The best professional flowchart software is Lucid Chart. There’s no need to worry about compatibility as this software works on all platforms. To get some idea of its capabilities, it can publish charts in 50+ flowchart templates, has a unique chart types, 200+ shapes and icons for data visualization, more than 170 data elements and over 125 connectors you can choose from to create your own flowchart. It will never be easier to create a high-quality flowchart that others will admire. As an added bonus, Lucid Chart’s free account gives you access to the Google Sheets connector and basic API access, so you can easily link charts being created in Lucid Chart with live data coming from Google Sheets.
Flowcharts are by far one of the best software tools you can have at your disposal as a project manager. Not only do they help you visualize the process of completing an action or task, they also help to generate new ideas and assist in problem solving. Flowcharts can be used in almost any sector including software development and IT, business, education, finance, marketing, operations and supply chain management. They are an excellent tool to outline the process of a service, workflow or product.
If you’re looking for the best free software for flowcharts, we have some recommendations.
You can’t go wrong with Microsoft Visio. It’s a powerful program that’s easy to use, and it has a lot of features that make it an ideal solution for creating flowcharts.
Another good option is Dia, which is also available as a web-based service. This program is more limited than Visio, but if all you’re looking for is something simple to create a basic flowchart and share it with others, Dia might be the best fit for you.
If you want something that’s free but doesn’t require installation on your computer, try Flowchart Maker or Gliffy Diagrams—both are online services that allow users to create diagrams without downloading or installing anything on their machine.
Flowcharts are a great way to organize and visualize your ideas. But they can be hard to create by hand, especially if you’re not an artist. Luckily, there are a number of free software options that can help you make flowcharts quickly and easily.
Here are some of our favorite free programs:
Microsoft Visio is one of the most popular free options for creating flowcharts. It’s easy to use and it comes with lots of pre-designed templates for different types of business processes, which makes it great for beginners or those who need something simple. You can export your finished work to PDF or PNG files, so it’s easy to share your diagrams with others.
Lucidchart is another popular option. This program has been around since 2007 and has been downloaded over 10 million times by users around the world. It has all the features you need for creating professional-looking flowcharts: drag-and-drop shapes, customizable colors and styles, multiple collaboration features (including live chat), and more! The only downside is that this program isn’t free forever—you’ll have to pay after 30 days unless you upgrade to premium membership (which costs $10 per month).
Best free software for flowcharts
Flowchart maker software is an application which provides the functionalities for creating charts and graphs.
These applications provide the editor for making graphs and charts where you can drag-and-drop the shapes. These flowchart software tools allow the teams to collaborate on the drawings.
Flowcharts will give you visual clarity, instant communication, effective coordination, effective analysis, and improved efficiency.
Pro Tip: While selecting the best flowchart software, you should consider its library of shapes, templates provided by the tool, ease of use, exporting options available, cost and some advanced features like tracking of changes.
Drawing the flowcharts manually will be time and effort-consuming.
Flowcharts have some limitations like complex logic, alterations, and reproduction. These limitations can be overcome using the right software.
The below image will show you the general features of the flowchart software.
[image source]
Flowchart maker will make the whole process of diagramming easier with the features like resizing of shapes according to text, the auto connection of shapes, intuitive editor, drag-and-drop functionality, predefined templates, collaboration features, and compatibility with other tools.
Also Read => Top Graph Line Maker Tools
Some tools provide advanced features like tracking the changes, restoring them, collaborating, messaging, and access permissions like view and edit.
Given below is an Example of a flowchart for purchase order created using one of these Flowchart Maker Tools:
(Click for enlarged view)
Quick VIDEO: What is a Flowchart and How to Create Simple Flowcharts
=> Contact us to suggest a listing here.
Best Free Flowchart Software For Windows And Mac Users
Enlisted below are the best Flowchart Makers that are most commonly used worldwide.
Comparison Table Of Top Flowchart Makers
| Flowchart maker | Usage | Best for | Platform | Features | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cacoo | Can draw any diagram from flowcharts to wireframes. | Companies, teams, individuals, and students. | Web-based | Collaboration revision history, In-app video & chat, present & screen share, etc. | It starts at $5/user/month for annual billing. Free for 2 months. |
| Edraw | Flowchart, Data Flow diagram, BPMN, and Workflow diagram. | Newbie as well as expert. | Windows, Mac, Linux. | Built-in libraries with all flowchart symbols. Customization of symbols. Symbols as per industry standard. | Edraw Max: Starts at $99, Mindmaster: Starts at $29, Edraw project: Starts at $99, Orgcharting: Starts at $145. |
| Draw.io | Flowcharts, Process Diagrams, Org Charts, UML, ER & Network diagrams. | Developers, Designers, Process Analysts, & Network Admins. | Online, Desktop, mobiles, & compatible with all browsers. | Drag & drop. Lots of templates. Import & Export in different formats. | Free and open source |
| Lucid Chart | Online Diagram & Visual Solution | IT & Engineering, freelancers, businesses, PM & design tasks. | Any device. | Drag-and-Drop functionality. Group chats & comments in real time, Works on any device and on any browser. | Basic: $4.95/month Pro: $9.95/month Team: Starts at $27/month Enterprise: Get a quote. |
| Visme | Infographics & Presentations | Educational purposes, Small & large companies. | Any device. | Interactivity in content. 500+ templates & color schemes. Easy download and publish 50+ charts, widgets, and maps. | Individual: Free plan, $14/month, & $25/month. Business: $25/month & $75/month. Education: $30/semester and $60/semester. |
| Smart Draw | Create Flowcharts, Floorplans, & Other diagrams | Anyone. | Web browser or any device (PC, Mac, or Mobile). | Intelligent formatting. Development platform. Collaboration from anywhere. | Single user: $9.95/month Multiple users: $5.95/month |
| Visual Paradigm | Ideal Modeling and Diagraming tool for agile team collaboration | Software developers | Web-based, Windows, Mac. | Team Collaboration Helps in Agile software development. Features for Enterprise architecture and project management. | Enterprise: $89 per month, Professional: $35 per month, Standard: $19 per month, & Modeler: $6 per month |
Let’s Explore!!
#1) Canva
Best for individuals, teams, beginners, and experts.
Canva Pricing: Canva’s simple drag-and-drop editor is free forever. Canva for Work will cost you $12.95 per team member per month. Get a quote for Canva Enterprise.
Canva is an online tool for graphic designing. It can be used for layout designing & sharing, presentations, and the printing of business cards, and logos. It is available on Android phones, tablets, iPhones, and iPad. It can be used by enterprises, non-profit organizations, and for educational purposes.
Features:
- It has more than 50000 templates.
- You can create different types of graphs and charts.
- It has features for photo editing.
- You can create your own custom designs or can select existing templates for printing business cards, invitations, Posters, etc.
#2) Cacoo
Best for companies, teams, individuals, and students.
Cacoo Pricing: Cacoo offers a free trial. It offers a simple pricing plan of $6 per user per month.
Cacoo is an easy-to-use flowchart maker. With the flowchart tool, you can quickly create each point by simply clicking the connector button. There is a library of shapes available to use as your flowchart symbols.
Features:
- Multiple people can edit the diagrams at the same time.
- You can chat, comment or video chat inside the tool.
- It has hundreds of templates to get you started.
- Easily share or export your diagrams.
#3) Edraw
Best for newbie as well as expert.
Edraw Pricing: Edraw has four pricing plans, Edraw max (Starts at $99), Mindmaster (Starts at $29), Edraw project (Starts at $99), and Orgcharting (Starts at $145). A free trial is available for the product. Edraw offers all the products with 30-days money-back guarantee.
Edraw Flowchart Maker software has a drag-and-drop interface. You will get a large variety of built-in symbols. It can be used for the Data Flow diagram, BPMN, and workflow diagram. This smart, simple, and straightforward tool will make it easy to create a flowchart. It provides pre-made shapes and automatic floating buttons.
Edraw has various tools Edraw Max is the all-in-one diagramming tool. Its Mindmaster is a professional & versatile mind mapping tool. The Edraw Project is an intuitive and effective tool for the Gantt Chart. Orgcharting tool is useful for creating professional and data-interactive org charts.
Features:
- Edraw’s built-in libraries will contain all flowchart symbols.
- Symbols are according to the industry standard.
- The tool will allow you to customize the symbols.
- It will let you change color, adjust line styles, and customize everything.
#4) Draw.io
Best for developers, designers, and process analysts.
Price: Draw.io is a free tool. It is free even for commercial use. It has pricing plans for various integrations. Integration with Confluence Server, the price starts at $10 for 10 users. Integrations with Confluence Data Center, price starts at $2000. For Confluence Cloud, the price starts at $5.
For the Jira server, the price starts at $10 and for Jira Cloud, the price starts at $1.
Draw.io is an online tool for drawing process diagrams, flowcharts, ER diagrams, etc. It is free and open source. The tool provides an extensive library for shapes. It can be used on desktops as well as on mobiles. It is compatible with all browsers
Features:
- It has an intuitive interface with drag-and-drop functionality.
- It allows you to track and restore changes.
- It supports various formats for import and export.
- The tool works both in online and offline modes.
Website: Draw.io
#5) Lucid Chart
Best for IT or engineering, businesses, freelancers, and project management & design tasks.
Price: Lucid Chart offers four pricing plans i.e. Basic, Pro, Team, and Enterprise. The Basic plan is for a single user and will cost you $4.95 per month. The Pro plan is also for a single user which will cost you $9.95 per month. The Team plan starts at $27 per month. Get a quote for the Enterprise plan.
Lucid Chart is an online Diagram Software for Mac. It can be used for simple flowcharts as well as for complex diagrams. It can be used on any device and on any browser. It offers good collaboration features through group chats and comments.
Features:
- As it works on any device, you will be able to collaborate with your team anytime, anywhere.
- It can be seamlessly integrated with G Suite, Microsoft Office, Atlassian, and many other popular apps.
- It allows group chats and comments in real-time.
Website: Lucid Chart
#6) Visme
Best for Educational purposes, Small & large companies.
Price: Visme offers different plans for Individuals, Businesses, and Educational purposes. The Individual category has three plans i.e. Basic (Free for 5 projects), Standard ($14 per month), and Complete ($25 per month).
The Business category has three plans i.e. Complete ($25 per month), Team ($75 per month for 3 users), and Enterprise (Get a quote).
For the Education category, Visme offers three plans i.e. Student ($30 per semester), Educator ($60 per semester), and School (Get a quote for schools and universities).
Visme is a tool for infographics and presentations. It works both in online and offline mode. You can use it on any device. Visme provides the full privacy control for your content. It allows your content to be public, private, or password protected.
Features:
- Visme provides more than 500 templates and color schemes.
- It has more than 50 charts, data widgets, and maps.
- Your creations can be easily downloaded and published.
- It allows you to make your content interactive by animating the object, adding links, transitions, and pop-ups.
Website: Visme
#7) Smart Draw
Best for everyone who wants to create diagrams.
Price: Smart Draw online edition will cost you $9.95 per month for a single user. For more than 5 users, it will cost you $5.95 per month.
Smart Draw is a smart and intelligent platform for drawing different types of charts and diagrams. It has intelligent formatting and is ready for Enterprise. It provides features for Enterprise Administration, collaboration from anywhere, and Development Platform.
Features:
- It has intelligent formatting.
- It provides a development platform which can create the diagram from data.
- Smart Draw can be integrated with MS Office, Google Apps, Jira, and many other applications.
Website: Smart Draw
#8) Visual Paradigm
Best for software developers.
Price: Visual Paradigm Online has three pricing plans i.e. Starter ($4 per user per month), Advanced ($9 per user per month), and Express (Free for personal use).
Visual Paradigm offers four pricing plans i.e. Enterprise ($89 per month), Professional ($35 per month), Standard ($19 per month), and Modeler ($6 per month).
Visual Paradigm provides you the platform for UML, SysML, and BPMN Modeling. It allows you to easily edit and share web-based diagrams. It is useful for Agile & Scrum, Business Improvement, Code & DB Engineering, Project management, and Enterprise Architecture.
Features:
- Visual Paradigm has features for team collaboration.
- It will help you with agile software development.
- It has features for enterprise architecture and project management.
Website: Visual Paradigm
Suggested Reading => 5 Important Diagrams that Testers Should Learn
#9) Gliffy
Best for small, medium, and large companies. It has good collaboration features and is easy to learn.
Price: Gliffy offers a free trial. It has three products i.e. Gliffy Diagram, Gliffy Diagram for JIRA, and Gliffy Diagram for Confluence. Gliffy Diagram has three pricing plans i.e. Personal ($7.99 per month for a single user), Team ($4.99 per user per month), and Enterprise (Get a quote).
Pricing for Gliffy Diagram for JIRA is based on the number of users. Up to 10 users, it will cost you $10 per month. For 11 to 100 users, it will cost you $3.80 per user per month. Gliffy Diagram for Confluence has the same prices as that of JIRA.
Gliffy provides an online diagramming tool which will help you in improving visual communication and team collaboration. Gliffy allows you to draw UML diagrams, wireframes, flowcharts, and much more.
Features:
- Drag-and-drop functionality and HTML5 editor for diagramming.
- Ready to use templates.
- You can easily share your creations on social media or through links.
- Gliffy can be integrated with Atlassian.
Website: Gliffy
#10) Creately
Best for Software engineers, teachers, students, system administrators, network engineers, web designers, and UI engineers, etc.
Price: Creately is free for individual use for up to 5 public diagrams. Creately offers a Personal plan for individuals which will cost you $5 per month. Team plans are based on the team size (5 users: $25/month, 10 Users: $45/month, and 25 Users: $75/month).
Creately is an online diagram maker for desktop as well as mobiles. Mobile Apps are available for Android and iOS. Diagrams created with Creately can be exported to editable SVG files. It works Online and Offline. Creately allows you to import the Visio file directly to the Creately.
Features:
- It is easy to create.
- It has a huge library of shapes. It also allows you to choose the shape from the Icon Finder or Google.
- It can automatically pick the right connector.
- It can create complex shapes from the written text.
- Collaboration with anyone through email.
- Shared links can be secured using the view only or edit modes.
Website: Creately
#11) Textografo
Best for Developers, UX Designers, Business Analysts, and Product Managers.
Price: Textografo offers two pricing plans i.e. Essentials ($8 per month) and Premium ($14 per month).
Textografo is an online diagram tool and flowchart maker. Diagramming will be fast with Textografo because of its text to the diagram generator. It facilitates quick sharing of ideas.
It will allow you to embed your creation on the website or platform of your choice. It provides features like nesting of diagrams and Zoom in or Zoom out.
Features:
- It provides text to diagram generator.
- Team-based role highlighting.
- It supports nesting of diagrams.
- You can create an animation of your complete diagram.
- It will allow you to change the colors by choosing the themes in just one click.
Website: Textografo
#12) Google Drawings
Best for creating drawings for free.
Price: Free
Google Drawings is an online tool by Google for creating diagrams and charts. It can be used for organizational charts, website wireframes, mind maps, concept maps, and for many other types of diagrams.
Features:
- You will be able to collaborate and work together with your team in real-time.
- Using the Chrome app, you will be able to work offline.
- Default storage of files will be Google Drive.
- For downloading the drawings, the tool supports JPEG, SVG, PNG, and PDF formats.
Website: Google Drawings
#13) Microsoft Visio
Best for creating professional diagrams like floor plan, engineering designs, flowcharts, and org charts.
Price: Microsoft Visio has two pricing plans i.e. Online Plan 1 ($5 per user per month) and Online Plan2 ($14.96 per user per month). Visio Professional is available for $768. Visio Standard is available for $410.
Microsoft Visio is the best flowchart software for Windows creating process flow diagrams. It is used for the creation of professional diagrams. It has three products i.e. Visio Online, Visio Standard, and Visio Professional. Visio Online will help you to work from anywhere.
Features:
- It provides modern shapes and templates.
- The tool will allow you to collaborate with the team.
- Visio online will help you to work from anywhere.
Website: Microsoft Visio
Conclusion
We have reviewed and compared the top flowchart software in this article. Draw.io is best for working on all platforms. Lucid Chart is the best online flowchart creator because of its collaboration features and its compatibility with Microsoft Visio.
It works best for drawing simple and complex diagrams. Visme is an infographic and presentation tool that can be used by small and large organizations.
Smart Draw is useful for everyone who wants to draw a diagram. Visual Paradigm is best for Software developers. Gliffy has good collaboration features and is best for beginners. Canva is an online graphic designing tool. Creately is an online diagram maker for software engineers, network engineers, and web designers.
Textografo is a web-based flowchart maker that provides the features of team-based role highlighting and turning outlines to diagrams. Google Drawings is a free online tool for creating drawings. Cacoo is best for creating custom charts and graphs. Microsoft Visio is best for office power users.