draw.io vs Mermaid
draw.io
drawio.com
Mermaid
mermaid.js.orgSide by side
| Figure | draw.io | Mermaid |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | $10/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | Yes |
| Open source | Yes | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | — |
| Android | Yes | — |
| API | — | Yes |
| Self-hosted | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 4 |
| Spec score · Diagramming tools | 9.0 (#5) | 8.4 (#19) |
| Spec score · Diagram Software | 8.7 (#5) | 8.2 (#17) |
| Spec score · Diagramming Software | 8.7 (#10) | 8.2 (#25) |
| Diagram types | 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 | The documentation lists diagram types including flowcharts, sequence diagrams, class diagrams, state diagrams, ER diagrams, Gantt charts, mind maps, timelines, Sankey diagrams, and architecture diagrams. |
| Native Integrations | Integrations include Google, Microsoft, Atlassian, GitHub, VS Code, Notion, and Chrome. | Listed integrations include VS Code, JetBrains IDEs, Cursor, Windsurf, Claude Code, ChatGPT, Confluence, Jira, Google Docs, Microsoft Word, and PowerPoint. |
Plans
In their own words
draw.io
draw.io is a free, open-source diagramming tool for creating visual layouts, from flow charts and mind maps to network, architecture, UML, BPMN and floor-plan diagrams. It supports real-time collaboration, and files can be opened and edited across platforms. Users can choose their own storage or save locally with the desktop app; draw.io says it cannot access users' data. No sign-up or credit card is required to start diagramming, and the desktop app is free forever. Diagrams can remain editable or be exported to SVG, PNG or PDF. Supported imports include draw.io, XML, Gliffy, VSDX, Lucidchart, PNG, SVG and JPEG. Integrations include Google, Microsoft, Atlassian, GitHub, VS Code, Notion and Chrome. Interactive diagrams can be embedded in documents, wikis or applications. The listed platforms are web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android. Support is available through GitHub Discussions and Stack Overflow. The site says there is no Enterprise tier for SSO.
Mermaid
Mermaid is an open-source JavaScript tool that turns Markdown-inspired text definitions into diagrams and visualizations. Its diagram types include flowcharts, sequence and class diagrams, state diagrams, Gantt charts, timelines, mindmaps, Git graphs, use case diagrams, and event modeling diagrams. Users can also describe an idea, upload a document, or paste a transcript to generate a diagram, then refine it in a context-aware conversation. The platform supports real-time co-editing, click-based adjustments, and shareable live links that recipients can open without logging in. Mermaid can be used in its Live Editor, installed as an npm dependency, loaded from a CDN, or deployed through its API. Listed integrations span IDEs, office tools, and community projects. It imports.mmd files and exports PNG, SVG, and Markdown; version history is available. The free Basic tier allows up to six diagrams, a size limit of 60, 15 AI credits, and one team and project creation. Plus costs $10 a month billed annually; Premium costs $20 a month billed annually.