draw.io review

draw.io, also called diagrams.net, is free, open-source software for creating and sharing diagrams. Its source code is licensed under Apache 2.0, and you can start without creating an account. It runs online and as a desktop app, with a free plan that lists unlimited diagrams and unlimited users.

The product is aimed at people who need to make diagrams without committing to a paid diagramming suite. You can collaborate in real time using shared cursors, choose where to store your data, and edit files across platforms. draw.io says files created in 2005 still load in the current app, which matters if you have years of diagrams to keep accessible.

Diagrams can be exported to SVG, PNG, or PDF, or kept editable. You can also embed interactive diagrams in documents, wikis, or applications. Paid plans are for use with Confluence and Jira, rather than a requirement for basic diagramming.

The clearest advantage is price: the diagrams.net Online and Desktop plan is free, with unlimited diagrams and users, and no account required. That makes draw.io an easy option for individuals or teams that want to create diagrams without adding another subscription. The pricing page lists Cloud plans for Confluence and Jira as free for up to 10 users, with paid tiers starting at $5 or $20 per month depending on product or tier.

The product also avoids locking diagrams into one platform. It supports cross-platform editing, lets users choose where data is stored, and can export to common formats or retain editable files. The stated backward compatibility with files created in 2005 is useful for teams maintaining old documentation. Real-time collaboration and interactive embeds cover common needs for shared diagrams in documents, wikis, and applications.

There is some user evidence that free is enough for everyday work: in one Reddit thread, a draw.io user described it as “good enough” and said they had not considered alternatives. Other commenters recommended Lucidchart, while one suggested Mermaid documents for diagram creation. Those are workflow preferences, not proof that one tool is universally better.

The free plan gives you diagramming, but it does not include the Confluence or Jira integrations listed under the paid Cloud and Data Center offerings. For Cloud, the pricing page lists free use for up to 10 users and paid tiers starting at $5 or $20 per month, depending on product or tier. Annual Cloud pricing is not published, so teams comparing yearly costs will need to confirm the current terms directly.

The Data Center option is a bigger commitment: the pricing page lists a starting point of $500 per month, or $6,000 per year, and says it starts at 500 users. That is aimed at organizations hosting Atlassian Data Center, not a small team looking for a cheap standalone diagramming upgrade. Cloud and Data Center list free trials, but the published pricing details do not specify trial length.

Self-hosting may also require suitable infrastructure. In one Reddit thread, a user said their server was too weak to self-host diagrams.net and reported using Nextcloud integrations instead. Reddit comments also point to Lucidchart, Visio, and Mermaid as alternatives, but draw.io’s free plan is hard to beat when its feature set fits.

The free Online and Desktop plan costs $0 per month and includes unlimited diagrams, unlimited users and no account requirement. For Confluence and Jira teams, Cloud is free for up to 10 users; paid tiers start at $5 or $20 per month, depending on product or tier. The pricing page’s listed range makes the jump from free clear, but it does not publish annual Cloud pricing, so you can’t compare a yearly commitment from the published figures. Cloud tiers scale to 10,000+ users, and a free trial is available.

Data Center starts at 500 users and $500 per month, with annual pricing starting at $6,000. That minimum makes it a poor fit for smaller organizations. A free trial is available. No add-ons are listed in the published pricing, but that doesn’t establish whether there are costs outside these plans. Check which Atlassian product and tier you need before budgeting: the Cloud starting price varies, and Data Center pricing begins at a much higher commitment.

draw.io’s file compatibility and export options should help keep diagrams portable: the product says files created in 2005 still load, and diagrams can be exported to SVG, PNG or PDF, or kept editable. It also supports flexible storage, so teams can choose where their data lives. The published details don’t describe a migration tool or a process for moving diagrams from another product; plan to check file compatibility and preserve editable copies before switching.

Leaving may be worth considering if your workflow needs more than diagramming, or if you need published support terms or annual Cloud pricing; those are gaps in the published information. Data Center also starts at 500 users, which rules it out for smaller organizations. We can’t substantiate what tends to make people leave based on Reddit: no Reddit posts or comments were included in the published material. Before moving, check how your team embeds diagrams and where files are stored, since those choices may affect the work of replacing them.