SmartDraw vs Sparx Enterprise Architect
SmartDraw
smartdraw.com
Sparx Enterprise Architect
sparxsystems.comSide by side
| Figure | SmartDraw | Sparx Enterprise Architect |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $0.75/mo | Free |
| Free plan | — | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | — |
| Android | Yes | — |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 5 | 18 |
| Spec score · Diagramming tools | 9.3 (#2) | 9.4 (#1) |
| Spec score · Diagram Software | 8.6 (#8) | 8.8 (#4) |
| Spec score · Diagramming Software | 8.6 (#15) | 8.8 (#8) |
| Collaboration | Teams can edit diagrams in real time, comment, share links and use version history. | Built-in version control and deployable cloud-based servers support collaboration by globally distributed teams on shared projects. |
| Diagram types | Templates and tools cover flowcharts, organizational charts, network diagrams, UML, ERD, timelines, mind maps, Gantt charts, cause-and-effect diagrams and technical drawings. | UML Use Case,Activity,State,Interaction Overview,Sequence,Communication,Package,Class,Object,Composite,Component,Deployment; BPMN; SysML |
| Founded | 1994 | 1996 |
| Free plan | No | Yes |
| Headquarters | The Woodlands, Texas, USA | Creswick, Victoria, Australia |
| Integrations | Integrations include Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, Teams, Confluence, Jira, Trello, SharePoint, OneDrive, Google Drive, Dropbox, Box, AWS, Azure, GitHub, Entra ID, ChatGPT and Claude. | External-data integration covers Jira, Confluence, Polarion, Azure DevOps/TFS, Wrike, ServiceNow, Autodesk, Bugzilla, Salesforce, SharePoint and Dropbox. |
| Rating on Capterra | 4.2 out of 5 from 153 reviews. | 4.1 out of 5 from 38 reviews |
| Rating on G2 | 4.5 out of 5 from 403 reviews. | 4.1 out of 5 from 24 reviews |
| Rating on Gartner Peer Insights | 4.0 out of 5 from 1 review. | 4.2 out of 5 from 205 reviews |
| Rating on TrustRadius | 8.5 out of 10 from 40 ratings. | 5.9 out of 10 from 48 reviews |
| Real-time collaboration | Yes | Yes |
| Security | SmartDraw states that production data at rest uses FIPS 140-2 compliant AES-256 encryption and data transmission uses TLS 1.2 or greater. | Pro Cloud Server supports HTTPS/TLS encryption, Windows Active Directory or OpenID authentication, row-level security and up to 20 visibility-security levels. |
| Support | SmartDraw offers free in-house email and chat support; enterprise customers receive dedicated support representatives. | Sparx Systems lists a user forum, online manual, bug reporting, feature requests and email support. |
| System requirements | The legacy IT installation guide lists Windows 7/8/10 or Vista, 2 GB RAM and 4 GB free disk space, and documents MSI deployment through Group Policy or Configuration Manager. | The Windows client requires 2 GB RAM, 2 GB disk space and a 1280x720-or-higher display; Linux and macOS use Wine or CrossOver rather than native clients. |
Plans
SmartDraw
- Individual$9.95 a month
- Team$8.95 a month
- EnterprisePriced on request
- Team$8.95 a year
- Individual$9.95 a year
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
SmartDraw
SmartDraw is a diagramming tool for creating scaled floor plans and professional diagrams, from building layouts and evacuation plans to flowcharts, organizational charts, network diagrams, UML diagrams, and mind maps. SmartDraw AI can turn natural-language prompts into editable diagrams and floor plans. Templates and automatic layout adjustment help shape diagrams as users add, move, or delete elements. Teams can edit together, comment, and review version history. The service supports Linux, macOS, Windows, and the web, though its desktop launcher opens the web app and requires an internet connection. Files can be imported from formats including PDF, Visio, Lucidchart, and common image files, then exported as JPEG, PNG, SVG, PDF, or Visio. SmartDraw lists integrations with Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, Jira, Confluence, Azure, AWS, GitHub, ChatGPT, and Claude. The paid product has a free trial but no free plan; Team requires at least three users. SmartDraw was founded in 1994 and is headquartered in The Woodlands, Texas.
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.