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SmartDraw vs Sankey Flow Show vs Lucidchart 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…

Sankey Flow Show

4.5(13 reviews)

Starting at $3.99 /Month

  • Medium Business
  • Small Business

Sankey Flow Show is a diagramming software for Windows that can quickly and easily create Sankey diagrams for visualizing data flows. It enables user to work with large amounts of data, convert data into flexible and att…

Lucidchart

4.2(4,531 reviews)

Starting at $0

  • Free Trial
  • Individuals
  • Large Enterprises

Lucidchart is the diagramming tool trusted by thousands of organizations and millions of users. This simple, intuitive tool allows everyone in the organization to arrange information quickly and easily. Lucidchart is use…

Sankey Flow Show leads on user satisfaction with a 4.5-star rating across 13 reviews.

SmartDraw vs Sankey Flow Show vs Lucidchart — at a glance

FeatureSmartDrawSankey Flow ShowLucidchart
Rating3.9 / 54.5 / 54.2 / 5
Reviews309134,531
Starting price$5.95 /Month$3.99 /Month$0
Free trial No No Yes
Free version No No No
Best forFreelancers / Consultants, Large Enterprises, Medium BusinessMedium Business, Small BusinessIndividuals, Large Enterprises, Medium Business
CategoryDiagramming SoftwareDiagramming SoftwareDiagramming Software
PlatformsSaaS/Web/Cloud, Installed - Windows, Installed - MacSaaS/Web/CloudSaaS/Web/Cloud, Mobile - Android, Mobile - iOS
APIAvailable
Support modes24/7 (Live rep), OnlineOnlineBusiness Hours, Online
CertificationsSOC 2, HIPAA, GDPR
Data residencyUSUSGlobal

Key differences between SmartDraw and Sankey Flow Show

  • Pricing: SmartDraw starts at $5.95 /Month, while Sankey Flow Show starts at $3.99 /Month.
  • Target audience: SmartDraw is built for Freelancers / Consultants and Large Enterprises, while Sankey Flow Show targets Medium Business and Small Business.
  • User satisfaction: Sankey Flow Show scores higher with a 4.5-star average.
  • Deployment: SmartDraw supports SaaS/Web/Cloud, Installed - Windows, Installed - Mac; Sankey Flow Show supports SaaS/Web/Cloud.

Compare SmartDraw vs Sankey Flow Show vs Lucidchart — 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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Sankey Flow Show - Diagramming Software
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Lucidchart - 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.

Sankey Flow Show

Best for

Medium Business, Small Business

Lucidchart

Best for collaborative process mapping and complex diagramming across teams.

Choose if
  • You need strong real-time collaboration and sharing features for teams.
  • Your team requires extensive diagramming templates and flexible workflow configurations.
  • You want seamless integration with other enterprise software tools.
Consider alternatives if
  • You prioritize a highly simplified mobile app experience for quick edits.
  • Your team demands extremely fast, error-free urgent revisions under tight deadlines.

SmartDraw typically suits Freelancers / Consultants and Large Enterprises. Sankey Flow Show tends to fit Medium Business and Small Business better. The right choice depends on your team size, workflow, and whether a free trial matters.

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

Sankey Flow Show is a diagramming software for Windows that can quickly and easily create Sankey diagrams for visualizing data flows. It enables user to work with large amounts of data, ... Read More about Sankey Flow Show

Lucidchart is the diagramming tool trusted by thousands of organizations and millions of users. This simple, intuitive tool allows everyone in the organization to arrange information ... Read More about Lucidchart

Entry Level Pricing

  • Starts from $5.95
  • Starts from $3.99
  • Starts from $0

Free Trial Availability

  • No free trial
  • No free trial

Spotsaas Score

What's this? ↗

9.3/10

8.1/10

9.8/10

User Ratings

Based on verified Spotsaas reviews

4.5

(13)

Best Company Size

Small BusinessMedium Business
Small BusinessLarge Enterprises
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Software Demo

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Step 1 of 4

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How do SmartDraw, Sankey Flow Show and Lucidchart Compare on Features?

Total Features

8 Features

7 Features

8 Features

Unique Features

No unique features

No unique features

No unique features

Get Quote
Get Quote
Get Quote

Compare SmartDraw, Sankey Flow Show and Lucidchart 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
        • $3.99
        • $0

        Pricing Plans

        • Not Available
        • Not Available
        • Free

          Free

          • Free includes:

          • 3 editable Lucidchart documents

          • 60 shapes per Lucidchart document

          Show more +

        • Individual

          • Everything on Free plus:

          • Unlimited editable documents

          • Unlimited objects per document

          Show more +

        • Team

          $10

          /user

          • Everything on Individual plus:

          • Developer platform

          • Visual Activities advanced controls

          Show more +

        • Browse all pricing plans

        Pricing Page

        SmartDraw pricing
        Sankey Flow Show pricing
        Lucidchart 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
        • Not 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.

        SOC 2

        ✓ Yes

        HIPAA

        ✓ Yes

        GDPR

        ✓ Yes

        Single Sign-On (SSO)

        ✓ Yes

        Multi-Factor Auth (MFA)

        ✓ Yes

        Data Encryption

        ✓ Yes

        Audit Logs

        ✓ Yes

        Data Residency

        🇺🇸 US
        🇺🇸 US
        🌐 Global

        SmartDraw vs Sankey Flow Show User Reviews & Rating Comparison

        User Ratings

        4.5

        (based on 13 reviews)

        Rating Distribution

        222

        25

        3

        4

        15

        0

        0

        0

        0

        0

        267

        66

        9

        3

        11

        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

        Buyer sentiment is very strong across 13 reviews, with consistently positive feedback.

        What buyers like

        • Easy Sankey diagram creation
        • Supports large data sets
        • Professional layouts

        Common complaints

        • Windows only
        • Limited customization
        • No mobile version

        Buyer sentiment

        Overall positive sentiment highlights ease of collaboration and feature richness, tempered by concerns over billing issues and a learning curve.

        What buyers like

        • Ease of collaboration
        • Customer support quality
        • Feature variety and flexibility

        Common complaints

        • Billing and refund problems
        • Complexity and performance issues

        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

        • User-friendly interface for quick diagram creation.

        • Supports large datasets for comprehensive analysis.

        • Offers professional layouts for polished presentations.

        • Limited to Windows users only.

        • Customization options may be insufficient for advanced users.

        • Excellent customer service with quick refunds and support

        • User-friendly interface with strong collaboration features

        • Wide range of diagramming features and templates

        • Billing issues including unexpected charges requiring support intervention

        • Longer learning curve for new users

        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.

        No Customers information available.

        Amazon

        Amazon

        Siemens

        Siemens

        Volkswagen

        Volkswagen

        Media and Screenshots

        Screenshots

        Template Dialog

        4 Screenshots

        screenshots

        1 Screenshots

        Create organized, efficient data flows in minutes

        5 Screenshots

        Videos

        video-0

        3 Videos

        video-0

        2 Videos

        video-0

        2 Videos

        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 Sankey Flow Show?
        Sankey Flow Show 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 Sankey Flow Show offer a free trial?
        Neither SmartDraw nor Sankey Flow Show currently lists a free trial.
        What is the starting price of SmartDraw vs Sankey Flow Show?
        SmartDraw starts at $5.95 /Month. Sankey Flow Show starts at $3.99 /Month.
        What are the top alternatives to SmartDraw?
        Top alternatives to SmartDraw include Miro, FigJam, Floorplanner, Gliffy, Cacoo.
        What are the top alternatives to Sankey Flow Show?
        Top alternatives to Sankey Flow Show include Miro, FigJam, SmartDraw, Gliffy, Cacoo.

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