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Alternatives · Whiteboards

yEd alternatives

As of Nov 13, 2026, the best yEd alternative for most people is draw.io (3.2 GPA), third in our ranking of whiteboard and mind map tools. It's also the best free one.

yEd compared with 5 alternatives: draw.io, Microsoft Visio, SmartDraw, Gliffy and ConceptDraw.

yEd is free to use. 2 of the 5 alternatives are free or have a free plan. 3 more offer a free trial.

Listings checked up to Nov 12, 2026 · Where the facts come from

At a glance

ToolPriceFree planRuns on
yEdThis toolFreeFreeWeb, macOS, Windows, Linux
draw.ioFreeFreeWeb, macOS, Windows, Linux
Microsoft VisioFree trial · from $5.00/moTrial onlyWeb, Windows
SmartDrawFree trial · from $10.95/moTrial onlyWeb
GliffyFree plan · from $3.80/moYesWeb
ConceptDrawFree trial · from $199Trial onlymacOS, Windows

Price against what you get

yEd has no paid plan and scores 2.0 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. None of the 4 alternatives on this chart both scores higher and starts lower.

draw.io, Microsoft Visio and SmartDraw score higher without starting lower.

Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged

C2.0B3.0A4.0Free$2$5$10$20$50More for lessCosts more, scores moreCosts less, scores lessCosts more, scores lessyEddraw.ioMicrosoft VisioSmartDrawGliffy

What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →

  • The best score at each price
  • Has a free plan
  • No free plan
The full chart of whiteboard and mind map tools, and the best at every price

How each one differs from yEd

  1. draw.io

    Free diagram editor that saves files to storage you choose

    • draw.io is free.
    • draw.io is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
    • draw.io also covers templates.

    Suits: UML, ERD, network and flowchart diagrams at no cost

    draw.io vs yEddraw.io pricing and details

  2. Microsoft Visio

    Diagramming software for flowcharts, org charts and floor plans

    • Microsoft Visio starts at $5.00 per user / month, paid yearly (Visio Plan 1).
    • Microsoft Visio has no free plan, only a free trial, unlike yEd.
    • Microsoft Visio lists no macOS and Linux apps, which yEd has.
    • Microsoft Visio can be bought with a one-time purchase.
    • Microsoft Visio also covers templates and mind mapping.

    Suits: Organizations already licensed for Microsoft 365

    Microsoft Visio vs yEdMicrosoft Visio pricing and details

  3. SmartDraw

    Floor plans, scaled layouts and business diagrams in the browser

    • SmartDraw starts at $10.95 per month, billed annually ($7.95 intro price for new customers).
    • SmartDraw has no free plan, only a free trial, unlike yEd.
    • SmartDraw lists no macOS, Windows and Linux apps, which yEd has.
    • SmartDraw also covers whiteboard, templates and mind mapping.

    Suits: Floor plans, site plans and other scaled layouts without CAD software

    SmartDraw vs yEdSmartDraw pricing and details

  4. Gliffy

    Diagramming app that runs inside Confluence

    • Gliffy starts at $3.80 per user / month, billed annually (Confluence Cloud, 11 to 100 users).
    • Gliffy lists no macOS, Windows and Linux apps, which yEd has.
    • Gliffy also covers templates.

    Suits: Teams that document in Confluence and want diagrams on the same page

    Gliffy vs yEdGliffy pricing and details

  5. ConceptDraw

    Desktop diagramming, mind mapping and project software

    • ConceptDraw starts at $199 per license (ConceptDraw DIAGRAM 18 or MINDMAP 16, 1 license).
    • ConceptDraw has no free plan, only a free trial, unlike yEd.
    • ConceptDraw lists no web app and Linux app, which yEd has.
    • ConceptDraw also covers Gantt & timelines, mind mapping and presentations.

    Suits: Individual professionals who want desktop software rather than a browser whiteboard

    ConceptDraw vs yEdConceptDraw pricing and details

Limits worth knowing in yEd

  • It is a desktop editor first; the product page describes no live multi-user editing.
  • The download requires accepting a license agreement before the installer is offered.
  • yWorks's paid business is its yFiles SDK, and its Confluence editor Graphity is sold separately in the Atlassian Marketplace.
  • The latest release shown is 3.25.1.
yEd pricing and details

Common questions

What are the alternatives to yEd?

The alternatives to yEd in this directory are draw.io, Microsoft Visio, SmartDraw, Gliffy and ConceptDraw. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with yEd.

Is there a free alternative to yEd?

Yes. draw.io is free to use. Gliffy has a free plan alongside paid ones.

Is there an open-source alternative to yEd?

draw.io is described as open source on its own site.

When were these prices checked?

Each listing shows its own date. On this page they run from Oct 5, 2026 to Nov 12, 2026. Vendors change prices without notice, so confirm on their site before you buy.