Draw.io (diagrams.net) compared with Microsoft Visio, Lucidchart and SmartDraw| Draw.io (diagrams.net) | Microsoft Visio | Lucidchart | SmartDraw |
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| Technical fields and diagram types: Draw.io is a general diagram editor for flowcharts, UML, network, electrical and process diagrams, with link associations that follow blocks when they move. It does not target scaled engineering drawings. | Technical fields and diagram types: Visio Plan 2 adds BPMN 2.0, P&ID, electrical diagrams, floor plans and 250,000+ shapes. It is the most suited to process and plant engineering documentation. | Technical fields and diagram types: Lucidchart covers flowcharts, BPMN, ERD, UML, AWS network diagrams and C4 models, plus roadmaps and org charts. The focus is software and business processes. | Technical fields and diagram types: SmartDraw is strong in scaled drawings such as floor plans, site plans, electrical and plumbing plans. Data attached to shapes can generate equipment lists. |
| Openness and hosting: The source code is under the Apache License 2.0. It can be self-hosted from a Docker image or a .war file, or run as a desktop application. | Openness and hosting: Visio is proprietary. Files use the .vsdx format, which other tools often read only partly. | Openness and hosting: Lucidchart is a hosted proprietary service with more than 100 integrations, including Jira, Confluence and Google Drive. | Openness and hosting: SmartDraw is a hosted proprietary service. The page reviewed mentions integrations with Microsoft and Google, and SSO provisioning. |
| Kostenmodell: Draw.io is free to use online, and the page of the project claims no copyright on the diagrams you create. | Kostenmodell: Plan 1 (web only) and Plan 2 (web and desktop) use per-seat licensing. A one-month trial exists. | Kostenmodell: Lucidchart offers a free sign-up and Individual, Team and Enterprise plans. Prices were not available on the pages reviewed. | Kostenmodell: Prices were not listed on the pages reviewed, so none are given here. |
| Platform and storage: It runs in a browser without registration. Files can be saved to Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox or locally, and exported as XML, PNG or SVG. Teams with confidential designs should use local storage or a self-hosted copy. | Platform and storage: The Visio desktop app runs on Windows. The web app works in a browser, but data linking needs the desktop app. | Platform and storage: It runs in a browser. Diagrams can be linked to Google Sheets, Excel or CSV data to build visuals automatically. | Platform and storage: The page offers a web app. It also lists PDF import for floor plans and AI generation from a text prompt. |
| Typical user: Engineers who want a free editor with no account, or who must host the tool inside their own network. | Typical user: Organizations that already use Microsoft 365 and need process, P&ID or electrical diagrams with data links. | Typical user: Software and product teams that need shared editing and integrations with their project tools. | Typical user: Facility, safety and site planners who need accurate drawings at scale. |
