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Diagrams (mingrammer) alternatives: 5 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave Diagrams (mingrammer): needs Python and Graphviz installed, and limited control over layout. We ranked 5 alternatives by how directly each one replaces Diagrams (mingrammer), then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. D2 currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1D2 logoD2Open sourceYesWindows, macOS, Linux +15 of 566.5
2Mermaid logoMermaidOpen sourceYesWeb, Self-hosted4 of 462.6
3Hava logoHavaPaidNoWeb, Self-hosted4 of 459.6
4Eraser logoEraserFree plan + paidNoWeb4 of 457.2
5Structurizr logoStructurizrOpen sourceYesWeb, Self-hosted4 of 455.3
  1. D2 logo

    1. D2Top pick

    Best for: Developers who want diagrams as code with more layout and styling control than Mermaid

    Open sourceWindows, macOS, Linux, Web

    66.5

    score / 100

    Why switch from Diagrams (mingrammer)

    A dedicated diagram language with nicer layouts and no Python needed.

    Pros

    • Clean default output with themes and custom fonts
    • Multiple layout engines to choose from
    • Offline CLI with live-reload watch mode
    • Modular diagrams through imports

    Cons

    • Not rendered natively on GitHub
    • Smaller ecosystem than Mermaid or PlantUML
    • Still needs a CLI or plugin to render
    Visit D2 Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.3100
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is D2 a good Diagrams (mingrammer) alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    License
    MPL-2.0
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Platforms
    macOS, Linux, Windows
    Checked Oct 25, 2026d2lang.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Project
    Independent, fiscally sponsored by Hack Club
    Checked Oct 25, 2026d2lang.com(opens source in a new tab)
    CLI
    Local CLI with watch mode
    Checked Oct 25, 2026d2lang.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Custom fonts
    Your own .ttf files
    Checked Oct 25, 2026d2lang.com(opens source in a new tab)
  2. Mermaid logo

    2. Mermaid

    Best for: Developers who want diagrams as text that render in GitHub, docs and wikis

    Open sourceSelf-hostableWeb, Self-hosted

    62.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Diagrams (mingrammer)

    Text diagrams that render directly on GitHub, with architecture diagram support.

    Pros

    • Diagrams are plain text you can version and review
    • Rendered natively by GitHub, GitLab and many doc tools
    • Free and MIT licensed
    • Covers many diagram types

    Cons

    • Little control over layout
    • Large diagrams become hard to read
    • Styling options are limited
    Visit Mermaid Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.387
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Mermaid a good Diagrams (mingrammer) alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    License
    MIT
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Syntax
    Markdown-inspired text definitions
    Checked Oct 25, 2026mermaid.js.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Online editor
    Mermaid Live Editor
    Checked Oct 25, 2026mermaid.js.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Award
    2019 JavaScript Open Source Award
    Checked Oct 25, 2026mermaid.js.org(opens source in a new tab)
  3. Hava logo

    3. Hava

    Best for: Cloud and compliance teams that need accurate, current infrastructure diagrams

    PaidSelf-hostableWeb, Self-hosted

    59.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Diagrams (mingrammer)

    Generates diagrams from your real cloud accounts instead of code.

    Pros

    • Diagrams generated from live cloud accounts
    • Version history for drift and audits
    • Self-hosted option
    • API and CLI for automation

    Cons

    • Only documents what already exists in the cloud
    • No free plan after the trial
    • Little use outside cloud infrastructure
    Visit Hava Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.377
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Hava a good Diagrams (mingrammer) alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Free trial
    14 days, no credit card
    Checked Oct 25, 2026hava.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Clouds supported
    AWS, Azure, GCP, Kubernetes
    Checked Oct 25, 2026hava.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Self-hosting
    Yes
    Checked Oct 25, 2026hava.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Sharing
    Interactive diagrams viewable without login
    Checked Oct 25, 2026hava.io(opens source in a new tab)
  4. Eraser logo

    4. Eraser

    Best for: Engineering teams writing design docs and architecture diagrams together

    Free plan + paidWeb

    57.2

    score / 100

    Why switch from Diagrams (mingrammer)

    Hosted diagrams-as-code with cloud icons, AI and a visual editor.

    Pros

    • Diagram-as-code syntax with good-looking cloud icons
    • Docs and diagrams in the same file
    • AI generation from prompts, code and repos
    • Integrations with GitHub, VS Code, Notion and Confluence

    Cons

    • Free plan limited to three files
    • Expensive per member compared with general tools
    • Narrow focus on software engineering diagrams
    Visit Eraser Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.369
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Eraser a good Diagrams (mingrammer) alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Free plan
    3 files, 3 AI credits
    Checked Oct 25, 2026eraser.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Business price
    $45 per member/month annually, $60 monthly
    Checked Oct 25, 2026eraser.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Integrations
    Confluence, Notion, VS Code, GitHub
    Checked Oct 25, 2026eraser.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Codebase diagrams
    Eraserbot keeps them updated
    Checked Oct 25, 2026eraser.io(opens source in a new tab)
  5. Structurizr logo

    5. Structurizr

    Best for: Software architects documenting systems with the C4 model as code

    Open sourceSelf-hostableWeb, Self-hosted

    55.3

    score / 100

    Why switch from Diagrams (mingrammer)

    Model-based architecture diagrams using the C4 approach.

    Pros

    • One model generates many consistent diagrams
    • Reference implementation of the C4 model
    • Text DSL works well in version control
    • Self-hostable

    Cons

    • Only for software architecture diagrams
    • DSL has a learning curve
    • Server edition binaries need a paid licence
    Visit Structurizr Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.363
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Structurizr a good Diagrams (mingrammer) alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Approach
    Models as code for the C4 model
    Checked Oct 25, 2026structurizr.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Open source
    Yes
    Checked Oct 25, 2026structurizr.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Pricing
    Free except prebuilt server binaries
    Checked Oct 25, 2026docs.structurizr.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Creator
    Author of the C4 model
    Checked Oct 25, 2026structurizr.com(opens source in a new tab)

The best Diagrams (mingrammer) alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

D2 logo

Best Diagrams (mingrammer) alternative for most people

D2

A dedicated diagram language with nicer layouts and no Python needed.

Mermaid logo

Best Diagrams (mingrammer) alternative for a free option

Mermaid

Text diagrams that render directly on GitHub, with architecture diagram support.

Eraser logo

Best Diagrams (mingrammer) alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

Eraser

Hosted diagrams-as-code with cloud icons, AI and a visual editor.

Structurizr logo

Best Diagrams (mingrammer) alternative for open source

Structurizr

Model-based architecture diagrams using the C4 approach.

Hava logo

Best Diagrams (mingrammer) alternative for self-hosting

Hava

Generates diagrams from your real cloud accounts instead of code.

D2 logo

Best Diagrams (mingrammer) alternative for Mac

D2

A dedicated diagram language with nicer layouts and no Python needed.

D2 logo

Best Diagrams (mingrammer) alternative for Windows

D2

A dedicated diagram language with nicer layouts and no Python needed.

D2 logo

Best Diagrams (mingrammer) alternative for Linux

D2

A dedicated diagram language with nicer layouts and no Python needed.

D2 logo

Best Diagrams (mingrammer) alternative for working in the browser

D2

A dedicated diagram language with nicer layouts and no Python needed.

Diagrams (mingrammer) alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to Diagrams (mingrammer)?

D2 ranks first right now. A dedicated diagram language with nicer layouts and no Python needed. Mermaid and Hava follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to Diagrams (mingrammer)?

Yes. D2 (open source), Mermaid (open source), Eraser (free plan + paid) and Structurizr (open source) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to Diagrams (mingrammer)?

Yes: D2, Mermaid and Structurizr. Mermaid and Structurizr can also be self-hosted.

Which Diagrams (mingrammer) alternatives work on Linux?

D2 runs on Linux.

Why do people switch from Diagrams (mingrammer)?

The complaints we hear most: needs Python and Graphviz installed; limited control over layout; doesn't discover existing infrastructure.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces Diagrams (mingrammer), reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.