Organizing things just makes life easier. A place for everything and never let it go. If you are that person, you know about Microsoft Visio. Visio is an industry standard software for creating flowcharts, flowcharts and diagrams of all kinds. If you have access to Visio at work, you’re in luck. But Microsoft Visio costs a lot just for personal use.
So what is a good, free Microsoft Visio alternative? There are many options to replace Visio. Whether you’re on a PC or a Mac, there’s a free Visio-like app for you. Yes, even for Android, iOS and Linux. Here is our list of the best free Visio alternatives. We have saved the best ones for last.
Communication: All, browser-based
Price: Free
Looking for a light, convenient way to diagram the simple stuff? ASCIIFlow is a good web based application for you. It generates an ASCII diagram of regular keyboard figure. Since the ASCII character specification is nearly universal, it’s ideal for including a minimap in emails. For the same reason, ASCIIFlow is very limited in its capabilities.
Communication: All, browser-based
Price: Freemium
The free version of Coggle is great for simple mind mapping or process mapping. Unlimited public diagram sharing, yes real-time collaboration, upload images, and export to text and Visio formats. For $5 a month, Coggle gives you all of that along with more item shapes and better control over the lines.
Communication: Windows, Mac, Linux
Price: Free
Why is Continuity not more popular? You can create detail diagrams like in Visio. Hand drawn, 3D diagrams, UML . Supportand dozens of different diagram themes in one free, ever-evolving package of features are just a few reasons to love Continuity. Defect? You need to install Free Mono library for it to work. It doesn’t have many downsides.
Communication: Windows, Mac, Linux
Price: Free
The Apache Foundation, best known for its web server, is the current governing body of OpenOffice. OpenOffice is obsolete, but is a decent schematic replacement for Microsoft Visio. Being free also helps. Because it uses an OpenDocument XML-based format for its files, anything you can create will open in any program that supports it. OpenDocument File Format.
Communication: All, web-based
Price: Freemium
A highly capable browser-based tool, Cacoo is great for collaborating with others while working from home. Cacoo is capable of creating beautiful charts and diagrams for any use case.
The free version allows unlimited users, but only 6 sheets at a time. For $5 a month you get unlimited sheets, extra export options, and Edit History. There are both group and enterprise plans, with more features.
Communication: Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS, Chrome OS
Price: Free
Over the past few years, LibreOffice has become the most popular free office suite. For good reason, too. There are very few things the average person can do in Visio that they cannot do in LibreOffice Draw. Visio files also open natively in LibreOffice. It will be more popular. For Android and iOS, use Collabra office Android and iOS apps built on top of LibreOffice.
Communication: Windows, Mac, Linux
Price: Free
Dia is capable enough for home users. Its dated appearance hides its versatility. If you were an engineering student in the late 90s, you know Dia. Think of Dia as the portable version of Visio 2000. It can run from a USB stick, so you can use it anywhere.
Communication: All, browser-based
Price: Free for students
If you have an email address with a .edu or .ac marker in your domain or subdomain, you can sign up for a free 4-year Professional Gliffy license. This is a great idea because your teacher won’t trust the Visio-grade quality of the diagrams you’ll be submitting. Design, engineering or business chart, Gliffy does it all. The paid personal version is only $8 a month.
Communication: All, browser-based
Price: Freemium
Ease of use is Creately’s strongest feature, which says a lot as it’s a full-featured Visio competitor. Its infinity frame has to be the largest in the business.
Collaborate remotely with your team on all your business and engineering needs. Free for personal use limits you to 3 documents, a limited library of shapes, and basic collaboration features, but that might be all you need. Upgrades start at $5 a month.
10. yED
Communication:
yED Live: All, browser-based,
yED Desktop: Windows, Mac, Linux, Unix
Price: Free
How is YED free? Any kind of professional diagram you need, you can do it in yED’s Direct or Desktop versions. Make a simple diagram right out of the box or an engineer level diagram with some learning. yED is a complete Visio alternative. You might even prefer it to Visio. Seriously, what are the benefits?
Communication: All, browser-based
Price: Free
You may have heard of draw.io. Well, maps.net is the new name and home of draw.io. From wireframing programs to electrical circuits, schematics.net can do it. You can also import .vsdx files from Visio, Gliffy, and Lucidchart files. Diagrams.net is also a candidate for the best Visio alternative.
Communication: All, browser-based
Price: Freemium
This is what is mentioned most by other technology sites. Sure, it’s good, but it’s as limited as the free plans for Gliffy, Cacoo, or Coggle. Maybe even more restrictive. What Lucidchart gives it is a large user base and it is used in 99% of Fortune 500 companies. That might be reason enough to learn how to use it as well as Visio.
Communication: Windows, Mac, Linux
Price: Free
If you are an app developer, Pencil is a great choice. Pencil is available in GUI shapes for Android and iOS so you can create precise wireframes. Multi-page documents with links between pages means that your models will also be flexible. Yes, Pencil is also capable of drawing other Visio-like diagrams, but the app developer features really stand out.
So Visio long!
If you can’t find a Visio alternative on that list, just shell out for Visio. It doesn’t matter what you need to draw, draw diagrams, charts or dream, one of our best free alternatives to Microsoft Visio will make you smile.
