Eraser
Mattermost
| Feature | Eraser | Mattermost |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $10/mo | Free / from $10/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 4.5 / 5 | 4.2 / 5 |
| Best For | engineering-teams, solution-architects, technical-documentation, system-design | devops-teams, security-conscious-orgs, government, enterprise |
| Founded | 2022 | 2015 |
| Diagrams As Code | ✓ | ✗ |
| Ai Diagrams | ✓ | ✗ |
| Whiteboarding | ✓ | ✗ |
| Documentation | ✓ | ✗ |
| Version History | ✓ | ✗ |
| Templates | ✓ | ✗ |
| Collaboration | ✓ | ✗ |
| Messaging | ✗ | ✓ |
| Channels | ✗ | ✓ |
| Playbooks | ✗ | ✓ |
| Integrations | ✗ | ✓ |
| Self Hosting | ✗ | ✓ |
| Compliance | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ Eraser Pros
- AI-generated diagrams from text descriptions
- Code-first diagrams with version control
- Combines docs and diagrams in one canvas
- Purpose-built for technical architecture docs
✗ Eraser Cons
- Limited general-purpose whiteboarding features
- Smaller template library than Miro/Lucidchart
- Not suited for non-technical teams
✓ Mattermost Pros
- Self-hostable
- Open source
- DevOps integrations
- Secure
✗ Mattermost Cons
- Smaller ecosystem
- Fewer integrations than Slack
- Self-hosting complexity
The Verdict
Eraser is built for engineering teams and solution architects, with a focus on diagrams-as-code and ai-diagrams. Mattermost targets devops teams and security conscious orgs and leads with messaging and channels.
Both tools come in at similar price points ($10/mo for Eraser, $10/mo for Mattermost), so pricing won't make the decision for you.
Both offer free plans, so you can test each with your real workflow before committing to a subscription.
Feature-wise, Eraser offers broader built-in capabilities (7 features vs 6), while Mattermost takes a more focused approach — which can mean a simpler, faster onboarding experience.
Bottom line: Eraser has a slight overall edge — but if self-hostable matters most to you, Mattermost may still be the right call.