Comparison
draw.io vs Lucidchart vs Wavelength for process maps
draw.io and Lucidchart draw most of the same diagrams. The big difference is the business model. draw.io is free and open source. Lucidchart is a paid suite with a limited free plan. This page lists the facts for both, and shows how Wavelength draws the first version for you.
Wavelength is a voice to diagram tool that turns a spoken process or a call transcript into an editable flowchart. It imports and exports draw.io files, so it works next to either tool.
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We checked drawio.com and Lucid's pricing page on October 6, 2026.
The short answer
- draw.io is free and open source. You store files where you choose.
- Lucidchart is a paid suite with a limited free plan, templates, data linking, and admin controls.
- Wavelength draws the process map for you while someone talks, and it imports and exports draw.io files.
Side by side
 draw.io |  Lucidchart | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free. Source code under Apache 2.0 | Free (3 documents), Individual $9 per month, Team $10 per user per month, billed annually |
| Account needed | No | Yes |
| Where files live | Where you choose: your disk, Google Drive, OneDrive, SharePoint, GitHub, and more | In Lucid's cloud |
| Document limits | None from the tool | 3 editable documents and 75 shapes per document on Free |
| Real-time collaboration | Yes, with shared cursors | Yes |
| Templates | Built-in template set | 100 on Free, premium templates on paid plans |
| Visio files | Imports .vsdx | Import and export on Individual and higher |
| Integrations | Google, Microsoft, Confluence, Jira, GitHub, VS Code, Notion | Microsoft 365, Confluence, Jira, and more on Team. Salesforce on Enterprise |
What each tool offers
draw.io: free, with no seat count and no document limit. The draw.io site says you store your data where you want. It lists a VS Code extension and GitHub integration, and it says files from 2005 still open in today's app.
Lucidchart: premium templates and shape packs, data linking on every plan, revision history and password protected publishing on Team, and SAML, sharing restrictions, and team hubs on Enterprise.
What both tools have in common
In both tools, a person draws every box and every arrow. It is slow when the process lives in other people's heads. Then the drawing waits for interviews, notes, and a second meeting to check the result.
Where Wavelength fits
Wavelength builds the first draft for you. You describe the process out loud, or paste a call transcript, and it draws the flow. Then you send it to draw.io if you want to finish it there. Wavelength exports to draw.io on every plan, including Free, and it imports .drawio and .xml files from draw.io.
So a practical setup for a cost-aware team is:
- Capture the process in Wavelength during the call or the workshop.
- Confirm the dashed, AI-inferred links with the people in the room.
- Share a live link from Wavelength, or export a draw.io file if your team stores files in draw.io.
If you are moving away from Lucidchart, export your documents as Visio .vsdx files. Wavelength imports them, up to 50 files at the same time. See how to switch from Lucidchart.
Moving from Lucidchart to Wavelength
The move has three steps. First, export each Lucidchart document as Visio .vsdx. Lucid's help center says this needs an Individual, Team, or Enterprise account, and that you export one document at a time. Second, upload the .vsdx files to Wavelength, up to 50 at the same time. Each file becomes an editable flow. Third, check each flow, and fix any small error by voice or by hand.
Move the diagrams your team uses every week first. When your Lucidchart renewal date comes, your working maps are already in Wavelength.
What changes when you switch to Wavelength
Wavelength draws the first version while someone talks. It exports a .drawio file for teams that keep their files in draw.io. See draw.io import and export.
Common questions
Is draw.io really free?
Yes. The draw.io site says its source code is under the Apache 2.0 license, that it needs no account, and that there are no paywalls. Some integrations, such as the Confluence app, are sold through the Atlassian marketplace, so check those separately.
Can Wavelength open Lucidchart files?
Yes, through the Visio format. Export from Lucidchart as Visio .vsdx, then upload the files to Wavelength. Visio export needs a Lucidchart Individual, Team, or Enterprise account.
What does Wavelength add to a draw.io workflow?
Wavelength draws the first version from speech, a transcript, or a recording, and it marks inferred links dashed amber until you confirm them. Then it exports a draw.io file on every plan.
Can Wavelength export to draw.io?
Yes. Every Wavelength plan, including Free, exports a flow to draw.io. Wavelength also imports .drawio and .xml files from draw.io.
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