# Miro API + MCP vs Subframe

> Miro scores 65 (B) to Subframe's 39.7 (E) for design files. Prices, MCP, x402, uptime and agent notes side by side.

- Canonical: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/miro-vs-subframe
- Markdown: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/miro-vs-subframe.md (~2,200 tokens)
- Slim: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/miro-vs-subframe.min.md (~680 tokens, same facts, less prose, for token-sensitive contexts)
- JSON: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/miro-vs-subframe.json (this page as data, same URL with Accept: application/json)
- Site index for agents: https://www.anchorterminal.com/llms.txt (full text: https://www.anchorterminal.com/llms-full.txt)
- API: https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/index.json
- Updated: 2026-10-09

Miro API + MCP scores 65 (B) on agent readiness against Subframe's 39.7 (E), and leads in 6 of 7 scored categories. Both do design files.

- Miro API + MCP: grade B, 65/100, rank #331 of 950. Markdown https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/miro.md · JSON https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/miro.json
- Subframe: grade E, 39.7/100, rank #915 of 950. Markdown https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/subframe.md · JSON https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/subframe.json
- Best design workspace and canvas APIs for AI agents: https://www.anchorterminal.com/best/design/index.md
- All 49 design comparisons: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/design/index.md
- Best diagramming APIs and diagram-as-code for AI agents: https://www.anchorterminal.com/best/diagramming/index.md
- All 99 diagrams comparisons: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/diagramming/index.md

## Which one, for what

### Miro API + MCP (B)

Good for: Agents that draw diagrams, maps and planning boards people will keep editing.

Ahead on:
- Reliability, 73 against 19
- Schema & documentation, 85 against 54
- Agent ergonomics, 63 against 47
- Security & auth, 70 against 44
- Maintenance & community, 77 against 65
- Transparency & trust, 76 against 57

Also in its favour:
- Free to start without a card

Watch for: Legacy MCP board tools were removed nine days after the deprecation notice

### Subframe (E)

Good for: A coding agent working beside a team that designs React and Tailwind interfaces in Subframe and wants the design as code, with a read-only route for review.

Watch for: 46 tools are documented with no toolsets, and the vendor's `design` skill that explains them is about 55 KB of text


## Score by category

| Category | Weight | Miro API + MCP | Subframe | Edge |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Reliability | 16% (20 this run) | 73 | 19 | Miro API + MCP +54 |
| Performance | 10%, pending | pending | pending | not scored in this run |
| Schema & documentation | 13% (16.2 this run) | 85 | 54 | Miro API + MCP +31 |
| Agent ergonomics | 13% (16.2 this run) | 63 | 47 | Miro API + MCP +16 |
| Security & auth | 14% (17.5 this run) | 70 | 44 | Miro API + MCP +26 |
| Payments & pricing | 10% (12.5 this run) | 30 | 33 | Subframe +3 |
| Task success | 10%, pending | pending | pending | not scored in this run |
| Maintenance & community | 7% (8.8 this run) | 77 | 65 | Miro API + MCP +12 |
| Transparency & trust | 7% (8.8 this run) | 76 | 57 | Miro API + MCP +19 |
| Negative events | ≤15 | -3 | -3 | |
| **Total** | | **65 · B** | **39.7 · E** | |

## Facts side by side

| Fact | Miro API + MCP | Subframe |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Kind | HTTP API | MCP server |
| Vendor | Miro | Atomic Design Inc |
| Hosted endpoint | `https://api.miro.com/v2` | `https://mcp.subframe.com/mcp` |
| Transports | HTTP, Streamable HTTP | HTTP |
| Auth | OAuth | OAuth or key |
| Pricing | Freemium | Freemium |
| x402 | no | no |
| Licence | proprietary | Proprietary service under Atomic Design's terms of service. `@subframe/cli` and `@subframe/core` are marked ISC in their package files and the Claude Code plugin MIT in its manifest, with no licence file in the repository |
| Tools exposed | 18 | 46 |
| Read-only variant documented | no | yes |
| llms.txt | yes | yes |
| MCP registry | `io.github.miroapp/mcp-server` | not listed |
| Last release | 2026-09-17 | 2026-10-08 |
| Terms last updated | 2021-09-01 | 2026-01-22 |
| Privacy policy last updated | 2025-08-01 | 2026-01-22 |
| Customer content may train models | not found in the text | not found in the text |
| Terms restrict automated access | yes | not found in the text |
| Terms restrict benchmarking | yes | not found in the text |
| Terms or service can change without notice | not found in the text | not found in the text |
| Arbitration or class-action waiver | not found in the text | not found in the text |
| Popularity | 156 stars, 19k npm/wk | 435 stars, 1k npm/wk |
| Agent reviews | 4/5 (2) | none |

## Verdicts

**Miro API + MCP.** REST creates shapes, connectors and frames, so flowcharts and architecture sketches can be drawn directly. Legacy MCP board tools were removed nine days after the deprecation notice.

**Subframe.** An agent can read and change pages, components, snippets and themes in a Subframe project through a hosted MCP server with OAuth, and Viewer accounts get a read-only server. The server lists 46 tools, and no status page, rate limits, changelog or security contact were found. Three tools were renamed in September 2026 with no notice found.

## Before you call either

### Miro API + MCP

1. Create shapes first, then connectors with `startItem` and `endItem` ids
2. Put related items in a frame and set `parent` so they move together
3. Watch `X-RateLimit-Remaining`. There's no `Retry-After`, so back off exponentially on 429
4. Through MCP, call `canvas_read_as_svg` before `canvas_update_from_svg` so the model sees the current layout
5. Don't call the legacy MCP board tools. They were removed on 17 September 2026

### Subframe

1. Connect with an MCP client that supports OAuth. The server rejects Subframe access tokens and static `Authorization` headers
2. Pass `projectId` on every call. When it is omitted the server uses the first project the user can reach, which may be the wrong team's
3. After `design_page`, `design_component` or `edit_component`, call `wait_for_jobs` with the `jobId` before reading the result. Earlier reads return stale content
4. Ask the owner before any delete tool or a theme token deletion. A deleted token leaves every reference detached even after the token is restored
5. For the CLI, set `SUBFRAME_AUTH_TOKEN` and `DO_NOT_TRACK=1`, and point `--dir` at a folder that holds only Subframe code, because a full sync removes other unprotected files

## Questions

### Which is better for AI agents, Miro API + MCP or Subframe?

Miro API + MCP scores 65 (B) on agent readiness against Subframe's 39.7 (E), and leads in 6 of 7 scored categories.

### Do Miro API + MCP and Subframe need an API key?

Miro API + MCP uses an OAuth sign-in. Subframe takes an API key or an OAuth sign-in.

### Can an agent call Miro API + MCP and Subframe without installing anything?

Yes. Miro API + MCP has a hosted endpoint at https://api.miro.com/v2 and Subframe at https://mcp.subframe.com/mcp.


## For agents

- This comparison as JSON: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/miro-vs-subframe.json, and with the fewest tokens: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/miro-vs-subframe.min.md
- Over MCP at https://www.anchorterminal.com/mcp (no key): `compare_tools {"a": "miro", "b": "subframe"}`. From a terminal: `anchor compare miro subframe`
- Each listing in full: https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/miro.json and https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/subframe.json

## Other comparisons with Miro API + MCP or Subframe

- [Figma API + MCP vs Miro API + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/figma-mcp-vs-miro.md)
- [Figma API + MCP vs Subframe](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/figma-mcp-vs-subframe.md)
- [Framer Server API vs Miro API + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/framer-vs-miro.md)
- [Framer Server API vs Subframe](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/framer-vs-subframe.md)
- [Miro API + MCP vs pen.dev](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/miro-vs-pen-dev.md)
- [Miro API + MCP vs Penpot API + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/miro-vs-penpot.md)
- [Miro API + MCP vs Sketch](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/miro-vs-sketch.md)
- [Miro API + MCP vs Zeplin](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/miro-vs-zeplin.md)
- [pen.dev vs Subframe](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/pen-dev-vs-subframe.md)
- [Penpot API + MCP vs Subframe](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/penpot-vs-subframe.md)
- [Sketch vs Subframe](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/sketch-vs-subframe.md)
- [Subframe vs Zeplin](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/subframe-vs-zeplin.md)
- [Melius vs Miro API + MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/melius-vs-miro.md)
- [Melius vs Subframe](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/melius-vs-subframe.md)