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Technology · head to head

Excalidraw vs Lucidchart

Excalidraw logo

Excalidraw

Technology

Virtual whiteboard for sketching hand-drawn like diagrams

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Lucidchart logo

Lucidchart

Technology

Intelligent diagramming for every team

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Excalidraw advanced features (unlimited private scenes/folders, cloud storage, access management, presentations, extended AI, team management) are gated behind Excalidraw+; Lucidchart interface can overwhelm new users due to extensive features and customization options
  • They diverge on capability: Excalidraw covers Hand-drawn style diagrams, Lucidchart covers Flowcharts & diagrams.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Excalidraw and Lucidchart actually diverge.

Attributes where Excalidraw and Lucidchart differ
AttributeExcalidrawLucidchart
PlatformsWebWeb, Desktop, macOS, Windows
Founded20202010

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (Unknown), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Technology).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Excalidraw

  • Hand-drawn style diagrams
  • Infinite canvas
  • Shape libraries
  • Text support
  • Image import
  • Export options
  • Keyboard shortcuts
  • Notion

Only in Lucidchart

  • Flowcharts & diagrams
  • Process mapping
  • Mind maps
  • Wireframes & mockups
  • Network diagrams
  • Data visualization
  • Presentation mode
  • Google Workspace

Both cover

  • Real-time collaboration
  • GitHub

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Excalidraw

  • Wireframing and diagrammingnot Lucidchart
  • Real-time collaborative whiteboardingnot Lucidchart
  • Hand-drawn-style illustrations for docs and decksnot Lucidchart
  • Embedding a whiteboard into third-party apps via the npm packagenot Lucidchart
  • Visual planning and note-takingnot Lucidchart

Lucidchart

  • Process documentationnot Excalidraw
  • System architecturenot Excalidraw
  • Workflow designnot Excalidraw
  • Brainstormingnot Excalidraw
  • Technical documentationnot Excalidraw

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Excalidraw

  • Advanced features (unlimited private scenes/folders, cloud storage, access management, presentations, extended AI, team management) are gated behind Excalidraw+
  • Free hosted version persists via scene links/local storage rather than a managed multi-scene workspace
  • Self-hosting the full collaborative stack requires standing up a websocket server and storage beyond the npm editor package
  • No official native desktop or app-store mobile apps - web/PWA only

Lucidchart

  • Interface can overwhelm new users due to extensive features and customization options
  • Drag-and-drop canvas can feel clunky compared to modern whiteboard tools like Miro

Pricing, plan by plan

Excalidraw

Free
  • Excalidraw+$6/month
    • Unlimited private scenes and folders
    • Cloud storage
    • Access management

Lucidchart

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 3 documents
    • 60 shapes
    • Basic templates
  • Individual$7.95/month
    • Unlimited documents
    • Advanced templates
    • Cloud storage
  • Team$9/editor/month
    • Real-time collaboration
    • Team management
    • All integrations
  • Enterprise$undefined/custom
    • Advanced security
    • SSO
    • Dedicated support

Which should you pick?

Choose Excalidraw if

  • You need hand-drawn style diagrams.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want infinite canvas.
Excalidraw review

Choose Lucidchart if

  • You need flowcharts & diagrams.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Desktop, macOS, Windows.
  • You also want process mapping.
Lucidchart review

Questions people ask

Is Excalidraw or Lucidchart better?
Neither clearly leads. Excalidraw starts at Free and Lucidchart at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Excalidraw or Lucidchart?
Excalidraw starts at Free and Lucidchart at Free.
Does Excalidraw or Lucidchart run on more platforms?
Excalidraw runs on Web. Lucidchart runs on Web, Desktop, macOS, Windows.
Can I use Excalidraw for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Excalidraw best used for?
Excalidraw is most often used for wireframing and diagramming, real-time collaborative whiteboarding, hand-drawn-style illustrations for docs and decks, embedding a whiteboard into third-party apps via the npm package. Of those, wireframing and diagramming and real-time collaborative whiteboarding are not what Lucidchart is typically brought in for.
What can Excalidraw do that Lucidchart cannot?
Excalidraw covers Hand-drawn style diagrams, Infinite canvas, Shape libraries, Text support. Lucidchart covers Flowcharts & diagrams, Process mapping, Mind maps, Wireframes & mockups. Both handle Real-time collaboration, GitHub.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Excalidraw: Is Excalidraw free?

Excalidraw appears to be a free drawing application available at no cost to users. The website does not display information about pricing tiers or premium features, suggesting it is offered as a free service.

Source
Lucidchart: What pricing plans does Lucidchart offer?

Lucidchart has a free plan (3 documents, 60 shapes), Individual plan ($7.95/month), Team plan ($9/editor/month), and Enterprise with custom pricing.

Source
Excalidraw: Does Excalidraw offer paid plans?

No pricing tiers or paid upgrade options are mentioned on the Excalidraw website, which indicates the service is available entirely free without commercial pricing models.

Source
Lucidchart: Can I use Lucidchart offline?

Lucidchart is a cloud-based platform, but offers an offline desktop option for users who need to work without internet access.

Source
Lucidchart: What compliance certifications does Lucidchart have?

Lucidchart provides SOC 2 Type II, FedRAMP, HIPAA BAA, and GDPR compliance, making it suitable for regulated industries.

Source
Lucidchart: Does Lucidchart have AI diagram generation?

Yes, Lucidchart uses AI to auto-generate flowcharts, UML diagrams, ER diagrams, and org charts from text prompts, Excel data, CSV files, code snippets, or database schemas.

Source
Lucidchart: What integrations does Lucidchart support?

Lucidchart integrates with Microsoft Teams, Slack, Jira, Confluence, Google Workspace, and Salesforce for seamless workflow integration.

Source
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