The 11 Best Online Whiteboard Collaboration Software of 2020

There's no shortage of the amount of new productivity and team collaboration tools that enter the market to quickly go away. However, there are a lot of realtime collaboration tools that are known for their effectiveness and endure. Online whiteboards and standard blackboards have been used to brainstorm, plan, explain, and teach for many years. While the majority of these tools were modernized to become digital versions, the physical boards have been a longstanding staple in many offices. Collaborative whiteboards have been highly-beneficial to helping layout ideas and plans in a large, visible format. If someone comes up with an idea, it can be quickly written down. Whiteboards are ideal for the moments when the teams need to meet in the same space to collaborate on ideas. However, in the digital era, there's no longer a need to get half the office to convene in one space. This is where having a virtual whiteboard with collaboration features comes in handy.

Here are the top 11 best online whiteboards with realtime collaboration:

GoToMeeting

GoToMeeting offers three different tools that allow you to draw on the screen while you are sharing your screen. The Pen allows you to draw on the shared screen and either sketch something or underline something. The Highlighter allows you to, you guessed it, highlight certain parts of text or an image that you want to call attention to. The Spotlight is like a laser pointer that you'd use during a real life presentation in order to draw attention of your team's attention to certain areas. These three tools make GoToMeeting one of the most effective online whiteboard collaboration tools around.

GoToMeeting offers a screen drawing tool called GoToMeeting Spotlight, which is an extremely easy-to-use presenting tool, and offers an effective way to collaborate in realtime with your team. GoToMeeting Spotlight offers a laser pointer cursor that allows you to highlight ideas and keep your team's attention on the content you're presenting and discussing. GoToMeeting also offers shared screen annotation so that the message you are trying to convey is understood loud and clear by your team. GoToMeeting makes it feel like you're collaboratin in real life, even though it's all digital.

GoToMeeting is built for business and offers HD screensharing and recording, built in VoIP, and more.

Whiteboard Fox

Whiteboard Fox is a virtual whiteboard that is easy to use and doesn't require any setup. The only thing users need to do is navigate their browser to whiteboardfox.com. Users are greeted with a blank canvas. However, the blank canvas does have a grid that assists with writing and drawing. The options are easy to understand, and the functionality includes an undo, erase, draw, and navigation buttons. The pictures and text are supporting, and the "Copy All" buttons allow users to easily grab everything on a page and copy it to the clipboard. The list of functions is not as extensive as other competitive products. However, drawing feature feels natural, accurate and responsive. Whiteboard Fox does not give its users anything unique. However, no extensive setup is required, it's easy to share and sharing is quick. Whiteboard Fox is a virtual whiteboard will get the job done.

Sharing the whiteboard and inviting others to participate, or observe, is easy. Users can create unique links every time they start a new whiteboard. Messaging or emailing the link allows guests to select the link and go directly to the whiteboard.

One of the main benefits of using Whiteboard Fox is the fact that the app works in real-time. Guests can see the changes the user makes instantly on their screens. At the most, there may be a two-second delay between what the user writes and what the guest sees.

Whiteboard Fox keeps things simple. When users log in using Facebook, they can save and share their whiteboards in different ways. The program is also tablet-friendly, allowing for easier drawing with a stylus.

eZTalks Meetings

One of the largest online video conferencing tools available is eZTalks. So, the company has a lot of experience when it comes to online meetings and information sharing. Because of this, they have developed an online whiteboard that features all the tools a user could require for online presentations. The whiteboard is interactive, allowing all of the participants to actively engage. ezTalks Meetings has a post-it feature that lets team members comment about anything using a note that doesn't interfere with the existing information on the board. The ezTalks Meeting's premium software allows multiple participants to go through the whiteboard presentation. For this reason, it's the ideal software for enterprises.

AWW App

This app is launched and runs directly in a web browser. Aww App is a virtual whiteboard that is ideal for people who on-the-go. Accessing it is as easy as going to the awwapp.com webpage. By logging in, users can make their boards private, allowing them to invite others to participate. The free model lets the user access the online whiteboard and the invited participants can add and draw as they please. However, the free version of this app limits the available tools a person can use to the basic ones. Anyone who uses the free version also cannot save their boards beyond a simple image shot. The free version is solid and easy to use. It also comes with the option to upgrade to a paid plan. The benefits of upgrading to a paid plan include having access to more features. There is even the possibility to upgrade to an on-premises custom solution, a good idea for a large-scale team or personal use.

The board has a white background but features a dot grid that assists with lining up of text and drawings.

The undo button makes removing mistakes easy. Pressing the delete button will erase your entire board. The swipe eraser feature lets users remove a specific area by dragging the selection tool. The swipe eraser works just like the eraser that gets used on a physical whiteboard.

The whiteboard is intuitive to use on both mobile and desktop devices. On mobile, it's easy to use a finger to draw and the app is responsive to quick inputs.

Conceptboard

Conceptboard takes the concept of the whiteboard beyond being a digitalized version of a physical whiteboard. Considered to be a collaboration tool, Conceptboard is about sharing ideas and monitoring the progress on visual projects like UX design. Because Conceptboard focuses on visual projects, the app stores the user's projects and allows the in-depth management of the project, and specific tasks. The user inputs images and files directly onto the board, allowing others to write, draw, pin notes, and collaborate visually. This is ideal for visual projects that need more than a text-focused collaboration while staying focused. Of course, all of this can be accomplished in real time.

Conceptboard focuses on visual content. Because of this, the app lets users drag and drop almost any document from word docs, to excel spreadsheets, imagines, photoshop documents and PDF files. This lets the content be the primary focus and lets users draw and collaborate on the content.

Being able to collaborate in real time means that Conceptboard allows auto syncing, user presence, in-app email alerts, integrated board chat for conversations, and project management features with task assignments.

Sharing is not as fast as it could be, but it is secure. Conceptboard lets people create links and boards that are password protected. There is also a read-only mode to prevent guests from editing any aspect of the whiteboard. Also, there is a whiteboard minimap to assist people with their quick navigation.

Miro

As Miro explains, their product is a whiteboard was designed to create the best online user experience. Miro (formerly RealTime Board) moves past its physical limitations of traditional whiteboards and adds in the collaborative ability that using a flexible cloud network would facilitate. Users get to choose from a selection of templates that help them to organize and structure their brainstorming and planning. Now, users can choose to begin with a blank canvas. However, Miro's strength seems to lie in the organizational features that the templates provide, like a Kanban board for project planning and the UX workshop. Miro also lets people free-hand draw, but that isn't the apps real focus.

The post-it notes add-on lets users write down the ideas and comments to assist with collaboration and provide feedback without disturbing the original idea.

Miro is an infinite canvas. It's easy to navigate around the whiteboard using a mouse. Navigation is also easy to use an iPhone and iPad. Different aspect ratios like 16:9 or 4:3 and standard paper sizes may limit the user's scope.

Users can save boards as PDFs, images, downloaded as backups and saved to Google Drive. To reduce the scope, users can add frames and specify certain sizes, like standard iPhone and iPad resolutions.

Twiddla

Twiddla is a web-based, meeting program that doesn't require any setup. There is a sandbox mode for public sessions to explore and understand how the tools work. Twiddla also gives people the ability to establish private meetings so users can collaborate and complete projects. Twiddla makes it easy for people to work on more than blank whiteboards. Users can also work with screenshots, images, files, and specific web pages. With Twiddla users won't need a contact a developer to edit an MS Paint screenshot, email it do a designer, and wait for a response. Now, a user can start a Twiddla meeting, invite their coworkers and begin to discuss proposed changes.

It's easy to share and discuss web pages with friends and coworkers using Twiddla. Users can use the writing, marking, and drawing tools to demonstrate a point to everyone who is participating in the meeting.

There are no limits to the number of people who can join a meeting. Because it is browser-based, there's no downloading of programs involved. Users can also save their Twiddla boards and upload them to edit at a later time.

The main focus of Twiddla is the sharing and collaboration of images, web pages, and files. Anyone who wants to plan out projects and have brainstorming that needs to be saved may want to consider other options.

Ziteboard

Ziteboard is another web-based whiteboard that is shareable, has real-time functionality, and a zoomable whiteboard. It's also a whiteboard that loads into any web browser. This whiteboard does not require any setup and users don't need to log in. The boards are shareable with permanent URLS. What makes Ziteboard unique is the fact that users can publish boards to the web and feature them in presentation mode. Presentation mode lets users view the boards without having the ability to collaborate or edit them. The users can sync screens with coworkers to allow them to see what is currently being looked at.

Another unique feature offered by Ziteboard is its shape recognition algorithm and line smoothing algorithm. Anyone drawing a circle or square will notice that Ziteboard recognizes the intended shape and will smooth the edges.

The Google Chrome Extension, Slack integration, and WordPress plugin let users merge the collaboration tools in relation to the other tools they already use.

Ziteboard is also customizable to meet the needs of the team. An API is in development to take advantage of this platform.

Scribblar

Scribblar is a whiteboard that focuses on learning and education. Despite its niche, this whiteboard platform has a lot of features that aren't available on other platforms. While this could mean that Scribblar is a little more limited than other free alternatives, Scribblar still offers a lot for users to take advantage of. While Scribblar no longer has a completely free version, there is a 14-day free trial period. So, users would need to want to adopt Scribblar as their whiteboard solution. From an educational standpoint, Scribblar does offers a substantial number of features. APIs and customization are available. Scribblar can also be integrated directly into a website.

The Wolfram Alpha integration makes Scribbler a powerful whiteboard tool that ideal for tutoring or education. It works really well for working out math problems.

Educational tools like an equation editor and the ability to use a shared pointer make Scribblar a popular educational whiteboard.

The fact that Scribblar does not have a free model may deter some users from trying it. However, anyone who needs a whiteboard with built-in educational tools will appreciate the fact that Scribblar has one of the strongest offerings. It also has a good UX for collaboration.

Groupboard

Groupboard doesn't require a login, set, and its free. This whiteboard has several features that make it standout. It doesn't just offer a blank canvas. Groupboard uses web browsers to access virtual whiteboards. Groupboard also lets users establish administrative controls to allow users to moderate their white board space, keep the board private, and ban users. This feature allows teams to add a sense of privacy to work created in a collaborative space. It also prevents unwanted viewers from seeing projects. Groupboard also has Designer and Groupworld applications to assist with the collaborative process. To aid communication, there is a built-in chat feature.

The whiteboard is accessible through any web browser and mobile browsers as well. There is also a downloadable app so users won't have to go to a webpage every time they want to use Groupworld.

This whiteboard also has administrative tools that make it easier to keep workspace private, moderated, and save in a way where only authorized people can access it.

With Groupworld, users can upload images to use as a background for the board. It is also possible to share project snapshots or web pages to collaborate within a particular context. This can be done while the users content is on the board.

Limnu

Anyone seeking an experience that is as close to using an authentic whiteboard experience should consider Limnu. This virtual whiteboard can be accessed through any web browser and using the whiteboard's mobile app. Limnu provides a realistic take on the virtual whiteboard experience. The tools available to users are found in competitive products, but administrative features set Limnu apart from the others. Limnu also manages to replicate the strokes made by a whiteboard marker. Limnu offers a quick updating and responsive virtual whiteboard experience. It also provides a fluid experience that users should appreciate.

Limnu provides one of the best user experiences. It comes close to replicating the visual and physical experience of using whiteboards with a marker. The interface is user-friendly, with menus that are easy to navigate and understand.

Limnu also has several keyboard shortcuts. The letter 'E' opens the eraser and 'S' selects items on the screen. 'M' lets users move around the whiteboard. Users are able to quickly change the tool's settings. These features help to enhance a user experience that is already viewed as a positive one.

Another positive feature of the Limnu UX is the fact that everything that gets written or drawn on the whiteboard is selectable. These images can be dragged, grouped, and moved as objects. The feature works in a manner that is similar to the marquee selection tool. Having the ability to select and drag options lets anyone rearrange the items on a board without having to erase and rewrite them.

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