PlantUML AlternativesDiagram Editors & Mind Mapping Tools like PlantUML

PlantUML is described as 'Open-source tool that uses simple textual descriptions to draw UML diagrams. The generator can be run anywhere within JVM and integrated with various application such as wiki, text editor, IDE, programming language, documentation generator, and others' and is a very popular Diagram Editor in the development category. There are more than 100 alternatives to PlantUML for a variety of platforms, including Windows, Mac, Linux, Web-based and Self-Hosted apps. The best PlantUML alternative is draw.io, which is free. Other great apps like PlantUML are yEd Graph Editor, Excalidraw, Dia and Freeplane.

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PlantUML alternatives are mainly Diagram Editors, but if you're looking for Mind Mapping Tools or UML Modeling Tools you can filter on that. These are just examples - use the filter bar below to find more specific alternatives to PlantUML.
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PlantUML is an open-source tool that uses simple textual descriptions to draw UML diagrams. The generator can be run anywhere within JVM and integrated with various application such as wiki, text editor, IDE, programming...

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PlantUML alternatives page was last updated Feb 12, 2025
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  1. Lucidchart icon

    Lucidchart

    Sponsored

    Lucidchart is a cloud-based platform that promotes teamwork through diagramming, collaboration, and data visualization. It serves millions worldwide, offering flowcharts, UML, real-time collaboration, Visio support, and browser access. Designed for innovation and understanding, it integrates easily into workflows.

    49 Lucidchart alternatives

    License model

    • Freemium • Proprietary

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Software as a Service (SaaS)
    Lucidchart Templates and Examples: With hundreds of template examples to choose from, you can start diagramming in no time.

    Top Lucidchart Features

    1.  Real time collaboration
    2.  Flow Chart
    3.  Web-Based
    4.  Export to PDF
    5.  General-purpose diagramming
    6.  Ad-free
    7.  Support for @mentions
    8.  Works Offline
    9.  AI-Powered
    10.  Charts
    11.  Scalable UI
    12.  Online collaboration
  2. draw.io icon

    draw.io

     983 likes
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    Feature-rich diagram editor offering privacy-focused, ad-free experience with real-time collaboration, offline usage, dark mode, and cloud storage support. No registration required and compatible with various diagram formats, it excels in simplicity by not tracking user data.

    122 draw.io alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Proprietary

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • GB flagUnited Kingdom

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Chrome OS
    • Notion
    • Self-Hosted
    • Microsoft SharePoint
    • Microsoft OneDrive
    • PortableApps.com
    • Google Drive
    • Google Docs
    • Microsoft Teams
    • Google Slides
    • Google Sheets
    Use the diagram editor in dark mode. Go to app.diagrams.net/?splash=0&ui=dark

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Flow Chart
    2.  Works Offline
    3.  Export to PDF
    4.  Mind Mapping
    5.  Web-Based
    6.  Sync with Google Drive
    7.  Multiple export options
    8.  Export to SVG
    9.  Dark Mode
    10.  Interior Design
    11.  Ad-free
    12.  Single Line Diagram

    draw.io VS PlantUML

     
    Comments about draw.io as an Alternative to PlantUML
    Guest
    Negative Feb 4, 2018
    6

    It does not uses simple textual descriptions

    Guest
    Positive Jan 3, 2019
    -3

    You can paste PlantUML text into draw.io and it renders it

    PlantUML Icon
    draw.io icon

    • Most users think draw.io is a great PlantUML alternative.

    • draw.io is the most popular Web-based, Windows, Mac & Linux alternative to PlantUML.

    • draw.io is the most popular free alternative to PlantUML.

    • draw.io is Free and ProprietaryPlantUML is Free and Open Source
  4. yEd Graph Editor icon

    yEd Graph Editor

     437 likes
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    yEd is a powerful diagram editor that can be used to quickly create diagrams manually or import external data for analysis and auto-magically arrange even large data sets by just pressing a button. You can use yEd to quickly create flow charts, BPMN and UML diagrams...

    114 yEd Graph Editor alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Proprietary

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • DE flagGermany
    • European Union flagEU

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • BSD
    yEd Graph Editor screenshot 1

    Top yEd Graph Editor Features

    1.  Export to SVG
    2.  Flow diagram visualisation
    3.  BPMN diagrams
    4.  Flow Chart
    5.  Auto Layout
    6.  Portable
    7.  XML import / export
    8.  Modules
    9. Microsoft Excel icon  Import From Excel
    10.  Grid layout options
    11.  ER Diagrams
    12.  Layout

    yEd Graph Editor VS PlantUML

     
  5. Ad
    Screenshot
    Creately icon
    Creately

    Web-based diagram platform offers real-time teamwork, 50+ diagram and mind mapping types, technical wireframing, smart objects, templates, version control, secure cloud storage, PDF export, collaboration tools, commenting, and in...

    https://creately.com
    Learn More
  6. Excalidraw icon

    Excalidraw

     77 likes
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    Excalidraw is an open-source whiteboard tool that lets you easily sketch diagrams that have a hand-drawn feel to them. Available directly online as a web app and also through CodeSandbox to easily see how the code works, and the app is available for self-hosting.

    74 Excalidraw alternatives

    License model

    • Freemium • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • CZ flagCzechia
    • European Union flagEU

    Platforms

    • Online
    • Self-Hosted
    Excalidraw screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Privacy focused

    Features

    1.  Interactive Whiteboard
    2.  Shared whiteboard
    3.  Real time collaboration
    4.  Mind Mapping
    5.  No registration required
    6.  Export to SVG
    7.  Dark Mode
    8.  End-to-End Encryption
    9.  Free hand drawing
    10.  Ad-free
    11.  Support for Layers
    12.  Cloud Sync

    Excalidraw VS PlantUML

     

    • Excalidraw is the most popular Open Source alternative to PlantUML.

    • Excalidraw is Freemium and Open SourcePlantUML is Free and Open Source
    • Excalidraw is Privacy focusedPlantUML is not according to our users
  7. Dia icon

    Dia

     450 likes
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    Open-source diagram editor supporting Linux, Windows, Unix, and Mac OS X, with features for constructing entity relationship, UML, flowchart, and network diagrams, customizable with XML-defined shapes, extensibility, and a GTK+-based graphical user interface.

    92 Dia alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • PortableApps.com
    • FreeBSD
    • Xfce
    • DragonFly BSD
    • NetBSD
    • OpenBSD
    Dia screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Flow Chart
    2.  Works Offline
    3.  Workflow
    4.  WYSIWYG Support
    5.  Extensible by Plugins/Extensions

    Dia VS PlantUML

     
    Comments about Dia as an Alternative to PlantUML
    Guest
    Negative Feb 4, 2018
    1

    Dia does not use simple textual description.

    PlantUML Icon
    Dia icon
    • Dia is Free and Open SourcePlantUML is also Free and Open Source
    • Dia is LightweightPlantUML is not according to our users
  8. Freeplane icon

    Freeplane

     252 likes
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    Freeplane is a powerful and free software for building mind maps. It is a redesigned version of the well known FreeMind , and is created by one of FreeMind's key developers.

    79 Freeplane alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • DE flagGermany
    • European Union flagEU

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • Java
    Freeplane screenshot 1

    Top Freeplane Features

    1.  Mind Mapping
    2.  Knowledge Management
    3.  Summary Nodes
    4.  Project Tracking
    5.  Support for scripting
    6.  Works Offline
    7.  Portable
    8.  No registration required
    9.  Ad-free
    10.  Hierarchical Structure
    11.  Full-Text Search
    12. LaTeX icon  Support for LaTeX

    Freeplane VS PlantUML

     
    Comments about Freeplane as an Alternative to PlantUML
    Guest
    Negative Jun 12, 2017
    9

    While mind mapping may fall into the category of "graphing application," it is not a replacement for software architecture diagramming and/or UML modeling.

    PlantUML Icon
    Freeplane icon
    • Freeplane is Free and Open SourcePlantUML is also Free and Open Source
  10. Lucidchart icon

    Lucidchart

     533 likes
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    Lucidchart is a cloud-based platform that promotes teamwork through diagramming, collaboration, and data visualization. It serves millions worldwide, offering flowcharts, UML, real-time collaboration, Visio support, and browser access. Designed for innovation and understanding, it integrates easily into workflows.

    49 Lucidchart alternatives

    License model

    • Freemium • Proprietary

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Software as a Service (SaaS)
    Lucidchart Templates and Examples: With hundreds of template examples to choose from, you can start diagramming in no time.

    Top Lucidchart Features

    1.  Real time collaboration
    2.  Flow Chart
    3.  Web-Based
    4.  Export to PDF
    5.  General-purpose diagramming
    6.  Ad-free
    7.  Support for @mentions
    8.  Works Offline
    9.  AI-Powered
    10.  Charts
    11.  Scalable UI
    12.  Online collaboration

    Lucidchart VS PlantUML

     

    • Lucidchart is the most popular Android, iPhone, iPad, SaaS & Android Tablet alternative to PlantUML.

    • Lucidchart is Freemium and ProprietaryPlantUML is Free and Open Source
  11. Microsoft Visio icon

    Microsoft Visio

     250 likes
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    Create data-connected diagrams with real-time collaboration as part of the Office Suite. Ideal for IT and business professionals, it visualizes complex info with ease, providing intuitive tools for diagramming, mind mapping, and vector graphics.

    119 Microsoft Visio alternatives

    License model

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Windows
    Microsoft Visio screenshot 1

    Microsoft Visio Features

    1.  Real time collaboration
    2.  Flow Chart
    3.  Workflow
    4.  Brainstorming

    Microsoft Visio VS PlantUML

     

    • Microsoft Visio is the most popular commercial alternative to PlantUML.

    • Microsoft Visio is Paid and ProprietaryPlantUML is Free and Open Source
  12. quiver diagram editor icon

    quiver diagram editor

     8 likes
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    Efficient web-based tool for constructing high-quality commutative diagrams. Offers LaTeX export with embedded links, intuitive interface supporting both mouse and keyboard inputs, and features like multiple selections, macro support, and smart label alignment.

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application type

    Country of Origin

    • GB flagUnited Kingdom

    Platforms

    • Online
    quiver diagram editor screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Privacy focused

    Features

    1.  No registration required
    2.  Ad-free
    3.  No Tracking
    4. LaTeX icon  Support for LaTeX
    5.  Activity history
    6.  Undo and redo
    7.  Export to LaTeX
    8.  Support for Keyboard Shortcuts
    9.  Drag and Drop
    10.  Multi-selection

    quiver diagram editor VS PlantUML

     
  13. Mermaid icon

    Mermaid

     27 likes
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    Ever wanted to simplify documentation and avoid heavy tools like Visio when explaining your code? This is why mermaid was born, a simple markdown-like script language for generating flowcharts, Gantt charts and sequence diagrams from text via JavaScript.

    24 Mermaid alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • SE flagSweden
    • European Union flagEU

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Self-Hosted
    • JavaScript
    • Node.JS
    Mermaid screenshot 1

    Mermaid Features

    1.  Ad-free
    2.  WYSIWYG Support
    3.  Dark Mode
    4.  Flow Chart
    5.  Graphs
    6.  Create UML entities
    7.  Built-in themes

    Mermaid VS PlantUML

     
  14. MindMeister icon

    MindMeister

     141 likes
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    MindMeister is the market-leader in online mind mapping. Unlike traditional mind mapping tools, MindMeister allows for real-time brainstorming sessions between an unlimited number of users and requires only a standard web browser.

    141 MindMeister alternatives

    License model

    • Freemium • Proprietary

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • DE flagGermany
    • European Union flagEU

    Platforms

    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    MindMeister desktop and mobile

    MindMeister Features

    1.  Cloud Sync
    2.  Ad-free
    3.  Real time collaboration
    4.  Brainstorming
    5.  REST API
    6.  Convert PDF to Word document
    7.  Collaborative writing

    MindMeister VS PlantUML

     
    Comments about MindMeister as an Alternative to PlantUML
    Guest
    Negative Jun 12, 2017
    0

    While mind mapping may fall into the category of "graphing application," it is not a replacement for software architecture diagramming and/or UML modeling.

    PlantUML Icon
    MindMeister icon
    • MindMeister is Freemium and ProprietaryPlantUML is Free and Open Source
  15. Graphviz icon

    Graphviz

     72 likes
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    Graphviz is open source graph visualization software. Graph visualization is a way of representing structural information as diagrams of abstract graphs and networks. It has important applications in networking, bioinformatics, software engineering, database and web design...

    54 Graphviz alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application type

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    Graphviz screenshot 1

    Graphviz Features

    1.  Graphs
    2.  Graph editing
    3.  Data visualization

    Graphviz VS PlantUML

     
  16. Square Sketch icon

    Square Sketch

     8 likes
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    Digital graph paper.

    102 Square Sketch alternatives

    License model

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • DE flagGermany
    • European Union flagEU

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    Square Sketch screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Privacy focused

    Features

    1.  No registration required
    2.  Ad-free
    3.  No Coding Required
    4.  Works Offline
    5.  Dark Mode
    6.  No Tracking
    7.  Export to PNG
    8.  Export to SVG
    9.  Sketching
    10.  Export to PDF

    Square Sketch VS PlantUML

     
13 of 113 PlantUML alternatives