Summary (TLDR):
Review Summary: Lucidchart is a good tool to make complex flowcharts, but the UI is very complex and can take a long time for users to learn.
Has Flowchart Symbols: Yes
Ease of Use: 4/5
Collaboration: Yes
Overall Score: 4/5
As the need to organize and digest information increases, more flowchart maker applications have been brought out to the public. Facing different kinds of products with various functions and designs, users may have a hard time picking out the suitable one for themselves.
Fortunately, they can take a step closer to their goal with this article, which offers comprehensive information about one of the most sought-after apps. Also, here are the top alternatives to LucidChart.
Main Features Of Lucidchart Flowchart Maker
Real-Time Collaboration
Lucidchart allows users to work together on documents in real-time with its sharing, chat and comments boxes with its collaboration features.
The first step is to send out invitations to the members, which can be done with the share button on the top right corner of the interface. Moreover, all the team can work on the sheet simultaneously if the meeting holder gives the others edit access.
It is also possible to identify who is doing what on the screen with the haloed. This object appears every time a member makes a change, having the same color as their user tile.
Allow Users To Create Custom Shapes
This application saves you the work of creating the shapes with its custom shape library. The source contains readily available shapes, and users just need to drag and drop them into their documents.
Plus, the flowchart creators can allow the members to use this library, which creates uniformity in everybody’s work.
Automated Diagramming
With Lucidchart, a new diagram is no longer a test of patience since users can create it in several minutes. It can organize the role of org charts within a hierarchy from the data you put in. There are also bullets and sticky notes to sketch out mind maps and speed up the brainstorming process.
Integration With Different Apps
This application's number of integration is impressive, up to over 30 different platforms such as Google Docs, Google Drive, and Google Sheets. With this many integrations, file sharing will be easier than ever.
Advantages Of Lucidchart Flowchart Maker
Easy To Use
A great advantage of this product is that users need no previous training to use it smoothly. It has no steep learning curves, giving a wide range of audience access to explore many interesting features. Whether users are professionals, skilled employees, or completely new beginners, as long as they have an internet connection, getting the best out of this app will not be a problem.
Clarify Complexity
In this application, people collaborate through network diagrams, which is a very effective tool to clear the information flow and tackle bottlenecks in the process. As a result, after undergoing the changes and adjustments in Lucidchart, complex diagrams will get rid of unnecessary complexity.
This is a competitive edge in this Lucidchart flowchart maker-product review, especially for remote teams who can not meet each other in-person to solve work problems.
Great Versatility
Users can utilize this product for multiple purposes. As mentioned above, it offers mind-mapping and brainstorming while being equally capable of taking notes, gathering ideas, making a visual representation, and creating organizational charts.
This diagram software also stands out as a brilliant tool for team building. It acts as a whiteboard, permitting team members to communicate and make a stronger bond for the team.
A Large Library Of Shapes And Icons
The Lucidchart app is full of hundreds of shapes to meet every user's demand from creating workflow diagrams to designing interactive diagrams. The standard flowchart shapes lie in a toolbox on the left of the interface. A simple "M" button will direct users to their wanted sources for more complicated or specific shapes.
Also, with a wide variety of adjustments granted for users to make to the icons, Lucidchart can practically turn every idea into reality.
Practical Templates To Give The Chart Flavors
In addition to a great number of shapes, this software also grants users an enormous selection of pre-made templates for flowcharts. The special thing about them is that they are made to blend in with different projects, lending the flowchart a sense of uniqueness.
Disadvantages Of Lucidchart
No Options To Customize The Color And Size Defaults
While the application is open for people to change the shapes to their liking, there are no options for color and size customization. This can cause disturbance for designers if the color does not express their intentions well.
Difficulty To Find A Certain Diagrams
Among hundreds of choices in the extensive template library and integrated platforms, it can be troublesome to find a certain diagram to use.
Connectors Are Difficult To Navigate
Some customers have complained that the lines and arrows are hard to get in the right direction. This lack of flexibility also appears when they try to click on some elements, impairing user experience.
No Option For Recreating A New Chart On Your Previous Personalized Chart
Once the users have finished their chart, it is impossible to make another one on that same sheet, which means they will have to draw the business processes again.
Pricing
This diagramming tool offers four plans: Free, Individual, Team, and Enterprise. The latter three come with fees every month, and users can access more additional features.
The Free plan has almost every category available with no cost except for Editable Documents and Professional Templates requiring a small fee.
For unlimited Editable Documents in Individual and Team packages, each user needs to prepare $7.95 and $9, respectively.
The Enterprise plan contains the most benefits out of the four, including advanced features for easy admin controls. For further information, users can contact Lucidchart to get the best deal.
