yEd replaces 3 paid apps
One genuinely free tool, 3 subscriptions it can stand in for. Each pairing below is curated and verified by hand, with the honest catch spelled out. No votes, no pay-to-list.
EdrawMaxKINDAusage-based
Excellent automatic layout and plenty of business and technical diagrams; less template theatre, more getting boxes aligned.
the verdict →
SimpleMindYESusage-based
Not marketed as a mind mapper, but its free layouts and local graph files handle large, irregular maps unusually well.
the verdict →
SmartDrawKINDAusage-based
Automatic layout is the star here, especially for org charts, networks, processes, and dependency graphs; floor-plan tooling is much thinner.
the verdict →last updated 2026-08-06 · no votes, no pay-to-list
