Diagramming tools for cloud infrastructure have been around for quite some time. They simplify the comprehension and visualization of the intricate subject of cloud architecture. You're likely acquainted with tools like Draw.io, Visio, and Lucidchart, which have been in existence for over a decade.

In the interim, the cloud market has undergone significant transformations, with the emergence of numerous new cloud service providers like OVH, Digital Ocean, Linode, Scaleway, OCI, along with the introduction of fresh APIs for querying cloud consoles, price data, and the standardization of Infrastructure as Code (IaC). Additionally, cloud providers have expanded their geographical reach by opening more regions.

These developments have created opportunities for advanced diagramming software that serves broader purposes beyond producing static representations of cloud infrastructures.

Modern diagramming tools should mimic the dynamism of cloud infrastructures. They should possess the capability to interact with cloud platforms, enabling the import and export of cloud resources. Additionally, they should offer cost estimates for cloud deployments, support multi-cloud environments, abstract the intricacies associated with various cloud providers, and be compatible with Infrastructure as Code (IaC).

With this vision in mind, my two co-founders and I have developed Holori, a cutting-edge diagramming tool. In this article, we will evaluate various diagramming tools while maintaining an objective perspective. You'll notice that we provide praise for competing tools where it's due.

1. Holori

Holori's diagramming software empowers users to create impressive multi-cloud diagrams, currently compatible with AWS, Azure, GCP, Alibaba, OVH, Digital Ocean, Linode and Scaleway. The tool's core mission is to facilitate effective planning and cost estimation of cloud infrastructure prior to deployment. Holori offers recommendations on optimizing architectural designs to proactively reduce cloud expenses. It also provides comparisons of equivalent architectures across different cloud providers.

Moreover, Holori can seamlessly import existing infrastructure directly from cloud provider consoles, allowing users to visualize their infrastructure and identify anomalies or unused resources.

Next month, Holori will release a major update, import Terraform files to generate infrastructure diagrams seamlessly. Coupling this capability and your CI/CD, Holori will generate terraform diagrams for every Pull Requests so that you can visualize the modifications of your infrastructure but also document it effortlessly !

Pros:
Detailed cost estimation for individual resources and overall architecture
Cloud cost comparison across providers
Terraform export
Compatibility with numerous cloud providers

Cons:
Limite to creating cloud diagrams, no other diagram types
Some features are still in development

Price
Holori offers a free forever plan with certain usage limitations, with the next plan starting at $49/month per user.

You can sign up here

2. Diagrams.net (Draw.io)

One of the most well-known flowchart tools, formerly known as Draw.io, this is an online flowcharting tool rooted in an open-source project. While it can be effectively utilized to create cloud architecture diagrams, its functionality extends beyond this, supporting the creation of various diagram types such as relationship diagrams, system component diagrams, network diagrams, and more. It offers versatility but may not be the optimal choice for comprehensive cloud architecture diagramming.

Pros:
No requirement for user registration
Suitable for generating a variety of diagram types
Compatible with numerous storage platforms

Cons:
User interface lacks user-friendliness
Ultimately, Draw.io produces static images
Absence of cloud cost estimation, cloud resource import, or visualization features

Pricing structure
A free personal use license is available, with pricing starting at $15/month for 20 users with Confluence integration.

3. Mingrammer

Mingrammer is an intriguing tool for individuals who prefer coding diagrams rather than creating them through graphical interfaces. It operates using Python code and offers a relatively quick setup process. It is compatible with AWS, Azure, GCP, Alibaba, and Oracle. Notably, the project is open source and has garnered significant attention on GitHub with over 31K stars.

4. Hava.io

Hava helps you generate diagrams of your existing infrastructure and network topology. The tool is compatible with AWS, Azure and GCP. Users can view security groups, route tables, resource information, subnets… With its auto sync feature, the tool is able to update the infrastructure on a daily basis reflecting the changes that may have been performed

Pros:
Cloud specific tool.
Importing existing AWS, GCP & Azure infrastructure is nice.

Cons:
For a complete experience, Hava.io is not sufficient. You need to use other tools to edit diagrams.
Interface is not easy to use
No possibility to deploy infrastructure

Price:
Hava come with a 2 weeks free trial version. After this, user is downgraded to a free version that is limited to one data source. Then the upper plan is 59$/month for 5 data sources.

5. Lucidchart & Lucidscale

For those accustomed to using Draw.io extensively, transitioning to Lucidchart may feel seamless due to the striking similarities in their user interface and user experience.

Lucidchart, nonetheless, stands as another robust flowcharting software. It enjoys widespread use for activities like mind mapping and non-technical architectural design. As an alternative, it can be employed for creating cloud infrastructure diagrams, but it lacks advanced intelligent features.

Lucidscale is a recent addition to Lucid's product lineup. It caters to cloud architects, IT managers, and DevOps professionals, providing them with tools to visualize their existing AWS, Azure, and GCP infrastructures.

However, once the infrastructure is imported, users need to switch to Lucidchart to edit the diagrams, which can be somewhat cumbersome.

Pros:
A robust tool for creating a wide range of diagrams
Compatibility with various applications and services
Seamless infrastructure import from AWS, GCP, and Azure
Ideal for collaborative team efforts

Cons:
Cloud diagram templates are only available in the premium version of Lucidchart
Lack of cloud cost estimation features
Inability to deploy or manage infrastructure directly from the tool

Pricing
Lucidscale offers a 14-day trial period, after which the individual license is priced at $1,899 per year. Lucidchart provides a Free Forever version with certain usage restrictions.

6. Cloudcraft

Cloudcraft specializes as an AWS-specific cloud diagramming tool, allowing users to model their AWS environments. Recently acquired by Datadog, they also now support Azure? It permits the creation of new projects from scratch or the importation of existing AWS & Azure infrastructure.

Cloudcraft offers additional features such as online diagram sharing and editing, cost estimation, and real-time monitoring with Cloudwatch integration. Overall, it proves to be a valuable tool, especially when working exclusively with AWS & Azure.

Pros:
Impressive 3D visualization
User-friendly interface
Capability to import and visualize AWS & Azure infrastructure

Cons:
Limited compatibility, primarily focused on AWS (recently added support for Azure)
Cloud cost estimation for AWS may be inaccurate
Not working with Terraform

Pricing
Cloudcraft provides a free forever version with restricted grid space. The next plan is priced at $99 per month.

7. Visio

Visio is a versatile tool capable of creating a wide range of diagrams, including flowcharts, pie charts, network diagrams, and more. It serves as a comprehensive solution for graphical and representational diagramming, making it a popular choice among enterprises across various industries. However, if you are specifically a cloud architect seeking to create cloud diagrams exclusively, Visio may not be the most suitable option due to the extensive setup requirements before it becomes fully operational.

Pros:
A comprehensive tool for creating diverse graphical and representational diagrams
Available on both desktop and web browsers

Cons:
Subpar user interface and user experience (UI/UX)
Requires separate purchase as it is not included in Microsoft Office suites
Lacks specialized cloud-related features such as cost estimation, cloud resource import, or infrastructure deployment

8. Cloudockit

Cloudockit specializes as a cloud-specific diagramming tool, similar to Hava.io. It does not offer the capability to create or edit diagrams directly but allows users to import their architectural data from AWS, GCP, or Azure. To edit the imported diagrams, users must utilize Visio, which integrates well with Cloudockit. An advantageous aspect of Cloudockit is its documentation generation functionality, enabling users to utilize predefined templates or create custom documentation.

Pros:
Streamlined importation of infrastructure data from Azure, GCP, and AWS
Documentation generation features

Cons:
Subpar user experience, leading to confusion during usage
Lack of unified user experience between the import and editing processes
Absence of cost estimation

Pricing
Individual license starts at 1500$/year.

9. Cloudmaker

Cloudmaker is a cloud-specific architecture diagramming tool with an impressive user interface and user experience, standing out among many other software options. However, it is limited to compatibility with Azure only. What distinguishes Cloudmaker is its unique capability to provision Azure resources directly from the diagramming tool.

Pros:

Exceptionally pleasing UI/UX
Infrastructure deployment directly from diagrams

Cons:
Exclusive focus on Azure compatibility
Lack of cost estimation features
Inability to import existing infrastructure

Pricing:
Cloudmaker offers a free trial version, followed by a $90 per user per month pricing model.

Which Architecture diagram software Should You choose?

If your primary goal is to create cloud architecture diagrams, Draw.io remains a viable option due to its cost-free availability.

However, if you seek more advanced features such as visualizing existing infrastructure, estimating infrastructure costs, or importing/visualizing Terraform files, Holori offers a comprehensive solution.

You can sign up and start using Holori for free https://app.holori.com/.