draw.io vs Flowchart Fun (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 2.4.
Checked Oct 5, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
draw.io grades higher on the free plan, features and platforms. They get the same grade on value for money and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Flowchart Fun
Text-based flowchart maker that draws diagrams as you type
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 Flowchart Fun if
- Fits if you would rather type a diagram than drag boxes
- Works for quick process charts that you export as an image
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if you stay free, because the editor resets each day
- Skip it if you want a drag-and-drop whiteboard, as this is a text editor
- Watch out: AI creation, watermark-free export, local files and data import are all Pro
- Watch out: the page does not say how the $2 a month is billed
- Skip it if you want a desktop or phone app, as none is listed
How we grade them
| 3.2GPAdraw.ioVery good | 2.4GPAFlowchart FunFair | |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | APro is $2 a month, under 60% of the category's cheaper quarter ($5), though the page does not say whether that is billed monthly or yearly. A 30-day pass is $9. |
| 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. | CThe free plan is a daily sandbox that resets each day, so nothing you make is kept. It exports PNG, JPG and SVG with a watermark. |
| 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. | CIt does one job fully: text in, flowchart or mind map out. That is a smaller job than a whiteboard, and AI, local files and imports sit on Pro. |
| 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 have to learn to write charts as text. |
| 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. | CWeb only, with Visio and Lucidchart file import and no apps. |
| Best for | free technical diagrams you store yourself | flowcharts typed as text |
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 Flowchart Fun. How we grade
Price against what you get
draw.io has no paid plan and scores 2.7 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Flowchart Fun starts at $2 a month and scores 2.0.
draw.io scores higher and starts $2 a month lower. Of the other whiteboard and mind map tools on the chart, none scores higher than draw.io for less, and 6 score higher than Flowchart Fun 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
- draw.io is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- draw.io also covers templates.
- Flowchart Fun also covers mind mapping.
At a glance
| draw.io | Flowchart Fun | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free plan |
| Starts at | Free | $2 per month (billing basis not stated) |
| 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. | Daily sandbox editor that resets each day, themes, templates, and PNG, JPG and SVG export. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| Made by | draw.io Ltd | Tone Row |
| Price read from | drawio.com | flowchart.fun |
| Checked | Oct 5, 2026 | Nov 12, 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.
Flowchart Fun
- On the Free plan the editor is a daily sandbox that resets each day; permanent flowcharts need Pro.
- Watermark-free export, AI creation, local files and data import are Pro features.
- The pricing page does not say whether $2 per month is billed monthly or yearly.
- It runs in a browser; no desktop or mobile apps are listed.
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.
Flowchart Fun
- Text-to-flowchart editor
- Charts are written as text in an editor and drawn alongside it, covering flowcharts, mind maps and process diagrams.
- AI creation and editing
- On Pro, AI and dictation can generate and edit diagrams from a written description.
- Data import
- Pro can import data from Visio, Lucidchart and CSV files.
- Export options
- PNG and JPG export and SVG export with embedded fonts are listed on the Free plan; Pro removes the watermark.
- Local files and sharing
- Pro can save and load local files, and offers full-screen, read-only and template sharing.
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.
Flowchart Fun
Free$0
Daily sandbox editor that resets daily, theme customization, templates, raster and vector export.
Pro$2
per month; billing basis not stated
Unlimited permanent flowcharts, AI creation, watermark-free diagrams, local files, Visio, Lucidchart and CSV import.
30-Day Pass$9
one-time, 30 days, never renews
Every Pro feature for 30 days from one $9 payment, with no subscription.
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.
Flowchart Fun
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, draw.io or Flowchart Fun?
As of Nov 12, 2026, draw.io is cheaper to start with: it is free, against $2 a month for Flowchart Fun. draw.io is free, and Flowchart Fun starts at $2 per month (billing basis not stated).
Which has a free plan, draw.io or Flowchart Fun?
As of Nov 12, 2026, both draw.io and Flowchart Fun have a free plan.
Which platforms do draw.io and Flowchart Fun run on?
As of Nov 12, 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.