What diagrams.net does

diagrams.net, operating under the brand draw.io, is a privately held, independent software company founded in 2005 and headquartered in Northampton, United Kingdom (with US and Swiss/EU legal entities draw.io Ltd and draw.io AG). The company builds a free, open-source diagramming platform distributed under the Apache 2.0 license, offering a web application (app.diagrams.net), a downloadable desktop application (get.diagrams.net), and native integrations with Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Atlassian Confluence/Jira, GitHub, VS Code, and Notion. Its technology stack centers on a web-based editor with real-time collaboration via shared cursors, a privacy-first architecture in which users bring their own storage (local or third-party cloud), and backwards-compatible file formats dating back to 2005. The product also exposes an embeddable viewer (viewer.diagrams.net) that allows interactive diagrams to be placed inside any third-party application via iframe.

The platform serves a horizontal user base of developers, DevOps engineers, technical architects, IT professionals, and teams that need professional-grade diagramming for software architecture, technical documentation, and workflow visualization, with claimed reach of 100M+ users worldwide. The business model is fully freemium: no account is required, no pricing tiers exist, and there is no enterprise SSO SKU; the company explicitly states it is not VC-funded and is privately focused on building good software rather than maximizing valuation. Distribution is product-led and organic, relying on developer communities (GitHub Discussions, Stack Overflow), SEO, documentation, and deep embedding within partner platforms to drive adoption at effectively zero customer acquisition cost.

Operationally, diagrams.net runs with 1–10 employees, supported by founder Gaudenz Alder, and operates without disclosed revenue, funding rounds, M&A activity, or external institutional investors. The corporate structure spans draw.io Ltd and draw.io AG, and the company has maintained continuous operation for 20 years with backwards compatibility preserved throughout, signaling long-term product stewardship over growth-stage monetization.

Name

diagrams.net

Legal name

draw.io Ltd

Website

https://about.draw.io

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

diagrams.net (draw.io) is an independent, open-source (Apache 2.0) diagramming platform offering a free web and desktop app with native integrations into Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Atlassian, GitHub, VS Code, and Notion, serving 100M+ developers, technical teams, and organizations globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Diagramming Software

NAICS

Drafting Services (54134)

SIC

Services-Computer Programming Services (7371)

akta.pro primary industry

Digital Whiteboards, Annotation & Collaborative Canvas Tools (EDAFAGAD)

Keywords

• Diagramming software
• Open source diagrams
• Flowchart tools
• Technical diagramming
• Diagram collaboration

Headquarters

HQ city

Northampton

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Free Core Product: The core draw.io product is free forever with no sign-up required. The company is independently operated and not VC-funded, suggesting revenue may come from optional support services, enterprise features, or sustainable operations without requiring external capital.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

diagrams.net (branded as draw.io) provides a free, open-source, browser-based and desktop diagramming application that enables users to create flowcharts, UML diagrams, network diagrams, technical architectures, and other visual diagrams with real-time collaboration. The platform is delivered via the web app at app.diagrams.net and a downloadable desktop application for Windows, Mac, and Linux, with users retaining full control of their data by storing diagrams locally or in their preferred cloud storage service.

Product overview

diagrams.net (branded as draw.io) is a unified diagramming platform consisting of two complementary products: the web-based online tool accessible at app.diagrams.net and the downloadable desktop application available at get.diagrams.net. Both products share the same core functionality, enabling users to create, edit, and collaborate on diagrams with full backwards compatibility dating back to 2005. The platform operates on an open-source Apache 2.0 model without an enterprise tier, emphasizing privacy-first design where users retain full control of their data by storing it wherever they choose—either locally or in their preferred cloud storage service. Native integrations extend the platform into productivity tools including Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Atlassian Confluence and Jira, GitHub, VS Code, and Notion.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• draw.io Online Tool Web-based diagramming application accessible at app.diagrams.net with no sign-up required, offering real-time collaboration with shared cursors, backwards compatibility to 2005 file formats, and privacy-first architecture where users bring their own storage and the company cannot access user data. Built for developers, technical teams, and individuals who need professional diagramming without enterprise pricing or vendor lock-in.
• draw.io Desktop App Downloadable desktop application for Windows, Mac, and Linux that enables local offline diagram creation and editing with full feature parity to the online web app, allowing users to save locally or to any chosen cloud storage provider.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100M+ users worldwide trust and use the draw.io platform

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration11 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• GooglecoreTechnology or IntegrationNative integration with Google Drive, Docs, and Slides. Users can directly save and access diagrams from Google Drive, embed diagrams in Google Docs, and include them in Google Slides presentations.
• MicrosoftcoreTechnology or IntegrationNative integration with Microsoft SharePoint, OneDrive, and Teams. Diagrams can be stored in Microsoft cloud storage and embedded in Microsoft productivity tools.
• AtlassiancoreTechnology or IntegrationNative integration with Atlassian Confluence and Jira. Diagrams can be embedded in Confluence wikis and linked to Jira issues for visual documentation.
• GitHubcoreTechnology or IntegrationIntegration with GitHub Repos and Markdown. Diagrams can be embedded in GitHub README files and markdown documentation. Draw.io is open source on GitHub.
• VS CodecoreTechnology or IntegrationOfficial editor extension for Visual Studio Code. Developers can create and edit diagrams directly within their code editor workflow.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• SmartDraw: SmartDraw is an established diagramming software providing templates for flowcharts, org charts, floor plans, and technical diagrams. It competes with draw.io across professional and technical diagramming but follows a traditional paid-licensing model.
• Miro: Miro is a widely adopted online collaborative whiteboard with strong diagramming capabilities. It serves similar developer and team use cases as draw.io but operates as a VC-backed freemium platform emphasizing broader visual collaboration beyond pure diagramming.
• Cacoo: Cacoo by Nulab is a collaborative diagramming tool supporting flowcharts, wireframes, and UML diagrams with real-time multi-user editing. It competes directly with draw.io in team-based diagram creation and visual collaboration.
• Creately: Creately is a visual collaboration platform offering diagramming, mind mapping, and planning tools. It serves similar technical and business team use cases as draw.io with both free and paid subscription tiers.
• Lucidchart: Lucidchart is a leading cloud-based diagramming platform serving developers, business analysts, and enterprise teams. It directly competes with draw.io in core diagramming categories but pursues an enterprise-focused paid SaaS model with deeper paid features.
• Whimsical: Whimsical offers visual collaboration tools combining flowcharts, wireframes, and mind maps. It targets similar developer and product-team use cases as draw.io with an emphasis on intuitive design and team collaboration.

Broad incumbents

• Mural: Mural is a digital workspace for visual collaboration serving enterprise teams across consulting, design, and product. Its diagramming and whiteboarding capabilities overlap with draw.io's collaboration features, with stronger emphasis on workshops and facilitation.
• Microsoft Visio: Microsoft Visio is the long-standing incumbent in technical and business diagramming, now offered as part of Microsoft 365. It competes with draw.io in the same diagramming use cases but is bundled into Microsoft's broader enterprise productivity suite.

Emerging players

• Excalidraw: Excalidraw is an open-source virtual whiteboard with a distinctive hand-drawn aesthetic that has gained strong traction among developers. It overlaps with draw.io's developer-focused diagramming but differentiates on style and lightweight collaboration.
• Mermaid: Mermaid is an open-source diagramming and charting tool that renders diagrams from text-based syntax. It addresses overlapping developer use cases through code-based diagramming that often complements rather than replaces draw.io in developer workflows.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• GitHubgithub.com/jgraph/drawio
• Xx.com/drawio
• Facebookfacebook.com/drawioapp

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about diagrams.net