1. Diagramming Tool For Mac
2. Flowchart Tool For Mac
3. Snipping Tool For Mac
4. Free Uml Diagramming Tool
5. Screenshot Tool For Mac

Microsoft Visio is a powerful piece of software, allowing IT professionals, business people, engineers, and others working in highly technical fields to map out and display complex information in the form of flowcharts, site plans, floor plans, diagrams and more.

Grapholite is an easy to use, touch-friendly, inexpensive, yet very powerful alternative to Visio that can be used for all types of business graphics: flowcharts, floor plans, office layouts, uml diagrams, organizational charts, mind maps, venn charts, bpmn diagrams, web-site structures and wireframes, technical drawings, network layouts, ui mockups and much more. Creately is an easy to use diagram and flowchart software built for team collaboration. Supports over 40+ diagram types and has 1000’s of professionally drawn templates. SmartDraw offers more templates, tools and symbols for Mac diagramming. You can use it free here: Create Flowcharts, Floor Plans, and Other Diagrams. Examples of all of the included templates.

Useful though all this is, the price point is well beyond what the average home user is willing to spend at $300 for the “Standard” version and $590 for the Pro version. (If you’re dead-set on using Visio, there is a potentially cheaper option where you can get Visio Pro for Office 365 for $13/month if you get an annual subscription or $15/month for a monthly commitment.)

But why pay at all when there are perfectly free and viable Visio alternatives available to you? Here are our top picks.

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1. LucidChart

Platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux

If you are looking for a web-based alternative to Microsoft Visio, LucidChart is the perfect choice. It provides a drag-and-drop web interface to draw any kind of diagram. LucidChart gives you an option to build your diagrams in collaboration with your team. Multiple people will be able to work with the same diagram, making it the perfect choice for small teams.

One of the great features of LucidChart is that it can export or import Microsoft Visio vdx files very easily. One thing that is missing in LucidChart is the built-in categorization of different shapes for different areas like networking, engineering, etc. You don’t need to sign up for an account with LucidChart; just open the site and start drawing.

2. ASCIIFlow Infinity

Platforms: Browser

Starting with the simple stuff, if you’re looking for a quick, easy and instantly accessible diagramming tool with no bells and whistles attached, ASCIIFlow is a good option.

Diagramming Tool For Mac

You can forget about having a vast range of shapes at your disposal or using this to map out a complex engineering project, but for quickly conveying ideas in diagram form, this is about as efficient as you can get. The ASCII format is clear, and you can use familiar Windows shortcuts (Ctrl + C, Ctrl + Z and so on) to quickly chop and change your diagrams.

You can change the format of the boxes from ASCII to Lines to make things a little clearer, and sync it all with Google Drive, too (though currently the level of access it requests to your Google Drive may put more security-conscious users off – hopefully that’s something they can fix).

3. Gliffy

Platforms: Windows, Mac, Browser

Coming in both free and paid flavors, Gliffy is a robust diagramming app that fully embraces the cloud. It integrates with services like Google Drive, Confluence and JIRA to allow you to collaborate on your UMLs, flowcharts and other diagramming projects seamlessly. Gliffy is free for students, while others get access to the ‘Basic’ version of the software (after a 14-day trial with the paid version), which has less templates, images and so on than the paid version.

With its simple drag-and-drop interface, large variety of exportable formats and a perfectly usable browser version which is completely free, Gliffy is an excellent choice for those comfortable with diagramming and flowchart software. More advanced users, however, may find the free version a little wanting in features and opt for one of the other, more feature-packed options in this list.

4. yEd Graph Editor

Platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux

Quite possibly the most user-friendly diagramming software out there, yED has you covered for everything from flowcharts, to family trees, to more technical diagrams like network infrastructures and process models.

You can set your chart to automatically lay itself out to suit whatever kind of data you’re entering. It has a decent repository of images for various types of charts and also gives you the option to import images from elsewhere. When you’re done, you can save your chart as a JPEG, XML or HTML, among other formats, making it easy to upload to websites or send to clients.

5. Graphviz

Platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux

For something a little alternative, you can try Graphviz, the near thirty-year-old tool in which you create graphs, hierarchies and so on using a command line utility and the robust DOT language. It takes some getting used to, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll see that it could save you time in the long run.

It has a good amount of formats you can export your graph to and a number of layouts such as hierarchical, radial, multiscale and more. It’s particularly useful if you aren’t too fussy about pretty colors but are more concerned about entering huge amounts of data that can get instantly organized and generated. (That colossal graph at the top of this article was made using Graphviz.)

6. LibreOffice Draw

Platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux

LibreOffice Draw is the closest and biggest open-source competitor of Microsoft Visio. Draw is an all-purpose drawing, diagramming and charting tool. The feature that I love in Draw is the grouping feature.

You can easily group different objects together and then do different actions on the group like moving the group, connecting with other groups, etc. In addition to other formats (XML format is the default), you can also export your diagrams as SWF Flash files. As an extra treat, here’s a package of shapes for Draw that are similar to those you find in Visio.

7. Dia

Flowchart Tool For Mac

Platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux

Dia is an open-source program very similar to Microsoft Visio, with largely the same feature set. You can create UML diagrams, flowcharts, network processes and architectures, entity relationship diagrams, etc., easily with Dia. The default file format for any file created with Dia is .dia, but there are plenty of file formats you can export your diagram to, including Microsoft Visio’s .vdx format.

8. Draw.io

Platforms: Browser

Draw.io has a very responsive and accessible interface, with the tools in the column on the left and the drawing in the column on the right. You don’t need to sign up for an account to use Draw.io, and from the moment you’re on the site you’re given the option to save your work to cloud services like Google Drive and OneDrive or your hard drive.

If you connect Draw.io to your Google account, it has very functional real-time collaboration, letting you work on projects simultaneously with others. It’s not a complex tool, so while it’s accessible, it doesn’t offer the depth of features of some other diagramming software.

9. Pencil Project

Platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux

Pencil Project is an open-source alternative to Microsoft Visio which is actively maintained by the development community. Their goal for Pencil Project is to make diagramming as easy as possible and usable for everyone from a newbie to an expert. It’s regularly updated with new stencils, templates and other features, lets you export your work to multiple formats, and has integration with OpenClipart.org, letting you instantly search the Web for images to make your projects pop.

Hopefully you will find these free alternatives to Microsoft Visio useful. Or after testing these do you still believe that the paid tools offer something these don’t? Let us know in the comments!

This article was first published in January 2012 and was updated in May 2018.

Flowcharts aren’t just for engineers, programmers, and managers. Everyone can benefit from learning how to make flowcharts, most notably as a way to streamline your work and life, and even to break free from bad habits.

The only problem is, what’s the best flowchart software?

Plenty of top-notch flowcharting apps exist, but they can be pricey. Microsoft Visio, the most popular option, is $300 (standalone) or $13 per month (on top of an Office 365 subscription). ConceptDraw Pro is $200. Edraw Max is $180. MyDraw is $70.

Is it really necessary to spend that much on a flowchart program?

No! There are lots of excellent free flowchart software, especially for non-business users. If you don’t want to create stunning flowcharts using Microsoft Word (check out these Microsoft Office flowchart templates), then use one of the free flowchart tools below.

Note:Web-based flowchart apps have been intentionally excluded from this list.

1. Dia

Dia is a free and full-featured flowchart app. It’s also entirely open source under the GPLv2 license, which is great if you believe in the open source philosophy. It’s powerful, extensible, and easy to use.

If you’re looking for the best free alternative to Microsoft Visio, then Dia is as close as you’re going to get.

Key features and highlights:

• Simple and intuitive interface.
• Dozens of standard shapes, including UML, circuit, and database.
• Add custom shapes using XML and SVG.
• Colorize shapes and text with standard or custom colors.

Download:Dia (Free)

2. yEd Graph Editor

yEd Graph Editor is an excellent, up-to-date tool for flowcharts, diagrams, trees, network graphs, and more. You can download the app as a JAR file (which requires Java on your system) or an EXE (which includes a Java installer). It’s powerful and versatile, but the trade-off is an ugly, Swing-based interface.

Key features and highlights:

• Very little effort for professional-quality charts.
• Auto-arrange flowchart elements from messy to clean.
• Organic and orthogonal edge routing for connections.
• Several export options, including PNG, JPG, SVG, and PDF.

Download:yEd Graph Editor (Free)

3. ThinkComposer

ThinkComposer is a tool for professionals. In addition to flowcharts, it can handle business models, class diagrams, genealogy trees, timelines, use case diagrams, and more. It’s a bit overkill for one or two charts every so often, but a smart choice if you deal with flowcharts on a daily or weekly basis.

Key features and highlights:

• Create custom, reusable nodes and connections.
• Deep, multi-level diagrams for full visual expression of ideas.
• Compositions can combine many different charts and graphs.
• Generate PDF, XPS, or HTML reports based on your data.
• Open source and extensible with plugins.

Download:ThinkComposer (Free)

4. Pencil Project

Pencil Project is an old app that fell out of favor due to a long development hiatus, but things picked back up in 2015 and version 3.0.0 was released in 2017. Everything is now modern and up-to-date, making it an excellent choice for anyone who needs fast, simple diagramming with a minimal learning curve.

Key features and highlights:

• Tons of built-in shapes for all types of charts and interfaces.
• Create your own shapes or install collections made by others.
• Several export options, including PNG, SVG, PDF, and HTML.
• Import art from OpenClipart.org for use in charts and diagrams.

Download:Pencil Project (Free)

5. LibreOffice Draw

LibreOffice is arguably the best free alternative to Microsoft Office for word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, and even visual diagrams. With LibreOffice Draw, you can easily add shapes, symbols, lines, connections, text, images, and more. It isn’t perfect, but it’s certainly flexible.

Key features and highlights:

• Custom page sizes, great for all kinds of chart types.
• Page map makes it easy to work on multiple charts.
• Advanced object manipulations, including 3D controller.
• Can open (but not save to) Microsoft Visio format.

Download:LibreOffice (Free)

6. Diagram Designer

Diagram Designer is somewhat primitive, and that’s partly because it hasn’t been updated since 2015. But don’t let that turn you away! It runs fine on my Windows 10 setup, and it’s more than effective for creating flowcharts that look nice. Could it be better? Of course. But for personal use, it’s great.

Key features and highlights:

• Easy-to-use drag-and-drop interface.
• No unnecessary features that steepen the learning curve.
• Import and export PNG, JPG, BMP, GIF, ICO, and more.

Download:Diagram Designer (Free)

7. PlantUML

PlantUML is unlike all the other apps in this list. Instead of a graphical interface, you create your diagrams using PlantUML’s scripting language. This is an excellent tool for programmers who don’t like mouse-based drag-and-drop. PlantUML requires Java on your system.

Key features and highlights:

Snipping Tool For Mac

• Define objects and relationships using PlantUML’s scripting language.
• Supports many diagram types: sequence, usecase, class, Gantt, etc.
• Export diagrams as PNG, SVG, or LaTeX.

Download:PlantUML (Free)

Free Uml Diagramming Tool

Other Useful Flowchart Tools and Apps

While desktop apps are ideal for creating flowcharts on a PC, they aren’t travel-friendly. If portability is a key concern, you might fare better with one of these mobile flowchart apps which are designed for diagramming on-the-go.

Would you rather use a web-based flowchart maker? We highly recommend LucidChart, which is best in its class. Or you can try out one of these free online flowchart makersThe 7 Best Free Online Flowchart MakersThe 7 Best Free Online Flowchart MakersNeed the ability to create flowcharts anywhere at any time without spending much, if any, money? Here are the best online flowchart tools that are free or reasonably priced.Read More. If you want a desktop app for macOS, try these free flowchart makers for Mac5 Free Flowchart Makers for Mac for Quick and Easy Diagrams5 Free Flowchart Makers for Mac for Quick and Easy DiagramsHere are the free flowchart makers for Mac that help you create flowcharts with the professional appearance you need.Read More.

Screenshot Tool For Mac

Explore more about: Flowchart, LibreOffice, Organization Software, Planning Tool, Project Management.

1. Dia does not follow common standard for text editing so it become awkward to work with in the long run

2. Cell phone spy software enthusiast and researcher. With over 8 years in the business I can offer the most comprehensive analysis and recommendations for virtually any program on the market. Engineerroy68 at gmail com !

3. Another great tool for flowcharts is Software Ideas Modeler. I firstly thought that it is only paid software but I found out there is a free standard edition and it supports flowcharts. I do not need more.

4. draw.io <3

5. I have been using Dia for a long while, until I discovered Draw.io and its integration with Google Drive. Never used another one since then.

6. I have used powerpoint many times. Also, I recommend you go to youtube and pickup a few basic concepts of BPMN. It makes a huge difference. I should know as this is what I do all day everyday.

7. Draw.io have an offline chrom app.