Diagrams.net (draw.io) is a completely free, open-source diagramming tool for flowcharts, UML, and org charts, while Microsoft Teams is a chat, video-meeting,…
| Diagrams.net | Microsoft Teams | |
|---|---|---|
| Primary category | Collaboration | Collaboration |
| Rating | Not documented | Not documented |
| Pricing model | Free/Open Source (with paid enterprise add-ons) | Freemium |
| Starting price | Free | Free (paid plans from $4/user/month for Teams Essentials) |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | Not documented | Not documented |
| Platforms | Web, Mac, Windows | Web, Mac, Windows |
| Team collaboration | Not documented | Not documented |
| AI features | Not documented | Not documented |
| Public API | Not documented | Not documented |
Core Product Category
Diagrams.net: Diagrams.net is a dedicated diagramming tool for flowcharts, UML diagrams, and org charts, with no chat or meeting functionality.
Microsoft Teams: Microsoft Teams is a chat, video-meeting, and file-collaboration hub with persistent channels, HD video meetings, and Teams Phone calling.
The two tools solve entirely different problems, so the decision is about how they fit together rather than which one to pick.
Pricing
Diagrams.net: Diagrams.net is free forever with no paid tier and no sign-up required at all.
Microsoft Teams: Teams offers a free plan, then paid tiers from roughly $4/user/month (Teams Essentials) up to roughly $12.50/user/month (Microsoft 365 Business Standard).
Diagrams.net can be adopted at zero cost indefinitely, while Teams costs scale with headcount and feature tier, especially for full Microsoft 365 bundles.
Self-Hosting and Data Control
Diagrams.net: Diagrams.net offers an official Docker image (jgraph/drawio) for full self-hosting, and lets users choose where diagram data is stored (Google Drive, OneDrive, SharePoint, or local), stating it cannot access that data.
Microsoft Teams: Microsoft Teams is not documented as self-hostable; it runs as a Microsoft-hosted cloud service.
Self-hosting matters for organizations with data residency or compliance requirements around exactly where content lives.
Meeting and Calling Capability
Diagrams.net: Diagrams.net has no meeting or calling features documented; it is purely a diagramming canvas.
Microsoft Teams: Teams includes HD video meetings with screen sharing and recording, breakout rooms, and Teams Phone VoIP calling with voicemail.
Only one of these products can serve as the actual communication and meeting layer for a team.
Third-Party Integrations
Diagrams.net: Diagrams.net natively integrates with Confluence, Jira, GitHub, VS Code, Microsoft Teams, and Notion.
Microsoft Teams: Teams supports App & Workflow Integrations that connect third-party apps and bots as tabs or notifications, plus deep native integration with Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and SharePoint.
This shows the products are largely complementary rather than competing, since diagrams.net is literally one of the apps listed as integrating into Teams.
| Feature | Diagrams.net | Microsoft Teams |
|---|---|---|
| Flowchart, UML, and org chart creation | Available | Unavailable |
| Desktop application | Available | Available |
| Long-term file backward compatibility | Available | Not documented |
| No sign-up required to use | Available | Unavailable |
| Feature | Diagrams.net | Microsoft Teams |
|---|---|---|
| Real-time co-editing | Available | Available |
| Video meetings | Unavailable | Available |
| Persistent chat/channels | Unavailable | Available |
| VoIP/phone calling | Unavailable | Available |
| Feature | Diagrams.net | Microsoft Teams |
|---|---|---|
| Self-hosting | Available | Not documented |
| Free tier | Available | Available |
| Admin/compliance controls | Not documented | Available |
| Mobile apps | Not documented | Available |
Starting price reflects the lowest paid tier, not the full cost for every team size or usage level.
Pros
Cons
Pros
Cons
Yes, diagrams.net lists a native integration with Microsoft Teams, so diagrams can be embedded and edited from within a Teams channel.
Yes. Its homepage states it is free forever and open source under the Apache 2.0 license, with no sign-up required.
Yes, the free plan includes unlimited chat messages and search, video meetings up to 60 minutes, and file storage per user.
Yes, via the official Docker image (jgraph/drawio), letting teams run it entirely on their own infrastructure. Teams has no documented self-hosting option since it's a Microsoft-hosted cloud service.
No, Teams can be used with the free plan or the standalone Teams Essentials plan (around $4/user/month) without a full Microsoft 365 subscription.
Neither replaces the other. Diagrams.net handles the actual diagramming work (flowcharts, UML, org charts) while Teams provides the video meeting and chat layer where the diagram gets discussed, and the two can be combined via diagrams.net's Teams integration.
Read the full Diagrams.net review · Read the full Microsoft Teams review