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Software · head to head

Sketch vs Excalidraw

Sketch logo

Sketch

Software

The digital design toolkit

From
$12/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Excalidraw logo

Excalidraw

Software

Virtual whiteboard for sketching hand-drawn like diagrams

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Excalidraw has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Sketch macOS-only for editing, blocking Windows and Linux users from accessing design features; Excalidraw advanced features (unlimited private scenes/folders, cloud storage, access management, presentations, extended AI, team management) are gated behind Excalidraw+
  • They diverge on capability: Sketch covers Vector editing, Excalidraw covers Hand-drawn style diagrams.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Sketch and Excalidraw actually diverge.

Attributes where Sketch and Excalidraw differ
AttributeSketchExcalidraw
Starting price$12/monthFree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsmacOS, Web, iOS, iPadWeb
Founded20102020

Identical on both: pricing model (Unknown), 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 Sketch

  • Vector editing
  • Symbols & components
  • Prototyping
  • Developer handoff
  • Plugins ecosystem
  • Cloud sync
  • Version history
  • InVision

Only in Excalidraw

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

Both cover

  • Real-time collaboration

What people use each for

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

Sketch

  • UI designnot Excalidraw
  • Mobile app designnot Excalidraw
  • Web designnot Excalidraw
  • Design systemsnot Excalidraw
  • Prototypingnot Excalidraw

Excalidraw

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

Where each one falls short

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

Sketch

  • macOS-only for editing, blocking Windows and Linux users from accessing design features
  • Real-time collaboration feels less seamless than Figma with occasional sync delays
  • Limited built-in image editing capabilities, requiring external software for bitmap work
  • Subscription required for cloud features and collaboration, losing access if subscription lapses

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

Pricing, plan by plan

Sketch

$12/month
  • Standard$12/month
    • Real-time collaboration
    • Unlimited documents
    • Unlimited free viewers
  • Professional$24/month
    • Everything in Standard
    • Single Sign-On (SSO)
    • Project archiving
  • Enterprise$44/month
    • Everything in Professional
    • SCIM provisioning
    • BYOK encryption
  • Mac-only License$120/perpetual
    • Native Mac app
    • Offline access
    • Local file saving

Excalidraw

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

Which should you pick?

Choose Sketch if

  • You need vector editing.
  • You work on macOS, Web, iOS, iPad.
  • You also want symbols & components.
Sketch review

Choose Excalidraw if

  • You need hand-drawn style diagrams.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want infinite canvas.
Excalidraw review

Questions people ask

Is Sketch or Excalidraw better?
Neither clearly leads. Sketch starts at $12/month and Excalidraw at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Sketch or Excalidraw?
Excalidraw has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $12/month for Sketch and Free for Excalidraw.
Does Sketch or Excalidraw run on more platforms?
Sketch runs on macOS, Web, iOS, iPad. Excalidraw runs on Web.
Can I use Excalidraw for free?
Yes. Excalidraw has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Sketch starts at $12/month.
What is Sketch best used for?
Sketch is most often used for ui design, mobile app design, web design, design systems. Of those, ui design and mobile app design are not what Excalidraw is typically brought in for.
What can Sketch do that Excalidraw cannot?
Sketch covers Vector editing, Symbols & components, Prototyping, Developer handoff. Excalidraw covers Hand-drawn style diagrams, Infinite canvas, Shape libraries, Text support. Both handle Real-time collaboration.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Sketch: Is Sketch available for Windows or Linux?

No. Sketch is macOS-only for the design and prototyping features. Web and mobile apps provide viewing and collaboration, but editing requires macOS 14.0 or later.

Source
Sketch: Does Sketch offer a free trial?

Yes. Sketch provides a 30-day free trial with no credit card required. You can also purchase a one-time Mac-only license for $120 per seat instead of subscribing.

Source
Sketch: What collaboration features does Sketch include?

Sketch supports real-time collaboration, unlimited document sharing, unlimited viewers, and version history on all paid subscription plans (Standard $12/month, Professional $24/month, Enterprise $44/month).

Source
Sketch: Can I use Sketch offline?

Yes. The one-time Mac-only license ($120) allows you to use Sketch offline and save files locally, but it excludes cloud collaboration and iOS previewing features.

Source
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