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Napkin AI vs Slatebox

Two fact sheets from our own research, side by side — pricing, platforms, API access and status re-checked by us rather than quoted from the vendors.

The short answer

Entry price
Napkin AI from $9/seat/mo, Slatebox from $6/mo — different billing units, so no direct winner
Free plan
Both have one
Public API
Both have one
Higher Trust score
Slatebox — 94 vs 77 for Napkin AI
Best fit
Napkin AI: Consultants and managers turning bullet points into slide diagrams · Slatebox: Turning a PDF or a rough prompt into a first-draft diagram or deck

From our own records as of each tool's last check. Anything we have not confirmed is left out rather than guessed. How we verify

Napkin AITurns pasted or imported text into editable diagrams, flowcharts, mind maps, infographics and charts, with no prompt to write.SlateboxGenerates editable mind maps, infographics, timelines and decks from a prompt or an uploaded PDF.

Side by side

FactNapkin AISlatebox
CategoryDiagramming & WhiteboardsDiagramming & Whiteboards
Pricing modelFreemiumFreemium
Starts at$9/seat/mo$6/mo
Public APIYesYes
Trust score77 / 10094 / 100
PlatformsWeb, APIWeb, API
CompanyNapkin AISlatebox
Launched20242019
Last verifiedOct 29, 2026Oct 16, 2026

What our research says

Napkin AI

Napkin is a quick way for writers, teachers and consultants to add a clear diagram to a slide or post without opening a design tool. Designers who need pixel-level layout control or long, data-heavy charts will outgrow it.

Pros

  • Works from existing text instead of prompts
  • Every generated element stays editable
  • Exports to PPT and SVG on paid plans, PNG and PDF on Free
  • Free weekly credits cover light use

Cons

  • Free visuals carry Napkin branding
  • Credits scale with words selected, so long passages burn through them
  • No student or non-profit discounts

Slatebox

Cheapest credible option in AI diagramming - $6 a month for 200 generated slates undercuts everything comparable by a wide margin. The output stays editable on a real canvas rather than dumping a static image, and PDF-to-deck is a genuinely useful path. It is a small operation, so expect fewer integrations and less polish than the big whiteboard vendors.

Pros

  • Generated output stays fully editable on the canvas, not flattened to an image
  • PDF upload converts into a presentable deck
  • API access included in the $8 per-seat Team-Pro tier rather than sold separately
  • Free forever tier with 10 AI slates before any card

Cons

  • Free tier caps private slates at three
  • Small vendor with a thin integration list next to Miro or Figma
  • Advertised prices are annual rates, so monthly billing costs more

Which one fits

Choose Napkin AI if you need

  • Consultants and managers turning bullet points into slide diagrams
  • Bloggers and teachers adding explanatory visuals to text
  • Products that need visuals generated from text via API

Choose Slatebox if you need

  • Turning a PDF or a rough prompt into a first-draft diagram or deck
  • Small teams that want a whiteboard with generation built in at a low price
  • Remote sessions where huddles and shareable links matter

Napkin AI vs Slatebox: the questions people ask

Is Napkin AI cheaper than Slatebox?

They charge in different units, so there is no like-for-like answer: Napkin AI starts at $9/seat/mo, Slatebox at $6/mo. Entry price is the lowest paid plan as we last verified it.

Does Napkin AI or Slatebox have a free tier?

Both: Napkin AI has a free tier, and Slatebox has a free tier.

Which has a public API, Napkin AI or Slatebox?

Both ship a public API, so either can be built on; the fact table above shows the platforms each one runs on.

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