draw.io vs PlantUML (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 3.0.
Checked Oct 5, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
draw.io grades higher on features. They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
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 PlantUML if
- Fits if you want diagrams stored as text next to your code
- Works for teams documenting systems in wikis or Markdown
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want to drag shapes around a canvas
- Not for you if you sketch freehand, because it has no whiteboard
- Watch out: layout is decided by the engine, so fine control over placement is limited
- Watch out: only the GPL build has every feature, and other license builds lack some such as ditaa
How we grade them
| 3.2GPAdraw.ioVery good | 3.0GPAPlantUMLVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | AFree and open source, with a jar anyone can download or an online editor. Nothing to pay, whatever the category's $5 to $10 a month. |
| 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. | AThe whole tool is free, under GPL, LGPL, Apache, BSD, EPL or MIT licenses, so there's no cap to hit. |
| 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. | CUML plus Gantt, mind maps and wireframes from text. But the FAQ admits you get less say over layout, there's no visual canvas, and non-GPL builds lose some features like ditaa. |
| 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. | CYou have to learn its text language before you get a diagram, and no store rating is on record. The in-browser editor takes some of the sting out. |
| 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. | BRuns in a browser and through a jar, with links into Confluence, MediaWiki, IntelliJ IDEA, Eclipse and GitHub. No phone app or desktop app of its own is listed. |
| Best for | free technical diagrams you store yourself | text-described UML and other diagrams |
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 PlantUML. 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. PlantUML has no paid plan and scores 2.3.
draw.io scores higher for the same starting price. Of the other whiteboard and mind map tools on the chart, none scores higher than draw.io for less, and none scores higher than PlantUML 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.
- PlantUML also covers Gantt & timelines and mind mapping.
In commonFree planWebOpen sourceDiagrams
At a glance
| draw.io | PlantUML | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Starts at | Free | Free |
| 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. | Free of charge and open source, under several license options including GPL, LGPL, Apache, BSD, EPL and MIT. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| Browser extension | ||
| Made by | draw.io Ltd | PlantUML |
| Price read from | drawio.com | plantuml.com |
| 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.
PlantUML
- Layout is controlled by the engine; the FAQ says it gives less control over placement than drag-and-drop tools.
- Diagrams are written in code, so there is no visual canvas for freehand sketching.
- Builds under licenses other than GPL lack some features, such as the ditaa integration.
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.
PlantUML
- Text-to-diagram language
- Diagrams are written as short text and drawn from it, so changing the text updates the picture.
- UML and non-UML diagrams
- Supports sequence, use case, class, object, activity, component, deployment, state and timing diagrams, plus Gantt, MindMap, WBS, wireframe and others.
- In-browser editor
- The home page has an editor that runs in the browser with a JavaScript rendering engine and redraws as the code changes.
- Many integrations
- The Running page lists connections to wikis and forums, editors and IDEs, including Confluence, MediaWiki, IntelliJ IDEA and Eclipse.
- Several license options
- The download page offers jars under GPL, LGPL, Apache, BSD, EPL and MIT; the GPL build is the one with every feature, such as ditaa.
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.
PlantUML
Open source$0
Free jar and source code under your choice of license; you run it yourself or use the online editor.
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.
PlantUML
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, draw.io or PlantUML?
As of Nov 12, 2026, both draw.io and PlantUML are free to use.
Which has a free plan, draw.io or PlantUML?
As of Nov 12, 2026, both draw.io and PlantUML have a free plan.
Which platforms do draw.io and PlantUML run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only draw.io lists macOS, Windows and Linux apps and only PlantUML lists a browser extension. 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.