draw.io or Excalidraw?

diagrams.net if you need UML, flowcharts, and a .drawio file. Excalidraw if the meeting is a sketch. Miro-shaped boards stay on /replace/miro.

Stacks / Docs

Easy

draw.io / Excalidraw

Diagrams you host. diagrams.net (draw.io) is Apache-2.0; Excalidraw is MIT — Lucidchart without the seat.

The problem

Lucidchart sells a diagram seat. You wanted boxes, arrows, and a file you can export. diagrams.net (draw.io) is Apache-2.0 and self-hostable. Excalidraw is the MIT whiteboard already on /stacks/excalidraw-whiteboard — use it if the job is a sketch board, not a formal diagram.

Replaces

Lucidchart

Replace Lucidchart

Estimated SaaS saved

$1,200

per year, small team, before lock-in

Start on Railway

Excalidraw if this is a whiteboard, not a diagram file

Sponsor this stack Tip jar

Placeholder: diagrams.net (jgraph/docker-drawio) plus a volume if you persist .drawio files, or reuse Excalidraw on /stacks/excalidraw-whiteboard. No one-click template in this repo yet — Start on Railway.

The stack

diagrams.net
Apache-2.0 diagrams (draw.io)
Excalidraw
MIT whiteboard if the job is a sketch

Cost table

You stop paying	Typical / year	Self-host instead
Lucidchart (small team)	$1,200	diagrams.net or Excalidraw

Agent setup prompt

Replace Lucidchart with self-hosted diagrams.net (preferred) or Excalidraw.

- diagrams.net: official Docker image, persist files on a volume or export .drawio/.svg. Bind HTTP to 0.0.0.0:$PORT.
- Excalidraw if people want a whiteboard, not a Visio-shaped diagram. That stack is /stacks/excalidraw-whiteboard.
- Export one live chart. Write AGENT_PROMPT.md. Do not claim Lucidchart import parity you have not tested.

Also as markdown: /stacks/diagrams-net.md

FAQ

draw.io or Excalidraw?: diagrams.net if you need UML, flowcharts, and a .drawio file. Excalidraw if the meeting is a sketch. Miro-shaped boards stay on /replace/miro.