20 BEST Visio Alternatives in 2021 [Free/Paid]

Details

Last Updated: 28 December 2020

Microsoft Visio is a diagramming tool that allows you to create simple as well as complex diagrams according to your business needs. Visio also enables you to make detailed organization charts, floor plans, pivot diagrams, etc.

However, Microsoft Visio has some limitations like it does not work on mobile phones and mac operating system. Furthermore, this tool does not support a collaborative environment.

Here is a curated list of top tools that are capable of replacing Visio. The list contains both open source(free) and commercial(paid) software.

1) Edraw Max

Edraw Max is a diagrammatic tool that helps you to make diagrams using ready-made symbols and templates. It allows you to import your drawings to file formats such as PDF, PPT, Word, HTML, etc.

Features:

You can create a flowchart, mind map, electrical diagrams, network diagrams, etc.
It provides a user-friendly interface similar to MS Word.
Edraw Max helps you to share designs anytime, anywhere.
This tool provides 280+ latest diagram solutions.

2) MyDraw

MyDraw is diagramming software for Windows and Mac OS X. It allows you to create flowcharts, network diagrams, mind maps, tree diagrams, etc.

Features:

You do not require the internet to work with this tool.
It provides shapes to cover various diagrammatic scenarios.
This app contains more than a hundred templates.
You can export your work to various file formats like PDF, PNG, BMP, etc.
It supports many languages, including English, German, Chinese, Russian, etc.
MyDraw helps you to arrange the diagram with ease.
It provides online tutorials for drawing diagrams.

3) LucidChart

Lucidchart is a web-based tool that helps you to start diagramming. This tool is a strong competitor of Visio. It allows you to create a simple flowchart to complex technical diagrams.

Features:

Works with your team on any device across various platforms
It allows you to connect live data with your diagrams or import data to automatically build organization charts.
Helps you to increase security and easily manage user accounts
It can be integrated seamlessly with MS office, G Suite, and more.
Lucidchart follows GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) for data security.
Updated version of Lucidchart allows you to import data from Excel, Zapier (online automation tool), etc.

Link: https://www.lucidchart.com/pages/

4) Gliffy

Gliffy is a free website app for drawing diagrams and a solid replacement for Visio. It helps you to make UML diagrams, network diagrams, entity-relationship diagrams, and more.

Features:

It enables your team to quickly understand a new business process using flow chart.
Fast and effective integration with Jira and Confluence.
You can create Business Process Modeling and Notation (BPMN) diagrams.
It allows you to draw a diagram with ease.

Link: https://www.gliffy.com/solutions/diagrams-for-businesses

5) Yed

Yed is an alternative of Visio for generating high-quality diagrams. You can use this tool to make diagrams manually or by exporting external data.

Features:

It has a layout that helps you to arrange large data sets with one mouse click.
It is available for platforms like Windows, Linux, macOS, etc.
You can import data from Excel spreadsheet.
Yed Graph Editor enables you to create diagrams using easy to use UI.
This tool automatically arranges elements of diagrams.
You can save diagram in PNG, PDF, SWF, SVG, etc. file formats.
It offers a vast variety of layouts to visualize your drawings.

Link: https://www.yworks.com/products/yed

6) Google Drawings

Google Drawings is a free, cloud-based diagramming application. It enables users to collaborate and work together in real time to create numerous charts.

Features:

It helps you to insert pre-designed diagrams.
You can easily add a gradient background to the working area.
Google Drawings provides numerous shortcuts to make your task easy.
You can use word art to create a title.

Link: https://docs.google.com/drawings/

7) D3m

D3m is a tool for creating professional looking network diagrams. It provides a collaboration solution to make diagrams with the team.

Features:

Diagrams are automatically synced with your project.
You can easily drag and drop icons to D3m tool.
It protects your confidential information.
You can access data anytime.
D3m helps you store and organize files with ease.
Templates can be customizable.

Link: https://www.d3mnetworks.com/

8) Smartdraw

SmartDraw is a tool for making and organizing flowcharts, mind maps, project charts, and other business visuals. This tool is used by organizations and companies into document processes, manage plan strategies as well as projects.

Features:

SmartDraw is easier to use than the standard drawing tools included in G Suite and Microsoft Office.
It has thousands of templates and symbols to choose from.
You can connect SmartDraw with REST (Representational state transfer) API.
The software lets you create chart-based and schematic diagrams.
It automatically generates a decision tree.
The software contains more than built-in 4000 templates, which can be used for making 70 different types of diagrams.
It can be run on any tablet or computer.

Link: https://www.smartdraw.com/

9) Draw.io

Draw.io is an open-source platform where you can efficiently create and share diagrams. You can use this tool to create flowcharts, network diagrams, and UML diagrams.

Features:

It has a library containing numerous shapes.
This tool provides a wide range of templates.
It does not store data on the server for security concerns.
You can use this software online and offline.
Draw.io works on mobile iOS, and Android devices and desktop PC.
Compatible with Firefox, Chrome, and more.

Link: https://app.diagrams.net/

10) Xmind

Xmind is an integrated platform for brainstorming and mind mapping app. It is designed to generate ideas and inspire creativity. This software supports tree diagrams, fishbone diagrams, spreadsheets, etc.

Features:

You can export and share diagrams to Word, PDF, Excel, PPT, etc.
It provides easy to use GUI.
Xmind allows you to access graphics anytime and anywhere.
It has a theme editor to quickly edit the style of diagrams.
You can make any graphic you want.

Link: https://www.xmind.net/

11) Organimi

Organimi is an app for creating an organizational chart. You can access it on any device at any time. This tool enables you to export chart sin PDF or PNG file.

Features:

You can upload CSV or excel data file to Organimi.
This software allows you to import photos.
You can easily create custom fields like checkbox, tag, URL link, etc.
You can set up custom rules in charts.
It enables you to share your work with your teammates via email.

Link: https://www.organimi.com/

12) ASCIIflow

ASCIIflow is a tool to create ASCII (American Standard Code for Information Interchange) diagrams. It enables you to save your designs to Google drive.

Features:

You can export designs to simple text or HTML files.
It has a user-friendly UI.
ASCIIflow helps you to create drawings made up of text.
You can easily draw arrows, lines, boxes, etc.

Link: http://asciiflow.com/

13) Continuity

Continuity is a diagramming tool for IT professionals. It helps you to create clear, appealing diagrams. This tool allows you to write and draw in freehand.

Features:

It supports the encryption of databases and repository files.
This software enables you to draw a diagram in 3D.
You can use it for commercial and personal purposes.
It helps you to draw visual models effortlessly.

Link: https://www.continuity.kiwi.nz/

14) Coggle

Coggle is a browser-based tool that helps you to create flow charts and mind maps. This contrasts with many other collaborative applications like Google Docs, that provide either a spreadsheet or text document format.

Features:

Enable you to produce notes quickly and easily.
It offers real-time collaboration.
You can easily create loops and join branches in the diagram.
Users can upload unlimited Images to Coggle.
It contains numerous shapes to draw flowcharts.
Anyone can make changes in the diagram without any login.

Link: https://coggle.it/

15) Graphviz

Graphviz is a tool that helps you to draw graphs specified in DOT (Graph Description Language). It has a web as well as an interactive graphical interface.

Features:

You can make a diagram in formats like SVG, PDF, and more.
It enables you to customize fonts, colors, layouts, line style, etc.
This tool enables you to draw a diagram related to web design, networking database, etc.
Graphviz allows you to make layered drawings of graphs.
It also supports the command-line interface.

Link: http://www.graphviz.org/

16) Pencil Project

Pencil Project is a prototyping app that helps you to sketch, analyze, and finalize ideas using elements, common shapes, and more.

Features:

Pencil Project has numerous shapes collection
This tool supports connectors to connect two shapes.
It allows you to output the drawing document into different types of formats.
You can export documents to PDF and SVG.
Pencil Project helps you to find clipart for your project.
You can link drawing elements to a particular page in the same document.

Link: http://pencil.evolus.vn/Default.html

17) Dia

Dia is open-source diagramming tool. It helps you to draw network maps, flowcharts, UML diagrams, etc. This tool allows you to export a diagram to SVG, PNG, and more file formats.

Features:

You can run this program from the command line.
This tool provides rules to create an accurate diagram.
It allows you to change the canvas (the area used to draw graphics) color.
Canvas automatically fit to the highest zoom.
You can run Dia from the USB stick.
Additional shapes for drawing can be easily downloaded from Dia.

Link: http://dia-installer.de/download/index.html

18) Plantuml

Plantuml is open source app for creating UML (Unified Modeling Language) diagrams. This tool utilizes Graphviz software to outline diagrams.

Features:

You can run this app from the command line.
It enables you to save Plantuml in PNG format.
You can access Plantuml anywhere, anytime.
Plantuml provides readymade templates to draw diagrams.
You can quickly draw use case diagram, sequence diagram, deployment diagrams, object diagrams, and more.

Link: https://plantuml.com/

19) UMLet

UMLet is a Java-based UML product. It enables you to export diagrams to PDF, SVG, JPG, etc. This tool can work on Windows, Linux, and OS X. UMLet can be used to build a diagram from plain text.