The nomnoml Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about nomnoml in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
nomnoml
The Insider’s Guide
Text-to-UML diagram editor with a live preview
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among whiteboard and mind map tools, read from nomnoml’s own pages.
Made by Daniel Kallin · checked Nov 13, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from nomnoml’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on nomnoml’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 13, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.8
GPA, above 75 of the 98 other whiteboard and mind map tools we grade
nomnoml draws UML diagrams from a short text syntax. You type code on one side of the page and the diagram redraws beside it, covering class, component, flow chart and use case shapes. It is a free, open-source web editor that also ships as a JavaScript library and command-line tool.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about nomnoml, taken from its own pages and our grades.
- 1
Best for UML diagrams drawn from a text syntax
Nomnoml draws UML-style diagrams from text, and it costs nothing.
- 2
It is free
nomnoml has no paid plan at all.
- 3
It runs on Web
Web.
- 4
Text syntax with live preview
Edit the code on the left and the diagram on the right updates as you type, with keyboard shortcuts borrowed from Sublime Text.
- 5
Several UML shape families
Built-in classifier types cover classes, abstract classes, packages, components, sockets, actors, use cases, states, choices, databases and tables.
- 6
Styling directives
Directives such as #direction, #fill, #font and #spacing change layout and appearance, and custom classifier styles can be defined and imported from other files.
- 7
A 2.8 GPA, above 75 of 98
That is against the other whiteboard and mind map tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
nomnoml is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
nomnoml at a glance
- Pricing
- Free
- Free plan
- It is free
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- Daniel Kallin
- Category
- Whiteboards & Mind Maps
- Our grade
- 2.8 GPA, good
The report card
Best for UML diagrams drawn from a text syntax
Nomnoml draws UML-style diagrams from text, and it costs nothing. The web app has no accounts, sharing or collaboration, saving depends on browser storage the author does not guarantee, and there is no canvas to draw on.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | Free, open source and available as a library and a command line tool as well as the web app. |
| Free plan and trial | A | Free outright, with no sign-up, cap or paid plan. |
| Features | C | Class, component and flow diagrams from text, with styling. It does that fully, but it is a smaller job than a whiteboard, with no freehand canvas or sticky notes. |
| Ease of use | C | No store rating on record. You learn its text syntax first. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | Web only for most people, plus a library and command line. No integrations are listed. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who nomnoml is for
- Fits if you want a class or flow diagram out of a few lines of text
- Works for developers who embed diagrams through the library or command line
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you want a freehand canvas or sticky-note board
- Watch out: saving relies on browser localStorage, which the author says comes with no guarantees
- Not for you if you need accounts, sharing links or real-time editing, as the web app has none
- Too light for teams: no collaboration of any kind is listed
Good to know
Good for
- Developers who prefer typing a UML diagram to dragging shapes
- Embedding generated diagrams in a web page or build script
- Quick class and component sketches without an account
Worth knowing
- It draws diagrams from code only; there is no freehand canvas or sticky-note board.
- Saving relies on browser localStorage, which the author says comes with no guarantees.
- The web app has no accounts, sharing or real-time collaboration.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
Free
No paid plan at all
nomnoml is free to use.
Free, open source and available as a library and a command line tool as well as the web app.
Free
$0
The whole editor, the npm library and the command-line renderer are free under the MIT license.
Read from nomnoml.com on Nov 13, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: Web
Text-to-UML diagram editor with a live preview. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, diagrams.
Class, component and flow diagrams from text, with styling.
- Text syntax with live preview
- Edit the code on the left and the diagram on the right updates as you type, with keyboard shortcuts borrowed from Sublime Text.
- Several UML shape families
- Built-in classifier types cover classes, abstract classes, packages, components, sockets, actors, use cases, states, choices, databases and tables.
- Styling directives
- Directives such as #direction, #fill, #font and #spacing change layout and appearance, and custom classifier styles can be defined and imported from other files.
- Library and command line
- The nomnoml npm package renders diagrams on a web page or to SVG in Node, and npx nomnoml converts a file from the command line.
- Browser-only storage
- The web app is client-side and keeps your diagram in the browser's localStorage, so it is there on your next visit, though the author gives no guarantee.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
nomnoml is made by Daniel Kallin.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
75/98
Other whiteboard and mind map tools it is graded above
nomnoml's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 75 of the 98 other whiteboard and mind map tools we grade, and level with 9.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 83 of 98) and worst on features (C, above 0).
nomnoml has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.0 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 99 whiteboard and mind map tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. nomnoml’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 74 of 98
- AFree plan and trialAbove 83 of 98
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 98
- CEase of useAbove 1 of 98
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 98
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 88 whiteboard and mind map tools. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. nomnoml is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
nomnoml is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 2.8 is higher than 75 of the 98 other whiteboard and mind map tools we grade.
What you could not
- A diagram editor.
What this rests on. nomnoml’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
PlantUML, Mermaid, draw.io, Flowchart Fun and Swimlanes.io
The 5 tools nomnoml is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 3.0GPA
PlantUML
Free
Draw UML and other diagrams from plain-text descriptions.
- Only PlantUML lists a browser extension.
- PlantUML also covers Gantt & timelines and mind mapping.
- 2.4GPA
Mermaid
Free plan · from $10/mo
Text-based diagramming platform with AI and a visual editor.
- nomnoml is open source, according to its own site.
- Mermaid also covers presentations.
- 3.2GPA
draw.io
Free
Free diagram editor that saves files to storage you choose.
- Only draw.io lists macOS, Windows and Linux apps.
- draw.io is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- draw.io also covers templates.
- 2.4GPA
Flowchart Fun
Free plan · from $2/mo
Text-based flowchart maker that draws diagrams as you type.
- Flowchart Fun also covers mind mapping.
- 2.8GPA
Swimlanes.io
Free
Free text-driven sequence diagram maker that updates live.
- nomnoml is open source, according to its own site.
- Swimlanes.io also covers Markdown and file sharing.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
11
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is nomnoml free?
Yes. nomnoml is free to use.
How much does nomnoml cost?
nomnoml lists one plan. Free: $0.
What platforms does nomnoml work on?
nomnoml is available on Web.
Does nomnoml have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. nomnoml is listed for Web.
Does nomnoml have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. nomnoml is listed for Web.
Is nomnoml open source?
Yes. nomnoml is open source, according to its own site.
Who makes nomnoml?
nomnoml is made by Daniel Kallin.
What are the alternatives to nomnoml?
The closest alternatives to nomnoml in our directory are PlantUML, Mermaid, draw.io, Flowchart Fun and Swimlanes.io.
How does nomnoml compare with other whiteboard and mind map tools?
nomnoml's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 75 of the 98 other whiteboard and mind map tools we grade, and level with 9.
Is nomnoml good value for money?
ToolGPA grades nomnoml A for value for money. nomnoml has no paid plan.
Could I make my own version of nomnoml?
nomnoml is free, so making your own would save you nothing. It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 2.8 is higher than 75 of the 98 other whiteboard and mind map tools we grade.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from nomnoml’s own pages on Nov 13, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 13, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from nomnoml's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Daniel Kallin. Prices change, so check nomnoml.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
7,721
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
7,721
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- nomnoml, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/nomnoml
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "nomnoml: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 13, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/nomnoml
Know someone choosing between whiteboard and mind map tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/nomnoml/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded whiteboard and mind map tools after nomnoml, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Whiteboards & Mind Maps Insider's GuideEvery one of the 99 whiteboard and mind map tools we grade, compared
- Microsoft Whiteboard Insider's GuideFree collaborative canvas built into Microsoft 365 and Teams3.4 GPA
- draw.io Insider's GuideFree diagram editor that saves files to storage you choose3.2 GPA
- tldraw Insider's GuideFree online whiteboard with a local desktop app3.2 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what nomnoml’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. nomnoml is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Daniel Kallin. Prices and plans change: check nomnoml.com before you buy.