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Productivity & Collaboration · Documents, Notes & Knowledge

Diagrams & Mind Maps

10 paid against 17 free you can run yourself.

Paid against free › Productivity & Collaboration › Documents, Notes & Knowledge › Diagrams & Mind Maps · Documents and knowledge on Repo Radar

Diagram and mind map tools turn ideas, processes and systems into pictures people can follow: flowcharts, org charts, UML and cloud diagrams, and branching mind maps for brainstorming and planning. Paid tools range from collaborative canvases and Visio-style editors to dedicated mind mappers and new AI tools that draw from text, while open-source projects offer full diagram editors, diagrams written as code and self-hosted mind map apps.

Paid 10 reviewed

Prices and free tiers as checked, dated on each review.

MMiro

Miro is a visual workspace for team collaboration and innovation.

$8free tierLLucidchart

Intelligent diagramming for teams to visualize, collaborate, and automate.

$9free tierMMicrosoft Visio

Diagramming tool for flowcharts, floor plans, and network diagrams.

—CCreately

Visual collaboration platform for diagramming, process mapping, and AI-assisted planning.

free tierSSketchWow

SketchWow creates hand-drawn style diagrams, flowcharts, and process maps.

$39SSmartDraw

Create diagrams, floor plans, and charts with data-driven tools.

$7.95MMindMeister

Online mind mapping for brainstorming, planning, and collaboration.

free tierGGliffy

Technical diagramming app for Confluence Cloud and Data Center.

$3.8free tierMMindManager

Visual mind mapping and diagramming for project planning and collaboration.

free tierNNapkin AI

Turn text into diagrams, charts, and slides.

free tier

Free 8 direct · 9 related

Free to use. You run it on your own server.

Direct alternatives

They do this job.

EXexcalidraw/excalidraw

A whiteboard in the browser for quick hand-drawn diagrams.

★ 134kFreeTLtldraw/tldraw

A React canvas engine for building whiteboard and diagram tools, free to develop with and paid in production.

★ 50.9kFreeJSAykutSarac/jsoncrack.com

It draws a JSON, YAML, XML or CSV file as a diagram that can be zoomed around and searched.

★ 44.5kFreeNEDayuanJiang/next-ai-draw-io

Draw and edit draw.io diagrams by chatting with an AI. Web app, desktop app, and an MCP server for Claude Code, Cursor, Codex and VS Code.

★ 36.4kFreeDRplait-board/drawnix

开源白板工具（SaaS），一体化白板，包含思维导图、流程图、自由画等。All in one open-source whiteboard tool with mind, flowchart, freehand and etc.

★ 15kFreePLplantuml/plantuml

Generate diagrams from textual description

★ 13.4kFreeMIwanglin2/mind-map

SimpleMindMap（思绪思维导图）：一个强大的思维导图。A powerful mind map.

★ 12.9kFreeFRfreeplane/freeplane

Application for Mind Mapping, Knowledge Management, Project Management. Develop, organize and communicate your ideas and knowledge in the most effective way.

★ 4.4kFree

Related alternatives

A second choice: they cover part of this job or are a building block for it.

MEmermaid-js/mermaid

A library that renders flowcharts, sequence diagrams, timelines and mind maps from short blocks of plain text.

★ 90.7kFreeLOlogseq/logseq

A privacy-first, open-source platform for knowledge management and collaboration. Download link: http://github.com/logseq/logseq/releases. roadmap: https://logseq.io/p/NX4mc_ggEV

★ 45.3kFreeD2d2lang/d2

It turns a short text file into a diagram.

★ 25.6kFreeMAmarkmap/markmap

It turns an indented Markdown list into a foldable mind map in the browser.

★ 13.2kFreeDRjgraph/drawio

The diagram editor behind diagrams.net, which can also be run privately.

★ 8.8kFreeINantvis/Infographic

🦋 An Infographic Generation and Rendering Framework, bring words to life with AI!

★ 7kFreeWIvanila-io/wireflow

Wireflow - user flow chart real-time collaborative tool

★ 4.2kFreeFLtone-row/flowchart-fun

Easily generate flowcharts and diagrams from text ⿻

★ 3.4kFreeOPopenflowkit/openflowkit

Free, open-source diagram canvas. Draw it, write it as code (Mermaid, D2, Structurizr in), ask any AI model or a local one, let Claude Code edit it live over MCP, or map a GitHub repo with every arrow cited to a file and line. MIT, local-first, no account.

★ 901Free

Feature by feature

Every paid tool and free repository we compared, marked against the same features.

✓has itPartlysome plans or extra work—confirmed not available?not confirmed✓the vendor's claim onlypricingClick a mark for its note and source

Paid · 10Free · 10
Featurejgraph/drawioexcalidraw/excalidrawmermaid-js/mermaidplantuml/plantumld2lang/d2wanglin2/mind-mapplait-board/drawnixmarkmap/markmapfreeplane/freeplaneDayuanJiang/next-ai-draw-io
Starts at$8 per member per month, billed yearly (Starter)$9 per month, billed annually (Individual)$5.00 per user per month, paid yearly (Visio Plan 1)$5 per editor per month, billed annually at $60 (Pro)$49 one-time payment (Pro Lifetime, marked special offer)$7.95 per month, billed annually (Individual, introductory price for new customers)From €6.50 per user per month (Personal), billed every 6 or 12 months$2.80 per user per month, "as low as" (Gliffy Zero Egress)$99.00 per year including VAT (Essentials)$9 per person per month, billed yearly (Plus)Apache-2.0MITMITLGPLMPL-2.0MITMITMITGPL-2.0Apache-2.0
Diagram types
Flowcharts and process diagramsFlowcharts, process maps or BPMN diagrams can be drawn.
Mind mapsA mind map editor or mind map layout with branches that reflow.
Technical diagramsUML, network, cloud architecture or similar technical stencils and notations.
Template libraryReady-made starting diagrams or templates.
Collaboration
Real-time co-editingSeveral people edit the same diagram at the same time.
Creation
AI generation from textA prompt, document or sentence becomes an editable diagram.
Diagrams as codeDiagrams can be written or imported as text, such as Mermaid, PlantUML or a tool-specific markup.
Interchange
Visio filesMicrosoft Visio files can be imported or exported.
SVG or PDF exportDiagrams export to a vector format (SVG) or PDF.
Platform
Browser editorDiagrams can be created and edited in a web browser.
Desktop or offline appAn installable desktop app or offline use is offered.
Docs and workspace integrationsDiagrams embed in or connect to tools such as Confluence, Microsoft 365, Google Workspace or Notion.
Sharing
Presentation modeDiagrams or maps can be presented step by step without exporting slides.
Platform
Self-hostingThe editor can run on the buyer's own servers.

Also considered

Looked at, and left out of the comparison, with the reason.

Paid apps

  • AyoaMind mapping and whiteboard app that combines mind maps with task management and AI. It covers the same mind map job as MindMeister and MindManager and ranked just below them on adoption, so it is listed here rather than compared.Source
  • WhimsicalVisual workspace for flowcharts, mind maps, wireframes and docs with AI generation. It overlaps closely with Creately and Miro and ranked below them on adoption, so it was not compared in full.Source
  • CacooOnline diagramming tool from Nulab for flowcharts, network diagrams and wireframes with real-time collaboration. It covers the same ground as Lucidchart and Creately with a smaller user base, so it ranked below them.Source
  • Wondershare EdrawMaxDesktop and online diagramming suite from Wondershare with many diagram types; mind maps are sold separately as EdrawMind. It ranked below SmartDraw and Creately among broad diagram tools.Source
  • XmindMind mapping app for desktop, web and mobile with many map structures and AI. It covers the same job as MindMeister and MindManager and ranked below them on adoption, so it was not compared in full.Source
  • MindomoMind mapping, concept mapping and outlining tool popular in education, with collaboration and presentation. It ranked below MindMeister and MindManager among mind map tools.Source
  • EraserTechnical design tool that generates architecture and sequence diagrams from prompts and its own diagram-as-code syntax. It targets engineering design documents; Napkin AI took the newer-tool place and the repositories cover diagram code.Source
  • Mermaid ChartHosted editor from the Mermaid team with visual editing, AI and collaboration on top of the open-source Mermaid library. The open-source Mermaid repository is compared instead, as the same company maintains both.Source
  • draw.ioFree diagram editor with no standalone paid plan; it is sold only as Atlassian Confluence and Jira apps. Its open-source repository, jgraph/drawio, is compared on the repository side instead.Source
  • MuralVisual collaboration whiteboard for workshops and facilitation with templates and sticky notes. Diagramming and mind maps are secondary to workshop facilitation, so Miro represents whiteboards here.Source
  • FigJamOnline whiteboard from Figma for brainstorming, flows and diagrams alongside design work. It is sold mainly with Figma for product teams, so Miro represents whiteboards here.Source

Repositories

  • tldraw/tldrawSDK for building infinite canvas apps in React, with a demo whiteboard. It is a toolkit for developers rather than a diagram tool, and its licence requires a licence key for production use.Source
  • SSShooter/mind-elixir-coreFramework-agnostic JavaScript mind map core for embedding in other apps. It is a component for developers rather than an application, so complete mind map apps were selected.Source
  • mingrammer/diagramsPython library for drawing cloud system architecture diagrams as code. It covers one diagram family only, so D2 and PlantUML represent diagrams as code here.Source
  • tt-a1i/archifyAgent skill for Claude Code and Codex that turns ideas, plans or codebases into interactive HTML diagrams. It produces generated pages through a coding agent rather than an editable diagram, so next-ai-draw-io represents AI generation.Source
  • wisemapping/wisemapping-open-sourceOpen-source web mind mapping tool behind the WiseMapping service. It has a much smaller community than the selected mind map projects and no published releases on GitHub.Source
  • hediet/vscode-drawioUnofficial extension that brings the draw.io editor into VS Code. It wraps draw.io, which is compared directly through jgraph/drawio.Source
  • NaoTu/DesktopNaotuCross-platform offline desktop mind map tool based on Baidu Naotu. Its last release, v3.2.3, dates from April 2019, so it is not maintained enough to recommend.Source
  • ondras/my-mindLightweight online mind mapping app in the browser. Its default branch has had no work since June 2024, so actively developed mind map tools were preferred.Source
  • hizzgdev/jsmindJavaScript library for rendering mind maps in web pages. It is a library for developers rather than an application, so complete mind map apps were selected.Source
  • yuzutech/krokiService that renders diagrams from many text languages, including PlantUML, Mermaid and D2, through one API. It renders other projects' languages rather than offering its own, so those languages are compared directly.Source
  • structurizr/structurizrModels-as-code tool built for the C4 model of software architecture. It serves one modelling method, so D2 and PlantUML represent general diagrams as code.Source
  • didi/LogicFlowFramework for building custom flowchart and diagram editors into business applications. It is a building block for developers rather than a ready diagram tool.Source

Other tools in this category

Not compared here. Listed so you can see the rest of the field.

Gaps

What the research could not settle from the vendors' own pages.

What vendors don't publish

  • MindMeister's pricing page showed only the free plan in the region read, while a separate machine-readable page lists paid plans as "from" prices in euros on 6- or 12-month billing. Buyers outside the euro area cannot see their exact price before checkout.MindMeister · checked 2026-10-21 · source 1 · source 2
  • Lucidchart's pricing page lists plan features but not export formats or AI allowances per plan. Buyers who need SVG or PDF export or heavy AI use cannot confirm them before a trial.Lucidchart · checked 2026-10-21 · source 1
  • Napkin AI charges about one credit per word selected for generation and says this may change for more complex outputs. Heavy users cannot predict how far a monthly allowance will go.Napkin AI · checked 2026-10-21 · source 1
  • MindManager Enterprise and Miro Enterprise publish no prices; both require a quote. Large teams cannot estimate cost without contacting sales.Miro, MindManager · checked 2026-10-21 · source 1 · source 2
  • Gliffy prices only its Confluence apps on its pricing page, with purchases through Atlassian Marketplace by user tier. Teams without Confluence cannot see a standalone price.Gliffy · checked 2026-10-21 · source 1
  • SmartDraw's purchase page shows introductory prices for new customers next to the regular $10.95 price, without saying when the introductory price ends. Buyers cannot tell what renewal will cost.SmartDraw · checked 2026-10-21 · source 1

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