Compare
dotts vs Excalidraw
Excalidraw provides a whiteboard for sketches, not precise element-based feedback on live pages.
dottsVisual feedback tool for websites, images, and PDFs – simplified.
ExcalidrawOpen-source virtual whiteboard for hand-drawn style diagramsWhich to pick
Pick dotts if you want…
- Zero-login visual feedback on web pages and assets
Pick Excalidraw if you want…
- Hand-drawn style collaborative whiteboarding
- Virtual whiteboarding
- A free, open-source tool
Side by side
- What it is
- dotts:dotts is a visual feedback tool that lets clients comment directly on websites, PDFs and images without logging in.
- Excalidraw:Excalidraw is an open-source virtual whiteboard for creating hand-drawn style diagrams.
- Best for
- dotts:Zero-login visual feedback on web pages and assets
- Excalidraw:Hand-drawn style collaborative whiteboarding
- Who it’s for
- dotts:designers, developers, agencies and freelancers who need client reviews on web designs.
- Excalidraw:Designers, developers, and teams needing quick sketching and collaborative diagrams.
- Pricing
- dotts:Freemium
- Excalidraw:Free
- Open source
- dotts:—
- Excalidraw:Yes, 133,502 GitHub stars
- Works with
- dotts:Claude Code, Cursor, Codex
- Excalidraw:—
dotts features
- Click-to-comment anywhere. Enter comment mode, click any element on a site, PDF or image and pin a precise feedback thread.
- Smart sidebar. All comments appear in a structured sidebar with click-to-jump navigation and resolve/edit actions.
- No-login client access. Clients open a private review link, comment instantly and need no account or installation.
- File attachments & reactions. Upload screenshots, mockups or documents to comments and react with emojis.
- Device & browser context. Each comment records device, browser, screen size and a screenshot for reproducible debugging.
- AI integration (Pro). Connect Claude Code, Cursor or Codex via doby AI to read, resolve and reply to comments automatically.
Excalidraw features
- Hand-drawn style canvas. Create diagrams that look hand-sketched with a simple drawing interface.
- Live collaboration. Invite others to edit the same canvas in real time after signing up.
- Export options. Save your work to a file to avoid loss from browser storage clearing.
- Keyboard shortcuts. Quickly open files (Ctrl+O) and access help via the UI.
- Canvas navigation. Move the canvas using scroll wheel, space-drag, or the hand tool.
dotts vs Excalidraw FAQ
Is dotts or Excalidraw free?+
dotts has a free plan and paid plans. Excalidraw is free.
Is dotts or Excalidraw open source?+
Excalidraw is open source (excalidraw/excalidraw on GitHub, MIT license). DevHunt has no public source repository on record for dotts.
On DevHunt
Based on each tool's website and DevHunt data. Details may change; check the official sites.