WBO
Persistent collaborative boards with a free hosted instance and optional Docker; primitive libraries, refreshingly little ceremony.
Technical Profile & Specs
verified 2026-08-10
- Cost
- $0 / forever (Open Source)
- License
- AGPL-3.0+
- Hosting Model
- Local or hosted (your machine or their cloud)
- Platforms
- webself-hostedthey host it
- Installation
- Use the free hosted instance, or run the Docker image/Node.js server
- Operational Setup
- None for the public instance; self-hosting needs Docker or Node.js, a persistent writable volume with the expected user ownership, backups, and a public URL/TLS
- Where Your Data Lives
- Boards are persisted as JSON files in the server's data directory; a Docker deployment must mount that directory, while public-hosted boards live on the operator's server
- The Catch / Trade-off
- WBO lacks Excalidraw's polished drawing tools, reusable libraries, file organization, export quality, and managed team workspace.
Replaces 3 paid apps
up to $10/mo ($120/yr) in subscriptions
WBO FAQ
Common questions
Is WBO free and open source?+
WBO is an open-source tool licensed under AGPL-3.0+ that runs on local or hosted. Persistent collaborative boards with a free hosted instance and optional Docker; primitive libraries, refreshingly little ceremony.
What paid software does WBO replace?+
WBO serves as a free replacement for 3 paid SaaS applications: Excalidraw+, Lucidspark, Miro, saving up to $10/month ($120/year) in subscription bills.
How do you install and set up WBO?+
Installation: Use the free hosted instance, or run the Docker image/Node.js server. Setup notes: None for the public instance; self-hosting needs Docker or Node.js, a persistent writable volume with the expected user ownership, backups, and a public URL/TLS
What is the catch or trade-off with WBO?+
WBO lacks Excalidraw's polished drawing tools, reusable libraries, file organization, export quality, and managed team workspace.