Softwr

Remote Work · head to head

Gather vs Whimsical

Gather logo

Gather

Remote Work

Virtual spaces for remote collaboration

From
Free
Rated
-
Whimsical logo

Whimsical

Technology

Where great ideas take shape

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Gather no native desktop or mobile app; browser-based only; Whimsical the free plan is capped at 3 team boards, 3 teams and 10 guest seats
  • They diverge on capability: Gather covers Proximity video chat, Whimsical covers Flowcharts.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Gather and Whimsical actually diverge.

Attributes where Gather and Whimsical differ
AttributeGatherWhimsical
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
CategoryRemote WorkTechnology
Founded20202017

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), platforms (Web), 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 Gather

  • Proximity video chat
  • Customizable spaces
  • Interactive objects
  • Screen sharing
  • Calendar
  • Google Workspace
  • Web support
  • Desktop support

Only in Whimsical

  • Flowcharts
  • Wireframes
  • Mind maps
  • Sticky notes
  • Docs
  • Real-time collaboration
  • Templates
  • Keyboard shortcuts

Both cover

  • Slack

What people use each for

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

Gather

  • VR Gamingnot Whimsical
  • AR Marketingnot Whimsical
  • Virtual Trainingnot Whimsical
  • 3D Visualizationnot Whimsical
  • Immersive Experiencesnot Whimsical

Whimsical

  • Product planningnot Gather
  • UI/UX designnot Gather
  • Brainstormingnot Gather
  • Process documentationnot Gather
  • Project visualizationnot Gather

Where each one falls short

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

Gather

  • No native desktop or mobile app; browser-based only
  • Limited API documentation compared to enterprise competitors
  • Scaling large virtual offices can impact performance

Whimsical

  • The free plan is capped at 3 team boards, 3 teams and 10 guest seats
  • File uploads are limited to 5MB per file and 1GB in total on the free plan
  • Version history on the free plan goes back 7 days
  • Voting, the timer, private teams, the GitHub integration, password-protected files and watermark removal all need Pro at $10 per editor per month
  • SSO and SAML are Business tier only at $20 per editor per month

Pricing, plan by plan

Gather

Free
  • 30-Day TrialFree
    • Up to 50 team members
    • All features included
    • Meetings and chat
  • Essential$12/month
    • All features
    • Meeting recordings starting at 20 hours
    • Meeting transcriptions starting at 30 hours

Whimsical

Free
  • StarterFree
    • Up to 4 boards
    • Unlimited viewers
    • 7-day version history
  • Pro$10/month
    • Unlimited boards
    • Unlimited version history
    • Advanced permissions
  • Org$20/month
    • Everything in Pro
    • SSO
    • User management

Which should you pick?

Choose Gather if

  • You need proximity video chat.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want customizable spaces.

Choose Whimsical if

  • You need flowcharts.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want wireframes.

Questions people ask

Is Gather or Whimsical better?
Neither clearly leads. Gather starts at Free and Whimsical at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Gather or Whimsical?
Gather starts at Free and Whimsical at Free.
Does Gather or Whimsical run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Gather for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Gather best used for?
Gather is most often used for vr gaming, ar marketing, virtual training, 3d visualization. Of those, vr gaming and ar marketing are not what Whimsical is typically brought in for.
What can Gather do that Whimsical cannot?
Gather covers Proximity video chat, Customizable spaces, Interactive objects, Screen sharing. Whimsical covers Flowcharts, Wireframes, Mind maps, Sticky notes. Both handle Slack.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Gather: What is a free trial of Gather like?

Gather offers a 30-day free trial with no credit card required that includes up to 50 team members and access to all features including meetings, chat, AI meeting notes, and full office customization.

Source
Whimsical: What are Whimsical's pricing tiers?

Whimsical offers three plans: Free at 0 dollars per month per editor, Pro at 10 dollars per month per editor, and Business at 20 dollars per month per editor.

Source
Gather: How does Gather reduce meeting load?

Gather recreates natural office dynamics through spatial audio and proximity-based interactions, allowing colleagues to bump into each other and have quick conversations without scheduled calls. Teams report shorter, more organic conversations that wrap up in under 10 minutes.

Source
Whimsical: What is included in the Free plan?

The Free plan allows creation of up to 50 board objects and 50 doc blocks per month, includes watermarked exports, and provides 7-day version history. Storage is limited to 1GB.

Source
Gather: What platforms and devices does Gather support?

Gather works on web browsers and integrates with Slack and Google Chat. The platform supports audio/video calls, screen sharing, and custom workspace design.

Source
Whimsical: What features unlock in the Pro plan?

The Pro plan removes the object creation limits, provides unlimited board objects and doc blocks, removes watermarks from exports, extends version history to 90 days, and offers 100GB of storage.

Source
Gather: Does Gather work offline?

Gather is a web-based platform that requires an internet connection to function, though it emphasizes quick connection and low bandwidth requirements compared to traditional video conferencing.

Source
Whimsical: What security and team features come with Business?

The Business plan adds private teams, SAML single sign-on, SCIM and advanced security controls, unlimited version history, priority support, and a dedicated success manager. Storage starts at 2TB.

Source
Whimsical: Do discounts apply for annual billing?

Yes, annual billing offers a 17 percent discount compared to monthly rates. Additionally, nonprofits receive a 20 percent discount and students and teachers get full access.

Source
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