SmartDraw vs Gliffy

Visio

Lucidchart

draw.io

Balsamiq

ArboStar

TADÁ

Compare SmartDraw and Gliffy based on features, pricing, verified reviews, integrations & more on GetApp. Find out which software is best for your business in 2026.

Microsoft Visio is a cloud-based flowchart and diagram creation tool, designed to aid collaboration and connect real-time data with business workflows. The platform enables communication of complex information through data-linked diagrams, flowcharts, org charts, floor plans, and more.

draw.io is a free diagramming application for creating and sharing diagrams within any web browser, with integration to G Suite/Google Drive & Dropbox

Discover the ultimate solution for tree care businesses with ArboStar. Streamline your operations, grow your business and provide exceptional customer service with this intuitive and easy-to-use cloud-based management platform. ArboStar offers a range of management tools to optimize your processes.

SmartDraw makes professional drawings and diagrams accessible to everyone. With leading floor-planning tools, data integrations, and an intuitive interface, SmartDraw delivers enterprise power without complexity.

2D Drawing

Access Controls/Permissions

Ad hoc Reporting

Annotations

Appointment Scheduling

Architectural Symbol Library

Audit Trail

Automatic Adjustments

Automatic Formatting

Bills of Material

Brainstorming

CAD Tools

Change Management

Charting

Chat/Messaging

Collaboration Tools

Commenting/Notes

Commercial

Communication Management

Component Library

Content Library

Customizable Branding

Customizable Fields

Customizable Templates

Customization

Dashboard

Data Import/Export

Data Linking

Data Visualization

Design Management

Design Templates

Desktop Interface

Diagramming

Dispatch Management

Document Embedding

Document Management

Document Storage

Drafting

Drag & Drop

Drag & Drop Editor

Employee Photos

File Management

File Sharing

Flowchart

For AEC Industry

For Architects

For Residential

Forms Automation

Freehand Sketch

Gantt/Timeline View

Goal Setting/Tracking

Graphical Data Presentation

Graphical Workflow Editor

Groundskeeping Management

Idea Management

Image Library

Interactive Elements

Job Scheduling

KPI Monitoring

Labeling

Landscape Design

Milestone Tracking

Mind Maps

Mobile Interface

Mockup Creation

Modeling & Simulation

Multiple Projects

Multiple User Accounts

Network Diagram

Offline Access

One Line Diagram

Org Chart Creation

Organizational Charting

Parts Management

Presentation Tools

Process Builder

Process Modeling & Designing

Project Management

Project Planning

Project Workflow

Publishing/Sharing

Quality Control Management

Quotes/Estimates

Real-Time Data

Reusable Designs

Risk Assessment

Roadmapping

Rules-Based Workflow

Scenario Planning

Scheduling

Scorecards

Screen Capture

Search/Filter

Single Sign On

Smart Chart Legend

SSL Security

Status Tracking

Strategic Planning

Succession Planning

SmartDraw

Web-based

Windows

Business Manager

This software is CRAP if this is how they treat their clients who spent a years subscription, only to find all the work they did in a year is no longer accessible.

IT Manager

An inexpensive but fantastic software for both network diagrams and any other business and other needs.

Owner

A program that is incredibly complicated to understand. They attempt to simplify the architecture process but it is miserably complicated and lacks an intuitive interface.

CISO

We loved SmartDraw for its ease of use and integration options with other related services.

Senior IT Assistant

There are lots of templates to start with, which makes it a lot easier to get started with this software. I like the integration with popular tools such as Trello and Jira.

Further, it constantly just stops and closes itself - and dumps all of your work during that session, even if you have been saving.

Database Admin

Weak collaboration features. It is very expensive you asked me.

director

I like the assortment of graphics that are available with Smartdraw.

Your projects are also all saved online, you can access your software and files from any computer with an internet connection.

Instructor 

Smart Draw is relatively easy to use. It has all the various kinds of charts and graphs on its website you can imagine.

Self employed

When it works it does a good job. Customer support were good when I contacted them several times in the first year.

Seeking Opportunity- Project/Program Management -Organizational Transformation & Change Catalyst

Lots of examples and help videos. Enterprise discovery tools are great but expensive.

Building manager

They refuse to acknowledge this bug, but, over the phone, they did explain to me how to use templates, which gives a decent workaround for this bug, for me.

Smartdraw is easy to use and is loaded with templates and graphics.

SmartDraw is great if starting from scratch to create drawing ( both simple & complex).

SmartDraw helps visualize complex concepts in an accessible way.

District Engineer

Dedicated Software for Charts, Diagrams and Mind Maps.

Bugs are not a thing that customer service seems to be allowed to talk about, which is unfortunate, given how full of bugs this software is.

SmartDraw screenshot: Create all types of scaled drawings and diagrams including: floor plans, CAD drawings, wiring diagrams, landscape designs, accident reconstructions, flowcharts, organizational charts, mind maps, and so much more. 

SmartDraw screenshot: Design your dream home with powerful CAD drawing and floor plan tools. Optimize your office space or facility layouts to maximize productivity, and improve traffic flow in your retail space with better planning.

SmartDraw screenshot: Design your next outdoor space with built-in templates for landscapes, gardens, backyards, and more. Drag-and-drop flowers, shrubs, and other plants. Add sprinkler systems, lights, and walkways. Apply photo-realistic textures for a professional finish.

SmartDraw screenshot: SmartDraw helps police departments document accidents and crime scenes.  Easily import Google Maps or existing floor plan PDFs and drag-and-drop vehicles and evidence. 

SmartDraw screenshot: Easily make wiring diagrams, circuit plans, schematics and more. You can drag and drop symbols and connect them with lines easily. Remove a component and your drawing will adjust and realign automatically.

SmartDraw screenshot: SmartDraw empowers fire departments to create fire pre-plans and fire incident reports. Easily import Google Maps or existing floor plan PDFs and drag-and-drop NFPA symbols.

SmartDraw screenshot: Make flowcharts, swimlanes, and process maps in minutes using SmartDraw's intuitive templates and tools.

SmartDraw screenshot: Document your organizational structure and work as a team to plan for growth or manage change.

SmartDraw screenshot: Plan, monitor, and report on development with roadmaps, Kanban boards, project charts, and more. You can even turn a brainstorming session in a mind map into a Gantt chart with a click. 

SmartDraw screenshot: Invite your team to collaborate on any project or design in real-time. Drag and drop sticky notes, use a markup tool like a pen or highlighter to draw attention to something specific, or start a timer to track your whiteboarding session in real time.

SmartDraw screenshot: Document, troubleshoot, or optimize your cloud infrastructure by connecting to either AWS or Azure. Create reports or work on future plans as a team.

Freelancers

Large Enterprises

Mid Size Business

Non Profit

Public Administrations

Small Business

Balsamiq is the only product tool that creates more time than it takes. Show your team exactly what to build with wireframes—no design skills needed.

Lucidchart is a cloud-based diagram solution that enables users to create various types of flowcharts and visual documentation online. The platform supports multiple use cases including technical diagramming, process documentation, and team visualization, while offering AI-powered features that transform text prompts into polished diagrams. It integrates with popular workplace applications to facilitate seamless collaboration across teams.

We are the first software in LATAM to manage payroll, human resources and treasury in one place.

With Gliffy you can create professional-looking flowcharts, UML diagrams, entity-relationship diagrams, and more in just a few clicks

Templates

Wireframe Creation

Gliffy

Linux

Marketing Manager, Law Schools and Large Law

Good balance of features on the free version. Doesn't try to do too much in terms of icons and options - it's the perfect tool if you want to do a process diagram and UML document.

Student

Gliffy is a superb tool for creating quality looking, professional drawings, flowcharts and diagrams. Its ease of use will allow you to create diagrams in a timely manner.

Enterprise Architect, Multichannel Supply chain

You have to pay desperately for each integration: e.g. a paid for confluence license won't equate. Visio import has to be paid for.

Associate

Gliffy allows you to create great quality graphics and share these easily. The price of the monthly subscription is ok for the amount of content you get.

Sr QA Consultant

We use it in integration with confluence and is super useful.

Co-founder [Digital products]

I am very pleased with how easy gliffy templates are easy to use and edit to fit all illustrative diagrams. The diagram board is also very easy to use and intuitive with drag and drop features.

Risk Director

Strong web based Diagramming tool- slick interface and strong features.

Disc Jock

Great tool for creating quality looking drawings and diagrams.

Connectors won't "hoop" over lines, and you can't add additional bends in connectors (there are workarounds--import  "hoop" shape or use a UML shape to fake a hoop with multiple lines).

Manager - Information Systems

For students or occasional users, the free level may well be adequate;  for small organizations, this is far superior in cost/benefit to Visio.

Associate Manager - Program Management

Along with that the resource option which is there in the bottom right corner also a good feature. When there is a new feature enabled, we can have a quick glance to check from there.

Manager

Integration with Confluence gives a great flexibility.

Administrative Secretary

It is simple to use and has a user-friendly interface and I like that it is cloud-based.

I've had the problems across three different customer/work environments in which I've used Confluence to document large scale process improvements, flow charts, or network diagrams.

Chrome app so it's light weight and easy to install.

When many of my colleagues are struggling with PowerPoint or trying to remember how to use Visio, I quickly throw together a process diagram that I can share with engineering or other stakeholders.

Gliffy screenshot: A big part of IT management is being able to advocate for the right technology to support your organization. That can include a lot of conversations with non-technical leaders and stakeholders.

Gliffy screenshot: With pre-loaded shapes and support for Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform, capturing the cloud services that support your business is easy.

Gliffy screenshot: Describing the structure of your organization's data is critical to unlocking the ability to use machine learning or artificial intelligence.

SmartDraw vs Gliffy Comparison (2026)

SmartDraw

Gliffy

Overview

Video & Screenshots

Pricing

User reviews

Key features

Integrations

Alternatives