ConceptDraw vs Microsoft Visio (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Microsoft Visio grades higher than ConceptDraw: 2.4 against 1.6 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 5, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
Microsoft Visio grades higher on value for money, features and platforms. They get the same grade on the free plan and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
ConceptDraw
Desktop diagramming, mind mapping and project software
Microsoft Visio
Diagramming software for flowcharts, org charts and floor plans
Which one is for you
Pick ConceptDraw if
- Fits if you want desktop diagramming software installed on your own machine
- Works for people who need flowcharts, mind maps and Gantt charts from one vendor
Look elsewhere if
- Pricey if you are one person: $199 a licence is many times the category's usual one-time price
- Skip it if you want a live shared board, because none is described
- Skip it if you work on the web, a phone or Linux, as only Windows and Mac are listed
- Watch out: the page does not say whether a licence is one-time or renewing
- Watch out: DIAGRAM, MINDMAP and PROJECT are separate purchases, and the OFFICE bundle is $299, with a $499 figure shown beside it
Pick Microsoft Visio if
- Fits if your company already pays for Microsoft 365 and works in Teams
- Works for IT or facilities teams that need network diagrams, floor plans or P&ID drawings
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you're on a Mac and want a desktop app, as that part is Windows only
- Not for you if you want to try it without a card, since the one-month trial needs one and a work account
- Pricey if you need the desktop app, at $15 a user a month or $309.99 to $579.99 to buy once
- Watch out: personal Microsoft accounts aren't supported, and the web app bundled with Microsoft 365 has limited templates
- Too light for work on a phone or tablet, as there are no mobile apps
How we grade them
| 1.6GPAConceptDrawWeak | 2.4GPAMicrosoft VisioFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | D$199 a licence for DIAGRAM or MINDMAP, and $299 for PROJECT, against a category one-time middle of $20.99. The category's own price tool leaves it out because the page does not say what the price buys. | CPlan 1 is $5 a user a month paid yearly, but it's web and Teams only. The parts people buy Visio for, the desktop app, offline files, BPMN 2.0, floor plans and data linking, sit on Plan 2 at $15, well above this category's $8.33 middle. Buying outright is $309.99 or $579.99. |
| Free plan and trial | DA free try is offered, but its length and card rules are not stated on the pages read. | DThere's no free plan at all. The one-month trial covers Plan 1 or Plan 2 only, and it wants both a work or school account and a credit card. The one-time 2024 versions have no trial whatsoever. A basic web app does come with Microsoft 365 commercial plans, if your employer pays for one. |
| Features | CFlowcharts, network diagrams, org charts, mind maps and Gantt charts. The listing names gaps: no live multi-user board, and each product is bought separately. | AThe parts no other diagrammer here has: P&ID, electrical and engineering drawings, floor plans, AutoCAD files and 250,000+ shapes, with shapes linked to live data in Excel, SharePoint or SQL Server. The ordinary stuff is all there too, flowcharts, network maps and co-editing on the web and in Teams. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. These are full desktop programs with a learning curve. | CNo rating on record. Templates and starter diagrams come with every version, but getting going means a work or school account, since personal Microsoft accounts aren't supported, and picking between five ways to buy before you draw a box. |
| Platforms and integrations | CWindows and Mac programs only, with a Visio file conversion service. No web, phone or Linux version is named. | BA web app and a Teams app, tied into Excel, Power BI, Word, PowerPoint, OneDrive and SharePoint. The desktop app runs on Windows only, so on a Mac you're stuck with the web version, and there are no phone apps at all. |
| Best for | desktop flowcharts and mind maps | technical diagrams in a Microsoft 365 workplace |
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: ConceptDraw and Microsoft Visio. How we grade
Where they differ
- Microsoft Visio can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- ConceptDraw also covers Gantt & timelines and presentations.
- Microsoft Visio also covers templates.
At a glance
| ConceptDraw | Microsoft Visio | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free trial |
| Starts at | $199 per license (ConceptDraw DIAGRAM 18 or MINDMAP 16, 1 license) | $5.00 per user / month, paid yearly (Visio Plan 1) |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | Try It Free offered on the site; trial length is not stated on the pages read | One-month free trial of Visio Plan 1 or Plan 2 with a work or school account; a credit card is required |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Made by | CS Odessa Corp. | Microsoft Corporation |
| Price read from | my.conceptdraw.com | microsoft.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Oct 5, 2026 |
Worth knowing
ConceptDraw
- These are Windows and macOS desktop programs; the pages read name no web, mobile or Linux version.
- It is not a real-time whiteboard: the pages read describe no live multi-user board.
- The pricing page does not say whether a license is a one-time purchase or renews, and it lists a maintenance assurance with free upgrades to the next paid version.
- Each product is a separate purchase, priced per license.
Microsoft Visio
- The desktop app's system requirements list only Windows 11, Windows 10 and Windows Server 2019; on other systems Visio is limited to the web app.
- Visio Plan 1 is web and Teams only. The desktop app, BPMN 2.0, floor plans, engineering diagrams and data linking need Plan 2.
- The web app bundled with Microsoft 365 has limited templates and needs a work or school account; personal Microsoft accounts are not supported.
- Trials cover only Plan 1 and Plan 2 and require a credit card. Visio Standard 2024 and Professional 2024 have no trial version.
Key features
ConceptDraw
- Business diagramming
- DIAGRAM makes flowcharts, network diagrams, org charts, business process diagrams, dashboards and floor plans.
- Mind mapping
- MINDMAP covers brainstorming, decision-making and knowledge organization, and prepares presentations from a map.
- Project planning
- PROJECT handles schedules, resources, Gantt charts, calendars and tracking.
- Solutions and samples
- The site offers free and premium solution libraries, a sample gallery and ConceptDraw STORE for downloading templates and libraries.
- Visio file conversion
- The support menu lists a Visio file conversion service.
- Multi-user licenses
- Licenses for 5 or 10 users are priced lower per seat and are administered locally, and academic and nonprofit prices are listed separately.
Microsoft Visio
- Templates and shape libraries
- Templates, starter diagrams and stencils come with every version. Plan 1 adds thousands of shapes and Microsoft product icons, and Plan 2 opens more than 250,000 shapes.
- Technical and business diagram types
- Plan 1 covers cross-functional flowcharts, network, Azure and AWS, ERD and UML diagrams. Plan 2 adds BPMN 2.0, floor plans, P&ID, electrical and engineering diagrams.
- Co-editing on the web and in Teams
- Visio for the web and the Visio app in Microsoft Teams support real-time collaboration, commenting and sharing. Teams itself is licensed separately.
- Data-linked diagrams
- The desktop app links shapes to Excel workbooks, Access databases, SharePoint lists, SQL Server and other sources. The web app can only view data-linked diagrams.
- Microsoft 365 integrations
- Data Visualizer turns Excel process data into diagrams, Visio Visual embeds diagrams in Power BI dashboards, and diagrams can be exported to Word and PowerPoint.
- Desktop app with offline support
- Plan 2 includes the Visio desktop app with local file and offline support and AutoCAD file support, installable on up to five Windows PCs per user.
Plans
ConceptDraw
MINDMAP 16$199
per license, 1 license (billing basis not stated)
Mind mapping for brainstorming, structuring ideas and preparing presentations. Cheaper per license for 5 or 10 licenses.
DIAGRAM 18$199
per license, 1 license (billing basis not stated)
Flowcharts, process and network diagrams, floor plans, org charts and infographics. The site calls it the most popular product.
PROJECT 15$299
per license, 1 license (billing basis not stated)
Project management with schedules, Gantt charts, calendars, resources and reporting.
OFFICE 11$299
per license, 1 license (billing basis not stated)
Bundles DIAGRAM 18, PROJECT 15 and MINDMAP 16. The pricing page also shows a $499 figure beside it.
Microsoft Visio
Visio in Microsoft 365Included
with Microsoft 365 commercial plans
Web and Teams app for viewing and basic editing, with limited templates for general diagrams and basic flowcharts. Not sold separately.
Visio Plan 1$5.00
per user / month, paid yearly
Web and Teams apps with thousands of shapes, cross-functional flowcharts, network, Azure and AWS, ERD and UML diagrams, mind maps and 2 GB of OneDrive storage.
Visio Plan 2$15.00
per user / month, paid yearly
Adds the Windows desktop app with offline support, 250,000+ shapes, BPMN 2.0, floor plans, P&ID and electrical diagrams, and two-way data connectivity.
Visio Standard 2024$309.99
one-time purchase
Non-subscription Windows desktop app with templates, thousands of shapes, in-app commenting, DWG import and org charts generated from data sources.
Visio Professional 2024$579.99
one-time purchase
Adds diagram validation against BPMN 2.0 and UML 2.5 and links to live data from Excel, Access, SharePoint, SQL Server and other sources.
Ways to pay less
ConceptDraw
- Education
Academic and nonprofit pricing
The pricing page has an Academic/Nonprofit tab with lower prices, for example $99 for DIAGRAM 18 and $75 for MINDMAP 16 for one license.
Microsoft Visio
- Lifetime license
Visio 2024 one-time purchase
Visio Standard 2024 at $309.99 and Visio Professional 2024 at $579.99 are sold as one-time purchases of the Windows desktop app, with no subscription.
- Education
Visio web app in free Office 365 A1 for schools
Microsoft donates Office 365 A1 to eligible educational institutions at no cost, and Visio's FAQ lists Office 365 A1 among the plans that include the Visio web app.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, ConceptDraw or Microsoft Visio?
As of Nov 12, 2026, ConceptDraw starts at $199 per license (ConceptDraw DIAGRAM 18 or MINDMAP 16, 1 license), and Microsoft Visio starts at $5.00 per user / month, paid yearly (Visio Plan 1).
Which has a free plan, ConceptDraw or Microsoft Visio?
As of Nov 12, 2026, neither ConceptDraw nor Microsoft Visio has a free plan. Both have a free trial.
Which platforms do ConceptDraw and Microsoft Visio run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only ConceptDraw lists a macOS app and only Microsoft Visio lists a web app. Both list a Windows app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
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.