Excalidraw vs Recraft — Pricing, Plans, and Verified Costs (2026)
Excalidraw starts at $7/mo. Recraft uses custom pricing — request a quote to compare.
See price history: Excalidraw · Recraft
Open-source hand-drawn-style whiteboard for sketching diagrams, wireframes, and architecture flows. Positioned as the alternative to Miro/FigJam for engineers and technical folks who want low-fidelity 'thinking together' tools that don't feel like corporate whiteboards. Distinctive charmingly-imperfect aesthetic (looks like a sharpie sketch). Base tool is free forever; Excalidraw+ at $7/mo adds cloud storage + collaboration. Popular with engineering teams and technical Twitter.
AI design tool focused on vector graphics and brand-consistent illustrations. Pricing: Free (50 daily credits), Basic $12/mo, Advanced $33/mo, Pro $60/mo. Popular with designers who need vector-first AI output that scales cleanly — SVG icons, brand illustrations, print-ready graphics.
All plans compared
| Tier role | Plan | Excalidraw monthly | Excalidraw annual | Recraft monthly | Recraft annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free / starter | Free | Free | Free | Free | Free |
| Entry paid | Plus / Basic | $7 | $6 | $12 | $10 |
| Mid tier | — / Advanced | — | — | $33 | $27 |
| Pro / power | — / Pro | — | — | $60 | $48 |
Tier names differ across vendors. Rows are aligned by tier role, not name. Full tier structures on each tool's page.
What each is best for
Excalidraw is worth it if… engineers, PMs, and designers who need whiteboarding + diagrams + collaborative sketches with a distinctive hand-drawn aesthetic — particularly for technical architecture docs and lightweight wireframes. Free (open-source) covers unlimited use; Plus tier adds cloud storage, versioning, and team libraries.
Recraft is worth it if… designers who need vector-first AI output (SVG, print-ready graphics) that other AI image tools produce as raster. Basic ($12) suits solo designers; Advanced ($33) suits agencies; Pro ($60) adds API + brand training.
Bottom line: Similar positioning, closer to a preference call than a strategic one.
Choose Excalidraw over Recraft if…
Choose Excalidraw if…
- You're comfortable with Excalidraw's from $7/mo entry point.
- You match the profile Excalidraw is built for: engineers, PMs, and designers who need whiteboarding + diagrams + collaborative sketches with a distinctive hand-drawn aesthetic — particularly for technical architecture docs and lightweight wireframes.
- You need a general-purpose design & creative option rather than a vertical-specific one.
Choose Recraft if…
- You want fixed-price predictability (tiered, custom pricing).
- You match the profile Recraft is built for: designers who need vector-first AI output (SVG, print-ready graphics) that other AI image tools produce as raster.
- You need a general-purpose design & creative option rather than a vertical-specific one.
At a glance
| Excalidraw | Recraft | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Entry price | $7/mo | Custom |
| Enterprise available | Yes | No |
| Pricing model | — | Tiered |
| Last verified | September 15, 2026 | — |
| Full pricing | View full pricing | View full pricing |
Pricing last verified September 15, 2026. Tracked daily.