Gleek vs Mermaid (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Mermaid grades higher than Gleek: 2.4 against 2.0 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 6, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
Mermaid grades higher on features and platforms. They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan and 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
Mermaid
Text-based diagramming platform with AI and a visual editor
Which one is for you
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
Pick Mermaid if
- Fits if you already write Mermaid syntax in your docs or Markdown
- Works for diagrams you want versioned and reviewed as text, like code
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want to pay by the month, since paid plans are billed annually only
- Tight if you're staying free, with 3 diagrams on the plan card, a size limit and 15 AI credits
- Pricey if you lean on the AI, with 300 credits a year on Plus and 2,000 on Premium at $20
- Watch out: one page gives the free plan 3 diagrams on the card and 6 in the table, and the trial length isn't stated
- Not for you if you want a desktop or phone app, or free viewer seats below Premium
How we grade them
| 2.0GPAGleekFair | 2.4GPAMermaidFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | 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. | CPlus is $10 a user a month against a category middle of $8.33, and it's billed annually only, so you hand over $120 up front with no monthly option. That buys 300 AI credits for the whole year, and free viewer seats wait for Premium at $20. |
| Free plan and trial | 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. | CBasic is free and includes co-editing and external sharing, but the caps arrive fast: 3 diagrams on the plan card, up to 6 in the comparison table on the same page, a limited diagram size and 15 AI credits. The trial of the paid plans has no stated length. |
| Features | 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. | BThe diagramming job, covered: flowcharts, sequence and ER diagrams, Gantt charts and mind maps written in Mermaid syntax and laid out for you, AI drafts from a document or transcript, a visual editor that rewrites the code as you drag, plus slides and live co-editing. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. You have to learn Gleek's own syntax. | CNo rating on record. This is a tool you learn: Mermaid syntax has its own grammar per diagram type, and the AI drafts and click-and-drag editor soften that rather than remove it. Easier if you already write Mermaid in your docs, a curve if you don't. |
| Platforms and integrations | CWeb only. Git is the one listed connection. | BWeb only, with no desktop or phone app. It has plugins for VS Code, JetBrains IDEs, Cursor, Confluence, Jira, Google Docs, Word and PowerPoint, plus an MCP server so Claude or Cursor can generate diagrams. |
| Best for | diagrams typed with the keyboard, with a Git link | diagrams you write as text, then tidy by hand |
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: Gleek and Mermaid. How we grade
Price against what you get
Gleek starts at about $7.76 a month and scores 2.0 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Mermaid starts at $10 a month for each person and scores 2.7.
Mermaid scores higher, and starts $2.24 a month higher: the question is whether the extra is worth that to you. Of the other whiteboard and mind map tools on the chart, 24 score higher than Gleek for less, and 11 score higher than Mermaid 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
- Mermaid also covers presentations.
At a glance
| Gleek | Mermaid | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | €6.95 per month, billed monthly (€58.40 billed yearly) | $10 per user / month, billed annually ($120 a year) |
| Free plan | 5 diagram files and 40 objects per diagram, PNG export only, stored in the browser, with ads. | Basic plan: 3 diagrams (the comparison table on the same page says up to 6) with a limited diagram size, 15 AI credits, one team and project, and co-editing and external sharing. |
| Free trial | None listed | Free trial of Plus or Premium; the vendor does not state how long it lasts |
| Web | ||
| Made by | Blocshop | Mermaid Chart |
| Price read from | gleek.io | mermaid.ai |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Oct 6, 2026 |
Worth knowing
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.
Mermaid
- The free Basic plan is listed as 3 diagrams on its plan card and up to 6 in the comparison table, with a limited diagram size and 15 AI credits.
- Paid plans are billed annually only; the vendor's FAQ says monthly plans are not available.
- AI credits are capped at 300 a year on Plus and 2,000 a year on Premium; only Enterprise is listed as unlimited.
- Free viewer seats start at Premium, and SSO, invoicing and a customer success manager are limited to Enterprise.
Key features
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.
Mermaid
- Diagrams from Mermaid code
- Diagrams are written in Mermaid syntax and laid out automatically. Clicking a node jumps to its code and clicking the code finds its shape, so the two stay in step.
- Mermaid AI
- A description, an uploaded document or a pasted transcript becomes a first-draft diagram, and the AI suggests a fitting diagram type. Use is metered in credits below Enterprise.
- Visual Editor
- Nodes, edges, labels, colors and shapes can be changed by clicking and dragging while the code rewrites itself, with node alignment and movable edges for tidying a layout.
- Live co-editing and share links
- Teammates can co-edit a diagram at the same time, and a share link lets other people view it without logging in. Free viewer seats are part of Premium and Enterprise.
- Plugins and MCP server
- Plugins cover VS Code, JetBrains IDEs, Cursor, Windsurf, Confluence, Jira, Google Docs, Word and PowerPoint. An MCP server lets Claude, VS Code and Cursor generate diagrams.
- Presentations
- Existing diagrams become slides written in Markdown. A deck updates when its diagrams change and can be shared through a public link for viewing and comments.
Plans
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.
Mermaid
Basic$0
3 diagrams with a limited diagram size, 15 AI credits, and one team and project. Co-editing and external sharing are included.
Plus$10
per user / month, billed annually ($120 a year)
Unlimited diagrams with no size limit and 300 AI credits per year, for individuals who diagram often.
Premium$20
per user / month, billed annually ($240 a year)
Everything in Plus, plus 2,000 AI credits per year, unlimited free viewer seats, and unlimited teams and projects.
EnterpriseCustom
Everything in Premium, plus SSO, custom contracts and invoicing, IP management, user consolidation and a dedicated customer success manager.
Ways to pay less
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.
Mermaid
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Gleek or Mermaid?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Gleek starts at €6.95 per month, billed monthly (€58.40 billed yearly), and Mermaid starts at $10 per user / month, billed annually ($120 a year). One is priced for each person and the other is not, so which costs less depends on how many of you use it.
Which has a free plan, Gleek or Mermaid?
As of Nov 12, 2026, both Gleek and Mermaid have a free plan.
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.