Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

OmniGraffle VS Mermaid

Compare OmniGraffle VS Mermaid and see what are their differences

OmniGraffle logo OmniGraffle

OmniGraffle is for creating precise graphics like website wireframes, an electrical system designs, or mapping out software class.

Mermaid logo Mermaid

Create diagrams and visualizations using text and code.
  • OmniGraffle Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-04-18
  • Mermaid Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-08-17

OmniGraffle features and specs

  • User-friendly Interface
    OmniGraffle offers a highly intuitive and user-friendly interface, making it easy for users to navigate and create detailed diagrams and designs with minimal learning curve.
  • Advanced Diagram Tools
    The software provides a wide array of advanced tools and features for creating complex diagrams, including customizable templates, Bézier lines, and powerful styling options.
  • Cross-Platform Support
    OmniGraffle is available on both macOS and iOS, allowing users to work on their projects seamlessly across different Apple devices.
  • Integration Capabilities
    It integrates well with other applications and services, such as exporting diagrams to different formats and including APIs for automation, enhancing its functionality within a workflow.
  • Frequent Updates
    The Omni Group is known for regularly updating the software, ensuring that users have access to the latest features and security enhancements.

Possible disadvantages of OmniGraffle

  • High Cost
    OmniGraffle is relatively expensive compared to similar diagramming and design tools, which can be prohibitive for individuals or small businesses on a tight budget.
  • macOS and iOS Exclusivity
    The software is only available for Apple products, which limits its accessibility to users who operate on Windows or other non-Apple platforms.
  • Learning Curve for Advanced Features
    While the basic features are easy to use, mastering the more advanced tools and functionalities can require considerable time and effort.
  • Performance Issues with Large Files
    Some users have reported performance issues and slowdowns when working with particularly large or complex diagrams.
  • Limited Collaboration Features
    OmniGraffle lacks robust collaboration tools, making it difficult for teams to work together on the same project in real-time.

Mermaid features and specs

  • Ease of Use
    Mermaid allows users to create sophisticated diagrams and flowcharts using simple Markdown-like syntax, making it easy to learn and implement, especially for those already familiar with Markdown.
  • Integration
    Mermaid can be easily integrated into various platforms and tools, such as GitHub, GitLab, and VSCode, enhancing its utility within different development environments.
  • Automated Diagrams
    It allows for generating dynamic diagrams that update automatically based on the input data or configuration, minimizing manual updates and errors.
  • Cost-effective
    Being an open-source tool, Mermaid is free to use, making it a cost-effective choice for individuals and organizations needing diagramming capabilities.
  • Support for Multiple Diagram Types
    Mermaid supports a wide variety of diagram types, including flowcharts, sequence diagrams, class diagrams, and more, enabling a comprehensive solution for visual documentation.

Possible disadvantages of Mermaid

  • Complexity Limit
    For highly complex diagrams, Mermaid might not offer the granularity and flexibility required, which could necessitate more advanced graphic design tools.
  • Rendering Issues
    There can be rendering inconsistencies across different platforms and browsers, which might affect the appearance and reliability of the diagrams.
  • Learning Curve for Complex Diagrams
    While basic diagrams are easy to create, more complex diagrams can require a deeper understanding of the syntax and structure, posing a learning curve.
  • Limited Customization
    Mermaid may not offer the level of customization available in some dedicated diagram creation tools, restricting aesthetic and functional modifications.
  • Dependence on Text-based Input
    Being reliant on text-based input can be a disadvantage for users who prefer drag-and-drop interfaces or visual GUI-based editing.

OmniGraffle videos

OmniGraffle & OmniPlan Review (macOS)

More videos:

  • Review - What is OmniGraffle?
  • Tutorial - Flowchart Tutorial — OmniGraffle 7 for Mac

Mermaid videos

The Little Mermaid Paid Reviews Are In!

More videos:

  • Review - The Little Mermaid 2023 REACTION - Early Reviews, Just Watched, Box Office, Oscars Predictions
  • Review - FIRST REACTIONS The Little Mermaid BAD VFX

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to OmniGraffle and Mermaid)
Diagrams
68 68%
32% 32
Flow Charts And Diagrams
0 0%
100% 100
Flowcharts
100 100%
0% 0
Design Tools
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

Share your experience with using OmniGraffle and Mermaid. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
Log in or Post with

Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare OmniGraffle and Mermaid

OmniGraffle Reviews

9 Best UML Software For Mac & PC
OmniGraffle has a huge number of UML templates and mockups and even if you can’t find what you’re looking for, you probably will in the many community driven resources for OmniGraffle templates.
Source: machow2.com
40 Open Source, Free and Top Unified Modeling Language (UML) Tools
OmniGraffle 7 for Mac creates precise, beautiful graphics: website wireframes, electrical systems, family trees and maps of software classes. Everyone from professional artists and designers to casual data mappers and beginning diagrammers can find something new in OmniGraffle 7. Users can quickly share tiny elements or mock-ups in a message to a friend, or export finished...

Mermaid Reviews

5 great diagramming tools for enterprise and software architects
Like PlantUML, Mermaid follows the diagrams-as-code model. It is supported by GitHub and uses Markdown-style notation to create and modify diagrams. This makes diagramming with Mermaid very convenient if you're developing software on GitHub.
Source: www.redhat.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Mermaid seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 45 times since March 2021. 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.

OmniGraffle mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of OmniGraffle yet. Tracking of OmniGraffle recommendations started around Mar 2021.

Mermaid mentions (45)

  • Show HN: Mermaid Chart VS Code Plugin: Mermaid.js Diagrams in Visual Studio Code
    It's worth pointing out that mermaidchart.com is NOT the official Mermaid project (https://mermaid.js.org/). They're a for-profit company using the Mermaid name. This creates a lot of confusion whenever the name comes up, which I suspect is deliberate. - Source: Hacker News / about 1 month ago
  • Ask HN: Simplest way to productize my graph layout algo?
    Https://www.mermaidchart.com/#pricing comes from https://mermaid.js.org/ Maybe you could start with something similar? - Source: Hacker News / about 1 month ago
  • Ask HN: What do you use to create diagrams?
    I like Mermaid[^1], but can’t be bothered to learn the syntax. So, most of the time, I ask LLMs to generate the scaffolding and work from that. For freehand drawing, to me, nothing beats Excalidraw[^2]. I use it for pretty much everything—from system design work to planning a project and explaining a concept. Such a wonderful tool from the Czech Republic. [^1]: https://mermaid.js.org/ [^2]: https://excalidraw.com/. - Source: Hacker News / about 2 months ago
  • 7 insanely fast dev tools to build, deploy, and move on ⚡🔥
    Mermaid is an open-source JavaScript library that allows users to generate diagrams and charts from plain text in a simple and intuitive way. Using a Markdown-like syntax, it enables the creation of flowcharts, sequence diagrams, Gantt charts, and more, directly within documentation or code. Its main advantage** lies in its ease of integration and ability to automate visual creation, making it an ideal tool for... - Source: dev.to / 3 months ago
  • My 2024 review
    My "Documentation as Code" series took an unexpected turn. While I initially was a Plantuml advocate, I found myself gravitating more and more towards Mermaid charts (also after having to write some ADRs where, of course, I've added some diagrams). Its seamless integration with GitHub - automatic rendering in Markdown documents 😎 - proved to be a killer feature. - Source: dev.to / 5 months ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing OmniGraffle and Mermaid, you can also consider the following products

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.

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

draw.io - Online diagramming application

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.

Diagramly.ai - Diagramly is an innovative tool that uses artificial intelligence to convert text descriptions or images into editable diagram code.

Sketch - Professional digital design for Mac.