Microsoft Visio vs Sparx Enterprise Architect
Microsoft Visio
microsoft.com
Sparx Enterprise Architect
sparxsystems.comSide by side
| Figure | Microsoft Visio | Sparx Enterprise Architect |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $5/mo | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | — | Yes |
| API | — | Yes |
| Self-hosted | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 5 | 18 |
| Spec score · Diagramming tools | 8.8 (#10) | 9.4 (#1) |
| Spec score · Diagram Software | 8.3 (#14) | 8.8 (#4) |
| Spec score · Diagramming Software | 8.3 (#20) | 8.8 (#8) |
| Collaboration | Visio supports real-time collaboration, commenting, and sharing through its web app and Microsoft Teams app. | Built-in version control and deployable cloud-based servers support collaboration by globally distributed teams on shared projects. |
| Diagram types | Visio supports diagrams including flowcharts, network diagrams, mind maps, organization charts, UML diagrams, floor plans, and engineering diagrams, with availability varying by plan. | UML Use Case,Activity,State,Interaction Overview,Sequence,Communication,Package,Class,Object,Composite,Component,Deployment; BPMN; SysML |
| Founded | 1975 | 1996 |
| Free plan | No | Yes |
| Headquarters | Redmond, Washington, USA | Creswick, Victoria, Australia |
| Integrations | The product page lists integrations with Teams, Power BI, Excel, PowerPoint, Word, OneDrive for Business, and Azure. | External-data integration covers Jira, Confluence, Polarion, Azure DevOps/TFS, Wrike, ServiceNow, Autodesk, Bugzilla, Salesforce, SharePoint and Dropbox. |
| Platforms | Visio for the web runs in a browser on Windows or macOS, while the full-featured desktop app is Windows-based and included with Plan 2. | The native application supports Windows; Sparx lists Linux through Wine and macOS through Wine or CrossOver, with compatibility depending on the runtime. |
| Purpose | Visio helps users draw diagrams that communicate complex information at a glance. | Enterprise Architect is a multi-user visual modeling tool for business and IT systems, software and systems engineering, and real-time and embedded development. |
| Real-time collaboration | Yes | Yes |
| Trial | First-time trial users with a work or school account can try Plan 1 or Plan 2 free for 30 days. | The free 30-day trial allows unlimited use of any edition and personal data, but printed documents show a watermark. |
Plans
Microsoft Visio
- Visio Plan 1$5 a month
- Visio Plan 2$15 a month
- Visio in Microsoft 365Free
- Visio Plan 1$5 a month
- Visio Plan 2$15 a month
Sparx Enterprise Architect
- Enterprise Architect LiteFree
- Lite EditionFree
- Professional Standard$245, paid once
- Professional — Standard License$245, paid once
- Corporate Standard$320, paid once
- Corporate — Standard License$320, paid once
- Professional Floating$320, paid once
- Professional — Floating License$320, paid once
- Corporate Floating$425, paid once
- Corporate — Floating License$425, paid once
In their own words
Microsoft Visio
Microsoft Visio helps users communicate complex information through diagrams. Its supported formats include flowcharts, process and cross-functional diagrams, organization charts, UML and ERD models, network and cloud diagrams, floor plans, timelines, Gantt and PERT charts, and business diagrams such as matrices and value-stream maps. The web and Microsoft Teams apps support real-time collaboration, comments, and sharing. Listed integrations include Teams, Power BI, Excel, PowerPoint, Word, OneDrive for Business, and Azure. Visio Plan 2 can link diagram shapes to Excel, SharePoint lists, and SQL Server data. The compared plans support Microsoft Information Rights Management and GDPR compliance; IRM permissions must be set in the desktop app, though they are honored for online files opened in the web app. Accessibility support includes Narrator, an Accessibility Checker, and high-contrast display. Visio is available on Windows and the web, but Microsoft does not offer a macOS desktop app. Plan 1 costs $5 a month billed yearly; Plan 2 costs $15 a month billed yearly. First-time trial users with a work or school account can try either plan free for 30 days.
Sparx Enterprise Architect
Sparx Enterprise Architect is a visual modeling tool for business and IT systems, software and systems engineering, and real-time and embedded development. It supports UML, SysML, BPMN, and other open standards, linking specifications with analysis, design, implementation, testing, and maintenance models. Diagram coverage includes UML use case, activity, state, sequence, communication, package, class, object, component, and deployment types, plus BPMN and SysML. Requirements management supports hierarchical requirements, links to model elements, reporting, and impact analysis. Teams can simulate behavioral models using triggers, guards, and effects, including JavaScript, and generate or reverse engineer code for languages including C++, C#, Java, PHP, and Python. Built-in version control and deployable cloud-based servers support shared projects. The trial lasts 30 days and permits use of any edition, though printed documents carry a watermark. The product supports Windows, Linux, macOS, self-hosting, and API access.