.5/month
    • Unlimited meetings (500 participants)
    • Cloud recording and storage
    • Advanced scheduling
  • Business$18/month
    • Everything in Pro
    • Custom branding
    • Advanced security
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Unlimited everything
    • Dedicated account manager
    • Custom deployment

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 Webex by Cisco if

  • You need video and audio conferencing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android.
  • You also want screen sharing and annotation.
Webex by Cisco review

Questions people ask

Is Excalidraw or Webex by Cisco better?
Neither clearly leads. Excalidraw starts at Free and Webex by Cisco at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Excalidraw or Webex by Cisco?
Excalidraw starts at Free and Webex by Cisco at Free.
Does Excalidraw or Webex by Cisco run on more platforms?
Excalidraw runs on Web. Webex by Cisco runs on Web, Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android.
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 Webex by Cisco is typically brought in for.
What can Excalidraw do that Webex by Cisco cannot?
Excalidraw covers Hand-drawn style diagrams, Real-time collaboration, Infinite canvas, Shape libraries. Webex by Cisco covers Video and audio conferencing, Screen sharing and annotation, Virtual backgrounds, Recording and playback.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Excalidraw: Is Excalidraw free?

Excalidraw appears to be a free drawing application available at no cost to users. The website does not display information about pricing tiers or premium features, suggesting it is offered as a free service.

Source
Excalidraw: Does Excalidraw offer paid plans?

No pricing tiers or paid upgrade options are mentioned on the Excalidraw website, which indicates the service is available entirely free without commercial pricing models.

Source
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