The Best Free Alternatives to Microsoft Visio
[contentsdisabled] Visio is a Microsoft application for drawing diagrams and presenting information and data visually. You can choose one of the available templates to create graphs, flowcharts, timelines, and other types of visual representations of data. You can customize your charts and diagrams with images, text, shapes and add effects or backgrounds. While Visio is a great tool, it’s not free. You can view and annotate graphs for free, but you cannot create them for free. You need to pay a monthly recurring fee or an expensive one-time fee upfront to use Visio. If you’re looking for a free alternative to Visio, you’ve come to the right place. Today, we are going to show you the 12 best Visio alternatives that are either completely free or also offer a free plan. Microsoft Visio is a diagramming tool that lets you create simple and complex diagrams according to your business needs. You can also use Visio to create detailed org charts, floor plans, dynamic charts, etc. However, Microsoft Visio has some limitations, such as: B. It does not work on mobile phones and Mac operating systems. Also, this tool does not support collaborative environment.
Here is the list of the best free alternatives to Microsoft Visio
creatively
Creately is a strong competitor to Visio with its premium versions. However, the free version of Creately is ideal for casual users who just need to create an occasional diagram. The number of shapes is limited to 60, but you have access to the templates. There is also a limit of three workspaces. However, you can print your diagram at any time, delete a workspace and start a new project. You can create a project from scratch or use templates to work on any project, from development to employee onboarding.
LucidChart
If you are looking for web-based alternatives to Microsoft Visio, LucidChart is the perfect choice. It offers a drag and drop web interface to draw any type of graph. LucidChart gives you the ability to create your diagrams in collaboration with your team. Multiple people can work on the same chart, 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 is the built-in categorization of different ways for different areas like networking, engineering, etc. just sign up for the free version to get started. Premium plans start at $7.95 and include access to features and models.
ASCIIFlow
If you are looking for a simple and straightforward solution, ASCIIFlow is a great choice. With this online Visio alternative, there’s no signup, no complicated setup, and endless menu options to learn. It’s extremely simple, but it works. You might forget about having a wide variety of shapes available or mapping a complex technical project with it, but to communicate ideas quickly in diagram form, this is the most efficient solution you can get. The ASCII format is clear and you can use the familiar Windows keyboard shortcuts (Ctrl + C, Ctrl + Z, etc.) to quickly edit and modify your diagrams. The option to sync with Google Drive, which was available in the old version of Infinity, doesn’t seem to work anymore. However, the option to copy your drawing to the clipboard to paste it into Notepad or another text editor works fine.
shard
Cacoo offers one of the most generous free plans outside of the open source options, giving you access to all templates and shapes. However, you are limited to just six sheets (graphics). Of course, you can always change these six sheets, so it’s best suited for casual users or those who create a lot of similar diagrams. Another limitation is that you can only export to PNG, but Visio imports are supported. The program is designed for team collaboration, but you can also easily use it as an individual. And if you decide to upgrade, pricing is on par with the Visio subscription version at $5/month, and all plans offer a free trial that doesn’t require a credit card.
yEd chart editor
Probably the easiest-to-use diagramming software on the market, YED covers everything from flowcharts to family trees to more technical diagrams like network infrastructures and process models. You can configure your diagram to automatically adjust to the data you enter. The program has a good selection of images for different types of diagrams and also offers the option to import images from other programs. When you’re done, you can save your graphic as a JPEG, XML, or HTML, among others, so you can easily upload it to websites or send it to clients.
Graphviz
A small alternative is Graphviz, a nearly 30-year-old tool that lets you create diagrams, hierarchies, etc. using a command line program and the robust DOT language. It takes a little getting used to, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll see that it can save you time in the long run. There are a huge number of formats you can export your chart to and various layouts such as hierarchical, radial, multiscale and more. It’s especially useful if you don’t care much for pretty colors but want to input large amounts of data that can be organized and generated instantly.
Google drawings
You often hear about Docs and Sheets, but Google Drawings is a hidden gem. Drawings is a great free alternative to Visio, just like Docs is a Word alternative. A variety of shapes, lines, and labels are great for creating diagrams, mind maps, and flowcharts. The clean layout helps you get started quickly. Save your designs to Google Drive or anywhere else as PDF, JPG, PNG or SVG files. While not the most advanced tool, it is a good choice for the average user.
LibreOffice Draw
LibreOffice Draw is the biggest and closest open source competitor to Microsoft Visio. Draw is a multifunctional tool for drawing, creating graphs and creating tables. O feature I love about Draw is the grouping function. You can easily group different objects and then perform various actions on the group, such as moving the group, joining it to other groups, etc. Among other formats (XML format is the default), you can also export your diagrams as SWF Flash files. As an added treat, here is a pack of shapes for Draw similar to Visio, making Draw one of the most popular alternatives to Microsoft Visio.
Final note
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