Best Diagramming Software in 2026
Updated
In short: Creately is ranked #1 of 43 as of 3 October 2026, ahead of Cacoo and Eraser. The best-ranked option with a free plan is Cacoo. The lowest first paid tier on this page is Gliffy at $2.80/mo.
Diagramming software helps you turn ideas, processes and systems into visual or structured representations. The ranking opens with Creately, Cacoo and Eraser, with draw.io among the entries that follow. Compared on diagram types and import/export formats, the options can be weighed against the work you need to capture and the tools you already use. Check desktop app availability, offline editing and real-time collaboration to see which working arrangements are supported. Editor seat limits and free plans may also affect a team’s fit, while paid-from pricing gives another point of comparison. Consider the balance of diagram coverage, file compatibility and ways to work together that suits your projects.
43 diagramming software ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
| # | Platform | Score | Why | From | Free plan | Paid from | Real-time collaboration | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Creately | 8.7 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | Yes | — | — | View |
| 2 | Cacoo | 8.7 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $6/mo | Yes | 6 /user/mo | Yes | View |
| 3 | Eraser | 8.5 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $15/mo | Yes | 15 /user/mo | Yes | View |
| 4 | draw.io | 8.2 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 5 | Arcentry | 8.0 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $9.90/mo | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 6 | Camunda | 7.7 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | Yes | — | — | View |
| 7 | Ilograph | 7.7 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | 11.99 /user/mo | — | View |
| 8 |  Lucidchart | 7.4 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 9 |  Visual Paradigm | 7.4 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $4/mo | Yes | 4 /user/mo | Yes | View |
| 10 | Gliffy | 7.1 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $2.80/mo | Yes | — | No | View |
| 11 | EdrawMax | 7.0 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $5.90/mo | Yes | — | — | View |
| 12 |  Software Ideas Modeler | 6.7 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | — | View |
| 13 | yEd Graph Editor | 6.6 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | — | View |
| 14 | Bizagi Modeler | 6.6 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 15 |  PlantUML | 6.5 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | — | View |
| 16 | SmartDraw | 6.4 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | No | — | Yes | View |
| 17 | Structurizr | 6.4 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | £300/mo | Yes | — | — | View |
| 18 |  Microsoft Visio | 6.3 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $5/mo | — | — | — | View |
| 19 | Diagramming Tool | 6.3 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | Yes | — | — | View |
| 20 | IcePanel | 6.3 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $40/mo | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 21 |  Textografo | 6.1 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 22 | SAP Signavio Process Modeler | 5.9 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | No | — | — | View |
| 23 |  StarUML | 5.9 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $129/mo | No | — | Yes | View |
| 24 |  D2 | 5.8 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | — | View |
| 25 |  Vexlio | 5.8 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | — | View |
Is your platform on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored. They are labelled, and the editorial order and scores never change for payment.
Questions about this list
Which diagramming software is ranked first on Inferse?
Creately is ranked #1 of 43 with a score of 8.7. Cacoo is second and Eraser third.
How many of these have a free plan?
15 of the 25 on this page publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.
Which is the cheapest paid option?
On this page, Gliffy has the lowest first paid tier we found: $2.80/mo.
How is this list ranked?
Ranked on what each maker publishes, open and connectable first: a public API, open-source code, the depth of its documentation and a free tier to try it on. Model lists are sorted by the figure in their title, exactly as each provider publishes it. Paid placements never change a rank.