draw.io vs EdrawMax (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, we pick draw.io: it is third in our ranking of whiteboard and mind map tools, and it grades higher too, 3.2 against 2.0.
Checked Oct 5, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
draw.io grades higher on value for money, the free plan, features and platforms. They get the same grade on ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
EdrawMax
Diagram maker with templates, a web editor and a desktop app
Free plan
Which one is for you
Pick draw.io if
- Fits if you want UML, ER or network diagrams without paying or signing up
- Makes sense if your data rules say files must stay in your own storage
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want one hosted workspace for the team, as every diagram is just a file in your storage
- Watch out: live co-editing only works with files in Google Drive, OneDrive or Dropbox, or inside Confluence
- Not for you if you diagram on a phone, since no native mobile apps are listed
- Watch out: the Confluence and Jira apps are licensed separately through the Atlassian Marketplace, unlike the free editor
Pick EdrawMax if
- Fits if you draw UML, network diagrams or floor plans and want a template library
- Works for people looking for a Visio alternative that runs in a browser
Look elsewhere if
- Watch out: plan names and prices couldn't be read, so check before you rely on the free version
- Watch out: whether the free version limits exports or templates isn't stated
- Skip it if you need a freeform whiteboard for live brainstorming
- Not for you if you need desktop or phone apps confirmed, as the listing can't say which systems they run on
How we grade them
| 3.2GPAdraw.ioVery good | 2.0GPAEdrawMaxFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AFree, in a category where the middle plan is $8.33 a month. The online editor, the desktop apps and a self-hosted container all cost nothing, and the editor has no paid tier at all. The only things sold are the separate Confluence and Jira apps. | CNo readable price: the pricing page loads its figures with JavaScript. With nothing on record it sits in the middle. |
| Free plan and trial | AThe whole editor is free with no account and no sign-up, so there's no cap to reach and nothing held back for payers. That covers the browser version, the desktop apps on Windows, macOS and Linux, and a copy you host yourself. | COffered as a free diagram maker online, but the pages we read didn't say what the free version limits on exports or templates. |
| Features | BIt covers the drawing job: shape libraries for flowcharts, UML, ER models, network, rack and circuit diagrams, org charts and floor plans, diagrams built from Mermaid, CSV or SQL, AI drafting and SVG, PNG or PDF export. Live co-editing is conditional, though, needing Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox or Confluence. | CMany diagram types, a template and symbol library and AI tools, but it's a diagramming tool rather than a freeform whiteboard. |
| Ease of use | CNo rating on record. There's no sign-up, but you pick where files live before you share anything, and the shape libraries for UML, BPMN and network kit take time to learn rather than being obvious on day one. | CNo store rating on record. You build each diagram yourself, from a template or a blank page. |
| Platforms and integrations | BBrowser plus Windows, macOS and Linux desktop apps, and it plugs into Confluence, Jira, Google Drive, Google Docs, OneDrive, SharePoint, GitHub and Notion. No native phone apps are listed: the docs suggest adding the web editor to your home screen. | COnly the web editor is confirmed. Desktop and mobile editions exist, but the pages we read didn't say which systems they cover, and PowerPoint is the one connection named. |
| Best for | free technical diagrams you store yourself | flowcharts, UML and floor plans from templates |
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: draw.io and EdrawMax. How we grade
Where they differ
- draw.io is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
In commonWebAI featuresTemplatesDiagrams
At a glance
| draw.io | EdrawMax | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free plan |
| Starts at | Free | Not published |
| Free plan | The online editor, the desktop apps and self-hosted deployment are free with no account and no paid tier. The apps for Confluence and Jira are licensed separately through the Atlassian Marketplace. | None |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| Made by | draw.io Ltd | Edrawsoft |
| Price read from | drawio.com | Not confirmed |
| Checked | Oct 5, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
draw.io
- There is no hosted workspace or account: every diagram is a file kept in the storage you pick, so sharing depends on that storage.
- Real-time co-editing needs the file to be in Google Drive, OneDrive or Dropbox, or the diagram to be in draw.io for Confluence.
- No native mobile apps are listed; the docs suggest adding the web editor to a phone's home screen instead.
- Using draw.io inside Confluence or Jira needs the vendor's Atlassian Marketplace apps, which are licensed separately from the free editor.
EdrawMax
- Plan names and prices could not be read: the pricing page loads its figures with JavaScript and the site's pricing addresses returned errors.
- The site lists desktop and mobile editions, but the pages read here did not say which operating systems they cover, so only the web editor is listed.
- Whether the free web version limits exports or templates was not stated on the pages read.
Key features
draw.io
- Shape libraries for technical diagrams
- Libraries and templates cover process flows, org charts, floor plans, network infrastructure, UML, entity relationship models, circuit and rack diagrams, and infographics.
- Storage you choose
- Diagrams are saved to Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, GitHub, GitLab, the browser or the local device. The online editor does not store diagram data on the vendor's servers.
- Offline desktop app and self-hosting
- A stand-alone desktop app for Windows, macOS and Linux works with no internet connection, and the editor can be deployed in a self-hosted Docker container.
- Co-editing with shared cursors
- People editing the same diagram see each other's changes in real time when the file is stored in Google Drive, OneDrive or Dropbox, or in draw.io for Confluence.
- Diagrams generated from text
- The editor builds diagrams from Mermaid code, CSV spreadsheet data or SQL code, and an AI tool can generate a diagram from a written description.
- Import, export and embedding
- Files from other diagramming tools can be dropped in and edited, and diagrams export to SVG, PNG or PDF or embed as interactive viewers in docs, wikis and web pages.
EdrawMax
- Many diagram types
- The site lists flowcharts, mind maps, org charts, Gantt charts, floor plans, P&ID, UML and ER diagrams among the drawings it supports.
- Template and symbol library
- The site claims more than 20,000 free templates and 26,000 symbols, plus a community where users share templates.
- AI diagram tools
- The site claims 40 or more AI diagram generators and tools, and offers 500 free AI tokens when you try the app.
- Web editor with sharing
- EdrawMax Online lets teams co-create diagrams in a browser and export or share them publicly or privately.
Plans
draw.io
Free$0
The full editor online at app.diagrams.net, as a desktop app for Windows, macOS and Linux, or self-hosted in a container. No sign-up is needed.
EdrawMax
Pricing could not be confirmed. See edrawmax.com.
Ways to pay less
draw.io
- Nonprofit
Free Confluence and Jira Cloud license for charities
draw.io's licensing docs say charitable organizations and partners are eligible for a free license for its Confluence or Jira Cloud apps.
EdrawMax
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, draw.io or EdrawMax?
As of Nov 13, 2026, draw.io is free, and EdrawMax has no price we could confirm.
Which has a free plan, draw.io or EdrawMax?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only draw.io has a free plan. EdrawMax does not.
Which platforms do draw.io and EdrawMax run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only draw.io lists macOS, Windows and Linux apps. Both list a web 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.