draw.io vs Gleek (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 12, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 12, 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.
Gleek
Text-to-diagram tool that draws from a keyboard-only syntax
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 Gleek if
- Fits if you write diagrams as text and want them saved next to your code in Git
- Works for developers who draw ER and sequence diagrams often
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if you stay free: 5 files, 40 objects and ads is the cap
- Skip it if you want drag-and-drop drawing, since diagrams are built from a typed syntax
- Watch out: the free plan keeps diagrams only in the browser's local database
- Watch out: the FAQ says there is no free trial
- Watch out: prices are in euros, and students and teachers must contact Gleek for their 50% discount
How we grade them
| 3.2GPAdraw.ioVery good | 2.0GPAGleekFair | |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | C6.95 euros a month, or 58.40 euros a year, lands about at the category's cheaper quarter of $5 and a little above it. A pay-by-use plan is 10.99 euros. |
| 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. | CFree is 5 diagram files, 40 objects per file, PNG export only, with ads, and the files sit in your browser's local storage. No trial is offered. |
| 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. | CText-based flowcharts, ER, UML, Gantt and journey diagrams, AI chat and Git. A narrower job than a whiteboard, with AI, SVG and PDF export held back for paid plans. |
| 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 Gleek's own syntax. |
| 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. Git is the one listed connection. |
| Best for | free technical diagrams you store yourself | diagrams typed with the keyboard, with a Git link |
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 Gleek. 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. Gleek starts at about $7.76 a month and scores 2.0.
draw.io scores higher and starts $7.76 a month lower. Of the other whiteboard and mind map tools on the chart, none scores higher than draw.io for less, and 24 score higher than Gleek 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 open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- draw.io also covers templates.
At a glance
| draw.io | Gleek | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free plan |
| Starts at | Free | €6.95 per month, billed monthly (€58.40 billed yearly) |
| 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. | 5 diagram files and 40 objects per diagram, PNG export only, stored in the browser, with ads. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| Made by | draw.io Ltd | Blocshop |
| Price read from | drawio.com | gleek.io |
| 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.
Gleek
- Prices on the pricing page are in euros.
- The Free plan stores diagrams only in the browser's local database, shows ads and has no styling options.
- The FAQ says Gleek offers no free trial.
- Students and teachers get a 50% discount, requested by contacting Gleek.
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.
Gleek
- Text-based diagramming
- Diagrams are written as text in Gleek's own syntax, so they can be built from the keyboard without a mouse.
- Many diagram types
- Flowcharts, ER diagrams in Chen or crow's foot notation, UML class, sequence, state and object diagrams, Gantt charts and user journeys.
- AI chat
- On paid plans, a chat creates ER, sequence, class or flowchart diagrams from a description.
- Git connection
- Paid plans connect to a Git repository, so diagrams are saved with the code and get version control.
- Export and sharing
- Paid plans export high-resolution PNG, SVG and PDF. Free exports PNG only. Diagrams are shared by link.
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.
Gleek
Free$0
5 diagram files, 40 objects per file, PNG export only, no AI chat, no styling changes, ads, diagrams stored in the browser.
Premium Monthly€6.95
per month, billed monthly
Unlimited files and objects, PNG, SVG and PDF export, AI chat, Git connection, custom themes and priority support.
Premium Yearly€58.40
per year
The same features as Premium Monthly, billed once a year.
Premium per Activity€10.99
per month, charged by use in the previous month
For infrequent use: the payment pauses in a month you do not use the tool. Same features as Premium.
Premium for Teams€6.95
per month, for teams of 2 or more
Premium features with licenses managed by a team owner and single invoicing.
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.
Gleek
- Education
50% off for students and teachers
The pricing page lists a Student plan with a 50% discount for students and teachers, arranged by contacting Gleek.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, draw.io or Gleek?
As of Nov 12, 2026, draw.io is cheaper to start with: it is free, against about $7.76 a month for Gleek. draw.io is free, and Gleek starts at €6.95 per month, billed monthly (€58.40 billed yearly).
Which has a free plan, draw.io or Gleek?
As of Nov 12, 2026, both draw.io and Gleek have a free plan.
Which platforms do draw.io and Gleek 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.