You may already know how important flowcharts can be. They help you represent your ideas and processes visually. You might even have a few floating around on your site and wondered what software you should use to create them. There has been a lot of hype about the best software for flowcharts, so I decided to share my analysis of the best options for creating and editing, standardizing and tweaking, and optimizing and improving your flowcharts.
Flowcharts and network topologies are used extensively in the software development and engineering fields. Flowcharts have been used in documents from the United States Department of Defense since 1986. In 2012, University College London found that lead users of flowcharts were engineers, systems analysts, and managers. It is estimated that 15-20% of engineers get a certification in using flowcharts, making them an industry standard for use by developers.
Flowchart Software Comparison Criteria
What are we looking for when we select diagram makers and flowchart tools for review? Here’s a summary of my evaluation criteria:
- User Interface (UI): Is it clean with attractive presentation tools for sharing your diagram with clients and teams? Above all, flowchart software is a visual tool, so the graphical interface is a top consideration.
- Usability: Is the graph maker easy to learn and master? Does the company offer good tech support, user support, tutorials, and training? Additionally, the best flow diagram software should come with a good stash of flow chart template options to get you started.
- Features & Functionality: In flow charting software, I looked for:
- Drag & Drop: Arrange shapes, lines, and grids intuitively with drag and drop. Even better if the flow charting software offers auto-align and auto-snap features to speed up the process.
- Lots of Graphical Elements: Any good process mapping software should supply a large variety of objects to work with. You’ll need standard options like shapes (ovals, diamonds) and connectors. The best apps also let you make your own shapes and add your own images.
- Templates: I mention this as part of overall usability. While not everyone wants templates, in general, a robust template library helps you put the tool to use immediately. The template library should have clear navigation that makes it easy to search for and visually sort through the many options. My advice is to check the template library before getting started to make sure the tool offers the type of templates you’ll need.
- Collaboration: At its most basic, collaboration features include comments. Some of the more advanced flowchart diagramming software includes some form of groupware that lets users edit simultaneously in real-time on the same diagram, which can be really useful for remote teams.
- Exporting and Presentation: Your diagrams should be easy to present, share, and export in a range of formats. Keep in mind that if you’re printing your diagrams in a large format, the software needs to support vector file exports.
- Integrations: Is it easy to connect with other tools? Any pre-built integrations?
- Value for $: How appropriate is the price for the features, capabilities, and use case? Is pricing clear, transparent and flexible in your choice of software for flow chart design?
The Digital Project Manager is reader-supported. We may earn a commission when you click through links on our site — learn more about how we aim to stay transparent.
Overviews Of The Best Flowchart Software
Here’s a brief description of each of the flowchart software solutions that are featured on this top 10 list.
- freemium version
- From $8/user/month
Miro – Best Jira & Confluence integrations
Users can collaborate on online whiteboards and flowcharts.
Miro’s free flowchart software offers an infinitely zoomable canvas and web whiteboard with a a variety of flowchart options for users—Process flowchart, Workflow chart, Swimlane flowchart, and Data flowchart, so you can plan in the way that works best for you and your team.
They have a range of templates in their pre-built library with a flowchart build being one of many options. This makes it easy to get started, scoring them favorably in the evaluation consideration for Usability.
The tool can integrate with other tools like Dropbox, Box, Google Suite, JIRA, Slack, and Sketch to tie them into your existing workflow within this scalable online flowchart software.
One feature Miro is missing is a thorough history of track changes. But this doesn’t stop Miro from being a valuable product, particularly with a freemium plan available so it’s easy to get started.
Miro is free to use for up to 3 editable boards. Paid plans start at $8/user/month for teams of between 2 to 19 individuals.Visit Website
- Free trial
- From $6.40/user/month.
Microsoft Visio – Best flowchart software for Windows
The Visio elements library helps you get started with lots of shapes and templates.
With Visio flowcharts, multiple team members can work on diagrams at the same time. You can connect your flowcharts and diagrams to real-time data so that changes in underlying data is reflected through applied shape formatting. A web version of the software lets you work on your flowcharts anywhere, in any browser.
In the Usability and Features sections of our evaluation criteria, we stress one thing: Variety! A good flowchart app will let you pick through a library of useful diagrams and chart templates in order to cater to each unique use case. MS Visio does this well, offering charting options fitted to different needs.
MS Visio would benefit from a more seamless integration with apps like PowerPoint, Excel, Google Sheets, and Google Slides. Being able to easily import or drag-and-drop diagrams into common visual presentation tools would take this app to the next level.
Visio doesn’t have a ton of software integrations to tout but, of course, it connects with Microsoft OneDrive. Third-party integrations include: Lucidchart, The VIP Test Modeller, AxisTV, netTerrain Logical, and Digital Enterprise Suite.
Microsoft Visio starts from $6.40/user/month and has a free trial.Visit Website
- 14 days free trial
- From $4.99/user/month.
Gliffy – Best flowchart tool for Confluence & Jira (native Atlassian integrations)
Gliffy diagram and flowchart software is a drag-and-drop based diagram building that lets you sketch and share your flowchart ideas with little to no fuss. Templates and themes are available for time-saving starting points and the ability to preserve and track changes will make sure you never lose something important.
Gliffy nails many of the requirements we have in the evaluation criteria for features and functionality: Intuitive interface, including for object importing; shapes conveniently snap to grid; revisions can be rolled back in the event of an error, and it has easy editing and sharing capabilities.
A broader color customization pallet would have helped the charts tell a better data story, particularly in flowcharts with a lot going on visually. Furthermore, the software was a little buggy in the Google Chrome browser. Minor complaints for an otherwise solid tool.
Gliffy software integrates with many other apps, including WordPress, Jira Software and Jira Service Desk, Lucidchart, Atlassian Confluence, Bitium, and Nuclino.
Gliffy starts from $4.99/user/month and has a free 14-day trial.Visit Website
Lucidchart
Launched in 2010, Lucidchart is a web-based platform that lets users collaborate on drawing, editing, and sharing charts and diagrams. The company’s website claims that 99% of the Fortune 500 uses Lucidchart, making it one of the most widely used flowchart programs on the market. We chose it as the best overall because of its ease of use, extensive import and export features, integrations, and real-time collaboration.
Lucidchart offers over 1,000 templates and a drag-and-drop shapes library, making it easy to create flowcharts, organizational charts, mind maps, prototypes, wireframes, and more. Lucidchart can be used as a web-based platform with Mac, PC, or Linux systems using Chrome, Firefox, and Safari. It also offers both iOS and Android apps.
Lucidchart also integrates with G Suite, Atlassian, Slack, Salesforce, and Microsoft Office, allowing users to integrate it into their workflows easily. The software can import and export files to and from other diagramming tools, including Microsoft Visio, OmniGraffle, Gliffy, and Draw.io. Finally, Lucidchart offers seamless online collaboration allowing all users to see edits being made in real-time.
Lucidchart offers a free personal plan and paid plans with a seven-day free trial and the following features:
Free Plan
- $0
- Introductory shape libraries
- 100 basic templates
Individual Plan
- Starting at $7.95 per month
- Unlimited documents
- Unlimited objects
- 1 GB of storage
- Visio import/export
- Advanced shapes
- Presentation mode
- 1,000+ templates
- Basic data and automation
Team Plan
- Starting at $27.00 per month for three users
- All Individual Plan features
- Advanced real-time collaboration
- Microsoft, Google, and other additional integrations
RUNNER-UP, BEST OVERALLSmartDraw
SmartDraw was created in 1994 as a diagramming tool for Windows users. It later added a web-based version of its software and, like Lucidchart, claims a large percentage of Fortune 500 businesses as users—more than 75%. We chose it as our runner-up because, while it offers far more templates than Lucidchart plus intelligent formatting, it’s more expensive and a little more difficult to use.
SmartDraw boasts an enormous library of over 4,500 templates compared to approximately 1,000 offered by Lucidchart, including options for crime scenes, landscape gardening, seating plans, and even accident reconstruction. Smartdraw also offers over 34,000 unique symbols for just about any use one can imagine.
One of SmartDraw’s most powerful features is its intelligent formatting. Users simply choose a template, and the software automatically connects and rearranges shapes as they’re moved around. Shapes can be drawn using just the keyboard and are automatically placed in the right position and connected to other shapes. This allows for faster diagram creation and more visually appealing presentations.
SmartDraw integrates with various workflow and storage platforms, including Confluence, Jira, Trello, G Suite, Dropbox, OneDrive, and Box. Users can also send SmartDraw diagrams to any Microsoft application (including Visio) with just one click.
SmartDraw offers a single user license for its Windows desktop software for $297, with multiple users (five or more) starting at $595. Pricing for the web-based software is as follows and includes a seven-day free trial:
Single User
- $9.95 per month
- 4,500+ templates and 34,000+ symbols
- Intelligent formatting
- Integration with Microsoft Office, G Suite, Confluence, and Jira
- Save and open diagrams from Dropbox, Google Drive, Box, and OneDrive
- Visio import and export
Multiple Users (5+)
- $8.25 per user per month ($8 for 10 or more users)
- All Single User features
- Team administrative controls
- Document retention and control
- Ability to consolidate accounts
- Premium support
BEST FOR BEGINNERSGliffy
Gliffy was created in 2005 by two friends and software engineers who wanted to build a fully cloud-based diagramming tool, and in 2019, Gliffy became part of enterprise solutions developer Perforce. Today, Gliffy boasts over 16 million registered users and offers integrations with Google Apps, Google Drive, Jira, and Confluence. We chose it as the best for beginners because of its intuitive drag-and-drop interface.
Making flowcharts and diagrams in Gliffy is quick and easy. Users simply choose a template and drag over the shapes they need. Shapes snap neatly into place with a built-in grid keeping presentations clean and tidy. Users can choose from a variety of shapes and icons or drag custom graphics from their computers.
Gliffy also has native integration with Jira and Confluence software so users can easily create network diagrams and flowcharts without leaving the app. The platform can also import Visio files, export images and SVG (vector files), and save created charts to Google Drive.
Gliffy offers two paid plans, both of which come with a 14-day free trial and offer the following features:
Personal Plan
- $7.99 per month
- Unlimited diagrams
- Access to templates
- 24/7 email support
Team Plan
- $4.99 per user per month
- All Personal Plan features
- Live diagram embedding
- Google Drive plug-in
- Private sharing
- Commenting tool
BEST FOR INTUITIVE USECacoo
Cacoo was created in 2004 by the Japanese company Nulab as part of a trio of apps designed to improve team collaboration. It offers hundreds of templates ideal for development, product design, marketing, and project management teams. We chose it as the best for intuitive use because it is easy to use and navigate, even for those who are not tech-savvy.
Cacoo is an entirely web-based application with an intuitive interface that lets users start creating diagrams in minutes. Choose from a library of templates and shapes to create flowcharts, wireframes, network diagrams, or import images and screenshots to any design.
Cacoo integrates with Visio and Slack as well as cloud services like Google Drive and Docs, Confluence, Adobe Creative Cloud, Box, and Dropbox. Files can be exported in SVG, PDF, and even PowerPoint formats or embedded in web pages and wikis. Finally, Cacoo offers a team plan that lets users create, edit, and comment on projects in real-time.
Cacoo offers a free plan as well as three paid plans with a 14-day free trial:
Free Plan:
- $0
- Unlimited users
- six sheets
- Templates and shapes
- Exporting (PNG only)
- In-app video chat
- Real-time editing
- Comment & chat
Pro Plan:
- $5 per month annually, or $6 monthly
- One user
- Unlimited sheets
- Templates and shapes
- Exporting (PNG, SVG, PDF, PS, PPT)
- Revision history
- In-app video chat
- Real-time editing
- Comment & chat
Team Plan:
- $5 per user per month annually, or $6 per user monthly
- Up to 200 users
- All Pro Plan features
- One-on-one online training session
- Priority support
Enterprise Plan:
- $1,500 to $30,000 annually. depending on users (10 to 200)
- Up to 200 users
- All Team Plan features
- Cacoo application is installed on organization’s private server or network
- 24/7 priority email support
Conclusion
What are flowcharts & how do you create them? Flowcharts are among the most useful tools for posteriors in any industry. While they can be used to highlight processes, coordinate systems, display powerpoint presentations, etc., one of the most popular uses of flowcharts is in business, specifically in marketing. Marketing is a unique area in that it requires an understanding of both the strategic and tactical side of things (think about your company’s products or services versus the way you market them). When you get down to it, businesses need to make more than just product decisions. They need to make marketing decisions too.