Eraser vs Lucidchart

Eraser

• Engineering teams documenting system architecture
• Developers who prefer to write diagrams as code
• Keeping diagrams in step with a Git repository
• Embedding live-updating diagrams in Notion or Confluence

Lucidchart

• Documenting processes as flowcharts and process maps
• Engineers drawing UML, ERD and cloud architecture diagrams
• Teams that embed diagrams in Confluence, Jira or Microsoft 365
• Org charts built from imported data

Eraser

• The Free plan stops at 3 files and 3 AI diagrams, keeps 7 days of version history and has no private files.
• AI use beyond a plan's monthly credits costs $60 per 100 credits, and only on paid plans with usage-based pricing switched on.
• API calls are billed by usage on top of a paid plan: $80 per 100 prompt-to-diagram calls and $20 per 100 code-to-diagram calls.
• The vendor's site lists no desktop or mobile app; Eraser runs in a browser, and SAML SSO needs the Business plan.

Lucidchart

• The Free plan is limited to 3 editable documents and 75 shapes per document.
• The iOS app requires a Team or Enterprise subscription; Free and Individual accounts are pointed to the browser version instead.
• Revision history, the developer platform and the Microsoft 365, Confluence and Jira integrations start at Team; SAML is Enterprise only.
• The pricing page shows only annual-billing rates. Its FAQ says monthly billing is available but gives no monthly price.

Eraser

AI diagram generation

A prompt, an image or a file such as Terraform or a database schema is turned into an editable diagram, which can then be refined through AI chat or by hand in the visual editor.

Diagram-as-code

Architecture, sequence, flowchart, ERD and BPMN diagrams each have a text syntax, so a diagram can be read, compared and edited as code. It is included on every plan.

Canvas with Markdown notes

A file holds one infinite canvas and a note editor with Markdown support. Figures from the canvas can be embedded in the document, and files export to PDF, PNG, SVG or Markdown.

Codebase diagrams and Eraserbot

Diagrams can be generated from a connected Git repository. Eraserbot watches chosen files and comments on pull requests with updated diagrams when they change.

REST API and MCP server

The API renders a diagram from a prompt or from Eraser's diagram code. The MCP server lets Claude, Cursor or ChatGPT create, search, update and export diagrams.

Real-time collaboration and guests

Members edit together in real time and leave comments and mentions. Guests are free on every plan and can edit or comment only on files they are invited to.

Lucidchart

Shape libraries for technical diagrams

Libraries cover flowcharts, process maps, org charts, UML, ER and network diagrams, plus AWS, Azure and GCP shapes. Premium libraries need a paid plan.

Lucid AI

Text prompts generate diagram content on the canvas, and AI can refine a prompt or summarize a document. Lucid AI is listed on every plan, including Free.

Data linking

Connect a diagram to Google Sheets, Excel or CSV data to build visuals from the source, then use conditional formatting to highlight patterns in it.

Diagram from markup

UML markup generates a sequence diagram from text, and ERD markup and diagram-as-code options let technical users edit the source instead of dragging shapes.

Collaboration and versioning

Several people can edit a diagram at once and leave comments. Revision history with versioning is added on the Team plan.

Visio import and export

Paid plans open and export Microsoft Visio files, and the Android app can import and view VDX, VSD, VSDM and VSDX formats.

Eraser

• Free$0

  3 files, 3 AI diagrams and 7-day version history, with unlimited guests, diagram-as-code and Markdown notes.

• Starter$15

  per member / month, billed annually ($20 billed monthly)

  Unlimited files, 40 AI credits a month, 90-day version history, private files, 20 custom icons and usage-based API calls.

• Business$45

  per member / month, billed annually ($60 billed monthly)

  Everything in Starter, plus 250 AI credits a month, unlimited version history, SAML SSO, 100 custom icons and reference diagrams.

• EnterpriseCustom

  Unlimited AI diagrams, flexible deployment including single-tenant and self-hosted, usage reporting, a customer success manager and payment by ACH or wire.

Lucidchart

• Free$0

  3 editable documents, 75 shapes per document, 100 templates, basic data linking, presentation mode and commenting.

• Individual$9

  per month, billed annually

  Unlimited editable documents and objects, 1 GB of storage, Visio import and export, and premium shape libraries and templates.

• Team$10

  per user / month, billed annually

  Adds revision history with versioning, password-protected publishing, the developer platform, and Microsoft 365, Confluence and Jira integrations.

• EnterpriseCustom

  Adds Lucidspark whiteboarding, team hubs, SAML authentication, enforceable sharing restrictions, advanced data and automation, and Salesforce integration.

Eraser

• Annual discount

  25% less with annual billing

  Starter is $15 per member a month billed annually against $20 billed monthly, and Business is $45 against $60, which works out 25% cheaper on both plans.

• Education

  Education discount on request

  Eraser's docs say discounts are available to education users, who request one by filling out a form. The size of the discount is not published.

• Nonprofit

  Nonprofit discount on request

  Non-profit users can request a discount through the same form linked from the pricing page FAQ and the docs. The size of the discount is not published.

Lucidchart

• Annual discount

  Lower price with annual billing

  Lucid's pricing FAQ says paid plans can be paid monthly or, at a saving, annually. The listed rates are the annual ones and the page does not state the size of the saving.