vs
Lucidchart vs Microsoft Visio
The two paid business diagram apps. Lucidchart is browser-first with a small free plan and Team at $10 per user a month; Visio has no free plan, starts at $5 a month on Plan 1 and is also sold once as Visio Professional.
Which one to pick
Pick Lucidchart if
ShapesCodeWords
- You want a free plan to start with (3 editable documents)
- Your team uses Google Workspace, Confluence or Slack as much as Microsoft
- You want AI and a Mermaid editor in the same app
Pick Microsoft Visio if
Shapes
- You want the native .vsdx format with no conversion
- You'd rather pay once than subscribe
- Your files should stay in OneDrive or on your own disk
Where they differ most
Ways to draw
- Lucidchart
- Shapes, Code, Words
- Microsoft Visio
- Shapes
Free for work use
- Lucidchart
- YesYes
- Microsoft Visio
- Not applicableNot applicable
Cheapest paid plan
- Lucidchart
- $10/month, Team (billed yearly)
- Microsoft Visio
- $5/month, Visio Plan 1 (billed yearly)
Free version
- Lucidchart
- Free plan
- Microsoft Visio
- No free version
AI from a text prompt
- Lucidchart
- YesYes
- Microsoft Visio
- Not statedNot stated
Diagram code
- Lucidchart
- Mermaid
- Microsoft Visio
- None
Every fact, side by side
Highlighted rows differ. Rows with an info mark open a note.
LucidchartMicrosoft VisioHow you make a diagram
Ways to draw (differs)Shapes, Code, WordsShapes
Free plan and prices
Free limits (differs)3 editable documents, 75 shapes each, 100 templates, 25 MB storageIncluded Visio in Microsoft 365: basic diagrams in the browser, .vsdx only
Cheapest paid plan (differs)$10/month, Team (billed yearly)$5/month, Visio Plan 1 (billed yearly)
What you get out
PNG (differs)YesYesPaid plansPaid plans
Where it runs and where files live
Apps (differs)Web, iPad / iPhone, AndroidWeb, Windows
