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SmartDraw vs Cacoo vs Zen Flowchart Comparison

Last updated:

SmartDraw

3.9(309 reviews)

Starting at $5.95 /Month

  • Freelancers / Consultants
  • Large Enterprises

SmartDraw is easy-to-use, beginner friendly diagramming software that develops logical thinking and learning skills for lower grades to higher grades. It's an economical choice for schools and districts with limited fund…

Cacoo

4.5(302 reviews)

Starting at $5 /User/Month

  • Free Trial
  • Freelancers / Consultants
  • Large Enterprises

Cacoo is user-friendly diagramming software for knowledge workers and designers. It helps people to work together, communicate clearly and build shared understanding. Cacoo lets user easily express thoughts and ideas and…

Zen Flowchart

Starting at $5.90 /Month

  • Individuals
  • Freelancers / Consultants

Zen Flowchart is diagramming software that helps to plan and create flowcharts, organizational charts, workflows, life cycles, and other kinds of diagrams. Quickly and easily produce professional-looking visual reports,…

Cacoo leads on user satisfaction with a 4.5-star rating across 302 reviews.

SmartDraw vs Cacoo vs Zen Flowchart — at a glance

FeatureSmartDrawCacooZen Flowchart
Rating3.9 / 54.5 / 5
Reviews309302
Starting price$5.95 /Month$5 /User/Month$5.90 /Month
Free trial No Yes No
Free version No No No
Best forFreelancers / Consultants, Large Enterprises, Medium BusinessFreelancers / Consultants, Large Enterprises, Medium BusinessIndividuals, Freelancers / Consultants, Medium Business
CategoryDiagramming SoftwareDiagramming SoftwareDiagramming Software
PlatformsSaaS/Web/Cloud, Installed - Windows, Installed - MacSaaS/Web/CloudSaaS/Web/Cloud
APIAvailableAvailable
Support modes24/7 (Live rep), Online24/7 (Live rep), Business Hours, OnlineOnline
CertificationsGDPR
Data residencyUSGlobalUS

Key differences between SmartDraw and Cacoo

  • Pricing: SmartDraw starts at $5.95 /Month, while Cacoo starts at $5 /User/Month.
  • Free trial: Cacoo offers a free trial; SmartDraw does not.
  • User satisfaction: Cacoo scores higher with a 4.5-star average.
  • Deployment: SmartDraw supports SaaS/Web/Cloud, Installed - Windows, Installed - Mac; Cacoo supports SaaS/Web/Cloud.

Compare SmartDraw vs Cacoo vs Zen Flowchart — and walk away knowing which one fits.

01

Which tool fits your team best

02

Which is actually cheaper for your team size

03

Where each product wins, per real buyers

Most Diagramming Software tools look identical on paper. This comparison cuts to the differences that matter — pricing structure, team fit, and what real buyers found after signing up.

SmartDraw - Diagramming Software
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Cacoo - Diagramming Software
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Zen Flowchart - Diagramming Software
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Talk to an expert

Free PDF comparison

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Biggest differences

Start here before you go deeper into features.

SmartDraw

Best for budget-friendly, easy diagramming in education and SMBs.

Choose if
  • You need a simple, drag-and-drop interface with extensive templates.
  • You represent a school or small to medium business with limited funds.
  • You require versatile diagram types like flowcharts, floor plans, and network diagrams.
Consider alternatives if
  • Your team needs advanced customization and specialized design capabilities.
  • You require robust, real-time multi-user collaboration features.

Cacoo

Best for remote teams needing easy, collaborative, and customizable diagramming.

Choose if
  • You want real-time collaboration tailored for remote product and design teams.
  • You need a simple drag-and-drop interface with extensive templates and customization.
  • Your team consists of product managers, designers, or knowledge workers in SMBs.
Consider alternatives if
  • You require advanced wireframing shapes beyond standard diagramming options.
  • You need offline editing or export formats compatible with MS Office or spreadsheets.

Zen Flowchart

Best for simple, cross-platform flowcharts and UML diagrams in small to mid-sized teams.

Choose if
  • You need quick, easy creation of professional-looking flowcharts and workflows.
  • Your team uses Windows, Linux, or Mac and requires cross-platform diagramming support.
  • You want built-in UML modeling tools for collaborative, detailed diagram projects.
Consider alternatives if
  • You are a large enterprise needing complex, integrated diagramming with advanced features.
  • You require extensive customization, integrations, or enterprise-grade diagramming capabilities.

SmartDraw: Best for budget-friendly, easy diagramming in education and SMBs. Cacoo: Best for remote teams needing easy, collaborative, and customizable diagramming.

Description

SmartDraw is easy-to-use, beginner friendly diagramming software that develops logical thinking and learning skills for lower grades to higher grades. It's an economical choice for schools ... Read More about SmartDraw

Cacoo is user-friendly diagramming software for knowledge workers and designers. It helps people to work together, communicate clearly and build shared understanding. Cacoo lets user easily ... Read More about Cacoo

Zen Flowchart is diagramming software that helps to plan and create flowcharts, organizational charts, workflows, life cycles, and other kinds of diagrams. Quickly and easily produce ... Read More about Zen Flowchart

Entry Level Pricing

  • Starts from $5.95
  • Starts from $5 , Billed Yearly
  • Starts from $5.90

Free Trial Availability

  • No free trial
  • No free trial

Spotsaas Score

What's this? ↗

9.3/10

9.1/10

8.7/10

User Ratings

Based on verified Spotsaas reviews

Best Company Size

Small BusinessMedium Business
Small BusinessMedium Business
1-50 employees51-500 employees
Get pricing help
Get pricing help
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Software Demo

Demo

No software demo available

Zen Flowchart has not given any software demo yet

If you're the owner of this profile, add your demo.Contact us

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How do SmartDraw, Cacoo and Zen Flowchart Compare on Features?

Total Features

8 Features

8 Features

8 Features

Unique Features

No unique features

No unique features

No unique features

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Compare SmartDraw, Cacoo and Zen Flowchart on pricing

Review starting price, plan structure, and free-trial access side by side so you can see which option fits your budget and buying process.

Pricing Option

        Starting From

        • $5.95
        • $5 , Billed Yearly
        • $5.90

        Pricing Plans

        • Not Available
        • Cacoo

          • Yearly - $5 per user/month

          • Monthly - $6 per user/month

          • Real-time editing

          Show more +

        • Enterprise

          • Hardware

          • Security Software

          • Database Encryption

          Show more +

        • Not Available

        Pricing Page

        SmartDraw pricing
        Cacoo pricing
        Zen Flowchart pricing

        Other Details

        Organization Types supported

        • Medium Business
        • Freelancers
        • Large Enterprises
        • Small Business
        • Individuals
        • Medium Business
        • Freelancers
        • Large Enterprises
        • Small Business
        • Individuals
        • Medium Business
        • Freelancers
        • Large Enterprises
        • Small Business
        • Individuals

        Platforms Supported

        • Installed - Windows
        • Browser Based (Cloud)
        • Installed - Mac
        • Mobile - iOS
        • Mobile - Android
        • Browser Based (Cloud)
        • Installed - Windows
        • Browser Based (Cloud)
        • Installed - Mac
        • Mobile - iOS
        • Mobile - Android
        • Browser Based (Cloud)
        • Installed - Windows
        • Browser Based (Cloud)
        • Installed - Mac
        • Mobile - iOS
        • Mobile - Android
        • Browser Based (Cloud)

        Modes of support

        • 24/7 (Live rep)
        • Business Hours
        • Online
        • 24/7 (Live rep)
        • Business Hours
        • Online
        • 24/7 (Live rep)
        • Business Hours
        • Online

        API Support

        • Available
        • Available
        • Not Available
        Get help choosing
        Get help choosing
        Get help choosing

        Security & Compliance

        Certifications, data handling, and security controls for IT and compliance evaluators.

        HIPAA

        ✗ No

        GDPR

        ✓ Yes

        Single Sign-On (SSO)

        ✓ Yes

        Data Encryption

        ✓ Yes

        Data Residency

        🇺🇸 US
        🌐 Global
        🇺🇸 US

        SmartDraw vs Cacoo User Reviews & Rating Comparison

        User Ratings

        No reviews available for the product

        Rating Distribution

        222

        25

        3

        4

        15

        140

        67

        6

        0

        0

        No reviews available for this product

        Spotsaas Editor’s POV generated by AI

        Buyer sentiment

        Overall positive sentiment highlights ease of use and template variety, tempered by performance issues and limited collaboration features.

        What buyers like

        • Ease of use
        • Extensive template library
        • Versatility across diagram types

        Common complaints

        • Performance on low-end hardware
        • Lack of collaboration features

        Buyer sentiment

        Overall positive sentiment highlights ease of use, collaboration features, and customization, with some concerns about export limitations and initial learning curve.

        What buyers like

        • Ease of use
        • Collaboration features
        • Template variety and customization

        Common complaints

        • Export limitations
        • Initial complexity for beginners

        Buyer sentiment

        Overall sentiment is unavailable due to lack of user ratings and reviews.

        What buyers like

        • Ease of use
        • Cross-platform support
        • UML modeling capabilities

        Common complaints

        • Limited feature details
        • Pricing transparency

        Pros and Cons

        • User-friendly interface with drag-and-drop and extensive template library

        • Supports a wide variety of diagram types including flowcharts, floor plans, and network diagrams

        • Economical choice suitable for budget-conscious educational institutions

        • Resource-intensive, causing slower performance on less powerful computers

        • Limited customization options for advanced design needs

        • Easy to use and implement for both beginners and experienced users

        • Real-time collaboration features that enhance teamwork

        • Variety of templates and customizable options for professional diagrams

        • Initial complexity for beginners when handling diverse shapes and customizations

        • Limited export options, especially for spreadsheet or MS Office-compatible files

        • Ease of use with quick creation of professional-looking diagrams

        • Availability across Windows, Linux, and Mac OS platforms

        • Includes UML modeling tool for more detailed diagrams

        • Limited information on advanced features and integrations

        • Unclear pricing details beyond freemium and subscription models

        Positive Reviews

        No reviews available for the product

        No reviews available for the product

        No reviews available for the product

        List of Customers

        Customers

        No Customers information available.

        Hotelbeds

        Hotelbeds

        Cloudpack

        Cloudpack

        No Customers information available.

        Media and Screenshots

        Screenshots

        Template Dialog

        4 Screenshots

        Folder managing

        4 Screenshots

        System Flowchart

        1 Screenshots

        Videos

        video-0

        3 Videos

        video-0

        3 Videos

        No videos available.

        Alternatives

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        Disclaimer: This research has been collated from a variety of authoritative sources. We welcome your feedback at [email protected].

        Frequently asked questions

        Which is better, SmartDraw or Cacoo?
        Cacoo edges out the other on user ratings (4.5 vs 3.9). That said, the best pick depends on your use case — use the comparison tables above to evaluate each dimension.
        Do SmartDraw and Cacoo offer a free trial?
        Cacoo offers a free trial. SmartDraw does not.
        What is the starting price of SmartDraw vs Cacoo?
        SmartDraw starts at $5.95 /Month. Cacoo starts at $5 /User/Month.
        What are the top alternatives to SmartDraw?
        Top alternatives to SmartDraw include Miro, FigJam, Floorplanner, Gliffy, Cacoo.
        What are the top alternatives to Cacoo?
        Top alternatives to Cacoo include Miro, FigJam, SmartDraw, Gliffy, Microsoft Visio.

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