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Create diagrams and charts from text in a simple, intuitive, and highly customizable way.

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Reviews onG2
6 reviews tracked

The Bottom Line

Entry price

Free, no paid tier

Biggest pro

Diagrams as code

Biggest con

Limited styling

TL;DR - Mermaid

  • Generates diagrams and charts from text definitions.
  • Supports various diagram types like flowcharts and sequence diagrams.
  • Simplifies visualization for developers and technical writers.
Pricing: Free forever
Best for: Individuals & startups
4.7/5 across review platforms

What is Mermaid?

Editorial review
Mermaid is a JavaScript-based diagramming and charting tool that renders Markdown-inspired text definitions into dynamic diagrams in the browser. It allows users to create a wide variety of diagrams, including flowcharts, sequence diagrams, class diagrams, state diagrams, gantt charts, pie charts, and more, all by writing simple text. This tool is ideal for developers, technical writers, and anyone who needs to quickly and easily visualize complex information without the need for specialized design software. Its text-based approach integrates seamlessly into documentation, wikis, and markdown files, making diagram creation and maintenance efficient and version-controllable. The key benefit is its ability to transform plain text into professional-looking diagrams, simplifying communication and collaboration.

Available on: Web

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Diagrams as code
  • GitHub native support
  • Free and open source
  • Many diagram types
  • Easy syntax

Cons

  • Limited styling
  • Complex diagrams hard
  • Rendering varies
  • Documentation gaps
  • Less flexible than draw tools

Ratings Across the Web

4.7(6 reviews)

Ratings aggregated from independent review platforms. Learn more

Key Features

Diagram as codeFlowchartsSequence diagramsGantt chartsGit integrationMarkdown support

Pricing Plans

7-day Free Trial

Open Source

Free

  • MIT licensed
  • Flowcharts & diagrams
  • Text-to-diagram
  • Community support

Basic

Free

  • 3 diagrams
  • Limited AI usage
  • Mermaid Chart hosted

Plus

$8/month

  • Unlimited diagrams
  • Scalable AI usage
  • Team collaboration

Premium

Custom

  • Massive AI usage
  • SSO
  • Knowledge management

How Mermaid's pricing compares

At $8/mo, Mermaid is mid-range of its 3 direct competitors ($1.7 to $9/mo across the set).

Entry paid plan, monthly.

Reviews

4.7/5

Across 6 verified user reviews on G2

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Mermaid FAQ

What is Mermaid?

Mermaid is an open-source JavaScript-based diagramming tool that renders Markdown-inspired text definitions to create diagrams dynamically. It allows developers and technical writers to create visualizations using simple text syntax rather than graphical interfaces.

What types of diagrams can Mermaid create?

Mermaid supports multiple diagram types including flowcharts, sequence diagrams, class diagrams, state diagrams, Gantt charts, pie charts, entity-relationship diagrams, and more. It also supports mathematical expressions and theme customization.

Is Mermaid free to use?

Yes, Mermaid is open-source software available for free through mermaid.live. There is also MermaidChart, a premium visual editor offering additional features for teams and enterprise users.

Who should use Mermaid?

Mermaid is ideal for developers, technical writers, and teams who need to create diagrams programmatically. It is particularly valuable for documentation, software architecture planning, project management, and anyone who prefers code-based approaches over traditional drawing tools.

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