head to head · open source
drawnix vs free4chat
drawnix has 14,738 GitHub stars, 1,267 forks, 31 open issues and last shipped 13 days ago. free4chat has 1,185 stars, 166 forks, 1 open issues and last shipped yesterday. drawnix leads on adoption by 1,144% (14,738 vs 1,185 stars). drawnix is written in TypeScript under MIT; free4chat is written in TypeScript under MIT. drawnix has attracted 9% as many forks as stars, free4chat 14%. free4chat was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee. The two share 1 topic tag (collaboration), so they are genuine substitutes rather than adjacent tools.
Two open source projects, one decision. Both are free and self-hostable — the differences are community size, license terms, language stack and release pace.
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Side by side
| drawnix | free4chat | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 15K | ★ 1.2K |
| License | MIT | MIT |
| Written in | TypeScript | TypeScript |
| Last push | 2026-09-08 | 2026-09-20 |
| Forks | ⑂ 1.3K | ⑂ 166 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick drawnix if
- You weight community size — 15K stars and counting
- You want the MIT license terms
- Your stack matches TypeScript
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick free4chat if
- You want the free4chat feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the MIT license terms
- Your stack matches TypeScript
- You evaluated both and free4chat fits your workflow better
About drawnix
Drawnix is a free, MIT licensed, all in one open source whiteboard tool written in TypeScript that combines mind mapping, flowcharts, and freehand drawing on a single infinite canvas, built for individuals and teams who want a self hostable or browser based alternative to commercial whiteboard SaaS.
read the full drawnix overview →
About free4chat
Free4Chat is an MIT licensed, TypeScript system for temporary capability access and collaboration that brings humans and independently running AI agents together in short lived Rooms to exchange realtime context, media, focused Tasks, and artifacts without accounts or a permanent workspace.
read the full free4chat overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is drawnix or free4chat more popular?
drawnix has 14,738 GitHub stars and free4chat has 1,185. drawnix has the larger community by that measure.
Are drawnix and free4chat free?
Both are open source. drawnix is licensed under MIT and free4chat under MIT. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between drawnix and free4chat?
drawnix is written in TypeScript and free4chat in TypeScript. The practical differences are community size, licence terms, language stack and release cadence — all compared in the table above.
Which should I choose, drawnix or free4chat?
Choose drawnix if you want the larger community (14,738 stars) or its MIT licence terms. Choose free4chat if its feature set, stack or MIT licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.