Cloudcraft vs Structurizr (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Structurizr grades higher than Cloudcraft: 2.6 against 1.8 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Cloudcraft grades higher on ease of use. Structurizr grades higher on value for money and the free plan. They get the same grade on features and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Structurizr
Open-source models-as-code tool for C4 architecture diagrams
Which one is for you
Pick Cloudcraft if
- Fits if you already pay for Datadog and want live architecture maps
- Works for cloud engineers who need diagrams that follow infrastructure changes
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you don't use Datadog, as there's no separate plan
- Not for you if you want a freeform whiteboard, because it only maps existing infrastructure
- Watch out: logs, cost, security, APM and GPU overlays need the matching Datadog subscription
- Watch out: the diagrams depend on cloud accounts being connected through Datadog first
Pick Structurizr if
- Fits if you're a developer who keeps diagrams as code in version control
- Works for organisations that must host architecture diagrams themselves
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want to drag shapes around, as it's code first
- Not for you if you don't want to learn its text language and command line
- Pricey if you want the prebuilt server: £300 a month for up to 20 users, £600 for up to 50
- Watch out: licenses are bought by contacting the vendor and are non-refundable, with prices in pounds
How we grade them
| 1.8GPACloudcraftWeak | 2.6GPAStructurizrGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CThe price is $0 on top of a Datadog subscription, but there's no separate plan, so you pay for Datadog to get it. | AThe playground, local viewer and command-line export are free to download and use. Only the prebuilt server costs, at £300 a month for up to 20 users. |
| Free plan and trial | FNothing free on its own: no standalone free plan or trial is on record, only inclusion with Datadog. | BOpen-source tools with no cap, but the prebuilt server needs a paid license, and building the open-core server yourself is up to you. A 14-day trial license is on request. |
| Features | CAutomatic multi-cloud diagrams, overlays and export. But it only maps existing infrastructure, and the cost, security, logs and APM overlays need the matching Datadog product. | CModels as code, interactive diagrams, export to other formats and AI support. It does the C4 job completely, but it's a smaller job than a general whiteboard. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. You connect cloud accounts through Datadog's integrations first. | DYou write a text language, use a command line and, for the server, host it yourself with Docker. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb only, but it covers AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, Oracle Cloud and VMware vSphere, and connects to Datadog and Claude Code. | BWeb playground plus a local viewer, command-line exporter and server, with PlantUML, Mermaid, S3 and Azure storage connections. |
| Best for | live cloud architecture diagrams for Datadog customers | C4 architecture diagrams written as code |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Cloudcraft and Structurizr. How we grade
Price against what you get
Cloudcraft has no paid plan and scores 2.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Structurizr starts at about $401.97 a month and scores 2.0.
Cloudcraft scores higher and starts $401.97 a month lower. Of the other whiteboard and mind map tools on the chart, none scores higher than Cloudcraft for less, and 65 score higher than Structurizr for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
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
Where they differ
- Structurizr is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
At a glance
| Cloudcraft | Structurizr | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free plan |
| Starts at | Free | £300 per month for up to 20 unique users, per server installation |
| Free plan | None | Open-source tools: the browser playground, local viewer, CLI export and a self-built open-core server. |
| Free trial | None listed | 14-day trial license on request that unlocks all features |
| Web | ||
| Made by | Datadog, Inc. | Structurizr Limited |
| Price read from | cloudcraft.co | docs.structurizr.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Cloudcraft
- Cloudcraft is described as included with Datadog; the pricing page lists no separate paid plan.
- Logs, cost, security, APM and GPU overlays appear only when the matching Datadog subscription is in use.
- It maps existing infrastructure rather than serving as a freeform whiteboard.
Structurizr
- Using the server through the vendor's prebuilt binaries needs a paid license; building it yourself is open core.
- Prices are published in pounds sterling and are charged by unique users per server installation.
- Licenses are bought by contacting the vendor, with payment by bank transfer or PayPal invoice, and are non-refundable.
- It is a code-driven diagramming tool, not a freeform whiteboard.
Key features
Cloudcraft
- Automatic diagrams
- Maps are built and kept current from the read-only cloud integrations already connected to Datadog, with no agent needed for cloud accounts.
- Multi-cloud coverage
- AWS, Azure, Google Cloud and Oracle Cloud accounts, plus on-prem environments such as VMware vSphere, can sit on one diagram.
- Overlays
- Infrastructure, monitors and observability coverage are included; logs, cost, security, APM and GPU overlays follow the Datadog products you use.
- Export and embed
- Export diagrams to SVG and PDF, or embed live diagrams in Datadog dashboards.
- AI and MCP access
- Ask Bits AI questions beside a diagram, or connect agents such as Claude Code and Codex through the Datadog MCP Server.
Structurizr
- Models as code
- Write the Structurizr DSL once and generate system context, container, component, dynamic and deployment diagrams from it.
- Interactive diagrams
- Diagrams can be zoomed, animated and embedded, and include an automatically generated key.
- Several ways to run it
- Use the browser playground, view diagrams locally, or run the self-hosted server as a Docker image or Java .war file.
- Export to other formats
- A CLI tool exports views to PlantUML, Mermaid or a static HTML site.
- AI and MCP support
- A free, open-source MCP server parses and validates DSL, exports diagrams and manages workspaces on a Structurizr server.
- Manual layout
- Diagrams use manual layout that can be adjusted in the local viewer, rather than auto-layout only.
Plans
Cloudcraft
Included with Datadog$0
Free with any Datadog subscription, including the free tier and trial; unlimited teammates and diagrams.
Structurizr
Open source$0
Playground, local, export CLI and the open-core server you build yourself; you host it.
Server license, 1-20 users£300
per month, per server installation
Prebuilt server binaries with enterprise features, priced by unique users in a year; sold by quote.
Server license, 21-50 users£600
per month, per server installation
The same prebuilt server; 51-100 users is £900 and 101-250 is £1,200 a month.
Server license, 1001+ users£2,400
per month, per server installation
Largest published tier; 251-500 users is £1,500 and 501-1000 is £1,800 a month.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Cloudcraft or Structurizr?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Cloudcraft is cheaper to start with: it is free, against about $401.97 a month for Structurizr. Cloudcraft is free, and Structurizr starts at £300 per month for up to 20 unique users, per server installation.
Which has a free plan, Cloudcraft or Structurizr?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Cloudcraft and Structurizr have a free plan.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.