What is the difference between Mermaid and Lucidchart?

Mermaid is best for Developers wanting text-based diagrams in markdown, while Lucidchart is best for Teams wanting professional diagramming and flowcharts. Mermaid starts at Free and Lucidchart starts at Free.

Is Mermaid or Lucidchart cheaper?

Mermaid starts at Free and is free. Lucidchart starts at Free with a free tier.

Is there a free alternative to Lucidchart?

Both Mermaid and Lucidchart offer free tiers.

Mermaid vs Lucidchart

Mermaid is javaScript-based diagramming tool that renders diagrams from text definitions, while Lucidchart is intelligent diagramming platform for flowcharts, wireframes, and technical diagrams. Mermaid is open source and can be self-hosted, giving you full control over your data. Mermaid is built for developers wanting text-based diagrams in markdown, whereas Lucidchart targets teams wanting professional diagramming and flowcharts.

At a glance

	Mermaid	Lucidchart
Best for	Developers wanting text-based diagrams in markdown	Teams wanting professional diagramming and flowcharts
Starting price	Free	Free
Free tier	✓	✓
Open source	✓	—
Free tier available	✓	✓
Open source	✓	—
Flowcharts	—	✓
Git-Friendly	✓	—
Integrations	—	✓
Many Chart Types	✓	—
Markdown	✓	—
Real-Time Collab	—	✓
Templates	—	✓
Text-Based	✓	—

Mermaid

Strengths

Open source and transparent
Includes Text-Based as a core feature, purpose-built for diagramming workflows
Fully open-source — you can self-host, audit the code, and avoid vendor lock-in
The core product is free with no paywalled essentials

Weaknesses

May lack some advanced features
Self-hosting is free but requires server maintenance and DevOps knowledge
Fewer built-in features means you may need additional tools to cover gaps
Ecosystem of third-party integrations is smaller than the market leaders in diagramming

Try Mermaid → Full review

Lucidchart

Strengths

Includes Flowcharts as a core feature, purpose-built for diagramming workflows
Real-time collaboration so multiple designers can work on the same scene together
Free for 3 documents — generous enough for most small teams to get real work done
Established product with 16+ years on the market and a mature ecosystem

Weaknesses

Free plan exists but key features are locked behind the paid upgrade
Fewer built-in features means you may need additional tools to cover gaps
Ecosystem of third-party integrations is smaller than the market leaders in diagramming
Mobile experience lags behind the desktop version in features and polish

Try Lucidchart → Full review

The bottom line

Pricing: Both Mermaid and Lucidchart are free. You can try both without spending a dollar.

Feature gaps: Mermaid offers Git-Friendly, Many Chart Types and Markdown that Lucidchart lacks. Lucidchart brings Flowcharts, Integrations and Real-Time Collab that Mermaid does not have.

Team fit: Mermaid is geared toward individual users and small setups, while Lucidchart is aimed at any size teams. Pick the one that matches where your team is today and where it is headed — migrating tools later is always painful.

Open source: Mermaid is open source, meaning you can self-host, audit the code, and avoid vendor lock-in. Lucidchart is proprietary — you are trusting the vendor with your data and uptime.

Where each tool shines: Mermaid's biggest strengths are: open source and transparent. includes text-based as a core feature, purpose-built for diagramming workflows. Lucidchart's biggest strengths are: includes flowcharts as a core feature, purpose-built for diagramming workflows. real-time collaboration so multiple designers can work on the same scene together.

Watch out for: With Mermaid, users commonly note that may lack some advanced features. With Lucidchart, the main complaint is that free plan exists but key features are locked behind the paid upgrade.

Choose Mermaid if...

Your profile matches its sweet spot: developers wanting text-based diagrams in markdown
You need self-hosting, data sovereignty, or the ability to audit source code
You specifically need Git-Friendly and Many Chart Types
You care about includes text-based as a core feature, purpose-built for diagramming workflows
Your team size fits the individuals profile Mermaid is designed for

Choose Lucidchart if...

Your profile matches its sweet spot: teams wanting professional diagramming and flowcharts
You specifically need Flowcharts and Integrations
You care about real-time collaboration so multiple designers can work on the same scene together
Your team size fits the any size profile Lucidchart is designed for
The free tier works for you: free for 3 documents