Best Diagram Software in 2026
Updated
In short: draw.io is ranked #1 of 37 as of 7 October 2026, ahead of EdrawMax and Creately. The best-ranked option with a free plan is EdrawMax. The lowest first paid tier on this page is Visual Paradigm at $4/mo.
When you need to map a process, system, or idea, diagram software offers different ways to build and maintain a visual representation. Compare diagram types and import and export formats, then consider desktop app availability, maximum editors, real-time collaboration, and version history. Free-plan availability and paid-from pricing can also help frame the choice. draw.io, EdrawMax, and Creately are among the entries, alongside Buddi and Lucidchart. Whether you work solo or with others, the listed editor limits and collaboration features can help you assess how each option may fit your diagramming workflow.
37 diagram software ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
16 of the 25 here have a free tier you can use, 1 has open-source code on record, and 1 has full bars: free, open, on most of your devices and documented.
| # | App | Signal | Free tier | Open code | Devices | From | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | draw.ioWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone | Full bars | 6 of 6 | Free | 8.1 | ||
| 2 | EdrawMaxWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone | Three bars | — | 6 of 6 | $5.90/mo | 6.7 | |
| 3 | CreatelyWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Self-hosted · API | Three bars | — | 4 of 6 | Free | 6.6 | |
| 4 | ArchiWindows · Mac · Linux | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 6.5 | |
| 5 | BuddiWindows · Mac · Linux | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 6.5 | |
| 6 | Eclipse PapyrusWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Self-hosted | Three bars | — | 4 of 6 | Free | 6.5 | |
| 7 | LucidchartWeb · Android · iPhone · API · Extension | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | $9/mo | 6.5 | |
| 8 | Microsoft VisioWeb · Windows · Mac | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | $5/mo | 6.5 | |
| 9 | ProcessOnWeb · Android · iPhone | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 6.5 | |
| 10 | yEd Graph EditorWindows · Mac · Linux | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 6.5 | |
| 11 | Bizagi ModelerWeb · Windows | Two bars | — | 2 of 6 | Free | 6.4 | |
| 12 | CacooWeb · Self-hosted · API | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | $6/mo | 6.4 | |
| 13 | EraserWeb · Self-hosted · API · Extension | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | $15/mo | 6.4 | |
| 14 | Visual ParadigmWeb | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | $4/mo | 6.4 | |
| 15 | IcePanelWeb | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | $40/mo | 6.3 | |
| 16 | GrapholiteWeb · Windows · Mac · Android · iPhone | One bar | — | — | 5 of 6 | — | 5.4 |
| 17 | PlantUMLWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Self-hosted · API · Extension | Two bars | — | 4 of 6 | Free | 5.4 | |
| 18 | DiaWindows · Mac · Linux | One bar | — | — | 3 of 6 | — | 5.3 |
| 19 | GraphvizWindows · Mac · Linux | One bar | — | — | 3 of 6 | — | 5.3 |
| 20 | Pencil ProjectWindows · Mac · Linux | One bar | — | — | 3 of 6 | — | 5.3 |
| 21 | Sparx Enterprise ArchitectNo platforms listed | One bar | — | — | 0 of 6 | — | 5.3 |
| 22 | StructurizrWeb | One bar | — | — | 1 of 6 | £300/mo | 5.3 |
| 23 | Violet UML EditorWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux | One bar | — | — | 4 of 6 | — | 5.3 |
| 24 | Diagram DesignerWindows | No signal | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 5.2 |
| 25 | HoloriWeb | No signal | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 5.2 |
Compare all 25 in a table
| # | App | Score | Free plan | From | Free plan | Paid from | Diagram types | Real-time collaboration |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | draw.io | 8.1 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | flow charts, mind maps, org charts, Venn diagrams, infographics, network diagrams, architecture diagrams, floor plans, electrical diagrams, rack diagrams, UML diagrams, BPMN diagrams, Kanban boards, ER diagrams, Mermaid diagrams, Gitflow diagrams, C4 models, threat models | Yes |
| 2 | EdrawMax | 6.7 | Free plan | $5.90/mo | Yes | — | — | — |
| 3 | Creately | 6.6 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | — | — |
| 4 | Archi | 6.5 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | ArchiMate Views, Sketch Views, Canvas Views | — |
| 5 | Buddi | 6.5 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | class, sequence, state, object, use case | — |
| 6 | Eclipse Papyrus | 6.5 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | Class, Object, Package, Composite Structure, Component, Deployment, Profile, Use Case, Activity, State Machine, Communication, Sequence, Timing, Interaction Overview, Block Definition, Internal Block, Requirement, Parametric | Yes |
| 7 | Lucidchart | 6.5 | Free plan | $9/mo | Yes | — | flowcharts, org charts, entity relationship diagrams, sequence diagrams, mind maps, UML/class diagrams, process diagrams | Yes |
| 8 | Microsoft Visio | 6.5 | No | $5/mo | No | 5 /user/mo | basic, block, business matrix, Venn, cycle, pyramid, flowchart, process, cross-functional, SDL, UML, ERD, network, Azure, AWS, BPMN, floor plan, HVAC, plant layout, timeline, Gantt, PERT, ITIL, Pivot, Six Sigma, value-stream map, organization chart | Yes |
| 9 | ProcessOn | 6.5 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | mind maps, flowcharts, swimlane diagrams, Gantt charts, UML diagrams, architecture diagrams, ER diagrams, network topology diagrams, organizational charts, Venn diagrams, BPMN diagrams, circuit diagrams, floor plans, timelines, fishbone diagrams, tree diagrams, matrix diagrams, data visualization charts | Yes |
| 10 | yEd Graph Editor | 6.5 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | BPMN diagrams, semantic networks, family trees, flowcharts, social networks, UML class diagrams, entity relationship diagrams, swimlane diagrams | — |
| 11 | Bizagi Modeler | 6.4 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | BPMN process diagrams; value chain diagrams | Yes |
| 12 | Cacoo | 6.4 | Free plan | $6/mo | Yes | 6 /user/mo | flowcharts, wireframes, mind maps, process diagrams, BPMN diagrams, network diagrams, UML diagrams, organizational charts, timelines, charts, wireframes | Yes |
| 13 | Eraser | 6.4 | Free plan | $15/mo | Yes | 15 /user/mo | Flow charts, entity-relationship diagrams, cloud architecture diagrams, sequence diagrams, BPMN diagrams | Yes |
| 14 | Visual Paradigm | 6.4 | Free plan | $4/mo | Yes | 4 /user/mo | UML, SysML, flowchart, organization chart, ER, BPMN, data-flow, EPC, mind map, C4, Gantt, wireframe, cloud architecture | Yes |
| 15 | IcePanel | 6.3 | Free plan | $40/mo | Yes | — | Context diagrams, app diagrams, component diagrams | Yes |
| 16 | Grapholite | 5.4 | No | — | — | — | flowcharts, organizational charts, mind maps, swimlanes, SWOT diagrams, BPMN diagrams, UML diagrams, floor plans, brainstorming diagrams, website wireframes, workflow diagrams, TQM diagrams, Venn diagrams, network layouts, planograms, office plans, home plans | — |
| 17 | PlantUML | 5.4 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | Sequence, use-case, class, object, activity, component, deployment, state, timing, regex, network, wireframe, Archimate, Gantt, mind map, WBS, EBNF, JSON, YAML | — |
| 18 | Dia | 5.3 | No | — | Yes | — | Entity-relationship diagrams; UML diagrams; flowcharts; network diagrams | — |
| 19 | Graphviz | 5.3 | No | — | — | — | graph diagrams; network diagrams; hierarchical diagrams | — |
| 20 | Pencil Project | 5.3 | No | — | Yes | — | GUI mockups, wireframes, flowcharts, desktop UI, web UI, Android UI, iOS UI | — |
| 21 | Sparx Enterprise Architect | 5.3 | No | — | Yes | — | UML Use Case, Activity, State, Interaction Overview, Sequence, Communication, Package, Class, Object, Composite, Component, Deployment; BPMN; SysML | Yes |
| 22 | Structurizr | 5.3 | No | £300/mo | Yes | — | system landscape, system context, container, component, code, dynamic, deployment, custom, filtered, image | — |
| 23 | Violet UML Editor | 5.3 | No | — | Yes | — | class, sequence, state, object, use case | — |
| 24 | Diagram Designer | 5.2 | No | — | Yes | — | flowcharts, UML class diagrams, illustrations, slide shows | — |
| 25 | Holori | 5.2 | No | — | Yes | — | AWS, Azure, GCP, multi-cloud, Kubernetes, Terraform, cloud architecture | Yes |
Is your app on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored, and a sponsored row is labelled as paid.
Questions about this list
Which diagram software is ranked first on Freedom251?
draw.io is ranked #1 of 37 with a score of 8.1. EdrawMax is second and Creately third.
How many of these have a free plan?
15 of the 25 on this page publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.
Which is the cheapest paid option?
On this page, Visual Paradigm has the lowest first paid tier we found: $4/mo.
How is this list ranked?
Ranked free-and-open first: a usable free tier and open-source code, then the platforms it runs on and its documentation.