Excalidraw MCP servers: which one to use

Use Excalidraw's official server to draw a diagram in chat. Use mcp_excalidraw to save .excalidraw files from a coding agent.

Servers: 21; active
Official: 1; by Excalidraw
Hosted: 3; nothing to install
Local: 11; runs on your machine

Excalidraw has two official MCP servers. The open-source one at mcp.excalidraw.com draws a hand-drawn diagram right inside Claude, ChatGPT or VS Code, with no sign-in. The Excalidraw+ one, in public beta, reads and edits scenes in your Excalidraw+ workspace and needs an API key. For coding agents that need to see the canvas, move shapes and export .excalidraw files into a repo, the community mcp_excalidraw server fits better.

Good for

Anyone who wants Claude or ChatGPT to sketch a flowchart or architecture diagram from a prompt
Developers who want a coding agent to draw, check and commit diagrams next to their code
Excalidraw+ teams who want an assistant to search and edit workspace scenes
Technical writers who need sequence diagrams, ER models and charts in one hand-drawn style

Which Excalidraw MCP server to use

Start with the official Excalidraw MCP App to draw in chat. Pick mcp_excalidraw for a coding agent that edits and exports files, or Excalidraw+ MCP if your diagrams live in an Excalidraw+ workspace.

Server	Official	Runs	Sign-in	Read-only option	GitHub stars
For Excalidraw
Excalidraw MCP App	Official	HostedLocal	No sign-in	–	5.6K
mcp_excalidraw	Community	Local	No sign-in	–	2.6K
excalidraw-architect	Community	Local	–	–	162
Excalidraw Icons	Community	Local	–	–	32
Other tools for the same job
Excalidraw+ MCP	Official	Hosted	API key	Read-only keys	–

All Excalidraw MCP servers

21 active · 1 official · official first, then by GitHub stars

Show all 21

ExcalidrawHosted
Create hand-drawn style diagrams and sketches with streaming animations. Renders interactive Excalidraw diagrams directly in chat with smooth draw-on effects.

Questions

Is there an official Excalidraw MCP server?

Yes, two. The open-source Excalidraw MCP App draws diagrams in chat. Excalidraw+ MCP, in public beta, works on your Excalidraw+ workspace.

What is the Excalidraw MCP server URL?

The open-source server is at https://mcp.excalidraw.com. The Excalidraw+ server is at https://api.excalidraw.com/api/v1/mcp and needs an API key.

Does Excalidraw work with Claude and ChatGPT?

Yes. The official README says the MCP App server works with any client that supports MCP Apps, and names Claude, ChatGPT, VS Code and Goose. Add the URL as a custom connector if your app has no official listing.

Do I need an account or API key?

Not for the official MCP App server or for mcp_excalidraw, whose README says drawing needs no keys or accounts. Excalidraw+ MCP needs an Excalidraw+ API key sent as a bearer token.

What is the difference between the official server and mcp_excalidraw?

The official server turns one prompt into a diagram shown in the chat. mcp_excalidraw gives a coding agent a live canvas with 26 tools, screenshots so it can check its work, and .excalidraw file export.

Can I make Excalidraw+ MCP read-only?

Yes. Excalidraw+ ties MCP tools to the API key, so a read-only key exposes only read tools. Use a separate key for MCP with the fewest permissions that work.

Is Excalidraw+ MCP stable?

Not yet. Excalidraw's docs call it a public beta and say tool names, schemas and sign-in behavior may change.

Which server draws sequence diagrams and ER models?

excalidraw-architect. It covers 25 diagram types, including sequence, state, ER, swimlane and Gantt, and exports SVG and PNG without a browser.

Which servers work in Cursor or Codex?

mcp_excalidraw lists Claude Desktop, Cursor, Codex CLI and Antigravity, plus a CLI and skill for Claude Code, Codex CLI, Cursor and OpenCode. Excalidraw Icons names Claude Desktop, Cursor and Codex CLI.