Software Alternatives & Startups

Mural VS Opal

Compare Mural VS Opal and see what are their differences

Mural

MURAL is a visual collaboration workspace for modern teams.

Rating
0 reviews
Opal

Spatial knowledge management for solopreneurs, freelancers, and neurodivergent thinkers who want total control of their projects, hate losing and searching for what they already have, and are tired of trying and quitting productivity apps.

Rating
0 reviews
Pricing
Freemium Free trial $27 / Monthly (Core Essentials, 1,000 items, 5 GB storage, 25MB file uploads)
Note: These products don't have any matching categories. If you think this is a mistake, please edit the details of one of the products and suggest appropriate categories.

Which is more popular?

Based on our record, Mural seems to be more popular. It has been mentioned 10 times since March 2021.

social mentions
10 vs 0
Digital Whiteboard popularity
100% vs 0%
alternatives listed
240+ vs 14

Base details

Website, pricing, platforms and company facts side by side.

Mural
Opal
Website mural.co opalrecall.com
Pricing
Freemium Free trial $27 / Monthly (Core Essentials, 1,000 items, 5 GB storage, 25MB file uploads) Official pricing
Company Startup from the United States · 1 - 9 employees · 2025
Listed in

About Mural and Opal

In their own words, as submitted to SaaSHub.

Mural
Opal

No description of Mural yet.

You remember where things are, not just what they're called. Manage your notes, documents, and important files on a visual, infinite canvas. Organize your draggable content spatially on a digital desk where everything remains visible, what's important stays top of mind, and whatever you need in...

Read more about Opal

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

Mural 6 features
Opal 14 features
  • Real-Time Collaboration
    Mural allows multiple users to collaborate in real-time, improving team productivity and brainstorming sessions.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    The platform features an intuitive drag-and-drop interface that makes it easy for users to create and organize content.
  • Wide Range of Templates
    Mural offers a variety of pre-built templates for different collaborative needs, which helps to streamline the creation process.
  • Integration Capabilities
    Mural integrates with several other productivity tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams, and JIRA, facilitating smoother workflows.
  • Versatile Use Cases
    The tool can be used for a range of activities including brainstorming, strategy planning, agile workflows, and education, making it highly versatile.
  • Visual Aids and Tools
    Provides various visual aids such as sticky notes, shapes, connectors, and icons that enhance the visualization and understanding of complex ideas.

Possible disadvantages

  • Subscription Cost
    The subscription-based pricing model can be expensive for small teams or startups with a limited budget.
  • Learning Curve
    While the interface is user-friendly, new users may still experience a learning curve to fully utilize all features and functionalities.
  • Internet Dependency
    Mural is a cloud-based tool, which means it requires a stable internet connection for optimal performance. This can be a limitation in areas with poor connectivity.
  • Limited Offline Access
    The platform offers limited functionality when offline, restricting users from accessing and modifying their work without an internet connection.
  • Complexity in Large Murals
    As projects grow in size and complexity, managing and navigating large murals can become cumbersome and challenging.
  • Mobile App Limitations
    The mobile version of Mural lacks some features available in the desktop version, which can hinder productivity for users who prefer working on mobile devices.
  • Spatial Knowledge Management
    Store your notes & documents, drag them around, and zoom and pan an infinite canvas, like a big desk, so you can see everything in context
  • Block Editor for Docs & Notes
    Author content in a WYSIWYG block editor with markdown under the hood and copy-paste & drag and drop support for images, media, and files.
  • Internal Item Links
    Build your knowledge base, cross-reference standard operating procedures (SOPs), or just connect ideas with clickable internal links that open your other docs & notes
  • Binders
    Stack similar and repeating content in binders or use them to archive old content to keep your workspaces clutter-free
  • Fences
    Spatially organize projects and similar content in draggable, resizable fences that provide unique work zones for different projects
  • Open Multiple Items
    It's much easier to make comparisons, cross-reference information, and get a clearer picture of your work when you can see it all at once and drag and drop content from one open item to another.
  • Sharing
    Share content with anyone, configure 4 levels of permissions (view, edit, share, delete shares), and collaborate in real-time on notes and documents
  • Opal API with AI Agent Skill
    Programmatically manage your Opal content through the API or give your AI agents view or full access to create and manage content for you
  • AI Transcription Integration with CRUSH
    Connect your [CrushTheMemory.com](http://CrushTheMemory.com) device to store your recordings and transcriptions as Opal notes or documents and map your CRUSH folders to fences, binders, and/or workspaces
  • Drag and Drop Files
    Store PDFs, images, video, documents, or any file as File item types on your workspaces or as rich media embedded in notes and documents
  • Export Content
    Export your content as HTML, markdown, or PDF
  • Publish to the Web
    Publish content as external web pages for anyone to view without an Opal account
  • Bookmarks & iFrames
    Bookmark links (that you can take notes on) and embed iframe content (like Google Docs) to view and edit while in Opal
  • Zero Nonsense Task List
    Set the date (or default to "today") and create 10 tasks on the same day in seconds with zero clicks, sorted stalest first, that connect to your notes & docs. One-click dismissal.

Analysis

An editorial look at what each product does well and who it suits.

Mural
Opal

Overall verdict

  • Mural is generally well-regarded as a robust tool for online collaboration, especially useful for teams that prioritize visual and interactive engagement. Its strength lies in its ability to enhance creativity and streamline communication across teams. While some users may find it slightly costly, its functionality and the value it brings to collaborative processes often justify the expense.

Why this product is good

  • Mural is a digital workspace designed to facilitate collaboration, particularly for remote and distributed teams. It offers features like digital whiteboards, visual collaboration tools, templates, and integrations with other software, making it a popular choice for generating ideas, brainstorming, and planning. Users appreciate its intuitive interface and versatility for various use cases such as workshops, design thinking processes, and project management.

Recommended for

    Mural is recommended for remote teams, creative professionals, project managers, educators, and anyone involved in workshops or innovation processes. It's especially suitable for organizations that need a platform to facilitate idea generation, strategic planning, and collaborative problem-solving, regardless of their physical location.

Overall verdict

  • Opal (opalrecall.com) is a solid choice for individuals and teams looking for a privacy-focused, AI-powered tool to capture, organize, and recall information such as meeting notes, screen activity, or personal knowledge, though it may still be maturing compared to more established competitors.

Why this product is good

  • Combines AI search with personal knowledge management to help users quickly retrieve past information
  • Offers privacy-conscious design, appealing to users cautious about data security
  • Simplifies capturing screen activity, notes, or meeting content in an organized, searchable format
  • Actively developed with a focus on productivity and reducing time spent searching for information
  • Provides a clean, user-friendly interface suited for both individuals and small teams

Recommended for

  • Professionals who need to quickly recall meeting details or research
  • Teams looking for lightweight knowledge management tools
  • Individuals concerned about data privacy in AI-driven apps
  • Remote workers who rely on digital notes and screen captures for productivity
  • Users seeking an alternative to bulkier enterprise knowledge management systems

Videos

Walkthroughs and reviews on video.

Mural 3 videos + Add
Opal 4 videos + Add

Advanced features & review / Customer Journey Mapping in Mural

More videos

  • - Introduction to MURAL - 12 Dec 2018
  • - Product Review: Wall26 Mural Palm Trees on Tropical Beach

Introducing Opal

More videos

  • - Is Opal App Worth It or a Scam? Honest 2025 Review & User Guide
  • - OPAL: A HORRIFYING Story About Child Trauma
  • - Google Opal Review 2025: Build AI Mini-Apps for FREE – No Coding Required!

Category popularity

How often each product is chosen within a category, 0–100% relative to the other.

Score bands 0–20 21–40 41–50 51–60 61–100
Mural
Opal
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%
96% 96%
4% 4%
100% 100%
0% 0%

Questions & Answers

As answered by people managing Mural and Opal.

What makes your product unique?

Opal's answer:

All your content is on a visual, infinite canvas desk. Notes, documents, files, etc. are draggable icons that you can organize spatially because we remember WHERE things are, not just what they're called. Opal keeps your work in sight so your brain never drops it.

Why should a person choose your product over its competitors?

Opal's answer:

When content is spatially organized, you stop losing content buried under folders, hierarchies, categories, and menus. Your brain begins to fire differently, sparking new ideas and spotting links, patterns, and opportunities it used to miss. - You connect ideas across clients, projects, and ideas - You Stay In Flow, No Context Lost, And No Rhythm Broken - You make faster, sharper decisions because every note and project is visible at once - You reuse your best work instead of rebuilding it from scratch - You eliminate the need for text-based searches and can find things even if you can't remember what you named them

How would you describe the primary audience of your product?

Opal's answer:

Solopreneurs, freelancers, people juggling multiple clients, visual thinkers, neurodivergent thinkers, and people who've quit productivity apps.

What's the story behind your product?

Opal's answer:

Something was lost when everything went digital. Having used various tools for years, I eventually discovered a fatal flaw that nearly all knowledge management tools suffer from: their attepts to organize content became the means by which content got buried. Over time as more content gets added, it became harder to find things, especially when you can't remember what you called it.

We remember things in physical space because we see them all the time and register their existence subconsciously, even if we don't need them in the moment. For example, if you asked where my keys were, I could tell you instantly. This spatial reasoning and thinking effect is severely hindered in the digital space.

After enough frustration, I decided to do something about it: build a spatial knowledge management tool that lets you see everything all at once. As you pan and zoom around your workspace, you are registering the existence of things even when you don't need them in that moment. That changes everything over time. Organizing becomes less about categorization, labeling, or hierarchy, and more about placement and "where I left it". Your brain remembers where far more easily than what. This is why I built Opal.

Which are the primary technologies used for building your product?

Opal's answer:

Web-based application built on NodeJS, Express, Form.io (MongoDB), and JavaScript.

User comments

Share your experience with using Mural and Opal. For example, how are they different and which one is better?

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Reviews and articles

External articles and on-site reviews we used to compare the two products.

Mural no reviews yet
Opal no reviews yet
  • The 11 best online whiteboards
    zapier.com · Mar 2019

    Remote teams who use MURAL for meetings (like Zapier), will love the digital version of some office staples, from timers (which you can use for focused ideation sprints) to chat boxes. It can be tough to share candid...

  • Top 10 Digital Whiteboard Software for Team Collaboration
    blog.bit.ai · Feb 2019

    Mural is a great platform for design teams with geographical barriers between them. Mural wants you to stop digitizing your content, rather start your work on its digital whiteboard and bounce off ideas.

We have no reviews of Opal yet. Be the first one to post

Social recommendations and mentions

Recommendations tracked on public social media and blogs since March 2021.

Mural 10 mentions
Opal 0 mentions

View more

Tracking Opal since Apr 2026.

Alternatives to Mural and Opal

When comparing Mural and Opal, you can also consider the following products.

  • Miro

    Join Millions of users that collaborate from all over the planet using Miro. Experience the power of the #1 visual workspace for innovation. More than 100M users and 250,000 companies are collaborating on the canvas.

    Compare Miro to Mural or Opal:

  • Notion

    All-in-one workspace. One tool for your whole team. Write, plan, and get organized.

    Compare Notion to Mural or Opal:

  • Figma

    Team-based interface design, Figma lets you collaborate on designs in real time.

    Compare Figma to Mural or Opal:

  • Google Docs

    Create a new document and edit with others at the same time -- from your computer, phone or tablet. Get stuff done with or without an internet connection. Use Docs to edit Word files. Free from Google.

    Compare Google Docs to Mural or Opal:

  • Axure

    The most powerful way to plan, prototype and hand off to developers, all without code. Download a free trial and see why professionals choose Axure RP 9.

    Compare Axure to Mural or Opal:

  • MockFlow

    A super easy wireframing tool with all the other tools you need in the product design process

    Compare MockFlow to Mural or Opal: