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Should I use Flowchart Maker and Online Diagram Software (draw.io / diagrams.net)?

draw.io is free online diagram software. You can use it as a flowchart maker, network diagram software, to create UML online, as an ER diagram tool, to design database schema, to build BPMN online, as a circuit diagram maker, and more. - app.diagrams.net

Worth it. Buy if you want capable free diagramming — flowcharts, UML, ER, BPMN — with zero budget risk; skip if you need real-time team collaboration or polished templates, where paid rivals win. Evidence base is thin: mostly directory mentions and one bug report, few in-depth reviews.

Confidence

Low. Based on ~30 public sources; most snippets were truncated, so depth is limited and confidence is low.

Ratings

  • Value for money
  • Ease of use
  • Feature depth
  • Support qualityNo evidence found
  • Security postureSecurity page 404; no findings either way

Pricing

Free

draw.io / diagrams.net

ModelNot disclosed
Monthly feesNot disclosed
HardwareNot disclosed
Free tierYes

Best for

  • Engineers sketching UML and architecture
  • Zero-budget teams and students
  • Visio users migrating .vsdx files
  • Solo process and ER diagramming

Not for

  • Teams wanting real-time collaborative whiteboarding (Guess: Miro fits better)
  • Polished client-facing graphics needing premium templates
  • Buyers requiring vendor support, SLAs, or contracts
  • Anyone needing auto-generated diagrams from live codebases

Gotchas - check before you buy

medium

File-open bugs reported (.drawio stuck); export backups regularly.

low

Free and open source means no vendor SLA; support is community-based.

low

Third-party hosted variants exist; verify you're on the official app.

low

Public security documentation is sparse; page returned Not Found.

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Completely free online diagram software
  • Imports Visio (.vsdx), Gliffy, and Lucidchart files
  • Broad coverage: flowcharts, UML, ER, BPMN, network, circuit
  • Open source, widely referenced in engineering tool lists
  • Frequently recommended among best free diagramming tools

Cons

  • Reported bug: .drawio files get stuck opening; reopening doesn't fix
  • Official security page returned 'Not Found' during our check

Sources & method

Analyzed 10/02/2026 - 7 sources - No known vulnerabilities found in the sources reviewed.

official x2review x4security x1

Key stats

  • Value for money: 5/5

    Rating

  • Free

    Starting price

  • 7

    Sources

  • Analyzed

  • Value for money: 5/5. Free and open source, zero cost
  • Ease of use: 4/5. Repeatedly listed among simplest free options
  • Feature depth: 5/5. Covers UML, ER, BPMN, network, circuit diagrams
  • Support quality. No evidence found
  • Security posture. Security page 404; no findings either way
  • $0 Price Free online diagram software
  • 7+ Diagram types Flowchart, network, UML, ER, BPMN, circuit, schema
  • 3 Import formats .vsdx (Visio), Gliffy, Lucidchart files

Pricing

draw.io / diagrams.net

Free

  • All diagram types
  • Visio, Gliffy, Lucidchart import

Security

No known vulnerabilities found in the sources reviewed.

What users say

Users repeatedly name draw.io among the best free diagramming tools on Quora and LinkedIn; the main complaint found is an occasional file-opening bug.

“Opening a .drawio file gets stuck and reopening doesn't fix it”
GitHub, hediet/vscode-drawio issue #141

Alternatives

Compare Flowchart Maker and Online Diagram Software (draw.io / diagrams.net) with each alternative.

  • Lucidchart

    Paid rival with stronger collaboration and templates; draw.io imports its files

  • Miro

    Real-time whiteboard better for live team brainstorming

  • Microsoft Visio

    Enterprise standard; draw.io's free .vsdx import covers most needs

Full analysis

Based on ~30 public sources; most snippets were truncated, so depth is limited and confidence is low.

Free, open-source diagramming from flowcharts to UML to BPMN. Zero cost risk; just expect a utilitarian UI.

Methodology

Based on ~30 public sources; most snippets were truncated, so depth is limited and confidence is low.

Sources

  1. Flowchart Maker and Online Diagram Software (official)app.diagrams.net
    official
  2. Product security page (returned Not Found)app.diagrams.net
    security
  3. Opening a .drawio file gets stuck — GitHub issuegithub.com
    review
  4. What are some of the best free flowchart and diagramming software? — Quoraquora.com
    review
  5. Purple-Team-Resources tool references (Draw.io — open source)github.com
    review
  6. RedcoolMedia hosted Flowchart Maker versionredcoolmedia.net
    official
  7. Structurizr vs Lucidchart: Designing Structure vs Drawing — LinkedInlinkedin.com
    review

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