draw.io vs Structurizr (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 2.6.
Checked Oct 5, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
draw.io grades higher on the free plan, features and ease of use. They get the same grade on value for money and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Structurizr
Open-source models-as-code tool for C4 architecture diagrams
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 Structurizr if
- Fits if you're a developer who keeps diagrams as code in version control
- Works for organisations that must host architecture diagrams themselves
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want to drag shapes around, as it's code first
- Not for you if you don't want to learn its text language and command line
- Pricey if you want the prebuilt server: £300 a month for up to 20 users, £600 for up to 50
- Watch out: licenses are bought by contacting the vendor and are non-refundable, with prices in pounds
How we grade them
| 3.2GPAdraw.ioVery good | 2.6GPAStructurizrGood | |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | AThe playground, local viewer and command-line export are free to download and use. Only the prebuilt server costs, at £300 a month for up to 20 users. |
| 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. | BOpen-source tools with no cap, but the prebuilt server needs a paid license, and building the open-core server yourself is up to you. A 14-day trial license is on request. |
| 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. | CModels as code, interactive diagrams, export to other formats and AI support. It does the C4 job completely, but it's a smaller job than a general 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. | DYou write a text language, use a command line and, for the server, host it yourself with Docker. |
| 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. | BWeb playground plus a local viewer, command-line exporter and server, with PlantUML, Mermaid, S3 and Azure storage connections. |
| Best for | free technical diagrams you store yourself | C4 architecture diagrams written as code |
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 Structurizr. 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. Structurizr starts at about $401.97 a month and scores 2.0.
draw.io scores higher and starts $401.97 a month lower. Of the other whiteboard and mind map tools on the chart, none scores higher than draw.io for less, and 65 score higher than Structurizr 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 also covers templates.
At a glance
| draw.io | Structurizr | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free plan |
| Starts at | Free | £300 per month for up to 20 unique users, per server installation |
| 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. | Open-source tools: the browser playground, local viewer, CLI export and a self-built open-core server. |
| Free trial | None listed | 14-day trial license on request that unlocks all features |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| Made by | draw.io Ltd | Structurizr Limited |
| Price read from | drawio.com | docs.structurizr.com |
| 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.
Structurizr
- Using the server through the vendor's prebuilt binaries needs a paid license; building it yourself is open core.
- Prices are published in pounds sterling and are charged by unique users per server installation.
- Licenses are bought by contacting the vendor, with payment by bank transfer or PayPal invoice, and are non-refundable.
- It is a code-driven diagramming tool, not a freeform whiteboard.
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.
Structurizr
- Models as code
- Write the Structurizr DSL once and generate system context, container, component, dynamic and deployment diagrams from it.
- Interactive diagrams
- Diagrams can be zoomed, animated and embedded, and include an automatically generated key.
- Several ways to run it
- Use the browser playground, view diagrams locally, or run the self-hosted server as a Docker image or Java .war file.
- Export to other formats
- A CLI tool exports views to PlantUML, Mermaid or a static HTML site.
- AI and MCP support
- A free, open-source MCP server parses and validates DSL, exports diagrams and manages workspaces on a Structurizr server.
- Manual layout
- Diagrams use manual layout that can be adjusted in the local viewer, rather than auto-layout only.
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.
Structurizr
Open source$0
Playground, local, export CLI and the open-core server you build yourself; you host it.
Server license, 1-20 users£300
per month, per server installation
Prebuilt server binaries with enterprise features, priced by unique users in a year; sold by quote.
Server license, 21-50 users£600
per month, per server installation
The same prebuilt server; 51-100 users is £900 and 101-250 is £1,200 a month.
Server license, 1001+ users£2,400
per month, per server installation
Largest published tier; 251-500 users is £1,500 and 501-1000 is £1,800 a month.
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.
Structurizr
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, draw.io or Structurizr?
As of Nov 13, 2026, draw.io is cheaper to start with: it is free, against about $401.97 a month for Structurizr. draw.io is free, and Structurizr starts at £300 per month for up to 20 unique users, per server installation.
Which has a free plan, draw.io or Structurizr?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both draw.io and Structurizr have a free plan.
Which platforms do draw.io and Structurizr 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.