draw.io vs yEd Graph Editor

draw.io9.4Visit yEd Graph Editor8.5Visit

Higher score draw.io #1 in Diagramming Software 9.4/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 1 of 3 features Visit draw.io

vs

yEd Graph Editor #8 in Diagramming Software 8.5/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 0 of 3 features Visit yEd

• draw.io fits best

  Most users needing broad, free diagramming

• yEd Graph Editor fits best

  Free desktop graph and diagram editing

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Side by side

Feature	draw.io 9.4/10 Visit ↗	yEd Graph Editor 8.5/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.4	8.5
Ranking	#1 in Diagramming Software	#8 in Diagramming Software
Best for	Most users needing broad, free diagramming	Free desktop graph and diagram editing
Pricing model	Free	Free
Starting price	Free plan	Free plan
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Cloud, Self-hosted, Desktop, Mobile	Desktop
Platforms	Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android	Windows, macOS, Linux
Support	Email, Community, Docs	Email, Community, Docs
Built for	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features draw.io 1/3 · yEd Graph Editor 0/3
Real-time collaboration	✓ (best)	Not checked yet
Desktop apps	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Offline editing	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Specs
Diagram types	flow charts, mind maps, org charts, Venn diagrams, infographics, network diagrams, architecture diagrams, floor plans, electrical diagrams, rack diagrams, UML diagrams, BPMN diagrams, Kanban boards, ER diagrams, Mermaid diagrams, Gitflow diagrams, C4 models, threat models	BPMN diagrams, semantic networks, family trees, flowcharts, social networks, UML class diagrams, entity relationship diagrams, swimlane diagrams
Import/export formats	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Editor seat limit	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Our review
Pros	Supports technical, business, software, infrastructure, and process diagrams Imports and exports a wide range of common diagram formats Offers web, offline desktop, Chrome extension, and platform integrations	Free for commercial use on Windows, macOS, and Linux Automatic layouts support graph-like structures and complex diagrams Imports GraphML, Excel XLS, GEDCOM, GML, and XML via XSLT
Cons	Real-time collaboration depends on supported storage and integrations Its broad scope may exceed the needs of single-purpose diagramming Commercial access for companies is handled through Atlassian integrations	Desktop-only workflow does not suit browser-first collaboration No paid tier adds team or enterprise capabilities Its focus on graph-based diagrams may not fit every visual workflow
Our verdict	draw.io is a browser-based and desktop diagramming application for technical, business, software, infrastructure, and process diagrams. It suits individuals, teams, developers, analysts, and organizations that need one editor for… Read the review →	yEd Graph Editor is a free desktop application for creating, editing, analyzing, and automatically arranging diagrams and graph-like structures. It suits individuals, students, analysts, and teams that need a capable diagram editor… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• draw.io — where it wins

  • Supports technical, business, software, infrastructure, and process diagrams
  • Imports and exports a wide range of common diagram formats
  • Offers web, offline desktop, Chrome extension, and platform integrations

  Where it doesn't

  • Real-time collaboration depends on supported storage and integrations
  • Its broad scope may exceed the needs of single-purpose diagramming
  • Commercial access for companies is handled through Atlassian integrations

• yEd Graph Editor — where it wins

  • Free for commercial use on Windows, macOS, and Linux
  • Automatic layouts support graph-like structures and complex diagrams
  • Imports GraphML, Excel XLS, GEDCOM, GML, and XML via XSLT

  Where it doesn't

  • Desktop-only workflow does not suit browser-first collaboration
  • No paid tier adds team or enterprise capabilities
  • Its focus on graph-based diagrams may not fit every visual workflow

• draw.io9.4/10 · Free plan

  A broad, free diagramming editor with strong format support and collaboration options.

  Visit draw.ioFull verdict →
• yEd Graph Editor8.5/10 · Free plan

  A mature free desktop diagram editor with strong graph layouts and broad format support.

  Visit yEdFull verdict →