In some of our articles, we’ve provided articles on different software alternatives. You’ll find the best Lucidchart alternatives for diagrams, the best FreeMind alternatives and so on. Now for those looking for a diagramming tool like SmartDraw, you’ll find the best ones here. When it comes to creating diagrams, SmartDraw is one of the tools you can use and it is enriched with features. As a newbie or a professional, SmartDraw will serve whatever purpose you need it for. However, despite its popularity and efficiency, SmartDraw isn’t for everyone and that’s why there are alternatives to consider. SmartDraw is not free and the costs of renewal for a monthly plan don’t suit everyone. If you’re on a no budget and you’re looking for the best free SmartDraw alternatives. Here at NaijaKnowHow, we’ve handpicked the best ones for you.
List of The Best Free SmartDraw Alternatives for Diagramming
If you’re looking for the best free diagramming software like SmartDraw. The best ones have been curated below and they all offer a plethora of features for free. From cloud-based to offline packages, you’ll find the right diagramming tool for you from the list below.
1. Lucidchart
Lucidchart is the type of diagramming tool you don’t need to download. But you can access it on Windows, macOS and Linux PC. You’ll always find it amongst the best diagramming software online and that’s because it works just fine. Lucidchart is a popular cloud-based diagramming software that provides an extensive range of features, making it a strong alternative to SmartDraw. With a user-friendly interface and a vast library of pre-designed templates, Lucidchart allows you to create professional diagrams effortlessly. It offers drag-and-drop functionality, intuitive controls, and real-time collaboration, enabling teams to work together seamlessly. One of the reasons why Lucidchart is quite popular is also because it is a better alternative to Microsoft Visio. You can use Lucidchart for free but it does have paid plans. However, the free plan has no limitations and you’ll find it better than SmartDraw. Additionally, Lucidchart provides a wide variety of diagram types, including flowcharts, mind maps, org charts, network diagrams, and more. If you’re looking for one of the best free SmartDraw alternatives, Lucidchart is a great choice.
2. Diagrams.net
Formerly draw.io, Diagrams.net is another free alternative to SmartDraw for diagramming. It is a web-based diagramming tool that offers a simple and intuitive interface. It provides a wide range of diagramming options, making it a reliable alternative to SmartDraw. With its drag-and-drop functionality and extensive shape library, you can effortlessly create flowcharts, UML diagrams, network diagrams, and more. To access Diagrams.net, you only need a good web browser and the likes of Google Chrome, Safari Browser and Brave Browser work just fine. Diagrams.net is the perfect alternative to SmartDraw and it has a standout feature that steps it at the top. You’ll love Diagrams.net because of its offline functions, it works offline as well. Diagrams.net will allow you to work offline, providing flexibility and convenience. You can save your diagrams locally or sync them with cloud storage services like Google Drive or Dropbox, ensuring that your work is always accessible. Additionally, Diagrams.net supports real-time collaboration, allowing multiple users to work on the same diagram simultaneously. You can make Diagrams.net one of your best free SmartDraw alternatives.
3. Creately
Creately is a versatile online diagramming tool that offers a range of features suitable for individuals and teams. It serves as an excellent alternative to SmartDraw, providing a user-friendly interface and a vast library of templates and shapes to create various types of diagrams. One of the standout features of Creately is its real-time collaboration functionality. It allows multiple users to work on the same diagram simultaneously, making it an ideal choice for team projects or remote collaboration. You’ll find Creately to be a very powerful diagramming tool and it meets basic needs. One of the reasons why Creatly is one of the best free SmartDraw alternatives is that it has an extensive collection of diagram templates across different categories, including flowcharts, mind maps, wireframes, and more. Creately also offers integrations with popular platforms like Google Drive, Confluence, and Jira, enabling you to import and export diagrams easily and collaborate within your existing workflow. This integration ensures smooth data transfer and enhances productivity by eliminating the need for manual imports or exports.
4. Pencil Project
Another free diagramming tool on the list is Pencil Project. You’ll love it because it is a free and open-source diagramming tool. It comes with a lot of features that have made it a better alternative to SmartDraw. Pencil Project allows you to create diagrams and visual representations of user interfaces and concepts. While using this tool, you’ll discover it has different stencil collections. You can use it for web design, desktop applications, flowcharts, and more. These stencils provide ready-made components and symbols to enhance your diagrams and streamline the diagramming process. One of the standout features of Pencil Project is its simplicity and ease of use. The software provides a user-friendly interface with a wide range of pre-built shapes and elements. With its drag-and-drop functionality, you can quickly create diagrams and arrange elements to build mockups and prototypes. Additionally, Pencil Project supports multiple export formats, including PNG, PDF, SVG, and HTML. This flexibility allows you to easily share your diagrams with others or embed them into websites or documentation.
5. Cacoo
If you’re looking for a diagramming tool that can be used for personal or team projects. Cacoo is known to be an online collaborative diagramming tool and it has paid and free features. It provides an extensive platform for creating diagrams, flowcharts, mind maps, wireframes, and more. With its real-time collaboration and intuitive interface, Cacoo serves as a solid alternative to SmartDraw. One of the standout features of Cacoo is its extensive library of shapes and templates. It offers a wide range of pre-built elements that can be easily customized to fit your specific diagramming needs. Whether you’re creating a technical diagram or a flowchart for a presentation, Cacoo has the tools and resources to support your requirements. You’ll love Cacoo because it is very easy to use. Cacoo is one of the best free SmartDraw alternatives for making diagrams online.
6. Gliffy
Gliffy also offers an interactive platform for making diagrams online and its list of extensive features has made it one of the known SmartDraw alternatives. One of the standout features of Gliffy is its extensive library of shapes and symbols. It provides a wide range of pre-built elements that can be easily dragged and dropped onto your canvas, allowing you to create visually appealing diagrams quickly. The library includes shapes for various industries and purposes, ensuring that you have the necessary tools to express your ideas effectively. With Gliffy, you can create flowcharts, org charts, wireframes, network diagrams, and more, all within an intuitive and user-friendly interface. Gliffy also offers real-time collaboration, enabling multiple users to work on the same diagram simultaneously. You can also integrate Gliffy with other platforms and the whole process is very simple. There are a lot of options online but Gliffy is one of the best free SmartDraw alternatives out there. You can use it for free despite having plans that are paid for.
7. yEd Graph Editor
yEd Graph Editor is a general-purpose diagramming tool with a lot of powerful features. When it comes to making diagrams, this tool offers a different range of diagramming options. This is something you won’t really find on SmartDraw and that’s why yEd Graph Editor is a better alternative to SmartDraw. With yEd Graph Editor, you can create flowcharts, network diagrams, BPMN diagrams, and more with ease. yEd also has a different set of pre-built symbols and templates, allowing you to create professional-looking diagrams quickly. The customization options, such as colour schemes and line styles, further enhance the visual appeal and clarity of your diagrams. Furthermore, yEd supports importing data from external sources, such as Excel spreadsheets or XML files, enabling you to generate diagrams from existing data sets. This feature is particularly useful for visualizing relationships, dependencies, and hierarchies within your data. Another reason why you’ll like yEd Graph Editor is that it has different export options. You can export your diagrams in PDF, SVG, JPEG, and PNG.
Conclusion
In conclusion, these are the best free SmartDraw alternatives for making diagrams. From the likes of Diagrams.net, Lucidchart and Pencil Project. You’ll find it easier to make diagrams online. They all offer top features and are perfect for basic and advanced diagramming tasks. SmartDraw on the other hand, still works fine but you can always explore better options.
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