Creately
Creately is a visual collaboration platform that combines whiteboarding, diagramming, and data-driven modeling to help teams plan, design, and manage complex workflows and systems in a single workspace.
Lucidchart
Lucidchart is a versatile intelligent diagramming application that empowers you to visualize complex ideas, systems, and processes through collaborative flowcharts, technical maps, and real-time data-linked visuals.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Creately | Lucidchart |
|---|---|---|
| Website | creately.com | lucidchart.com |
| Pricing Model | Freemium | Freemium |
| Starting Price | Free | Free |
| FREE Trial | ✓ 7 days free trial | ✓ 7 days free trial |
| Free Plan | ✓ Has free plan | ✓ Has free plan |
| Product Demo | ✓ Request demo here | ✓ Request demo here |
| Deployment | ||
| Integrations | ||
| Target Users | ||
| Target Industries | ||
| Customer Count | 0 | 0 |
| Founded Year | 2008 | 2010 |
| Headquarters | Melbourne, Australia | South Jordan, USA |
Overview
Creately
Creately provides you with a flexible infinite canvas where you can brainstorm ideas, design complex systems, and manage entire projects visually. Unlike basic drawing tools, it uses a data-linked approach that allows you to attach metadata, tasks, and statuses to any shape or icon. This means your diagrams aren't just static pictures; they become living documents that track progress and store critical information for your entire team.
You can jumpstart your work with thousands of specialized templates for IT architecture, HR planning, software engineering, and marketing strategy. The platform supports real-time multi-user editing, allowing you to follow your colleagues' cursors as you build out wireframes or flowcharts together. Whether you are mapping out a simple process or architecting a massive cloud infrastructure, it scales to meet your technical requirements while remaining simple enough for non-technical users.
Lucidchart
Lucidchart is a visual workspace where you can turn complex ideas into clear, actionable diagrams. Whether you are mapping out a new software architecture, designing a business process, or brainstorming with your team, you can use the drag-and-drop interface to build professional flowcharts and technical models. It helps you bridge the gap between technical and non-technical stakeholders by providing a shared visual language that everyone can understand and contribute to instantly.
You can work together in real-time with your colleagues, seeing their cursors move as you co-create diagrams from any device. The platform integrates with your existing tech stack, allowing you to embed diagrams directly into apps like Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Confluence. It scales from individual freelancers to global enterprises, offering a free version for basic needs and tiered paid plans starting at $9.00 per month for advanced features.
Overview
Creately Features
- Infinite Canvas Expand your workspace in any direction to map out large-scale systems and complex project timelines without hitting boundaries.
- Data-Linked Shapes Add custom data fields and task statuses to your diagrams to turn simple shapes into actionable project items.
- Real-Time Collaboration Work simultaneously with your team on the same canvas and see everyone's changes instantly with live cursor tracking.
- Smart Connectors Create professional flowcharts faster with automated connectors that snap into place and stay aligned as you move objects.
- Multi-Perspective Views View the same data as a Kanban board, a roadmap, or a technical diagram without redrawing your work.
- Extensive Template Library Access over 10,000 professional templates for everything from AWS architecture to organizational charts and value stream maps.
Lucidchart Features
- Real-Time Collaboration. Work simultaneously with your team on the same document with live cursors, in-editor chat, and collaborative commenting.
- Intelligent Shape Libraries. Access thousands of shapes for flowcharts, network diagrams, wireframes, and UML models to build professional visuals quickly.
- Data Linking. Connect your diagrams to live data in Google Sheets or Excel to see your business metrics update automatically.
- Automated Diagramming. Generate complex visuals like org charts or ERDs automatically by importing your existing data files or database schemas.
- Conditional Formatting. Apply visual rules to your shapes so they change color or style based on specific data triggers or statuses.
- Extensive Integrations. Embed your diagrams into the tools you use daily, including Google Workspace, Microsoft Office, and Atlassian products.
Pricing Comparison
Creately Pricing
- 3 Canvas documents
- Limited shapes and library
- Basic collaboration features
- Folder management
- Storage up to 100MB
- Everything in Free, plus:
- Unlimited canvas documents
- Unlimited shapes and libraries
- 5GB cloud storage
- High-resolution image exports
- Priority email support
Lucidchart Pricing
- 3 editable documents
- 60 shapes per document
- 100 professional templates
- Basic collaboration features
- Integrations with Slack and MS Teams
- Everything in Free, plus:
- Unlimited editable documents
- Unlimited shapes and items
- 1 GB of storage
- Premium shape libraries
- Presentation mode
Pros & Cons
Creately
Pros
- Extensive library of specialized shapes and templates
- Unique ability to link data to visual elements
- Intuitive drag-and-drop interface for quick diagramming
- Affordable pricing compared to major competitors
- Strong real-time collaboration for remote teams
Cons
- Performance can lag on very large diagrams
- Mobile app experience is less fluid than desktop
- Steeper learning curve for advanced data features
Lucidchart
Pros
- Extremely intuitive drag-and-drop interface for all users
- Excellent real-time collaboration tools for remote teams
- Massive library of pre-built templates and shapes
- Works seamlessly across different operating systems and browsers
Cons
- Free version is quite limited for complex projects
- Mobile app experience is less fluid than desktop
- Can become laggy with very large, data-heavy diagrams