Free Flowchart Makers (2026): 9 Tools Compared

Flowcharts save arguments. Once a refund process, onboarding checklist or approval chain is drawn out, everyone can see where it slows down and who decides what.

The nine tools below cover small businesses, developers and larger teams. They're listed alphabetically and in no particular order, and every description comes from the vendor's own website, read this week. If you're mapping a process so you can automate it, my guide to AI workflow automation for small businesses is the natural next step.

Flowchart makers at a glance

I checked the free plan column on each tool's own website, as of Oct 2026. Yes means the site says the tool, or a plan or version of it, is free or open source. Trial only means a time-limited trial. Not stated means the pages I read named neither, even where there's a button inviting you to try it, so check the vendor's page before you sign up.

Tool	Type	Good for	Free plan
code2flow	Code to flowchart converter	Turning written logic into a flowchart	Not stated
Creately	Online flowchart software	Flowcharts in a visual workspace	Yes
draw.io	Open source diagramming tool	Private diagrams with no sign-up	Yes
Gliffy	Diagramming app for Confluence	Flowcharts inside Confluence pages	Not stated
Lucidchart	Online diagramming application	Detailed process maps for larger teams	Not stated
Microsoft Visio	Microsoft diagramming software	Process maps for Microsoft 365 teams	Not stated
SmartDraw	Diagramming software with a flowchart maker	Flowcharts beside floor plans and org charts	Yes
Visme	Online design tool with a flowchart maker	Flowcharts for presentations and reports	Yes
Whimsical	Visual workspace with AI flowcharts	Generating a flowchart from a prompt	Yes

Nine flowchart makers worth trying

code2flow

Best for: Developers and product people who'd rather describe complex logic as text and have it converted into an interactive flowchart.

Creately

Best for: Teams that want free flowchart software inside a visual workspace that also handles mind maps and UML.

draw.io

Best for: Anyone who wants free flowcharts with no sign-up, saved on their own device or cloud storage rather than the vendor's servers.

Gliffy

Best for: Software and IT departments that document processes in Confluence and want technical diagrams and flowcharts built right into their pages.

Lucidchart

Best for: Operations and IT teams that want a dedicated flowchart maker with integrations and add-ons across a wider visual suite.

Microsoft Visio

Best for: Organisations on Microsoft 365 that want flowcharts, process maps and BPMN diagrams from the same company as their office apps.

SmartDraw

Best for: Office managers who want flowchart templates beside org charts, timelines and floor plans, with integrations for Microsoft and Google.

Visme

Best for: Marketers and trainers who want a flowchart that matches their slides and documents, made in the same design tool.

Whimsical

Best for: Product teams who want to turn any process into a structured flowchart from a single prompt, then tidy it by hand.

Which flowchart maker matches your process

• Turning written logic into a chart: code2flow or Whimsical.
• Free diagrams with no sign-up: draw.io.
• Flowcharts in Confluence: Gliffy.
• Process maps for bigger teams: Creately, Lucidchart or Microsoft Visio.
• Templates beside org charts and timelines: SmartDraw.
• Flowcharts that match your slides: Visme.

Flowchart shapes have agreed meanings

The International Organization for Standardization publishes ISO 5807:1985, which sets the documentation symbols and conventions for data, program and system flowcharts. ISO says it was last reviewed and confirmed in 2019, so it remains current.

You don't need to read the standard to benefit from it. Most people recognise the basics: a rounded box to start and end, a rectangle for a step and a diamond for a yes or no decision. Use a random shape for a decision and anyone who reads flowcharts often will slow down. Stick to the familiar shapes and keep one action per box.

Design template, team diagram app or text to chart?

A design template gives you a tidy flowchart for a slide or a training handout. It's the quickest route for a short process.

A team diagram app is built for processes that change. Several people can edit, comment and link the chart to the documents it describes.

Text to chart tools turn written steps, code or a prompt into a draft flowchart. They're quick for a first version, and you'll still tidy the layout by hand.

Six questions to answer before you draw

1. Where does the process start and end?
2. Who owns each step?
3. Where are the yes or no decisions?
4. What happens when something goes wrong?
5. Who needs to edit the chart later?
6. Where will people find it when they need it?

Signs your flowchart needs simplifying

• Arrows cross everywhere. Rearrange the steps.
• Boxes hold paragraphs. One action per box.
• Decisions have one exit. Show both answers.
• Nobody owns a step. Add a name.

Do you make a flowchart maker? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.

My plain advice on flowcharts people follow

Draw the process as it happens today, not as you wish it did. The useful flowchart is the honest one, with the extra approval step and the email that always gets forgotten. Once it's on the page, the fix is usually obvious, and you'll know which step to change first.

If the chart becomes a written procedure, my SOP writing prompt pack turns each box into clear instructions.

Frequently asked questions

What is a flowchart maker?

It's a tool for drawing a process as boxes, decisions and arrows so people can follow it step by step.

Are flowchart makers free?

Several have a free version or are open source. Check the free plan column above, then confirm on each vendor's site.

What do the shapes in a flowchart mean?

Usually a rounded box starts and ends the process, a rectangle is a step and a diamond is a decision. ISO 5807 sets the formal symbols.

Can AI make a flowchart for me?

Yes. Some tools turn a prompt or written logic into a draft flowchart that you can then edit.

Can a team edit the same flowchart?

Yes. Team diagram apps let several people edit and comment on one chart.

How detailed should a flowchart be?

One action per box and every decision shown. If it no longer fits on a screen, split it into smaller charts.