Top pick: draw.io. Switching saves about $108 USD a year.
$108 USDa year
≈$153.98 CAD (converted from USD)
Every pick below has a free version.
2 alternatives
The editor’s first choice for most people switching.
Best for free diagrams without limits or an account
Free on the web, as a desktop app and self-hosted, with no document or shape limits. Edits are not live, so teams work on shared files in turn.
Right for specific needs, or not yet mature enough to recommend widely.
Best for quick sketches and live whiteboard sessions
A whiteboard with a hand-drawn style, not a formal diagramming tool. Free editor; Excalidraw Plus is the paid workspace. Free version: The editor at excalidraw.com is free, with live collaboration and no account. Excalidraw Plus is a paid workspace with a 14-day trial.
Sponsor this page: $149 for 30 days. Sponsors appear above the ranking, labeled; the ranking itself is not for sale.
How each alternative covers what people use Lucidchart for. Numbers link to editor notes.
| Feature | draw.io | Excalidraw |
|---|---|---|
| Compatibility | ||
| Visio import and export (VSDX) | PartialNote 1Imports VSDX; there is no VSDX export in current releases | NoNote 2Does not open Visio files |
| Content | ||
| Shape libraries and templates | YesNote 3Libraries for flowcharts, BPMN, UML, network, cloud and more | PartialNote 4Basic shapes plus community libraries; no diagram templates |
| Data | ||
| Data linking and automated diagrams | PartialNote 5Custom shape data and CSV import; no automated diagrams from live data | NoNote 6No data linking |
| Collaboration | ||
| Real-time co-authoring and comments | NoNote 7The project states it has no real-time collaborative editing in this version | YesNote 8Live collaboration through a shared link, no account needed |
| Integrations | ||
| Confluence, Jira, Google and Microsoft integrations | PartialNote 9Saves to Google Drive, OneDrive, GitHub and GitLab; Atlassian plug-ins are separate | PartialNote 10Embeds and plug-ins exist for tools such as Obsidian and VS Code |
| Parity score | 50% | 40% |
Not covered by any free alternative yet: Visio import and export (VSDX), Data linking and automated diagrams, Confluence, Jira, Google and Microsoft integrations. See all feature gaps
Can each alternative open and save Lucidchart files?
| Format | draw.io | Excalidraw |
|---|---|---|
| .vsdx | Opens onlyNote 1Imports VSDX; no VSDX export in current releasesPartial fidelity | NoNote 2Visio files cannot be opened |
| .vsd | NoNote 3Convert VSD to VSDX in Visio first | NoNote 4Visio files cannot be opened |
| .svg | Opens and savesNote 5SVG export is meant for embedding; it is not an SVG editorPartial fidelity | Opens and savesNote 6Exports SVG; an imported SVG stays an image, not editable shapesPartial fidelity |
Switching saves about $108 USD / ≈$154 CAD (estimated from the USD price) a year. Prices checked ; ≈ means converted from USD.
Based on Lucidchart Individual, annual plan. Price source. USD to CAD at 1.4257 as of Oct 7, 2026.
Last verified . Ranking: tier first, then the published score.
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Lucidchart is a product of Lucid Software, named here for comparison only. Platforms listed for Lucidchart: Web, iOS, Android.