Suggestions appear as you type. Use the up and down arrows to choose one and Enter to open it.

This page's audience our own tag's counts — open to see them
–Visits
–Page views
–Clicks to vendors
–Time on page
–Reading now
Clicks to vendors, by tool
  • –
Top countries
  • –
Devices
  • –

– · visits, page views and clicks counted by our own tag, which counts more than our checked analytics; every figure rounded down · how we count

Head-to-head · Diagramming Software

Lucidchart vs SmartDraw

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 3 checks side by side
Higher score Lucidchart #2 in Diagramming Software 9.3/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 2 of 3 features Visit Lucidchart
SmartDraw #4 in Diagramming Software 8.9/10 Paid ✓ 1 of 3 features Visit SmartDraw

Lucidchart leads on 1 check, SmartDraw on 0, and 2 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 3 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreLucidchart · 9.3/10
  • Free planonly Lucidchart
  • Most featuresLucidchart · 2 of 3

Lucidchart scores higher on our rubric for diagramming software: 9.3 against 8.9 out of 10; our editors rank them #2 and #4.

Lucidchart offers free plan; SmartDraw doesn't.

Lucidchart is the better fit for collaborative teams and business diagramming. SmartDraw is the better fit for business and technical diagramming teams.

  • Lucidchart fits best

    Collaborative teams and business diagramming

  • SmartDraw fits best

    Business and technical diagramming teams

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature Lucidchart 9.3/10 Visit ↗ SmartDraw 8.9/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 9.3 8.9
Ranking #2 in Diagramming Software #4 in Diagramming Software
Best for Collaborative teams and business diagramming Business and technical diagramming teams
Pricing model Free Paid
Starting price Free —
Free plan ✓ (best) —
Free trial — —
Deployment Cloud, Mobile Cloud, Desktop
Platforms Web, iOS, Android Web, Windows, macOS, Linux
Support Community, Docs Email, Live chat, Docs
Compliance SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR, PCI DSS, SSO/SAML, 2FA SOC 2, GDPR, PCI DSS
Integrations 100+ integrations 14 integrations
Built for Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Lucidchart 2/3 · SmartDraw 1/3
Real-time collaboration ✓ ✓
Desktop apps Not checked yet Not checked yet
Offline editing ✓ (best) Not checked yet
Specs
Diagram types process maps, flowcharts, org charts, technical diagrams, system architecture diagrams, UML diagrams, ERDs, sequence diagrams, Gantt charts, C4 models floor plans, site plans, building layouts, evacuation plans, accident reconstructions, crime scenes, circuit diagrams, wiring diagrams, electrical plans, planograms, flowcharts, organizational charts, network diagrams, UML diagrams, ERDs, data flow diagrams, timelines, mind maps, Gantt charts, cause-and-effect diagrams
Import/export formats VSDX, VSD, VDX, Draw.io XML, OmniGraffle flat files, BPMN, XPDL; export PDF, PNG, JPEG, SVG, VDX, VSDX, JSON, CSV Not checked yet
Editor seat limit Not checked yet Not checked yet
Our review
Pros
  • Real-time editing supports collaborative diagram work.
  • Covers process, technical, UML, architecture, and data-linked diagrams.
  • Imports and exports across Visio, Draw.io, image, and data formats.
  • Supports business, technical, IT, engineering, and scaled drawing diagrams
  • Real-time collaboration, comments, version history, and custom shape libraries
  • Integrates with Microsoft, Google, Atlassian, and major storage tools
Cons
  • Offline editing is limited to previously opened documents.
  • The product is not open source.
  • Its broad feature set may exceed simple one-off diagram needs.
  • There is no free plan
  • The product may be broader than teams needing one diagram type
  • Desktop apps are available only for Windows and macOS
Our verdict

Lucidchart is a cloud-based diagramming application for individuals, teams, and enterprises. It supports process maps, flowcharts, organizational charts, technical diagrams, system architecture visualizations, UML diagrams, ERDs, sequence…

Read the review →

SmartDraw is paid diagramming and scaled-drawing software for organizations, professionals, and non-technical users. Its coverage includes flowcharts, workflows, organizational charts, mind maps, project charts, technical engineering and…

Read the review →
  1. LucidchartDiagramming Software 9.3Free plan
  2. SmartDrawDiagramming Software 8.9Paid

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Lucidchart — where it wins

    • Real-time editing supports collaborative diagram work.
    • Covers process, technical, UML, architecture, and data-linked diagrams.
    • Imports and exports across Visio, Draw.io, image, and data formats.

    Where it doesn't

    • Offline editing is limited to previously opened documents.
    • The product is not open source.
    • Its broad feature set may exceed simple one-off diagram needs.

  • SmartDraw — where it wins

    • Supports business, technical, IT, engineering, and scaled drawing diagrams
    • Real-time collaboration, comments, version history, and custom shape libraries
    • Integrates with Microsoft, Google, Atlassian, and major storage tools

    Where it doesn't

    • There is no free plan
    • The product may be broader than teams needing one diagram type
    • Desktop apps are available only for Windows and macOS

More comparisons

All diagramming software comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update