tldraw
tldraw is a React SDK for building infinite-canvas products such as whiteboards, diagrams, visual workflows, and custom canvas tools.
What tldraw is
tldraw is a React SDK for building infinite-canvas products such as whiteboards, diagrams, visual workflows, and custom canvas tools. Its editor supplies drawing, shapes, text, arrows, zooming, panning, image and video support, copy and paste, and undo and redo. Developers can modify the default interface, tools, and shapes or create custom interactions, themes, and styles. A JavaScript API controls canvas content and behavior programmatically. The sync library enables simultaneous editing, live cursors, viewport following, and cursor chat. Production synchronization can run on Cloudflare or a JavaScript backend supporting WebSockets, and other real-time backends such as Liveblocks can be used. AI documentation describes language models reading a canvas and creating shapes. Pasted or dropped SVG files are sanitized with an allowlist. Development is allowed by default terms; production requires an active trial, commercial, or hobby license key.
Good
- Infinite-canvas React SDK
- Custom shapes, tools, and interactions
- Collaboration with live cursors
- JavaScript runtime API
- SVG allowlist sanitization
Watch out
- Production requires a license key
- Hobby license requires a watermark
- Hobby approval is discretionary
Who it suits
It suits teams developing their own whiteboards, diagrams, visual workflows, or other canvas applications. Developers needing self-hosted collaboration or extensive customization may find the SDK relevant.
Verdict
tldraw provides a customizable canvas foundation with collaboration, APIs, and optional AI integrations. Licensing differs between development, evaluation, hobby, and commercial production use.
Plans and prices
From tldraw's own pricing page, checked 9 Oct 2026.
| Plan | Price | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|
| 100-day trial license | Free | Evaluation · one trial per commercial unit · license key required for production |
| Hobby license | Free | Non-commercial projects · discretionary approval · “made with tldraw” watermark required |
| Commercial license | Priced on request | Production use for commercial projects · value-based pricing · multiplayer sync included · host anywhere |
The facts
Each one read from tldraw's own pages, with the date it was checked.
What it does
- AI
- The AI integration docs describe using language models to read the canvas and create shapes on it.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Canvas tools
- The SDK includes drawing, shapes, text, arrows, zooming, panning, image and video support, copy and paste, and undo and redo.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Collaboration
- The sync library supports simultaneous editing, live cursors, viewport following, and cursor chat.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Customization
- Developers can customize the default shapes, tools, and user interface or create custom shapes, interactions, themes, and styles.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Data collection
- Under commercial or hobby licenses, no information is sent to tldraw; during production use under a trial license, a hash of the license key is sent, and the page says no user data, canvas contents, or personally identifiable information is sent or saved.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Integrations
- The SDK can use other real-time data backends; the docs name Liveblocks as one example.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Intended users
- The SDK is presented for teams building their own canvas products, including whiteboards, visual workflows, and custom canvas tools.checked 9 Oct 2026
- License limit
- The SDK license’s default terms permit development use only; production use requires a valid, active trial, commercial, or hobby license key.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Product
- tldraw is a React SDK for building infinite-canvas apps such as whiteboards, diagrams, and canvas tools.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Runtime API
- The editor provides a JavaScript API for programmatic control of canvas contents and behavior.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Security
- The SDK sanitizes SVG files pasted or dropped into the canvas using an allowlist-based sanitizer.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Self-hosting
- For production, tldraw sync can be hosted on Cloudflare or integrated into a JavaScript backend that supports WebSockets.checked 9 Oct 2026
- Support
- The pricing page says support is available, and the company directs developers to its Discord community for help.checked 9 Oct 2026
The company
- Founded
- 2022checked 28 Sep 2026
- Headquarters
- London, United Kingdomchecked 28 Sep 2026
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