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Microsoft Whiteboard vs Mural
March 19, 2025 | Author: Adam Levine
10★
The collaborative digital canvas in Microsoft 365 for effective meetings and engaging learning.
13★
Digital workspaces for visual collaboration, inspiration and innovation anytime, anywhere, on any device.
See also:
Top 10 Visual Collaboration software
Top 10 Visual Collaboration software
Microsoft Whiteboard and Mural are both digital whiteboards, which means they let you doodle, drag sticky notes around and generally make a mess without ever needing to clean up spilled coffee from a real desk. They both let multiple people collaborate in real time, which is great for teamwork and utterly terrifying when you see someone delete your idea right before your eyes. Both integrate with Microsoft Teams, because of course they do and both allow you to export your chaotic masterpieces in various formats so you can pretend there was a structured plan all along.
Microsoft Whiteboard is a Microsoft product, meaning it comes with that distinct “This will work best if you live entirely inside the Microsoft ecosystem” vibe. It emerged in 2017, rather like a confused but well-meaning intern who suddenly found itself installed on every Windows device. It’s free for anyone with a Microsoft account, unless you want to do something truly ambitious, in which case, licensing fees appear like a hidden boss battle. It’s designed mainly for enterprises and educators who just need a clean, minimal space to brainstorm without getting too fancy, which is a polite way of saying, "You get what you get and you’ll like it."
Mural, on the other hand, has been around since 2011, originating in Argentina before setting up shop in the US, much like a well-traveled artist who finally realized the rent was too high in Buenos Aires. It’s the go-to for people who throw around words like “design thinking” and “agile workflow” without a hint of irony. Unlike Whiteboard’s stripped-down aesthetic, Mural is packed with templates, frameworks and tools to make you feel like you’re running a high-stakes strategy session, even if you're just brainstorming new coffee flavors. It’s not free, naturally, because creativity at scale must be monetized, but it does offer private rooms and facilitation features for those who like their digital collaboration spaces to feel a bit more exclusive.
See also: Top 10 Visual Collaboration software
Microsoft Whiteboard is a Microsoft product, meaning it comes with that distinct “This will work best if you live entirely inside the Microsoft ecosystem” vibe. It emerged in 2017, rather like a confused but well-meaning intern who suddenly found itself installed on every Windows device. It’s free for anyone with a Microsoft account, unless you want to do something truly ambitious, in which case, licensing fees appear like a hidden boss battle. It’s designed mainly for enterprises and educators who just need a clean, minimal space to brainstorm without getting too fancy, which is a polite way of saying, "You get what you get and you’ll like it."
Mural, on the other hand, has been around since 2011, originating in Argentina before setting up shop in the US, much like a well-traveled artist who finally realized the rent was too high in Buenos Aires. It’s the go-to for people who throw around words like “design thinking” and “agile workflow” without a hint of irony. Unlike Whiteboard’s stripped-down aesthetic, Mural is packed with templates, frameworks and tools to make you feel like you’re running a high-stakes strategy session, even if you're just brainstorming new coffee flavors. It’s not free, naturally, because creativity at scale must be monetized, but it does offer private rooms and facilitation features for those who like their digital collaboration spaces to feel a bit more exclusive.
See also: Top 10 Visual Collaboration software
