Underrated Tools: Screen Studio, tldraw, and Excalidraw With AI
Screen Studio polishes screen recordings; tldraw and Excalidraw turn rough drawings into apps via AI.
7 min · Reviewed 2026
The big idea
Three tools you probably haven't heard of that punch way above their weight: Screen Studio (Mac, $89 once) makes any screen recording look like a polished tutorial. tldraw and Excalidraw let you sketch a UI on a virtual whiteboard and have AI generate working code from the drawing. Great for portfolios.
Some examples
Screen Studio: record yourself coding for your Instagram, but it auto-zooms on the cursor and looks pro.
tldraw: draw a wireframe of a login form on the canvas, click 'make real,' get working HTML.
Excalidraw: same vibe, with their 'Mermaid to Excalidraw' AI for diagrams.
Combine all three: sketch the app on tldraw, build it in Cursor, record the demo with Screen Studio.
Try it!
Try Excalidraw + AI today (free, browser). Sketch a tiny UI, hit 'wireframe to code,' see what comes out.
End-of-lesson check
15 questions · take it digitally for instant feedback at tendril.neural-forge.io/learn/quiz/end-builders-tools-screen-studio-and-tldraw-r7a8-teen
Which platform does Screen Studio exclusively support?
Windows only
All desktop platforms
macOS only
Linux and macOS
What specific visual effect does Screen Studio apply automatically during screen recordings?
Real-time face-cam overlay
Auto-zoom on cursor movement
Automatic subtitle generation
Animated background gradients
Screen Studio uses which pricing model?
Free with optional donations
Annual license for $49
Monthly subscription at $9
One-time purchase of $89
What must you draw on tldraw's canvas to generate working HTML?
A detailed text description
A photograph of a sketch
A mathematical equation
A visual wireframe of the UI
What is Mermaid in relation to Excalidraw?
A type of export format for videos
A premium feature that requires payment
A text-based diagramming language that can be converted to Excalidraw drawings
A cloud storage service for drawings
Which three tools did the lesson suggest combining into a workflow?
Canva, Slack, and GitHub
Notion, Excel, and Zoom
Figma, Photoshop, and OBS
tldraw, Cursor, and Screen Studio
What makes tldraw and Excalidraw unusual compared to traditional design tools?
They only work on mobile devices
They use AI to convert sketches directly into working code
They cannot export to standard image formats
They require paid subscriptions for all features
The lesson argues that the best tools for building a portfolio are typically:
Niche tools not trending on social media
Brand-new AI tools released this month
Free tools with basic features
The most popular apps with millions of users
What type of output can Excalidraw's AI 'wireframe to code' feature produce?
Audio recordings
Compiled binary executables
Video files
Working HTML and CSS code
If you wanted to record yourself coding and make the video look like a professional tutorial, which tool fits best?
Microsoft Paint
Screen Studio
Spotify
Google Docs
What is the primary purpose of tldraw's 'make real' feature?
Converting hand-drawn interface sketches into functional code
Deleting drawings you no longer need
Sharing drawings on social media
Adding 3D effects to 2D drawings
Excalidraw is described as having what kind of AI capability?
Composing background music for presentations
Automatically coloring black-and-white sketches
Translating drawings into spoken audio
Converting text-based diagrams into visual drawings
Why did the lesson recommend seeking out 'underrated' or niche tools?
To make your portfolio stand out from others using mainstream tools
Because popular tools are always expensive
Because mainstream tools don't work properly
Because niche tools are always more technically advanced
Which tool would best help someone create a login form without writing code from scratch?
tldraw or Excalidraw with AI features
A music production app
A spreadsheet application
A text editor like Notepad
The lesson mentions that Screen Studio recordings are suitable for which platform?