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It's a split decision.
Choose draw.io for diagrams, unlimited users on its free plan, and control over where files are stored. Choose Figma for designing apps and websites with shared libraries and developer handoff tools. Figma’s listed paid seats start at $3 per seat per month, though the Professional billing toggle is unclear. draw.io’s Atlassian cloud plans are free for up to 10 users, with paid tiers starting at $5 or $20 depending on product or tier.
01Side by side
| draw.io | Figma | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free; cloud paid tiers start at $5 or $20 | Free; listed paid seats start at $3 |
| Free plan | Unlimited diagrams and users; no account required | Unlimited drafts; AI credits are capped |
| Best for | Diagramming and sharing diagrams | Designing apps, websites, and digital products |
| Core strength | Flexible storage and broad file compatibility | Product design with developer handoff tools |
| Learning curve | Not specified on the vendor's site | Not specified on the vendor's site |
| Integrations and data | Choose storage; embed diagrams in documents and wikis | Connect designs with context, codebases, and agents |
| Team and seat costs | Free plan includes unlimited users | Paid plans charge per seat; view/comment needs no extra seat |
| Support | Support details not published on the vendor's site | Support details not published on the vendor's site |
draw.io Choose draw.io if
- Choose draw.io if you need free diagramming for unlimited users.
- Choose draw.io if file storage location matters.
- Choose draw.io if you want editable diagrams across platforms.
Figma Choose Figma if
- Choose Figma if you design apps, websites, or digital products.
- Choose Figma if developers need Dev Mode inspection and handoff.
- Choose Figma if shared design libraries matter across teams.
02Pricing compared
draw.io’s Online and Desktop plan is free, with unlimited diagrams and users and no account required. For Confluence and Jira Cloud, the pricing details list free use for up to 10 users, then paid tiers starting at $5 or $20 per month depending on product or tier. Data Center starts at $6,000 per year.
Figma has a free Starter plan with unlimited drafts. Its listed paid seats start at $3 per seat per month for Professional Collab, but the pricing page’s Monthly/Annual toggle does not make clear which setting those Professional prices reflect. Organization and Enterprise are billed annually; their listed seats start at $5 and $5 per seat per month, respectively, for Collab. Compare seat types and billing terms before pricing a team. Additional AI credit and Governance+ prices are not published.
03Features and depth
draw.io is built for diagrams: it supports real-time collaboration with shared cursors, lets users choose where to store files, and exports to SVG, PNG, or PDF. The product also says older files remain compatible, and diagrams can be embedded interactively in documents, wikis, or applications. Its source code is Apache 2.0-licensed.
Figma is aimed at designing apps, websites, and other digital products. Its shared workspace connects designs with codebases and AI agents. The listed tools include design-system libraries, developer handoff, and technical design controls; Professional plans include advanced Dev Mode inspection and MCP Server. Figma also describes an AI agent that can add motion, document design systems, and implement feedback. That is a different toolset from diagramming, not a reason on its own to move diagram work into Figma. The published product information does not list an AI feature for draw.io.
04Ease of use and learning curve
For basic diagramming, draw.io has a low-friction starting point: its Online and Desktop plan requires no account and allows unlimited users. Teams can also choose their storage location, though the best setup depends on where they already keep files.
Figma’s free Starter plan includes unlimited drafts, but its paid plans divide access into Full, Dev, and Collab seats. That adds a purchasing decision for teams; it does not tell us how long learning either product takes. The published reviews score draw.io’s ease of use at 8 and Figma’s at 7. Those scores are a rough signal, not a measured learning-time comparison.
Questions people ask
Does draw.io have an AI?
The published draw.io product information does not list an AI feature. Figma’s product information describes an AI agent that can add motion, document design systems, and implement feedback. That difference may matter if AI-assisted product design is part of your workflow, but it does not make Figma a direct replacement for every diagramming task.
How much does draw.io cost?
draw.io Online and Desktop are free, with unlimited diagrams and users and no account required. For Confluence and Jira Cloud, the listed plan is free for up to 10 users, with paid tiers starting at $5 or $20 per month depending on product or tier. Data Center starts at $6,000 per year.
Which is better, draw.io or Visio?
The published information does not include Visio features, plan limits, or prices, so it is not enough for a grounded head-to-head verdict. It does show draw.io’s free plan includes unlimited diagrams and users. Compare Visio’s current terms and the file formats your team needs before switching.
What is draw.io now called?
The published information identifies the product as draw.io and links to diagrams.net. It does not explain the product’s naming history or confirm whether one name replaced the other. If you are looking for the software, the provided product URL is diagrams.net.