head to head · open source
Excalidraw vs CoMaps
Excalidraw has 135,053 GitHub stars, 15,973 forks, 3,445 open issues and last shipped yesterday. CoMaps has 603 stars, 68 forks, 0 open issues and last shipped yesterday. Excalidraw leads on adoption by 22,297% (135,053 vs 603 stars). Excalidraw is written in TypeScript under MIT; CoMaps is written in C++ under Apache-2.0. Excalidraw has attracted 12% as many forks as stars, CoMaps 11%. CoMaps was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee.
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
| Excalidraw | CoMaps | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 135K | ★ 603 |
| License | MIT | Apache-2.0 |
| Written in | TypeScript | C++ |
| Last push | 2026-11-02 | 2026-11-02 |
| Forks | ⑂ 16K | ⑂ 68 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick Excalidraw if
- You weight community size — 135K stars and counting
- You want the MIT license terms
- Your stack matches TypeScript
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick CoMaps if
- You want the CoMaps feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the Apache-2.0 license terms
- Your stack matches C++
- You evaluated both and CoMaps fits your workflow better
About Excalidraw
Excalidraw Editor Blog Documentation Excalidraw+ An open source virtual hand drawn style whiteboard. Collaborative and end to end encrypted. Create beautiful hand drawn like diagrams, wireframes, or whatever you like. Features The Excalidraw editor (npm package) supports: 💯 Free & open source. 🎨 Infinite, canvas based whiteboard. ✍️ Hand drawn like style. 🌓 Dark mode. 🏗️ Customizable. 📷 Image support. 😀 Shape libraries support. 🌐 Localization (i18n) support. 🖼️ Export to PNG, SVG & clipboard. 💾 Open format export drawings as an .excalidraw json file. ⚒️ Wide range of tools rectangle, circle, diamond…
read the full Excalidraw overview →
About CoMaps
Project Intro Governance FAQ Contribute Donate Keep Connected CoMaps Hike, Bike, Drive Offline Easy Map Navigation with Privacy A community led free & open source maps app based on OpenStreetMap, built for transparency, privacy, and not for profit values. A fork of Organic Maps, originally based on Maps.ME. ⚡️ Highlights Offline first : Navigate without a connection Privacy respecting : No tracking, ads or data collection Lightweight : Battery and space efficient Simple : Polished, user focused interface Cross platform : Available for Android, iOS, MacOS, and Linux. Community built : Free, open source, and…
read the full CoMaps overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is Excalidraw or CoMaps more popular?
Excalidraw has 135,053 GitHub stars and CoMaps has 603. Excalidraw has the larger community by that measure.
Are Excalidraw and CoMaps free?
Both are open source. Excalidraw is licensed under MIT and CoMaps under Apache-2.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between Excalidraw and CoMaps?
Excalidraw is written in TypeScript and CoMaps in C++. The practical differences are community size, licence terms, language stack and release cadence — all compared in the table above.
Which should I choose, Excalidraw or CoMaps?
Choose Excalidraw if you want the larger community (135,053 stars) or its MIT licence terms. Choose CoMaps if its feature set, stack or Apache-2.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.