Compare
Instaboard, compared honestly
Several popular tools cut their free plans in 2026. Each page below says what changed, where the other tool is still the better choice, and when Instaboard fits instead. Every price and limit comes from the tool’s own pricing page or help center. Not sure what kind of tool you need? Start with what visual planning is.
Whiteboards
For drawing, teaching and brainstorming together.
A free Miro alternative for personal use, tutors and families
Miro Free keeps only 3 boards editable. Instaboard has 5 editable boards, video calls, Apple Pencil and sync when you're back online. Where Miro still wins.
A Freeform alternative that works on Windows, Android and the web
Freeform only runs on Apple devices, and everyone needs an Apple Account even to view a shared board. A free alternative that works on Windows, Android and any browser, with a call on the board.
Microsoft Whiteboard alternatives: what to use now that the apps are gone
The standalone Microsoft Whiteboard apps stopped on October 16, 2026. What changed, how to save your boards, and free alternatives for pen users, tutors and teachers, with real free-plan limits.
Jamboard alternatives for teachers, and how to get your old Jams back
Free Jamboard alternatives for teachers: share one board with your class by link, plus how to find your old Jams as PDFs in Google Drive (type:Jam).
Padlet alternatives for teachers and tutors, now that Sandboxes count
Padlet's free plan is 3 padlets. Compare 7 free alternatives on boards, student accounts and price, and when to stay on Padlet.
A Bitpaper alternative for tutors, now that free is join-only
Bitpaper's free plan can only join papers since April 2025, and a lapsed plan turns your papers read-only. What tutors use instead, where Bitpaper is still better, and how to move your lessons over.
A Zoom Whiteboard alternative where your student writes too
Zoom's free whiteboard gives you 3 editable boards, sharing is built around Zoom accounts, and free calls stop at 40 minutes. What tutors use instead, where Zoom is still better, and a ready lesson board.
A Lessonspace alternative for tutors who don't want to pay by the hour
Lessonspace has no free plan, only a trial: $9 a month covers 10 hours, then $1.95 an hour. What 10, 20 and 30 hours cost, what Lessonspace does better, and a free board where your student writes too.
An Explain Everything alternative for live lessons, where your student writes too
Explain Everything Free gives you 3 one-slide projects, 3-minute videos and 15 minutes of collaboration. What the paid plans add, what it does better, and a free board where your student writes live.
A Pencil Spaces alternative for tutors who want a flat price
Pencil Spaces moved to per-hour plans on September 1, 2026: $0.40, $1 or $5 an hour plus a monthly minimum. What each costs at 10, 20 and 40 hours, where Pencil Spaces is better, and a flat-price board.
A FigJam alternative for tutors who teach on an iPad
The FigJam iPad app retired on January 8, 2026 into the Figma app. Open sessions need a paid plan. What tutors get free, where FigJam is better, and a ready iPad lesson board.
A free Milanote alternative for student projects, and where Milanote is better
Milanote's free plan stops at 100 notes, images or links. What Instaboard's free plan gives a student project, where Milanote is better, and a ready project board.
A free Plottr alternative for plotting with a partner, and where Plottr is better
Plottr's live collaboration needs Pro for each person. A free shared plotting board for two writers, and where Plottr, Scyn and Kindling do better.
A free Mural alternative where the people you invite can write, and where Mural is better
On Mural Free, visitors are view-only and 3 murals stay editable. A shared retro board anyone can write on after a free sign-in, and where Mural is better.
MindMeister's free plan now keeps your 3 oldest maps. Here's what to do.
Since October 14, MindMeister's free Basic plan keeps only your 3 oldest maps and counts shared ones. Free can't export. How to get a map back, and free alternatives.
Planning tools
For families, couples, clubs and small groups planning something together.
A Trello alternative for families, classes and groups bigger than 10
Trello's free plan stops at 10 collaborators per Workspace, and boards go view-only past it. An honest comparison, plus a free alternative with unlimited collaborators, drawing and calls.
A Notion alternative for planning with other people
Notion is unlimited for one person, but a free workspace with 2 or more members gets 1,000 blocks in total. An honest comparison and a visual, shared alternative with drawing and calls.
Asana's free plan is now 2 users. Here's what small groups can do.
Asana cut its free plan to 2 users, and older free teams lost their 10 seats on October 15, 2026. What changed, who should pay, and a free alternative for families, clubs and student groups.
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