yEd Graph Editor vs Cacoo

yEd Graph Editor6.6Visit Cacoo6.2Visit

Higher score yEd Graph Editor #8 in Diagramming Software 6.6/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 0 of 3 features Visit yEd

vs

Cacoo #12 in Diagramming Software 6.2/10 Free plan · paid from $6/user/mo · 14-day trial Free plan✓ 1 of 3 features Visit Cacoo

• yEd Graph Editor fits best

  Free desktop graph and diagram editing

• Cacoo fits best

  Affordable collaborative diagramming

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Side by side

Feature	yEd Graph Editor 6.6/10 Visit ↗	Cacoo 6.2/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	6.6	6.2
Ranking	#8 in Diagramming Software	#12 in Diagramming Software
Best for	Free desktop graph and diagram editing	Affordable collaborative diagramming
Pricing model	Free	Free plan + paid
Starting price	Not published	$6/user/mo
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Desktop	Cloud, Self-hosted
Platforms	Windows, macOS, Linux	Web
Support	Email, Community, Docs	Email, Docs · 24/7
Built for	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features yEd Graph Editor 0/3 · Cacoo 1/3
Real-time collaboration	Not published	✓ (best)
Desktop apps	Not published	—
Offline editing	Not published	Not published
Specs
Diagram types	BPMN diagrams, semantic networks, family trees, flowcharts, social networks, UML class diagrams, entity relationship diagrams, swimlane diagrams	flowcharts, wireframes, network diagrams, organizational charts, BPMN diagrams, component diagrams, deployment diagrams, AWS architecture diagrams
Import/export formats	Not published	Microsoft Visio import; PNG, SVG, PDF, PS, and PPT export
Editor seat limit	Not published	1 seats
Our review
Pros	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	Real-time editing with comments, chat, calls, and follow mode Free plan includes unlimited users, templates, and six sheets Visio import, AWS importer, and exports to PNG, SVG, PDF, PPT, and PS
Cons	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	No desktop applications Free plan is limited to six sheets Enterprise pricing is custom
Our verdict	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 →	Cacoo is a browser-based diagramming and visual collaboration tool for teams creating flowcharts, wireframes, network diagrams, organizational charts, BPMN diagrams, and technical visuals. It also supports brainstorming, planning… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• 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

• Cacoo — where it wins

  • Real-time editing with comments, chat, calls, and follow mode
  • Free plan includes unlimited users, templates, and six sheets
  • Visio import, AWS importer, and exports to PNG, SVG, PDF, PPT, and PS

  Where it doesn't

  • No desktop applications
  • Free plan is limited to six sheets
  • Enterprise pricing is custom

• yEd Graph Editor6.6/10 · Free plan

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

  Visit yEdFull verdict →
• Cacoo6.2/10 · Free plan · paid from $6/user/mo · 14-day trial

  Affordable collaborative diagramming with real-time editing and broad export support.

  Visit CacooFull verdict →