Groupboard

Groupboard is a shared whiteboard with real-time chat and a message board, aimed especially at tutors, schools and other groups working together online. Its persistent canvas and browser access suit recurring sessions; its modest free-tier limits make it a less compelling fit for larger groups.

Overview

Participants can join through a supplied link or use a board embedded in a web page. Work remains on the whiteboard after everyone logs off, which is useful for lessons or projects that continue across sessions. An infinite canvas and guest collaboration support open-ended work, though Groupboard’s strongest case is shared drawing and conversation rather than a broader workflow suite.

The interface works in HTML5-capable browsers, including iOS and Android browsers, without plugins or downloads. The maker describes tutors, schools and universities as users for distance learning and collaboration. TutorCruncher and Acuity Scheduling integrations support payment and session scheduling. Groupboard’s privacy statement says its servers are in Quebec, Canada, and personal data is not transmitted outside Canada.

Key features

• Shared drawing and discussion: Real-time whiteboard, chat and message board put visual work and conversation in one place. Persistent content means participants can return to the same board later.
• Browser access and embedding: Guests can join by link in an HTML5-capable browser. Embedding a board in a customer’s own page and controlling or customizing it with the JavaScript API are available on paid hosted plans, making those tiers more suitable for organizations building Groupboard into a web experience.
• Tablet and language support: Groupboard works with graphics tablets such as Wacom and Huion. Its interface is translated into Dutch, French, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Finnish, Korean, Chinese, Japanese, Hebrew and Arabic, supporting groups that prefer to work in those languages.
• Self-hosting: The maker offers versions that can be installed on a customer’s server. That gives organizations an alternative to hosted deployment, but the listed hosted-plan prices and quotas do not describe self-hosted terms.

Pricing

Groupboard is freemium, with a 7-day trial and paid hosted plans from $9.99/mo. The free plan is useful for trying a small group session, but its five-user limit, 20 saved pictures, 10 background images, ads and limited support constrain regular or larger use.

The 15-user plan is the practical step up for tutors or small organizations that need more capacity, an ad-free board and ongoing technical support. The 50-user tier doubles the participant limit and increases saved-content allowances for larger sessions. Hosted subscribers receive technical support for the duration of their subscription; the maker says it tries to answer emails within 24 hours. Embedding and JavaScript API controls also require a paid hosted plan, so the free tier is not the right choice for a site that needs an integrated, customizable board.

Platforms

Groupboard supports web, Android, iOS, Linux, macOS and Windows, and is also offered as an API and for self-hosting. The browser-based access is a particular advantage for guest participants who should not need a plugin or download.

Who it's for

Choose Groupboard for lessons, tutoring and collaborative sessions where participants need a shared drawing space that remains available between meetings. It is also a reasonable option for organizations that want to embed a board or install the product on their own server. Look elsewhere if your group regularly exceeds 50 users per board, or if you need more than the listed drawing, chat and message-board capabilities.

Pros and cons

• Pro: Persistent boards let a group continue work after participants leave, rather than losing the canvas at the end of a session.
• Pro: Browser access, guest collaboration and tablet support reduce barriers for learners and collaborators using different devices.
• Pro: Paid hosted plans add ad-free use, higher participant and saved-content limits, unlimited technical support, embedding and JavaScript API controls.
• Con: The free plan allows only five users per board and includes ads, limited support and small saved-content quotas.
• Con: Embedding and API customization are gated behind paid hosted plans, so the free tier cannot serve as an integrated website board.

Alternatives

Boardmix is worth considering if its free plan’s one team workspace, three editable boards, 100 objects per board and 1 GB storage better match your needs. Canva Whiteboards is another freemium option, with a Canva Pro plan priced at $144 a year for one person and extensive templates and media assets.

FigJam may suit teams that want unlimited collaborators on its free Starter plan, which includes three editable files; its Professional Collab seat is $3 a month. Milanote offers unlimited shared boards on its free plan, with limits of 100 notes, images or links and 10 file uploads.

Miro is a freemium alternative whose free tier includes three editable boards, 7,000+ templates and 250+ integrations. MURAL offers unlimited murals with three editable at a time, unlimited members and unlimited view-only visitors on its free plan.

myViewBoard has a free Standard tier with essential whiteboarding tools and a Pro plan at $6.99 a month. NoteBookCast is a free alternative; boards can be created without an account, and registered free users can save boards to a dashboard. Browse more options in Online Whiteboard Tools or Collaborative Whiteboard Software.

Verdict

Groupboard is a good choice for tutors and small organizations that value a persistent, browser-based shared board, guest access and the option to self-host. Its paid hosted plans make sense when you need a larger group, more saved content, support or embedding and API controls. Choose another tool if the free plan’s five-user cap is too restrictive or your work needs capabilities beyond shared drawing and discussion.