Miro, Mural and FigJam are the three biggest names in visual collaboration. Each one provides a shared digital canvas that lets teams brainstorm, plan and diagram together, whether you’re in the same room or scattered across time zones.
But here’s the thing: they’re not the same. Not even close.
Miro is the Swiss Army knife—flexible, powerful and used by 100+ million people worldwide. Mural is the facilitator’s best friend—built for design sprints and structured workshops. FigJam is the simple choice for teams that are already in Figma and just want something that works without the bells and whistles.
In this comparison, I’ll walk you through what each tool actually does well, where they fall short and which one will actually make your team more productive—not just give you another place to put sticky notes.
Final word: Miro is the winner for a flexible all-in-one whiteboard for cross-functional teams. If you run structured workshops and need serious facilitation tools, Mural is your answer. If your team is already knee-deep in Figma and needs a simple, lightweight whiteboard, FigJam is the obvious choice.
Quick Comparison Table
| Feature | Miro | Mural | FigJam |
| Starting Price | $8/user/month | $9.99/user/month | $3/user/month (Collab seat) |
| Free Tier | Yes (3 editable boards) | Yes (3 murals) | Yes (unlimited and limited features) |
| Templates | 7,000+ | 200+ | Limited |
| Infinite Canvas | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Real-Time Collaboration | Yes (live cursors and comments) | Yes | Yes (cursors, stamps, reactions) |
| Facilitation Tools | Timers, voting, private mode | Timers, voting, private mode | Voting, timers, stickers |
| AI Features | Clustering, summaries, diagram generation | Brainstorming, feedback analysis | Idea generation, board creation |
| Figma Integration | Yes (plugin) | Limited | Native (same ecosystem) |
| Enterprise Security | SOC 2, ISO 27001, SSO | SSO, SCIM, data residency | Via Figma enterprise |
| G2 Rating | 4.4/5 | 4.5/5 | N/A |
| Best For | Cross-functional teams, enterprise scale | Structured workshops, facilitation | Figma-first design teams |
1. Miro – The Flexible All-in-One Whiteboard
Miro is the 800-pound gorilla of online whiteboarding—and there’s a reason: Over 100 million users at 250,000 companies use Miro to brainstorm, plan, diagram and collaborate. More than just a whiteboard, it’s an “AI Innovation Workspace” to bring teams and AI together to plan and build.
What’s special about Miro? Flexibility. Miro is suitable for everything from rapid-fire brainstorming and complex product discovery to agile ceremonies, customer journey mapping and technical diagramming. The canvas works the way your team does—you’re not locked into one kind of workflow.
The template library is huge—more than 7,000 templates for agile planning, product work, mind maps, user journeys and pretty much anything you can think of. That means you don’t have to start from scratch every time. You pick up a template, build your team and go.
Miro AI is a newer feature that can help with clustering sticky notes, generating summaries and creating diagrams. It’s not just a gimmick—if you’ve ever spent 20 minutes manually grouping stickies after a workshop, you’ll love this.
The secret? Miro can be intimidating. All the features can make the interface crowded. Performance may suffer on very large boards with hundreds of elements. And the free tier only gets you three editable boards. That’s enough to test it out, but you’ll need to pay up pretty quickly for real work.
What’s new for 2026? Miro continues to invest in AI collaboration features and enterprise governance. Add-ons for Enterprise Guard provide additional security controls for large organizations.
Official Website: miro.com
Pros
- Agile ceremonies, product discovery, diagrams, workshops Super flexible
- 7,000+ templates for almost any need
- Robust collaboration features (live cursors, comments, @mentions)
- Miro AI helps with clustering, summaries and diagramming
- 250+ integrations (Jira, Slack, Figma, Teams, Google Workspace)
- Enterprise-grade security (SOC 2, ISO 27001, SSO)
- Used by 250,000+ companies – massive community and resources
Cons
- Can be confusing and overwhelming to new users
- Performance degrades on very large boards with many elements
- Free tier is restricted (only 3 editable boards)
- Pricing scales with team size
- Advanced features learning curve
Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.4/5
2. Mural – The Facilitator’s Best Friend
A mural is not Miro. Whereas Miro strives to be everything for everyone, Mural is all about one thing: structured facilitation. It’s for teams running workshops, design sprints and facilitated sessions where process matters.
What is special about Mural? The facilitation-first model. Mural has the built-in tools that workshop facilitators actually need. Set timers to keep things moving, vote to prioritize ideas, use private mode for independent thought before sharing and guided activities to walk teams through structured exercises.
If you’ve ever tried to run a design sprint or a retrospective in a tool that wasn’t built for it, you know the pain. Mural makes it easy.
“Mural is trusted by the world’s most security-conscious enterprises. It provides enterprise controls with strong SSO, SCIM provisioning, data residency options and even BYOK (bring your own key) encryption for those with strict compliance requirements.
The secret? Mural is not as flexible as Miro. If your team doesn’t run structured workshops, many of Mural’s features will appear to be overkill. The interface can be complex and some users report performance problems with larger boards. It’s also a bit pricier than Miro at the entry level.
What’s new in 2026? Mural AI now supports brainstorming assistance and feedback analysis. The platform continues to emphasize enterprise-grade security and facilitation workflows .
Official Website: mural.co
Pros
- Built specifically for structured workshops and facilitation
- Strong facilitation tools (timers, voting, private mode, guided activities)
- Trusted by security-conscious enterprises (SSO, SCIM, data residency, BYOK)
- Templates for design thinking, agile planning and retrospectives
- Real-time collaboration with live cursors and comments
- Zoom and Webex integrations on Team+ plans
Cons
- Not as flexible as Miro for non-workshop situations
- Interface is complex and overwhelming
- Performance issues reported on bigger boards
- Higher starting price than Miro (but a little)
- Facilitator learning curve to use all features
Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.5/5
3. FigJam – The Figma-Native Lightweight Whiteboard
FigJam is the new kid on the block, built by Figma, the design tool that’s taken the world by storm. FigJam is Figma’s answer to the question, “What if brainstorming actually worked WITH our design workflow?
What is unique about FigJam? Integrate with Figma. FigJam is a natural extension of Figma, especially if your team is already designing in Figma. You can go from a brainstorming board in FigJam directly into a Figma design file without leaving the ecosystem. Designs come easily from ideas.
FigJam is purposefully lightweight. It doesn’t try to do it all. The interface is clean and simple—sticky notes, shapes, connectors and a few widgets such as voting and timers. That’s it. That’s the whole point, honestly. There’s no feature bloat and teams who want a fast, no-fuss whiteboard love FigJam.
Another great feature is open sessions—anyone can jump in and edit a board for 24 hours without creating an account. For running workshops with external clients, partners, or executives, this removes a huge amount of friction.
FigJam AI can generate boards, organize ideas, summarize notes and turn complex inputs into simpler diagrams.
The secret? FigJam is not meant for complex work. If you need advanced diagramming, technical architecture maps, or heavy facilitation tools, FigJam will feel limiting. It’s also less valuable if you’re not already in the Figma ecosystem—you’re paying for a whiteboard optimized around a workflow you don’t use.
What’s new for 2026? FigJam keeps adding interactivity driven by widgets and AI-assisted board generation. The open session feature is a big differentiator for external collaboration.
Official Website: figma.com/figjam
Pros
- Figma-native integration – seamless design workflow
- Clean, simple, lightweight interface
- Open sessions – external participants can join without an account (24-hour access)
- Starting price lower ($3/user/month for Collab seats)
- Fun, engaging features (stickers, stamps, reactions)
- AI help to organize ideas and generate boards
- great for quick brainstorms and team meetings
Cons
- Limited advanced features – not appropriate for complex diagramming or heavy facilitation
- Not as useful if you aren’t already using the Figma ecosystem
- Less templates and integrations than Miro
- Figma plan is the basis of enterprise governance
- Not ideal for technical diagrams or architecture mapping
Rating:
⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.3/5
Feature-by-Feature Comparison: What Actually Matters for Teams
Facilitation & Workshops – Who Runs the Best Sessions?
| Criteria | Miro | Mural | FigJam |
| Timers | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Voting | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Private Mode | Yes | Yes | No |
| Guided Activities | Limited | Extensive | Minimal |
| Workshop Templates | Many | Many | Few |
| External Participant Friction | Moderate (account often needed) | Moderate | Low (open sessions) |
Winner: Mural – If workshops are your primary use case, Mural’s facilitation heritage is unmatched. The private mode feature alone is a game-changer for gathering honest input from participants. Miro can absolutely run workshops, but Mural was built for them. FigJam is great for quick sessions but lacks structured facilitation tools.
Guest Access & External Collaboration – Who Makes It Easiest to Join?
| Criteria | Miro | Mural | FigJam |
| Account Required | Often, yes. | Often, yes. | No (open sessions) |
| Session Duration Limit | Varies by plan | Varies by plan | 24-hour open sessions |
| Admin Controls | Yes (enterprise) | Yes (enterprise) | Yes (via Figma) |
| External Sharing | Granular controls | Granular controls | Simple but limited |
Winner: FigJam – The “open sessions” feature is a genuine differentiator. For teams that regularly run sessions with external clients, partners, or executives, not forcing them to create an account is a huge win. Miro and Mural support external collaboration too, but usually with more friction.
AI Capabilities – Who Helps You Work Faster?
| Criteria | Miro | Mural | FigJam |
| Sticky Note Clustering | Yes (Miro AI) | Limited | No |
| Summarization | Yes | Yes (Mural AI) | Yes |
| Diagram Generation | Yes | Limited | No |
| Board Creation | No | No | Yes (AI-generated) |
| Idea Organization | Yes | Yes (feedback analysis) | Yes |
| Governance Controls | Enterprise add-ons | Available | Via Figma |
Winner: Miro – Miro AI is the most mature of the three, particularly for clustering and summarization—two tasks that eat up tons of time after workshops. FigJam’s AI is promising but newer. Mural’s AI focuses more on brainstorming assistance and feedback analysis. For most teams, Miro’s AI capabilities will save the most time.
Enterprise Security & Compliance – Who Can Your Legal Team Trust?
| Criteria | Miro | Mural | FigJam |
| SOC 2 Type II | Yes | Yes | Via Figma |
| ISO 27001 | Yes | Not specified | Via Figma |
| SSO | Yes (Business/Enterprise) | Yes (SAML 2.0) | Via Figma Enterprise |
| SCIM Provisioning | Yes (Enterprise) | Yes | Via Figma |
| Data Residency | Limited | Yes (EU, US, others) | Via Figma |
| BYOK Encryption | No | Yes | No |
Winner: Mural – For regulated industries (finance, healthcare, government), Mural’s enterprise security features are the most comprehensive. Data residency and BYOK encryption are significant advantages. Miro is also enterprise-ready with SOC 2 and ISO 27001, but Mural’s data controls are stronger.
Integrations & Ecosystem – Who Plays Well With Your Stack?
| Criteria | Miro | Mural | FigJam |
| Figma | Plugin | Limited | Native |
| Jira | Yes | Yes | Limited |
| Slack | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Microsoft Teams | Yes | Yes | Limited |
| Google Workspace | Yes | Yes | Limited |
| Zoom/Webex | Yes | Yes (Team+) | Limited |
| Total Integrations | 250+ | Moderate | Few (Figma-centric) |
Winner: Miro – With 250+ integrations, Miro connects to almost everything in your stack. If you use Jira for project management, Slack for communication and Google Workspace for docs, Miro fits right in. FigJam wins only if your primary tool is Figma. The mural is solid but not as extensive.
Pricing & Value – Where Does Your Budget Go?
| Plan | Miro | Mural | FigJam |
| Free | 3 editable boards | 3 murals | Unlimited (limited features) |
| Entry Paid | $8/user/month (Starter) | $9.99/user/month (Team+) | $3/user/month (Collab seat) |
| Business/Pro | $16/user/month (Business) | $17.99/user/month (Business) | $12/user/month (Full seat) |
| Enterprise | Custom (add-ons available) | Custom | Custom (via Figma) |
Value notes:
- FigJam is the cheapest—If you’re already paying for Figma seats, FigJam is usually a small added cost. Collab starts at $3 per user per month.
- Miro is mid-range—The $8/user/month starter plan is affordable, but advanced features require Business ($16) or Enterprise.
- Mural is the most expensive—Mural is a little more expensive than Miro, starting at $9.99/user/month, but the facilitation features make the cost worth it for teams that do a lot of workshops.
Winner for value: FigJam – For Figma shops, it’s a no-brainer. For non-Figma teams, Miro offers the best balance of features and price. Mural is worth the premium only if facilitation is your core use case.
Which Tool Is Best for Different Use Cases?
Choose Miro if:
- You need a flexible whiteboard for multiple team types (product, delivery, ops, leadership)
- You run a combination of workshops, planning sessions and technical diagramming
- Your team values a broad feature set and doesn’t want to switch tools for different workflows
- You need strong integrations with Jira, Slack, Teams and Google Workspace
- You want AI features to group and summarize workshop outputs
- You’re a cross-functional team that needs one tool for everything
Choose Mural if:
- Your primary use case is for structured workshops, design sprints and facilitated sessions
- You need enterprise controls (SSO, SCIM, data residency, BYOK)
- You run workshops with participants who need private mode for honest input
- You work in a regulated industry (finance, healthcare, government)
- Facilitation is a repeatable practice in your organization
- You need a platform that’s built for workshop facilitators
Choose FigJam if:
- Your team is already entrenched in the Figma ecosystem.
- You want a simple, lightweight whiteboard that isn’t loaded with features you don’t need
- You regularly run sessions with external participants who don’t need to have accounts
- Your whiteboarding needs are quick brainstorming, ideation and early product planning
- No fancy diagramming or heavy facilitation tools required
- You want the cheapest one (especially with Figma Collab seats)
Final Verdict
| Category | Winner |
| Best Overall | Miro |
| Best for Structured Workshops | Mural |
| Best for Figma Shops | FigJam |
| Best Value for Money | FigJam (for Figma users) / Miro (for others) |
| Best Enterprise Security | Mural |
| Best AI Features | Miro |
| Best Guest Access | FigJam (open sessions) |
| Best Integrations | Miro |
| Best for Beginners | FigJam |
| Best for Cross-Functional Teams | Miro |
Here’s the honest truth: There’s no single “best” online whiteboard. The right choice depends entirely on how your team works and what tools you already use.
If you’re a Figma shop, just use FigJam. Seriously. The integration is seamless, the price is right and the simplicity is refreshing. You can always layer Miro on top later if you need advanced features.
If you run structured workshops regularly, Mural is worth the premium. The facilitation tools and enterprise security features are unmatched. Your participants will notice the difference.
If you need a flexible, all-in-one whiteboard for cross-functional teams, Miro is the safe bet. It does everything well, integrates with everything and has the largest community. It’s the industry standard for a reason.
My personal recommendation for most teams in 2026? Miro starts. It’s the most flexible, has the best AI features and has a manageable learning curve. If you’re doing more structured workshops, check out Mural. If you’re a Figma shop, use FigJam and don’t look back.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Is Miro better than Mural?
Yes, for most teams, but it depends. Miro is more flexible and works for more use cases (workshops, product discovery, agile ceremonies, technical diagramming). If structured workshops and facilitation are your primary use case, Mural is better. Miro has better AI capabilities and more integrations. Mural has stronger enterprise security controls (BYOK, data residency). If you’re a cross-functional team, get started with Miro.
Can external participants join FigJam without an account?
Yes – this is one of the great things about FigJam. “Open sessions” allow anyone to join and edit a board for 24 hours without signing up. Admins can control or disable open sessions at the organization level. Miro and Mural can also be used for external collaboration, but they often require participants to create accounts or log in, adding friction.
Which tool has the best free tier?
It depends on what you want. Miro offers you 3 editable boards — enough to test out core features. Like, Mural gives you 3 murals. FigJam has unlimited boards but limited features. This is generous for basic use. You’ll probably outgrow all free tiers pretty quickly for real collaboration with a team. FigJam offers the most generous free tier for casual use; Miro’s is best for testing advanced features.
Is FigJam good for non-design teams?
Yes, but with reservations. The simplicity of FigJam is appealing to non-design teams; its interface is clean and intuitive. However, features are lacking compared to Miro. For advanced diagramming, technical architecture, or heavy facilitation tools, FigJam will feel restrictive. FigJam is great for any team for fast brainstorming, team meetings and lightweight planning.
Which tool is best for enterprise security?
Mural supports enterprise security features such as SOC 2 compliance, SSO (SAML 2.0), SCIM provisioning, data residency options (EU, US, others) and BYOK (bring your own key) encryption. Miro has SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001 certification with enterprise controls, but Mural’s data residency and BYOK options are stronger for regulated industries. FigJam enterprise security requires a Figma plan.
