Looking for a Microsoft Visio Alternative? Check Out These Open Source Flowchart Apps
Microsoft Visio is a popular flowchart app, but it's only available for Windows users and comes with a subscription model starting at $12 per user per month. If you're looking for a more affordable and versatile alternative, here are some open source flowchart apps worth considering.
Flowchart App for Windows – Dia
Dia is a powerful flowchart app that is recommended by many users as a replacement for Visio. What sets Dia apart is that it is also available for macOS and Linux operating systems. While the diagrams created with Dia may not be as visually appealing as those in Visio, they are lightweight and use fewer resources.
Dia offers a wide range of shapes to work with, including arrows, boxes, and lines. You can easily move and resize objects within the flowchart, and work on multiple flowcharts and projects simultaneously using a tab layout. Additionally, Dia supports various export formats like PNG, SVG, CGM, meta, HPGL, and more.
Download Dia for Windows, macOS, and Linux here.
Flowchart App for macOS – Pencil
Pencil is an easy-to-use flowchart app available for both macOS and Windows. Unlike Dia, Pencil has a more intuitive user interface. It features a drag-and-drop interface, making it fast and convenient to use. Pencil supports copy-paste functionality, allowing you to bring in elements from other flowcharts seamlessly. The app also has a large collection of shapes and connectors, including support for Android and iOS.
You can interlink different pages and export the final version of your flowchart to various formats such as PDF, PNG, and webpage. With a refined and polished UI, Pencil offers a great user experience.
Download Pencil for macOS and Windows here.
Flowchart App for Android – PlantUML
PlantUML is the only open source flowchart app available for Android. It is a web-based app that uses a web service to convert text diagrams or flowcharts into images. While the options for shapes, connectors, and fonts are limited compared to other apps, PlantUML is still a viable option for creating basic flowcharts on the go.
Download PlantUML for Android here.
Flowchart App for iOS – PureFlow
Unfortunately, there are no open source flowchart apps for iOS. However, PureFlow is a reasonably priced app ($0.99) that offers a range of features. It allows you to create visually appealing flowcharts using different shapes and connectors. Though not as feature-rich as some desktop apps, PureFlow is user-friendly and offers enough options to satisfy most users. You can export your flowcharts as PNG images or PDF files for easy sharing.
Download PureFlow for iOS here.
These open source flowchart apps provide great alternatives to Microsoft Visio, catering to different platforms and user preferences. While there are more options available for desktop operating systems like Windows and macOS, the options for Android and iOS platforms are more limited. If you need to create or edit flowcharts on mobile, it might be worth considering a paid app or exploring the free web-based flowchart maker, Draw.io.
Remember, the key is to find an app that suits your needs and workflow. Happy flowcharting!

Jim's passion for Apple products ignited in 2007 when Steve Jobs introduced the first iPhone. This was a canon event in his life. Noticing a lack of iPad-focused content that is easy to understand even for “tech-noob”, he decided to create Tabletmonkeys in 2011.
Jim continues to share his expertise and passion for tablets, helping his audience as much as he can with his motto “One Swipe at a Time!”