5 self-hosted options
Open-source alternatives to Lucidchart
The best open-source alternatives to Lucidchart are draw.io, Excalidraw and tldraw.
About Lucidchart: A web-based diagramming and flowchart tool.
Every option below is free to self-host and ranked by GitHub stars, so you can move off Lucidchart without giving up the features you rely on.
Top picks
- Rank 1:
draw.io
jgraph/drawio
Diagram software for making flowcharts, process diagrams, org charts, UML, ER and network diagrams.
Note-taking & EditorsJavaScriptDocker - Rank 2:
Excalidraw
excalidraw/excalidraw
Virtual hand-drawn style whiteboard for diagrams and sketches.
UtilitiesTypeScriptDocker - Rank 3:
tldraw
tldraw/tldraw
Infinite canvas whiteboard and SDK for drawing and diagramming.
UtilitiesTypeScript
Why switch
Why teams move off Lucidchart
Self-hosting is not only about saving money. These are the reasons people make the switch.
Own your data
Your data lives on a server you control, not on Lucidchart's infrastructure. No surprise policy changes and no lock-in.
No per-seat pricing
Open-source alternatives to Lucidchart are free to run for as many users as your server can handle. A small VPS often costs less than a single subscription.
Customize and extend
Read the code, add plugins, connect it to your own tools and automate it through open APIs. When you need a feature, you can build it or fund it.
Full ranking
All 5 Lucidchart alternatives
Ranked by GitHub stars. Open any app for live stats, license details and a deploy option.
- 1
draw.io
Diagram software for making flowcharts, process diagrams, org charts, UML, ER and network diagrams.
Note-taking & EditorsDocker - 2
Excalidraw
Virtual hand-drawn style whiteboard for diagrams and sketches.
UtilitiesDocker - 3
tldraw
Infinite canvas whiteboard and SDK for drawing and diagramming.
Utilities - 4
penpot
Web-based design and prototyping platform meant for cross-domain teams.
UtilitiesDocker - 5
TeamMapper
Host and create your own mindmaps. Share your mindmap sessions with your team and collaborate live on mindmaps.
Wikis & Knowledge BasesDocker
What is the best open-source alternative to Lucidchart?
draw.io is the most popular open-source alternative to Lucidchart, with 8,585 GitHub stars. Excalidraw and tldraw are also strong choices. Compare features, license and recent activity to find the best fit for your team.
Is there a free alternative to Lucidchart?
Yes. All 5 apps on this page are open source and free to self-host, so you can run a Lucidchart replacement without per-user fees. You only pay for the server, and a small VPS is usually enough for personal use or a small team.
Can I self-host an alternative to Lucidchart?
Yes. draw.io, Excalidraw and penpot ship a Docker image, so you can run them on a home server or VPS with Docker Compose in a few minutes. Your data then stays on hardware you control.
How do I migrate from Lucidchart?
Start by exporting your data from Lucidchart, then check the import options of the app you pick, since many projects ship importers for popular formats. Run both side by side for a week before you switch so nothing is lost.