Lucidchart vs. SmartDraw

Compare the SmartDraw diagramming tool with Lucidchart, the intelligent diagramming application. See how Lucidchart beats SmartDraw on real-time collaboration and more.

Lucid is the leader in visual collaboration

With 70 million users worldwide, Lucid is the most used visual collaboration platform. SmartDraw is less advanced and offers limited collaboration features.

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Why teams choose Lucidchart

Collaboration in real time or anytime

Lucidchart boosts collaboration by allowing teams to update and comment on diagrams simultaneously. SmartDraw allows users to work together on diagrams, but it lacks Lucidchart’s advanced collaboration features, such as the ability to see a document’s version history, invite collaborators with a Join ID, and share via Presentation Mode.

Customizable for a broad range of use cases

With Lucidchart, you can create custom shape libraries with custom shape data to standardize documentation for your team or organization. You can also choose from more than 1,000 templates to help you visualize anything faster. While SmartDraw offers a range of shapes and templates, the ability to customize these elements is limited.

More integrations to support more use cases

Like SmartDraw, Lucidchart integrates with leading apps, such as AWS, Confluence, Google Workspace, and Microsoft 365. But Lucidchart integrates with nearly five times as many apps as SmartDraw—including BambooHR, Figma, LeanIX, Salesforce, and Slack—to support more use cases throughout your organization.

Data and automation for deeper diagramming

Lucidchart data and automation features give you the power to make data actionable by clarifying complexity. Apply formulas for calculations, or use data linking to generate diagrams automatically. SmartDraw allows you to import data but it lacks powerful Lucidchart features, such as conditional formatting, data-linked dashboards, dynamic shapes, formulas, and more.

“The biggest benefit of Lucidchart is being able to share and work on diagrams in real time as a group.”

Matthew Wolber — Director of IT Infrastructure at Bandwidth

"That’s what makes Lucidchart great. It’s real time, and it’s in the cloud. Three teams can be updating it at once.”

Jen Zagofsky — Senior Director of Program Management at DocuSign

“Lucidchart promotes the efficiency and effectiveness of our teams, but better yet, it just makes creating diagrams and flows more accessible, more intuitive, and more consistent throughout the company.”

Anonymous at MessageBird

More resources to help you compare Lucidchart vs. SmartDraw

Lucidchart checks all the boxes for visualizations that support brainstorming and building.

Buyer’s guide: How to evaluate visual collaboration platforms

Learn how visual collaboration capabilities can help accelerate key initiatives, and get a checklist for choosing the best platform.

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What is intelligent diagramming?

See how advanced Lucidchart features such as data linking enable teams to see, align, and take action on their best ideas.

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Lucidchart template gallery

Browse or search ready-to-use templates for hundreds of use cases. Visualize, share, and document any idea faster.

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Lucidchart FAQ

Does Lucidchart work on mobile devices?

Yes, we offer Lucidchart apps for both iOS and Android, so you can easily access your documents, give approval, or make quick changes on the go. SmartDraw functionality is limited to the desktop.

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How does drag and drop in Lucidchart compare to SmartDraw?

Whereas Lucidchart allows you to move shapes and lines freely around the canvas, SmartDraw’s intelligent formatting feature limits how and where you can move shapes and lines.

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Which apps does Lucidchart integrate with?

Visit the link below to explore a complete list of third-party applications that integrate seamlessly with Lucidchart.

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How do SmartDraw and Lucidchart compare on cost?

Lucidchart offers a seven-day trial plus Free accounts to customers looking to create simple diagrams. SmartDraw only offers a seven-day trial. For paid accounts, Lucidchart offers more value at a lower price per license. Additionally, we offer the Lucid Visual Collaboration Suite, which bundles Lucidchart for diagramming and Lucidspark for whiteboarding. Lucid Suite customers save an average of one-third on their licensing costs. By bundling Lucidchart and Lucidspark, organizations can collaborate visually across their entire workflow, while consolidating with one vendor to replace multiple tools in their tech stack.