draw.io vs OmniGraffle

draw.io

• UML, ERD, network and flowchart diagrams at no cost
• Teams whose data rules require files to stay in their own storage
• Diagramming offline on Windows, macOS or Linux
• Documentation kept in Confluence, Google Drive or GitHub

OmniGraffle

• Mac, iPad and iPhone users who want a native diagramming app
• Designers drawing wireframes and precise vector diagrams
• Buyers who prefer a perpetual license to a subscription
• People who need to open or hand over Microsoft Visio files

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.

OmniGraffle

• OmniGraffle runs only on Mac, iPhone and iPad; there is no Windows, Android or web version.
• Mac and iOS perpetual licenses are sold separately; only the $129.99 yearly subscription covers all three devices.
• Visio import and export, shared layers, artboards and automation need a Pro license or the subscription.
• A perpetual license covers one major version; the next major version is a paid upgrade, offered at a discount.

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.

OmniGraffle

Diagramming tools

Shapes connect with straight, orthogonal, curved or Bézier lines that stay attached, and on the Mac an outline tab builds a flowchart from an indented list.

Stencils and templates

The Resource Browser on Mac holds a collection of stencils and templates and searches Stenciltown, the vendor's library of stencils shared by users.

Canvases and layers

A document holds several canvases in fixed, flexible or infinite size modes, organized with layers. Shared layers and artboard layers are Pro features.

Wireframing and vector drawing

A pen tool, a point editor, and grouping, snapping and alignment tools support wireframes and vector graphics. Pro adds shape combinations and blend modes.

Visio import and export

Pro reads Microsoft Visio files, templates and stencils in formats such as .vsd and .vsdx, and exports diagrams in Visio's XML format.

Automation

Pro runs JavaScript automation and plug-ins on both Mac and iOS, plus AppleScript on Mac, and objects can trigger actions such as switching canvas.

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.

OmniGraffle

• v3 Standard License (iOS)$59.99

  one-time purchase

  Perpetual license for OmniGraffle 3 on iPhone and iPad with the standard feature set and all 3.x updates.

• v3 Pro License (iOS)$119.99

  one-time purchase

  Perpetual iPhone and iPad license with the Pro features, such as Visio import and export, shared layers, artboards and JavaScript automation.

• Annual Subscription$129.99

  per year

  The latest Pro version on Mac, iPhone and iPad, with no charge for major version upgrades. Renews automatically until canceled.

• v7 Standard License (Mac)$149.99

  one-time purchase

  Perpetual license for OmniGraffle 7 on Mac only, including all 7.x updates. Later major versions are a discounted upgrade.

• v7 Pro License (Mac)$249.99

  one-time purchase

  Perpetual Mac license with the Pro features: Visio import and export, SVG export, shared layers, artboards, subgraphs and automation.

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.

OmniGraffle

• Lifetime license

  Perpetual licenses for Mac and iOS

  A one-time purchase owns the current major version: $149.99 Standard or $249.99 Pro for Mac, and $59.99 Standard or $119.99 Pro for iPhone and iPad.

• Education

  Educational pricing on Mac licenses

  Staff, faculty and students of accredited educational organizations get discounted Mac licenses through Omni's Educational Store. Subscriptions and App Store purchases are excluded.

• Other savings

  Quantity discount on perpetual licenses

  Each license beyond the first in one order takes a further 5% off the whole order, up to 30%. The discount does not apply to subscriptions.