lucidchart-vs-visio

Lucidchart and Microsoft Visio are highly rated diagramming software used to create workflows, maps, and charts. 

Lucidchart is a web-based solution that stands out because it can be used from anywhere and it has excellent collaboration features. Microsoft Visio is an excellent choice for businesses that are familiar with Microsoft apps and want a diagramming tool to enhance their capabilities. 

Both programs are popular with individual users, students, and businesses from small to large.  

Features

Despite their similarities, both Lucidchart and Microsoft Visio offer options that help them stand out. 

Lucidchart is a cheaper option that Visio which may help it appeal to non-business users and to small companies. It also features greater collaboration abilities like chatting and sharing with other users on the platform. It is also able to integrate with other workflow software like Jira, Confluence, and Github.  

Microsoft Visio has the advantage of being a Microsoft tool and users who are familiar with the Microsoft environment will have little trouble jumping into the program. Visio also features a brainstorming function that helps you organize ideas from meetings and can automatically recognize and order themes and hierarchies. Visio also offers a larger variety of file formats for both importing and exporting. 

Limitations

Lucidchart is web-based and while it has the advantage of letting you work from wherever, it can also mean that slow internet speeds or spotty internet may lead to usage difficulties. An offline mode is currently in the beta testing stage. Users also report some issues with the selection of objects and layers when there are many items on the screen. The software also has a limited amount of templates available as compared to its competition. 

Microsoft Visio’s main downside is that it is not available for all platforms and lacks compatibility with Apple products. Visio also has fewer preloaded shapes and Icons than LucidChart. It is also more expensive than some of its competition which may discourage some customers.  

Pricing

Lucidchart has several pricing options available. These start with a free version that allows up to 3 documents to be edited and the ability to choose from 1000 templates. Next, is the Individual tier starting at $7.95 per month. This offers unlimited documents and over 1,000 templates. Users can then step up to the Team tier which is $9.00 per month and offers better collaboration tools. The highest tier available is the Enterprise tier where customers will need to contact Lucidchart for a quote.   

Microsoft Visio also has multiple plans available. Visio can be purchased as a standalone software by individuals at a one time fee of $280 for Visio Standard Edition and for $530 for Visio Professional. Business plans are also available with Visio Plan 1 starting at $5 per user per month and offers access to Visio and Microsoft OneDrive for cloud storage. Users who need more can step up to Visio Plan 2 for $15 per user per month and offers self-updating desktop apps and a much larger library of templates and shapes.