The Best Flowchart Software List
Here’s a shortlist of the best software for flowcharts:
- Lucidchart
Best flowchart with collaboration and data import features
- Miro
Best flowchart with built-in communication features
- Creately
Best free flowchart software
- Whimsical
Best app for making fast flowcharts
- SmartDraw
Flow chart maker that runs on any device with over 70 quick-start diagram templates from flowcharts to floor plans
- Cacoo
Best online flowchart software for real-time team collaboration
- Draw.io
Best easy to use flowchart freeware
- Edraw Max
Best all-purpose diagramming software
- Microsoft Visio
Best flowchart software for Windows
- VisualParadigm Online
Best flowchart software for agile software development & data analytics
Flowchart diagrams might not be one of the skill requirements for a DPM job. However, knowing how to diagram and use flowchart software will help you do your job better. But how?
One of the ways we use flowcharts is to represent process flows. As a PM, you must understand how to sequentially navigate your team’s operation during a project. Therefore, you will have questions along the way, like who do you contact after this team is done? What happens if the team is delayed? or when do we trigger the disaster recovery plan?
Although some of those questions can be answered with the project plan, it is not the same for the rest. Using a flowchart to document the decision-making situations throughout your project will make you react faster. In addition, having this flowchart as part of your documentation will help you next time you take on a similar project.
So, in the spirit of selfishness, let’s go through some tools to support your flowchart creation and make you a rockstar!
How We Selected The Best Flowchart Software
I evaluated and compared the most popular flowchart software on the market, both for its reviews and user interface. Then I weighed factors that make software a good option for flowchart diagrams, such as the ones that follow.
- User Interface (UI): Is it clean with attractive presentation tools for sharing your flowchart diagram with clients and teams? Above all, flowchart software is a visual tool, so the graphical interface is a top consideration.
- Usability: Is the flowchart software easy to learn and master? Does the company offer good tech support, templates, tutorials, and training? It should feel equally easy to build an org chart, a UML diagram, and a complex flowchart.
- Integrations: Here, I look at how the software expands its functionality through third-party software. These can include pre-built integrations, one’s you have to connect through an external vendor like Zapier, and custom integrations using an API.
- Pricing: How is the pricing structure? I look at tiers, plans, starting prices, free trials, and free versions of the software. I find this information an important factor in your decision.

The Digital Project Manager is reader-supported. We may earn a commission when you click through links on our site — learn more about how we aim to stay transparent.
Overviews Of The Best Flowchart Software
Here’s a brief description of each of the flowchart software solutions that are featured on this top 10 list.
Lucidchart
Best flowchart with collaboration and data import features
Lucidchart is an intelligent diagramming application with data visualization and collaboration features. It’s designed to support teams and businesses as they improve and visualize processes and systems.
Why I picked Lucidchart: It's very easy to build any type of flowchart, including process maps, data flowcharts, BPMN diagrams, entity relationship diagrams, swimlane flowcharts, cross-functional flowcharts, and hundreds more. Users can also import data to generate visuals automatically.
Several features, like comments, tasks, sharing, revision history, and embedding, make collaboration simpler and easier for remote and hybrid teams. Its intuitive and clear interface makes navigating Lucidchart really easy. Lucidchart has a diverse set of features and capabilities, so it includes “Feature Find,” which allows users to quickly search for any feature or tool they’re looking for.
Lucidchart Standout Features & Integrations
Features include external sharing options, comments, mentions, real-time collaboration, revision history, and data linking.
Integrations include everything from Slack, Google Workspace, Asana, Atlassian, and Office365, to more industry-specific applications like Salesforce, AWS, Azure, and BambooHR. Lucidchart has a free plan available for individual users.
Lucidchart has a free version where you can access 80+ templates and work on a maximum of 3 documents. Perfect for a test run!
Miro
Best flowchart with built-in communication features
Miro is a collaborative online whiteboard with over 1,000 templates including mind maps, Kanban boards, Gantt charts, product wireframes, research boards, and flowcharts. It’s trusted by 99% of the Fortune 100, and used by teams at TransUnion, HP, Upwork, Cisco, Qlik, and Atkins. Miro’s visual platform is built for hybrid work, and has robust resources for continuous learning like Miro Academy, online events, and a community forum.
On a Miro board, you can build out stunning flowcharts collaboratively with a vast shape and icon library. Bonus: You can do it with built-in communication features, from notes and comments to video and reactions. Miro’s flowchart templates are great for team brainstorms, meetings and 1:1s, and product UX and design.
At The Digital Project Manager, we use Miro to map out content clusters and to visualize content workflows from start (brainstorming ideas) to finish (publishing the content on our site).
Miro has integrations with a whole suite of tools, including Zoom, Figma, Asana, Microsoft Teams, Jira, Slack, Google Drive, Box, Airtable, Notion, Azure, and Webex. Some integrations are limited to paid plans only.
Miro is free to use for unlimited members with up to 3 editable boards. Paid plans start at $8/user/month (billed annually).
Pros
- Built-in communication features for streamlined collaboration
- Intuitive and easy setup
- Free forever plan available
Cons
- Free version does not allow high-quality export to pdf
- Zooming can be jumpy on larger projects
- Visitor/guest accounts locked to paid plans only
Creately
Best free flowchart software
Creately is built to help you make flowcharts quickly and easily. To start with, they have an extensive library of templates ranging across industries and topics, including everything from UI/UX user flows to HR recruitment processes, so finding an example that fits your needs is pretty simple.
The interface itself is clean and aesthetically pleasing. The most commonly used shapes are arranged right where you need them and simple drag and drop functionality lets you create your flowchart structure. It also has a clever contextual toolbar that suggests relevant shapes as you draw, which really streamlines the process.
What sets Creately apart are its collaborative features. Some flowchart tools are meant to be used by individuals working by themselves, but Creately lets you collaborate in real-time in a few different ways. For instance, it has video conferencing built right into the canvas so you can discuss ideas with your teammates as you draw. You can leave comments and track changes in real-time with other users on the canvas. Additionally, you can export in PNG, SVG, and JPEG formats.
The only downside is that the free version of the software allows for only 3 collaborators, so you will need a paid version for larger teams.
All in all, it’s intuitive, user friendly, and a great diagramming tool for teams to come together to think through and visualize processes.
Creately has a free plan for up to 5 users and 3 documents. Paid plans costs from $4/user/month.
Whimsical
Best app for making fast flowcharts
Whimsical is a flowchart software that lets you create flowcharts without the learning curve of a traditional design tool. Whimsical gives you the ability to create flowcharts and diagrams by connecting objects with a single click and a wide variety of keyboard shortcuts.
Whimsical is intentionally designed to allow you to move at the speed of thought and not have to waste time on styling or layouts. You don't have to download any additional apps or extensions to use Whimsical flowcharts, as everything is available within your browser.
Whimsical flowcharts can be integrated with other Whimsical files, giving you the ability to switch between mind maps, wireframes, projects, and docs.
Whimsical has a direct integration with Github and can be embedded in Notion docs. It also supports two-factor authentication with any authenticator app.
Whimsical costs from $10/user/month.
SmartDraw
Flow chart maker that runs on any device with over 70 quick-start diagram templates from flowcharts to floor plans
Pick between the desktop edition or the online edition, depending on your use case needs. They have quick-start diagram templates for over 70 different diagram types (and over 4,500 templates overall), intelligent automatic formatting, over 34,000 symbols, collaboration online or behind a firewall, draw and print architectural and engineering diagrams to scale, and more.
SmartDraw is a robust diagramming tool that speaks to all of my evaluation criteria for Features & Functionality, particularly the easy of drawing tools, many different templates to choose from, and ease of use so fair that even beginners can jump right in.
Any SmartDraw drawing can be inserted into Word, Excel, PowerPoint as well as Google Docs and Sheets. The app easily integrates with Microsoft, Google, Confluence, Jira, WordPress, Dropbox, Trello, and Box.
The app was a little finicky, some progress saving issues resulted in lost work and the software has a tendency to crash on top of that. I would recommend working in the cloud to instigate auto-saving in order to combat these issues.
Smartdraw starts from $5.95/user/month and has a free trial.
Cacoo
Best online flowchart software for real-time team collaboration
Edit, track changes, and collaborate on flowcharts that you design and update with easy sharing links and embed links designed to make collaboration simple and intuitive. Keep team assets organized with shared project folders, save work directly in Cacoo, monitor project status with activity notifications, and more.
Cacoo is quite easy to learn and navigate, grating it high scores in the evaluation criteria sections for usability and UX. It’s both nice to look at and intuitive to figure out, even for those who are not super tech-savvy. The wealth of available integrations makes it a cince to adapt into your regularly established workflow, too.
Integrations listed include Google Drive and Google Docs, Typetalk, AWS, Adobe Creative Cloud, Slack, Dropbox, Visio, and Box. They also offer a “suggestion box” for ideas of what app they should implement integration with in the future.
Screen space can be a minor challenge to navigate, like the clunky zoom-in function, for example. However, this is a minor critique given what else the software has to offer. A few more things you might want to watch out for include the inability to save to PDF formats and the shaky responsiveness of the software on some mobile devices.
Cacoo starts from $5/user/month and has a free 14-day trial.
Draw.io
Best easy to use flowchart freeware
Draw.io is a free, browser-hosted app for easy, intuitive chart building online. Because it’s online (though it can be used offline too), it’s simple to boot up and get started creating on a moment’s notice. Features include drag and drop functionality, a library of available shapes, plenty of templates, importing/exporting various formats, and more.
Obviously, being free to use, Draw.io ranks highly in our evaluation criteria for value for price. Although it may seem sot of features compared to its for-pay counterparts, Draw.io is great for small teams with smaller budgets or those who might only need flowcharting software on occasion.
Draw.io integrates with many popular apps like Google Drive, Google Docs, Dropbox, Chrome, Confluence Server/Cloud, JIRA Server/Cloud, Github, Gitlab,and OneDrive.
A few cons and critiques to note: The browser version requires Chrome to work; the app could use more shapes and templates to choose from; positioning the shapes could be a bit finicky and the “snap to place” was clumsy.
Draw.io is free to use online.
Edraw Max
Best all-purpose diagramming software
The sheer number of templates, icons and shapes make Edraw a stand-out competitor in our evaluation criteria for Features & Functionality. Graphic elements aplenty and a robust templates stockpile are one of the selling features of this tool.
Some more traditional app integrations would have been a nice touch, although Edraw’s communication with PowerPoint is of great value. Furthermore, some sort of eraser tool would go a long way to making Edraw feel complete.
Integrates with the likes of PowerPoint. They also have an unconventional integration offer where OEM partners can integrate Edraw technologies with their own procust and distribute that package to customers as a sublicence. You can also export your drawings to a variety of familiar file formats, such as Visio, PDF, Word, PPT, JPEG, Html, and more.
Edraw Max starts from $8.25/month and has a free 30-day trial.
Microsoft Visio
Best flowchart software for Windows
With Visio flowcharts, multiple team members can work on diagrams at the same time. You can connect your flowcharts and diagrams to real-time data so that changes in underlying data is reflected through applied shape formatting. A web version of the software lets you work on your flowcharts anywhere, in any browser.
In the Usability and Features sections of our evaluation criteria, we stress one thing: Variety! A good flowchart app will let you pick through a library of useful diagrams and chart templates in order to cater to each unique use case. MS Visio does this well, offering charting options fitted to different needs.
MS Visio would benefit from a more seamless integration with apps like PowerPoint, Excel, Google Sheets, and Google Slides. Being able to easily import or drag-and-drop diagrams into common visual presentation tools would take this app to the next level.
Visio doesn’t have a ton of software integrations to tout but, of course, it connects with Microsoft OneDrive. Third-party integrations include: Lucidchart, The VIP Test Modeller, AxisTV, netTerrain Logical, and Digital Enterprise Suite.
Microsoft Visio starts from $6.40/user/month and has a free trial.
VisualParadigm Online
Best flowchart software for agile software development & data analytics
VP Online Diagrams lets you drag and click to build shapes and lines into a flowchart with an alignment guide to snap everything into place. A spreadsheet-like editor tracks and interprets your data into a visual representation and the smart dashboard lets you glean valuable insights from your work.
VP Online Diagrams finds its stride between the evaluation criteria for Features and f=Functionality and that of Usability. Tutorial videos and products will help you get started running and the free version means you can experiment before you commit. They have many different diagramming and planning tools, a variety that will work well for anyone managing different teams with different requirements.
Some of the visual elements of the diagrams and the app UI could look a little nicer. Diagrams and output docs could use a bit more polish, particularly in color settings. But overall, this is not a major drawback – just something to be considered for anyone with a draw to aesthetics.
Integrations mentioned include Eclipse, VisualStudioes, and Net Bean. You can output and share diagrams via formats like PNG, JPG, GIF, SVG and PDF.
VisualParadigm online starts from $4/month and has a free version.
Need expert help selecting the right Project Management Software?
We’ve joined up with the software comparison platform Crozdesk.com to assist you in finding the right software. Crozdesk’s Project Management Software advisors can create a personalized shortlist of software solutions with unbiased recommendations to help you identify the solutions that best suit your business's needs. Through our partnership you get free access to their bespoke software selection advice, removing both time and hassle from the research process.
It only takes a minute to submit your requirements and they will give you a quick call at no cost or commitment. Based on your needs you’ll receive customized software shortlists listing the best-fitting solutions from their team of software advisors (via phone or email). They can even connect you with your selected vendor choices along with community negotiated discounts. To get started, please complete the form below:
The Best Flowchart Tools Comparison Chart
Tool | Free Option | Price | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Lucidchart Best flowchart with collaboration and data import features | Free trial available | From $7.95/user/month | Visit Website |
2 | Miro Best flowchart with built-in communication features | Freemium plan available | From $8/user/month | Visit Website |
3 | Creately Best free flowchart software | Free plan with limited features | From $4/user/month | Visit Website |
4 | Whimsical Best app for making fast flowcharts | Not available | From $10/user/month | Visit Website |
5 | SmartDraw Flow chart maker that runs on any device with over 70 quick-start diagram templates from flowcharts to floor plans | Free trial available | From $5.95/user/month | Visit Website |
6 | Cacoo Best online flowchart software for real-time team collaboration | 14 days free trial | From $5/user/month | Visit Website |
7 | Draw.io Best easy to use flowchart freeware | Free to use online | Free | Visit Website |
8 | Edraw Max Best all-purpose diagramming software | 30 days free trial | From $8.25/user/month | Visit Website |
9 | Microsoft Visio Best flowchart software for Windows | 30-day free trial | From $5/user/month | Visit Website |
10 | VisualParadigm Online Best flowchart software for agile software development & data analytics | Not available | From $4/month | Visit Website |
Other Flowchart Maker Options
Here’s a few more that didn’t make the top list. If you need additional suggestions for handy process flow diagram software, check these out.
- ConceptDraw Diagram
Best flowchart software download (buy a one-time license)
- Terrastruct
Best flowchart tool for software development
- Gliffy
Best flowchart tool for Confluence & Jira (native Atlassian integrations)
Flowchart Software FAQs
Find answers to common questions about this topic.
Not looking for software for flow charts?
Check out our other lists of top diagramming tools:
- You might want to try software that helps you build a wireframe model instead.
- Go for the essentials: pick from our list of the best Gantt chart creators.
- A step beyond flowchart software, workflow management software turns your flows into live processes that keep work moving through the pipeline of your organization.
What's Next?
Since we are on the topic of process representation and mapping stuff, you might be interested in reading about other tools such as workflow diagrams or mind mapping.
3 Comments