Developer(s) Lucid Software License Subscription only | Type Diagramming software Website www.lucidchart.com | |
Lucidchart is a web-based commercial service which allows users to collaborate and work together in real time to create flowcharts, organisational charts, website wireframes, UML designs, mind maps, software prototypes, and many other diagram types. Built on web standards such as HTML5 and JavaScript, Lucidchart is supported in many common web browsers like Google Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Microsoft Edge and Internet Explorer 11+.
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Company history
In December 2008, Lucid Software Inc., a startup based in Salt Lake City, Utah, first announced its Lucidchart visual collaboration platform as a public beta version. The current major revision of Lucidchart was released on 31 July 2010.
Following this release, Lucidchart was featured in Techcrunch, Mashable, ReadWriteWeb, and PC World, with GigaOM noting:
"Lucidchart is a graphically-rich web application that makes working on a diagram with your entire team a simple matter. The tool is effectively an online alternative to Microsoft Visio."
In April 2010, Lucidchart became available in the Google Apps Marketplace. In December 2010, Lucidchart was included as a featured application in the launch of the Chrome Web Store, where it became the top paid application.
In July 2011, Lucid Software announced it had raised US$1M in seed funding from 500 Startups, 2M Companies, K9 Ventures, and other angel investors.
In summer 2013, Lucid released its Chrome Packaged App to the Chrome Web Store, which allowed users to work offline and sync their documents.
LucidChart also received the Start2Cloud Editor's Choice award.
Product features
Lucidchart features a drag-and-drop interface and real-time collaboration capabilities. In addition to working on major operating systems like Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X and Linux, Lucidchart is also functional on the iPad through an optimized iPad application. On the iPad, Lucidchart allows users to touch-draw shapes which are automatically converted to standard symbols.
Cloud-based
Lucidchart is cloud-based, so it requires no downloads or software updates. Work is saved automatically in the cloud, and multiple users can work simultaneously on a single document, similar to the way Google Drive functions.
Collaboration
Lucidchart employs a variety of collaboration features, including in-editor chat, comments, and video chat, and real-time collaboration with other editors.
Document publication options
Lucidchart also allows publishing the diagrams to web and share it with others via email and generated link.
Lucidchart allows printing to vector PDFs as well as raster JPEG and PNG images.
Shape libraries
Lucidchart has a large collection of industry-standard shape libraries.
Customization
Lucidchart also has a variety of customization choices. SVG import allows users to make their own shape libraries. Users can also freely alter existing shapes, lines, and templates, as well as uploading custom images to add to their charts.
Import file support
In 2011, Lucidchart became the first web-based application to offer compatibility with Microsoft Visio, the leading desktop application for diagramming. Lucidchart also supports the Omnigraffle file type *.graffle for Omnigraffle 6 and Omnigraffle 6 Pro.
Mac compatibility
Lucidchart is a commonly adopted tool among Mac users, in part because there is no Microsoft Visio available for Mac. Popular shape libraries among Mac users include flowcharts and org charts. In 2013, Lucidchart released a native iPad app.