Productivity Tools

The Top 8 Flowchart Software

Discover the Top Flowchart Software with features such as drag-and-drop functionality, export and presentation, and templates and libraries.

Last updated on Aug 22, 2024

Written by Mirren McDade

Technical review by Laura Iannini

The Top 8 Flowchart Software includes:

1. Creately
2. Draw.io
3. Figma
4. Gliffy by Perforce
5. Lucidchart
6. Microsoft Visio
7. Miro
8. Mural

Flowchart software is used to simplify complex processes and to help visualize data in an easy-to-understand manner. Whether it’s for project management, system design, decision making, or planning, having a reliable flowchart tool can drive efficiency, improve collaboration, and foster a better decision-making process across your business.

These software tools facilitate diagram creation and editing, with multiple templates, shapes, layers, flows, and routing directions. They allow individual users, teams, and businesses to create a variety of charts – from basic flowcharts to intricate process diagrams, mind maps, and org charts.

The vendors on this shortlist of the top Flowchart Software solutions have been selected for their rich features, user-friendliness, and the breadth of support. Many of these vendors extend beyond the traditional flowchart design with features like collaboration tools, data import, and integration capabilities.

Creately

Creately is a team-oriented visual collaboration platform used for designing, visualizing, and documenting processes via diagrams, including flowcharts.

What We Like: Creately smoothly integrates with popular platforms such as GitHub, Google Workspace, and Microsoft 365, and offers a 24/7 live in-app chat for round the clock support.

Best Features:

Fast designing capabilities enabled by drag-and-drop tools, keyboard shortcuts, dynamic connectors, and context-aware shape switching
Real-time and asynchronous team communication options across interactive whiteboards, shared canvases, and freehand drawing
Comprehensive version history for tracking evolution of diagrams
Attached project management tools for progress monitoring, tasks organization, and role-based access control

We Recommend: Creately is an excellent choice for teams of all sizes, from small groups to enterprise-level companies. They company offers free and a range of paid options, offering scalability for growing businesses.

Draw.io

Draw.io is a versatile, free, and open-source diagramming tool that supports individuals and teams in creating a wide range of diagrams, including flowcharts.

What We Like: Draw.io offers a rich suite of third-party integrations and enables diagrams to be embedded into numerous applications. Its compatibility with both desktop and mobile devices adds to its overall flexibility.

Best Features:

Security-forward, with data not stored on servers and user activity not tracked
Seamless saving of diagrams to various platforms such as Google Drive and OneDrive
User-friendly with shared cursors for real-time collaboration, drag-and-drop interface, and intuitive templates
Offers advanced tools like auto-layouts, custom shapes, and tags for easy organization

We Recommend: Draw.io is a versatile option for both individuals and teams. You do not need to set up an account; it is ideal for those seeking a security-conscious and user-friendly diagramming tool.

Figma

Figma is an intuitive, online tool designed for collaborative diagramming. It is widely used by professional design and development teams.

What We Like: Figma is entirely cloud-based, which ensures accessibility from any location without needing to install it. It offers numerous community-made libraries, plugins, and icon sets.

Best Features:

User-friendly drag-and-drop interface
Extensive component library with a myriad of symbols for creating flow charts
Professionally crafted premade flowchart designs
Noteworthy collaboration features including a prototype mode and observation mode

We Recommend: Figma, with its free starter plan and other scalable paid plans, is a good choice for a wide range of businesses – from startups to enterprises.

Gliffy by Perforce

Gliffy is an accessible online tool for diagramming. It is ideal for team collaboration on flowcharts, org charts, UML diagrams.

What We Like: Gliffy is browser based, with no installation required and offers robust integrations with popular tools like Slack and Trello.

Best Features:

User-friendly drag-and-drop interface for designing technical diagrams
Comprehensive variety of shapes grouped for specific diagramming needs
Responsive grouping function for efficient manipulation of multiple diagram components
24/7 email support from the Gliffy team

We Recommend: Gliffy is a strong choice for a wide range of users, from small teams to large enterprises. It is widely used across a range of sectors and industries, thanks to its broad utility.

Lucidchart

A versatile, cloud-based tool that offers diagramming and flowchart capabilities with a straightforward user interface and real-time collaboration features.

What We Like: Lucidchart can be conveniently utilized across all devices, browsers, and operating systems, as well as allowing you to import diagrams from other charting tools. It offers impressive third-party integrations including Google Workspace, Figma, and Jira.

Best Features:

Diverse flowchart creation for any data or system
A comprehensive library of shapes, symbols, and containers
User-friendly drag-and-drop interface to easily start creating flowcharts
Advanced tools for large-scale flowcharts such as conditional formatting, data linking, layers, action buttons, and external links
Collaborative functionalities such as real-time co-authoring, in-editor chat, shape-specific comments, and collaborative cursors

We Recommend: Lucidchart is ideal for businesses of all sizes seeking a user-friendly and versatile charting tool that allows for easy collaboration.

Microsoft Visio

Microsoft Visio is a comprehensive diagramming tool within the Microsoft 365 suite, designed to facilitate professional visualization and communication between teams.

What We Like: Microsoft Visio offers both desktop and web application versions, and seamlessly integrates into Microsoft 365 suite, supplementing tools like Teams, Excel, and PowerPoint.

Best Features:

Wide range of templates and customizable shapes for diverse visual creations
Real-time collaboration for co-authoring of diagrams
Built-in accessibility features such as Narrator, Accessibility Checker, and high-contrast support

We Recommend: Ideal for businesses with existing Microsoft 365 subscriptions who seek advanced diagramming tools for team collaboration. It can also be an excellent fit for companies who need a standalone, robust visualization tool on a monthly subscription basis.

Miro

Miro is a collaborative online tool for AI-powered diagramming and project planning. It aims to facilitate team coordination with its streamlined design and over 300 customizable templates.

What We Like: Miro’s integration with management tools such as Jira and Asana allows seamless addition of action items to flowcharts, making it a key tool for project schematics.

Best Features:

AI generation of flowcharts for immediate customization eliminates the time-consuming building process
Comprehensive library of shapes, connectors, and pre-built templates
Advanced diagramming mode with layers, toolbars, and color-coding
Exportability of flowcharts allows for easy sharing, integration with other tools like MS Teams, and document embedding

We Recommend: Miro is ideal for hybrid teams and organizations requiring visual project management across different levels.

Mural

Mural is a security-focused, online visual collaboration platform that helps teams to create diagrams and flowcharts with ease.

What We Like: Mural is highly secure, GDPR and CCPA compliant, and offers ready-made templates to kick off projects quickly. The platform also integrates seamlessly with other productivity tools.

Best Features:

Infinite canvas size for endless brainstorming and visualization
A variety of tools such as sticky notes and text boxes for idea representation
Flowcharts can be downloaded or embedded elsewhere for easy accessibility
Customizable labels for efficient organization

We Recommend: Mural is used by over 95% of the Fortune 100 including illustrating that it is an excellent choice for large enterprise teams looking for a secure and effective visual collaboration tool.

Everything You Need to Know About Flowchart Software (FAQs)

What Is Flowchart Software?

Flowcharts and diagrams are excellent visual aids, but they can take a lot of time to create if you have to map out the process manually while consulting other team members. This can detract from the time you could spend doing the actual project work.

Flowchart software streamlines this process by helping to reduce bottlenecks, delays, and errors. These solutions are often web-based tools that allow users to create, edit, and share flowcharts and diagrams directly through their internet browser. These tools provide users with a wide range of lines, shapes, and formatting options to visually map out their workflows, systems, and processes. They also often provide collaboration features that enable multiple people to work on the same flowchart simultaneously, regardless of where they are located.

These tools help users to more easily simplify their complex processes and ideas into visual representations that are easier to understand. They are particularly helpful for teams looking to plan projects, illustrate their workflows, and brainstorm new ideas. Good flowchart software supports better team collaboration, enhancing communication and making it easier to explain and understand processes.

How Does Flowchart Software Work?

Flowchart software works by providing a graphical interface where users can create, edit, and share flowcharts and diagrams. Users can drag and drop shapes and lines onto a virtual canvas, customize them by color, size, style, entering text, and link them in patterns that represent various processes, systems, or workflows.

The software typically includes features for real-time collaboration, allowing multiple users to contribute simultaneously. Flowchart software also offers export options to save diagrams in various formats and integrate them into other tools and, with built-in security measures, the software ensures that users’ data is protected throughout the creation and sharing process.

Some benefits of using flowchart software include:

Making it easier to clarify complex processes by breaking them down into more manageable, sequential steps
Enhancing communication by proving a visual representation of processes that multiple users can see and comment on
Helping to better identify redundancies and inefficiencies within a process by laying out each step visually, so it becomes easier to spot unnecessary steps and bottlenecks
Improving problem solving by having a clear visual map of the process so it’s easier to pinpoint where issues are occurring
Better support for documentation and standardization, which ensures that everyone is following the same process steps and leads to consistent outputs and quality control

What Features Should You Look for in Flowchart Software?

When choosing Flowchart Software, consider the following features:

Drag-and-Drop Functionality – This allows users to add and arrange elements like text boxes, shapes, and connectors easily. This helps to simplify and streamline the creation process, making it more user friendly and intuitive.
User-Friendly Design – A user-friendly design is important as this helps users to learn the solution quickly without a steep learning curve. This enhances productivity and encourages wider adoption across teams, resulting in smoother and more efficient collaboration.
Helpful Tutorials and Guides– These should provide users with step-by-step instruction and best practices for effective use of the software. These resources help in troubleshooting, as well as allowing users to discover advanced functionalities.
Collaboration – Allowing multiple users to work together in the same flowchart in real-time or asynchronously is key to facilitate teamwork and allow contributors to share ideas, provide feedback, and make simultaneous updates from different locations.
Templates and Libraries – This refers to the pre-built collections of shapes, symbols, and diagram layouts that users can choose from to create their flowcharts. These are important resources that save time and effort by providing ready-made, customizable structures that remove the need for users to design them from scratch. Templates and libraries not only save time, but they also help to ensure consistency and professionalism.
Export and Presentation – Export and presentation features allow users to save and share their flowcharts in various formats, such as PDFs, images, or PowerPoint slides, and present them directly within the software. These capabilities are useful for enabling users to distribute their diagrams to relevant stakeholders, integrate them into presentations or reports, and better showcase their work in professional settings.
Integration – This refers to the ability to connect and work seamlessly with various other tools and platforms, including project management software, cloud storage, and communication apps. This is good for overall productivity and collaboration.
Security – Flowcharts and user data needs to be protected against unauthorized access, cyber threats, and breaches. Strong security helps to keep sensitive information about business processes or strategic plans confidential. Security features like user authentication, encryption, and access controls help to maintain the integrity and privacy of flowcharts, so users can be confident that their work is safe against potential threats.

Mirren McDade

Senior Journalist & Content Writer

Mirren McDade is a senior writer and journalist at Expert Insights, spending each day researching, writing, editing and publishing content, covering a variety of topics and solutions, and interviewing industry experts. She is an experienced copywriter with a background in a range of industries, including cloud business technologies, cloud security, information security and cyber security, and has conducted interviews with several industry experts. Mirren holds a First Class Honors degree in English from Edinburgh Napier University.

Laura Iannini

Cybersecurity Analyst

Laura Iannini is an Information Security Engineer. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Cybersecurity from the University of West Florida. Laura has experience with a variety of cybersecurity platforms and leads technical reviews of leading solutions. She conducts thorough product tests to ensure that Expert Insights’ reviews are definitive and insightful.