We list the best flowchart software, to make it simple and easy to organize and manage workflows, ideas, and projects.
While flowchart software may not sound like a priority investment, not only is it great for exploring business creativity and brainstorming, but it's also likely to cost far less than a whiteboard.
Of course, not all flowchart software is the same, but the best will all share core features, such as basic templates and predefined objects. Additionally, you'll probably also need it to allow for sharing and collaborative work, in order for teams to get the most of it.
This is especially when combined with other small business software for charting ideas and workflows, and even for less obvious applications such as help desk software for designing better ways to respond to customers and their technical problems.
Below we list what we think are the best flowchart software platforms currently available.
We've also featured the best mindmap software.
The best flowchart software of 2024 in full:
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Best flowchart software overall
Miro is one of those online tools that aims to bridge the gap between traditional office working and the modern hybrid routine that many of us are familiar with. It is best described as a multipurpose online collaboration tool, and its list of features is pretty extensive stretching beyond the typical realms of similar software.
The majority of the work you’ll end up doing in Miro will revolve around what it calls boards, which start off as entirely blank spaces. Setting one up from scratch can be daunting and time-consuming, which is why the company has designed templates that you can pick from the get-go.
Some of its most commonly accessed templates include mind maps, Kanban boards, flowcharts, product roadmaps, and timelines. Many of these will serve well as project management tools, and anybody familiar with other project management software like Airtable or Trello will already be familiar with how they work.
Meanwhile, Miro has added an AI element to its diagramming, intended to assist with kickstarting the design of flowcharts and other projects.
Overall, we think Miro is hard to beat. Its long list of features should cover all parts of a typical business process from research and design to presentation, and its collaboration abilities are second to none. Furthermore, its transparency around security and reasonable pricing make it hard for us not to recommend it. The only thing we could wish for is better support channels.
Read our full Miro review.
Best flowchart software for groupware
Business users often don’t work in isolation, and Cacoo by Nulab is a charting solution built to address that need, among others.
It’s an online tool that interfaces to a wide range of cloud services, including Google Drive/Docs, Confluence, Adobe Creative Cloud, Box and Dropbox. In addition to Cloud stored and distributed content, Cacoo also works with TypeTalk (another Nulab product) and Slack to enable an information flow that alerts other team members when a diagram is updated.
The number of templates might be less than other products, but 156 is more than enough and it has all the critical ones like Network diagrams, organizational charts and floor plans. The feature set makes it of the most use to systems designers, software engineers, project managers and business administrators.
Pricing is competitive, with options available for larger team groups if you contact Nulab directly. There are also educational plans for teachers and students. For those wishing to check out Cacoo, trials are available for 14 days, and there is a free plan that allows six diagrams to be created in it, with limited sharing options.
Read our full Cacoo review.
Best affordable flowchart software
Where other tools rely on application installations, Creately is available purely online as a cloud app.
It’s not exclusively for Flowcharts either, as it can be used to produce a wide variety of diagrams including organizational charts and wireframes, Gantt charts, Infographics and even maps.
The available templates are extensive, and the interface is slick and organized, making it easy to navigate. You can search for pre-designed diagrams based on your field of work, or choose from over 50 shapes and many color options to come up with your own design. We found it did occasionally hang, which of course isn’t what you want to see with cloud apps.
Various prices are available, from a personal plan of $5 a month to one aimed at businesses paying $89 a month for unlimited users. This comes with integration with Microsoft Teams, GitHub, Slack, and supports an amazing 50,000 items per canvas.
Read our full Creately review.
Best cross-platform flowchart software
Another cross-platform option, Edraw Max, works on Windows, Mac, and Linux natively.
Part of the Wondershare family, Edraw Max was originally designed to construct professional-looking flowcharts, organizational diagrams and has templates for 280 different diagram types.
If you have a specific need, you might not need all the power of Edraw Max, and the same company makes tailored tools for mind mapping, infographics, organizational charts and nine other different specific diagram requirements.
In theory, Edraw Max can do any of these jobs, although users might find the scope and power of this tool a little daunting at first. Starting with straightforward flowcharts is a good option, as it handles these perfectly. Edraw Max also has a built-in AI tool, which can help to get you started by providing diagrams based on text prompts.
Those that get through an initially challenging learning curve report that once mastered this is a great application for creating professional-looking schematics rapidly and efficiently.
There are a couple of different pricing options available, with licenses available on an annual basis or for a one-time fee. You can sample the the Edraw Max experience in the browser too, which is a great way to try it out in advance of buying.
Read our full Edraw Max review.
Best flowchart software free trial
According to Lucid Software, Lucidchart has over 15 million users. These numbers strongly suggest that this is not a niche solution, but a highly popular one.
Lucidchart offers flowchart and diagramming tools via a browser-based cloudapp. This is the heart of the platform’s online collaboration, and has a range of integrations, including Google and Microsoft, as well as Asana and Atlassian. It's also Microsoft Visio compatible.
One useful feature to note is that its free trial isn’t time limited. Instead, diagrams are restricted to a maximum of 60 objects, sufficient to explore its potential. This is enough for solo use and ideal as a way to get a handle on the software before buying.
Lucid convinced Amazon, Adobe, DocuSign, Cisco, Red Hat and Wells Fargo to be customers. Lucidchart might be right for your business, too.
Read our full Lucidchart review.
Best flowchart software for enterprises
Like Lucid, SmartDraw can name an impressive list of blue-chip companies that are license holders since the company started in 1994. These include at least half of the Fortune 500 quoted businesses and more than 250,000 public and private enterprises across the globe.
The SmartDraw product can be used online or as a standalone Windows application. It supports the creation of no less than seventy chart types, including all the standard ones.
The more exotic templates include those for documenting a crime scene, landscape gardening, seating plan and even accident reconstruction.
For those working as part of a team, it supports Confluence, JIRA, Trello and Google’s GSuite. And, it’s fully compatible with Visio, able to import and export diagrams and stencils with Microsoft’s application.
The multi-user packages have extra functionality that allows licenses to be managed and can also control the sharing of SmartDraw data with other users.
Most of the sophistication of SmartDraw is in the templates and not the application. Therefore it might be more suitable for those who make many simple charts, and not those involved in the creation of very complex diagrams.
Read our full SmartDraw review.
Best free flowchart software
Also known as Diagrams.net, Draw.io is a desktop and web-based diagram creator and editor, adept at creating flowcharts and even complex network diagrams.
The most important thing to note is that this is a free tool, although there is a paid option for business (integration with Atlassian products such as Confluence and Jira). Pricing for these options is confusing, however.
As well as running this free flowchart maker in your browser, you can run it on the desktop. Windows, Mac, and Linux are all supported. Meanwhile, free users can save diagrams to Google Drive simply by signing in.
Boasting a beginner-friendly vector design environment, Draw.io has a bunch of templates installed. Additional community-designed templates are also available to help you get started quickly.
Draw.ui is not the best diagramming tool around, but it is the best free option you’ve got, and it’s easy to use.
Read our full Draw.io review.
Best flowchart software for simplicity
The breakout name in browser-based design tools, Canva’s flowchart design software is ideally suited to single users and teams. Personal use is free (you’ll need an account), but if you need premium flowchart templates, the Canva Pro subscription is required ($120/year). There is also the option of Canva Teams ($100 per year per person) which is suitable for groups of three users or more.
Canva is another company that has jumped on the generative AI train, but its AI illustrator feature isn’t suitable for flowchart creation. That aside, this is a simple tool to use, and you’ll have a flowchart designed in minutes thanks to its collection of intuitive design tools. If you’ve used Canva before, you’ll feel right at home.
Canva Flowchart Maker may not offer the advanced features of some competing flowchart software, but it’s free option is ideal to easily compose a new process diagram.
Read our full Canva Flowchart maker review.
Best flowchart software for Microsoft 365 users
Perhaps the most well-known diagramming tool around, Microsoft Visio has a mixed reputation. Like most of the Microsoft Office/365 suite, Visio has gone through several facelifts over the years, and its current user interface is arguably the best yet.
With a vast range of features and collaboration options, Visio has a wealth of templates built in. You’ve also got the option of downloading further pre-designed flowcharts, mind maps, and other diagramming tools from Microsoft.
But, while it sits as a standout application in the Microsoft pantheon, Visio has a small problem. It’s really difficult to find a copy to use standalone. There is no free trial, no demo, you just get a choice of the basic version in the Microsoft 365 home plan (not suited to the workplace) or sign up for $5 for the web app or $15 a month for a plan that includes desktop apps.
With the strength of competition, hiding Visio away like this does the software no favors, as it can easily hold its own. If you work with Microsoft productivity tools, Microsoft Visio should be a shoe-in.
Read our full Microsoft Visio review.
We've also listed the best productivity tools.
Best flowchart software FAQs
What is flowchart software?
If you've ever had to do a presentation at work, you'll know that presenting something visual not only gives your audience a better chance of understanding your talk, but also takes the attention away from you - something that will be especially reassuring to the many people who get anxious whenever public speaking.
And so, in this list of the best flowchart software you'll find nine of our top picks that will help you compile flowcharts and diagrams - on whatever computer or device you prefer - that will help visualize your information in a clear and efficient manner.
Most importantly, this flowchart software will save you valuable time and energy, that you can use towards practicing your delivery.
How to choose the right flowchart software for you
Although designers might use these tools, the majority of people creating flowcharts aren’t classically trained graphic designers. Therefore, they need a tool that assumes no artistic abilities but can generate professional-looking results rapidly.
There is a fine balance between an application giving the operator the power to do whatever they want and funnelling their efforts in the direction of ultimate success.
The way that most software handles this delicate balance is to offer the user templates that avoid them using too many fonts, or trying to cram too many elements into a design.
If the operator has graphical skills, these restrictions might seem a hindrance, but to the less confident, they can be exactly the structural support these folks need.
These are the key aspects that you might want to consider before making your choice from our list of best flowchart software:
Templates: How many does the application have, and are any of them tailored to your specific needs (coding, game logic, command structures, etc)?
Objects: Almost all software will have a selection of predefined objects, and the number and quality of these should be assessed. If the graphical elements that you specifically need aren’t in the library, the ability to define your own will be very important.
Groupware: As important as the creation of a diagram might be, getting it distributed and centrally updated is also critical. Some applications can enable multiple people to work on the same design, which might be useful when documenting an especially complicated process.
Trial: Some of these tools can be expensive or require ongoing licensing, so it is useful to test a trial version before investing company cash.
How we tested the best flowchart software
In our analysis of the best flowchart software, we've looked at a wide range of options and whittled our picks down to eight, based on a number of key elements.
Our rigorous testing has run the rule over key software features like template variety and design, whether they include visual displays such as mind-mapping, wireframes, and infographics, and the availability of add-ons or extension packs.
Of course, we've also looked at the cost of each software, as well as listing where free trials are included, or academia discounts for students and teachers.
Some of the software listed is specific to Windows or Mac, so we've noted those that come with the versatility of being platform-agnostic.
Lastly, we've also tested each software's connectivity options, including cloud compatibility.
Read how we test, rate, and review products on TechRadar.
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