A detailed comparison of Mermaid and draw.io to help you choose the right tool for your needs.
JavaScript-based diagramming tool that generates diagrams from text
Free, open-source diagramming tool for flowcharts, network diagrams, and more
| Plan | Mermaid | draw.io |
|---|---|---|
| Free Tier | ✓ Completely free | ✓ Completely free |
| Lowest Paid | Free | Free |
| Enterprise | Free | Free (self-hosted option) |
| Feature | Mermaid | draw.io |
|---|---|---|
| Text-to-diagram | ✓ | — |
| Flowcharts | ✓ | ✓ |
| Sequence diagrams | ✓ | — |
| Gantt charts | ✓ | — |
| Class diagrams | ✓ | — |
| GitHub integration | ✓ | ✓ |
| Markdown compatible | ✓ | — |
| JavaScript library | ✓ | — |
| Live editor | ✓ | — |
| Themes | ✓ | — |
| Network diagrams | — | ✓ |
| UML diagrams | — | ✓ |
| Entity relationship | — | ✓ |
| Wireframes | — | ✓ |
| Offline mode | — | ✓ |
| Self-hosting | — | ✓ |
| Google Drive integration | — | ✓ |
| Confluence integration | — | ✓ |
| Open Source | ✓ | ✓ |
| Rating | ⭐ 4.4 | ⭐ 4.3 |
Choose Mermaid if: You need developers and technical writers needing text-based diagrams for documentation. Mermaid excels with its completely free and text-based (version control friendly).
Choose draw.io if: You need users wanting a free, powerful diagramming tool with self-hosting options. draw.io stands out with its completely free and open source.
Best free option: Both Mermaid and draw.io offer free tiers. Mermaid offers "Completely free" while draw.io offers "Completely free".
It depends on your needs. Mermaid is better for developers and technical writers needing text-based diagrams for documentation, while draw.io is better for users wanting a free, powerful diagramming tool with self-hosting options. Both are excellent tools rated 4.4 and 4.3 respectively.
Mermaid starts at Free while draw.io starts at Free. Both offer free tiers.
Most tools offer import/export features to help you migrate. We recommend trying draw.io's free tier before fully committing to a switch.
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