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Best Productivity ResourcesBy Shushant LakhyaniVerified creator

Web App

draw.io

A free diagramming app for flowcharts, org charts and architecture diagrams.

Visit draw.io4.7

  • Rating

    4.7 / 5

  • Pricing

    Free

  • Difficulty

    Beginner

  • Works on

    Web, Windows, macOS

Built with love by Shushant Lakhyani. Building bestproductivityresources.com

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What is draw.io?

draw.io (diagrams.net) is a free, open-source diagram editor that runs in the browser or as a desktop app. Build flowcharts, mind maps, network and UML diagrams from large shape libraries, and save files to your device, Google Drive, OneDrive or GitHub.

Pros: what draw.io does well

  • Completely free with no account required
  • Huge shape libraries and templates
  • Desktop app works offline

Cons: where it falls short

  • Interface looks dated
  • Real-time collaboration depends on the storage you choose

Who draw.io is for

Anyone who needs clean diagrams without paying for a diagramming suite.

Who can skip it

People who only need quick rough sketches rather than structured diagrams.

What people use draw.io for

  • Drawing flowcharts, process maps and decision trees
  • Sketching software architecture, network and UML diagrams
  • Making org charts, mind maps and simple floor plans
  • Keeping diagrams next to your work in Google Drive, OneDrive, SharePoint or a GitHub repo

How to get started

  1. 1Open app.diagrams.net in your browser, or install the free desktop app for Windows, macOS or Linux.
  2. 2Choose where to save: your device, Google Drive, OneDrive or GitHub.
  3. 3Start from a blank page or a template, then drag shapes in from the libraries on the left.
  4. 4Connect shapes with arrows, then export to PNG, SVG or PDF when you are done.

draw.io pricing

draw.io is free with no sign-up and no paid tier for the web or desktop app. Separate, paid draw.io apps for Atlassian Confluence and Jira are sold through the Atlassian Marketplace. See current prices on draw.io's site

Checked 2026-10-24. Prices change, so double-check before you pay.

draw.io FAQ: quick answers

Is draw.io free?
Yes. The online editor and the desktop app are free to use, with no account needed.
Is draw.io open source?
The source code is published on GitHub under the Apache 2.0 licence, with an added clause that rules out using it inside Atlassian Confluence. The project does not accept outside code contributions.
Is draw.io the same as diagrams.net?
Yes. diagrams.net was the tool's name for a few years; it is now branded draw.io again, and both addresses open the same editor.

draw.io alternatives

Not sold on draw.io? These do a similar job, and each card says what it has in common.

All Brainstorming resources

D2

Focus: diagram as code, command line and github. Shares diagrams and open source with draw.io. A desktop app, not a web app. Adds Offline. Rated 4.6 (draw.io: 4.7).

Desktop AppFreemacOS, Windows
4.6Visit

reladraw

Focus: diagram as code, svg and architecture diagrams. Shares diagrams and open source with draw.io. A framework, not a web app. Rated 4.5 (draw.io: 4.7).

FrameworkFreeWeb, Cross-Platform
4.5Visit

Excalidraw CLI

Focus: excalidraw, cli and ai agents. Shares diagrams and open source with draw.io. A framework, not a web app. Rated 4.4 (draw.io: 4.7).

FrameworkFreemacOS, Windows
4.4Visit

Beszel

Focus: server monitoring, docker and alerts. Shares open source with draw.io. Rated 4.6 (draw.io: 4.7).

Web AppFreeWeb, Linux
4.6Visit

Dashy

Focus: dashboard, start page and self-hosted. Shares open source with draw.io. Rated 4.6 (draw.io: 4.7).

Web AppFreeWeb, Cross-Platform
4.6Visit

Free alternatives to draw.io

Want to spend nothing? These free picks cover similar ground.

Homarr

Focus: dashboard, homelab and self-hosting. Shares open source with draw.io. Rated 4.6 (draw.io: 4.7).

Web AppFreeWeb, Windows
4.6Visit

Homepage

Focus: dashboard, start page and docker. Shares open source with draw.io. Rated 4.6 (draw.io: 4.7).

Web AppFreeWeb, Cross-Platform
4.6Visit

Dozzle

Focus: docker, logs and monitoring. Shares open source with draw.io. Rated 4.5 (draw.io: 4.7).

Web AppFreeWeb
4.5Visit

Heimdall

Focus: dashboard, start page and launcher. Shares open source with draw.io. Rated 4.5 (draw.io: 4.7).

Web AppFreeWeb
4.5Visit

Homer

Focus: dashboard, start page and self-hosted. Shares open source with draw.io. Rated 4.5 (draw.io: 4.7).

Web AppFreeWeb
4.5Visit

Shlink

Focus: url shortener, short links and self-hosted. Shares open source with draw.io. Rated 4.5 (draw.io: 4.7).

Web AppFreeWeb, Linux
4.5Visit
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