Side by side

IBM Blueworks Live vs SmartDraw

Both stand on diagram software. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.

Choose SmartDraw if you need a diagramming tool with many diagram types, real-time collaboration, and broad import and export formats. Enterprise adds SSO, multiple shared folders, a custom company theme, and a dedicated customer success manager. The paid-only model may not suit someone looking for a free plan, and Team requires at least three users.

Visit SmartDraw

The facts

	IBM Blueworks Live	SmartDraw
Free plan	No	A free trial
Open source	Not published	No
Runs on	Web	Android, API, iPhone, Linux, Mac, Web, Windows
Lowest paid plan	See the plans	See the plans
Plans published	3	3
Maker	Not published	SmartDraw
Website	ibm.com	smartdraw.com
On diagram software	#35 of 36	#31 of 36

IBM Blueworks Live: what it does well

SmartDraw: what it does well

Supports a broad range of planning, technical, and business diagrams.
Real-time collaboration and version history are available.
Imports PDFs, Visio files, Lucidchart files, and image formats.
Exports diagrams as JPEG, PNG, SVG, PDF, or Visio.
Available on web, Windows, macOS, and Linux.

What to know first

There is no free plan.
Team licenses require at least three users.

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