Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Balsamiq Mockups VS draw.io

Compare Balsamiq Mockups VS draw.io and see what are their differences

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Balsamiq Mockups logo Balsamiq Mockups

Using Balsamiq Mockups feels like you are drawing, but its digital, so you can tweak and rearrange...

draw.io logo draw.io

Online diagramming application
  • Balsamiq Mockups Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-04-18
  • draw.io Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-07-20

Balsamiq Mockups features and specs

  • User-friendly Interface
    Balsamiq Mockups offers an intuitive and easy-to-use interface, making it accessible for non-designers to quickly create wireframes.
  • Rapid Prototyping
    The tool is designed for fast prototyping, allowing users to swiftly visualize their ideas through pre-built components and a simple drag-and-drop functionality.
  • Focus on Structure
    Balsamiq emphasizes low-fidelity mockups, which keeps the focus on structure and functionality rather than detailed design elements.
  • Collaboration Features
    The platform facilitates collaboration through options like adding comments, sharing links, and integrating with other collaboration tools like Confluence and Jira.
  • Cross-platform Availability
    Balsamiq Mockups is accessible via a web app that works across various operating systems, and it also offers desktop versions for Windows and macOS.

Possible disadvantages of Balsamiq Mockups

  • Limited Design Customization
    The tool is focused on low-fidelity wireframes, which means it lacks the capability for highly detailed design or customization.
  • No Interactive Prototyping
    Unlike some other wireframing tools, Balsamiq does not support creating interactive prototypes with animations or transitions.
  • Learning Curve for Advanced Features
    While the basic functions are easy to learn, some advanced features may require additional time to master, particularly for users new to design tools.
  • Subscription Cost
    Although reasonably priced, Balsamiq is a paid tool, which might be a consideration for small teams or individual users with limited budgets.
  • Limited to Wireframes
    Balsamiq is specifically focused on wireframing, which might not be suitable for teams looking for an all-in-one tool that includes detailed UI and UX design features.

draw.io features and specs

  • Free
    draw.io offers a free version with extensive features, making it accessible to individuals and small teams without requiring financial investment.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    The platform provides an intuitive drag-and-drop interface that is easy to use for both beginners and advanced users.
  • Collaboration
    It supports real-time collaboration, allowing multiple users to work on the same diagram simultaneously.
  • Integrations
    It integrates seamlessly with popular cloud storage services like Google Drive, OneDrive, and Dropbox, facilitating easy sharing and saving.
  • Versatility
    Draw.io supports various diagram types including flowcharts, UML diagrams, network diagrams, and more, catering to a wide range of use cases.
  • No Installation Required
    As a web-based tool, draw.io does not require any installation, making it accessible from any device with an internet connection.
  • Customizability
    Users can customize shapes, styles, and templates to fit their specific needs, enhancing the utility of the tool.

Possible disadvantages of draw.io

  • Performance Issues
    Users may experience lag or performance issues, especially when working with very large diagrams or on less powerful hardware.
  • Limited Advanced Features
    While suitable for most general uses, draw.io might lack some advanced features available in premium diagramming tools like Visio.
  • Cloud Dependency
    As a cloud-based tool, draw.io requires a stable internet connection for optimal performance, potentially limiting its use in areas with poor connectivity.
  • Privacy Concerns
    Using a cloud service can raise privacy concerns, especially when dealing with sensitive or proprietary information.
  • Learning Curve
    Although user-friendly, becoming proficient with all features and integrations can take some time for new users.

Analysis of draw.io

Overall verdict

  • Yes, draw.io is widely regarded as a good tool for creating diagrams due to its versatility, ease of use, and comprehensive feature set. It is a reliable choice for both individual users and teams requiring collaborative diagramming capabilities.

Why this product is good

  • Draw.io is considered a good tool because it is user-friendly, offers a wide range of features for creating diagrams, and is available as both a web-based application and a desktop app. It supports multiple platforms and a variety of diagram types, including flowcharts, network diagrams, UML, and more. The tool is often praised for its intuitive interface, easy integration with platforms like Google Drive and Microsoft OneDrive, and the fact that it offers a free version without significant limitations.

Recommended for

  • Business professionals who need to create process flows and organizational charts.
  • Software developers and engineers designing network architecture, UML diagrams, or system designs.
  • Students and educators preparing educational materials or collaborative projects.
  • Project managers and teams who need to outline project workflows and timelines.

Balsamiq Mockups videos

Balsamiq Mockups: Beginner Tutorial

More videos:

  • Tutorial - A Short Review of How To Use Balsamiq MockUps
  • Review - Balsamiq Mockups - Review

draw.io videos

draw.io - Draw diagrams in the cloud or as an AppImage

More videos:

  • Tutorial - Draw.io Tutorial - Getting Started || How to use Draw.io
  • Review - Creating Entity Relationship Diagrams using Draw.io
  • Review - Using Layers, an advanced draw.io feature
  • Review - Draw.io (aka diagrams.net) Basics
  • Review - Better, faster, stronger; draw.io introduces AI-powered Smart Templates

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Balsamiq Mockups and draw.io)
Prototyping
100 100%
0% 0
Diagrams
0 0%
100% 100
Mockups
100 100%
0% 0
Flowcharts
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Balsamiq Mockups and draw.io

Balsamiq Mockups Reviews

11 Best Prototyping Tools For UI/UX Designers — How To Choose The Right One?
We’ll end the list with another powerful prototyping tool called “Balsamiq Mockups”. It replicates the speed and convenience of creating mockups on paper, but on a digital medium. Designers can choose from more than 500 pre — made icons and items — or components they draw themselves. The interactions are basic, and the final, low-fidelity prototype feels more like an...

draw.io Reviews

5 great diagramming tools for enterprise and software architects
Where do you even begin with Diagrams.net, formerly known as Draw.io? Besides being free of charge, it also has a low learning curve, so anyone can quickly start creating diagrams or whiteboards. Many people use Diagrams.net for diagramming business processes, data flows, and networks. You can also modify elements without having to change the entire diagram with this tool.
Source: www.redhat.com
Software Diagrams - Plant UML vs Mermaid
There are many generic diagramming tools that can be used to design software such as diagrams.net (formerly draw.io), Miro, or Lucid Charts. These generic tools do allow a lot of flexibility but end up costing you more time than you intended to align all boxes and arrows and to get the colour schemes just right.
10 Best Visio Alternatives for Cost Effective Diagramming [2022]
Price may vary from time to time as Draw.io does some promotions and might give discounts as well. You should check their website for the latest prices. Also, the pricing depends upon the features you are taking it for. So, it has very distinctive processing. You’ll get all your options in the right column and the drawing and editing options you’ll get in the space provided...
Top 10 Alternatives to Draw.io / Diagrams.net - Flowchart Maker Reviews
Drawio is a free online software for creating flowcharts and process maps. It is an easy way to create professional diagrams and share them with your team, your clients, or the whole world. Drawio's user-friendly interface lets you drag and drop shapes from our library onto the canvas and format them using our comprehensive set of tools. Drawing charts has never been easier!...
Best 8 Free Visual Paradigm Alternatives in 2022
Another cost-efficient option as an alternative to Visual Paradigm is Draw.io. This is an online flowchart maker that you can use for free. Draw.io is absolutely free to use so you won’t have to worry about spending any amount. The only drawback that we saw upon reviewing the tool though, is the lack of templates. It is purely made for flowchart creation so the interface...
Source: gitmind.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, draw.io seems to be a lot more popular than Balsamiq Mockups. While we know about 716 links to draw.io, we've tracked only 9 mentions of Balsamiq Mockups. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Balsamiq Mockups mentions (9)

  • UI elements with a hand-drawn, sketchy look
    My favorite tool for this is Balsamiq Wireframes: https://balsamiq.com/wireframes/ Having to write code loses the point of quick and dirty. - Source: Hacker News / about 1 year ago
  • Rough.js: Create graphics with a hand-drawn, sketchy, appearance
    Me of https://balsamiq.com/wireframes/ - guy used to do a lot of startup blogs about it. - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • Best package for doing UI/UX
    If you want to lay it out, use something like Balsamiq first. Just wireframe it. You’ll be surprised how much better your last version is than your first version. Once you’re done, you can try to make a nice version in Figma. And then do the hard part and do the actual programming. Source: about 2 years ago
  • Show HN: TinyUX – Grid based low-fi wireframing on your mobile phone
    > I still don't get this. Isn't it just using a different style of outline around buttons? What is lo-fi about it? Wouldn't lo-fi be something that was much lower memory and much faster to draw, like solid color boxes? Low-fidelity is jargon. It's a word used in the UX Design community for high level, low detail design artifacts. Perhaps you are thinking of low-fi audio and try to match that to wire-frames.... - Source: Hacker News / over 2 years ago
  • Ask HN: Is there an “uncanny valley” effect with startup MVPs
    ...to the point that (great) UX and wireframing tools like Balsamiq look crappy _on purpose_: https://balsamiq.com/wireframes/ Which all kinda makes sense, with the intuitive reasoning being: If you had time and money to sink into a pixel-perfect design, you're already one step beyond product-market fit, so creating a too good impression might not work in your favor. - Source: Hacker News / about 3 years ago
View more

draw.io mentions (716)

  • Creating Diagrams and Databases with Online Tools
    Draw.io (available at drawio.com) is an online and offline tool that lets you create various types of diagrams, including:. - Source: dev.to / 4 months ago
  • Random VS Code finds
    During my college days I used to use Drawio to draw wireframes and flowcharts. When I found that there is a VS Code extension that allows me to do it in the IDE it was a no brainer. I have found it is also useful whenever I am screen sharing to use it as a whiteboard during meetings. All you have to do is create a new file with the .drawio extension and you're off to the races. You can then export to .svg and .png... - Source: dev.to / 8 months ago
  • Reactor controller
    Glad you like it! :D Feel free to reuse/edit it for the Steam page if you want. Also happy to send you the draw.io file if you'd like :). Source: about 2 years ago
  • Note taking app
    Shraing, LDAP, sync, reminders are all possible. draw.io can be integrated by an app in nextcloud. Also, there is "Deck" which is a Kanban board for Nextcloud. Source: about 2 years ago
  • Diagramming on Note 2 Air+
    I've been using draw.io web to diagram, but I can't find it on android... Is there any good alternatives? Source: about 2 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Balsamiq Mockups and draw.io, you can also consider the following products

MockFlow - A super easy wireframing tool with all the other tools you need in the product design process

LucidChart - LucidChart is the missing link in online productivity suites. LucidChart allows users to create, collaborate on, and publish attractive flowcharts and other diagrams from a web browser.

Axure - The most powerful way to plan, prototype and hand off to developers, all without code. Download a free trial and see why professionals choose Axure RP 9.

yEd - yEd is a free desktop application to quickly create, import, edit, and automatically arrange diagrams. It runs on Windows, Mac OS X, and Unix/Linux.

UX-App - HTML5 all-in-one mockup & prototyping tool that exports completed interfaces to working HTML + Javascript

PlantUML - PlantUML is an open-source tool that uses simple textual descriptions to draw UML diagrams.