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Dev tools · alternatives · 2026

24 alternatives to Pad.ws – Whiteboard IDE is now open-source

Pad.ws is an infinite canvas that runs Linux, you can draw, write, open terminals or vscode to your very own ubuntu workspace. This uses Excalidraw for the canvas part while Coder manages the dev environments. We have a Public hosted instance at https://pad.ws if you want to try it out Disclaimer: this project is still very early, your feedback helps us shape it, so please let us hear your ideas!

Pad.ws is an infinite canvas application that combines drawing and writing capabilities with a Linux environment running Ubuntu. Users can sketch on the canvas, open terminals, and access VS Code within their own… Below are 24 products that do a similar job, ranked by how close each is in meaning and then by launch-day votes.

  1. 1

    open-source IDE for thoughtful software design. Contribute to devdotfast/whiteboard development by creating an account on GitHub.

    Sep 2026 · github.com · its alternatives →

  2. 2
    Canvas▲251

    A DALL·E playground for the Mac

    2023 · kevinhermawan.com · its alternatives →

  3. 3

    The canvas where ideas, content, & people come together.

    2018 · its alternatives →

  4. 4

    The canvas where ideas, content, & people come together.

    2018 · apps.apple.com · its alternatives →

  5. 5AV
  6. 6

    Hey HN! Introducing Trickle Magic Canvas: the world’s first Agentic Canvas, where you can visually co-create apps and websites with AI, from idea to production. Why is a canvas better? Most AI tools today rely on linear chats or text prompts. We believe that limits creativity and clarity. Canvas changes the game. 1. Every version & page at a glance. Each page and sub-page lives on a timeline. You can quickly browse, edit, and preview progress like a living, visual document — no more digging through chat logs or scattered states. 2. The canvas is the context. Unlike linear chats, you can…

    2025 · trickle.so · its alternatives →

  7. 7

    Publish responsive HTML websites directly from Sketch

    2017 · animaapp.com · its alternatives →

  8. 8
    Witeboard▲1,017

    A real-time whiteboard for your team. No signups required.

    2018 · witeboard.com · its alternatives →

  9. 9ND
  10. 10
    Sketch▲109

    The easiest way to create and share beautiful wireframes

    2021 · its alternatives →

  11. 11
    GradPad▲233

    Intuitively create beautiful gradients & export as CSS

    2018 · ourownthing.co.uk · its alternatives →

  12. 12
    Whiteborb▲218

    A free mobile-friendly shared whiteboard

    2020 · its alternatives →

  13. 13

    Turn YouTube videos, docs & websites into content that wins

    2025 · notebooks.app · its alternatives →

  14. 14

    Write with your team, in realtime, using markdown

    2016 · its alternatives →

  15. 15DJ

    2013 · leimi.github.io · its alternatives →

  16. 16AO
  17. 17

    Hey HN! We're Ben and Izak, founders of Repaint (YC S23). Repaint is like Figma, but for creating real websites. It has panning, zooming, and dragging elements around. The settings closely follow html/css. We think an open canvas is a big improvement over other website builders. Everything is easier: styling, consistency, responsiveness… But making it work was hard! We thought HN would appreciate the tech behind it: - A custom WebGL rendering engine (w/text, shadows, blurs, gradients, & opacity groups) - A partial implementation of the css spec - A custom text editor & text shaper…

    2024 · repaint.com · its alternatives →

  18. 18

    Virtual whiteboard for sketching hand-drawn like diagrams

    2020 · excalidraw.com · its alternatives →

  19. 19

    Bring big ideas to life and brainstorm in style

    2022 · visme.co · its alternatives →

  20. 20

    Hey HN! I’m Simone. We re-built Breadboard, a visual app builder that mixes Figma-style UI design with Shortcuts-style logic so you can build, preview, and publish interactive web apps directly from the canvas. What it does Design UIs visually with a flexible canvas –like Figma–. Define app logic with a visual, instruction-stacked editor inspired by Shortcuts. Live preview apps directly on the canvas –no separate preview window–. Publish working web apps with one click. Why we made it Modernize the HyperCard idea: combine layout, behavior, and instant sharing in one place. Reduce friction…

    Feb 2026 · breadboards.io · its alternatives →

  21. 21
    Canvas▲202

    A simple, powerful blog publishing platform

    2018 · trycanvas.app · its alternatives →

  22. 22WF
  23. 23OF
  24. 24

    Hey HN Community! We're excited to introduce Spine, a tool we've been developing for the past month that aims to streamline the process of building and sharing AI-driven natural language interfaces like ChatGPT for various data formats. With Spine, you can: * Upload numerous data types such as websites, PDFs, docs, PowerPoints, CSVs, audio files, YouTube videos, and more * Navigate lots of data and get in-depth referenced results with our hybrid search * Built-in Feedback: Craft accurate, personalized & adaptive experiences -- we will update the search models and eventually your LLM with the…

    Nov 2025 · getspine.ai · its alternatives →

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