Free Gliffy Alternative for Flowcharts

Gliffy is a diagramming tool primarily known for its Confluence plugin. Its standalone web version starts at $7.99/user/month with no free tier. If you need to create flowcharts without a Gliffy or Confluence subscription, the free browser-based flowchart maker on this page does the job — standard shapes, auto-layout, PNG and SVG export, no account required.

What Gliffy Is — and Who Actually Needs It

Gliffy was originally built as a Confluence plugin for creating diagrams within Atlassian wikis. It is well-integrated into Confluence and Jira workflows — teams can embed live diagrams in Confluence pages and edit them without leaving the wiki.

The standalone Gliffy web app serves users who want a drag-and-drop diagramming tool without Atlassian. It charges $7.99/user/month with no trial-to-free option.

Users who search for "Gliffy alternative" typically fall into two groups: (1) people whose organization canceled Gliffy and need a replacement, and (2) people who heard of Gliffy as a diagram tool and are looking for a free version. For both, the free browser-based tool covers standard flowchart needs without any subscription.

Free Tool vs Gliffy — What You Get

Feature	Gliffy	Free Flowchart Tool
Price	$7.99/user/month	$0
Free tier	None	Full access, always free
Signup required	Yes	No
Confluence integration	Yes (plugin)	No
Flowchart shapes	Full library	Full standard set
Auto-layout	No — manual canvas	Yes — full auto
PNG export	Yes	Yes, free
SVG export	Yes	Yes, free

Gliffy has a significant advantage if you work inside Confluence — embedded diagrams that update without leaving the wiki are valuable. For everything else — standalone flowchart creation, process documentation, presentations — the free tool covers the same needs at no cost.

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Creating a Flowchart Without Gliffy

Open the free flowchart maker. Type your diagram description and the layout renders automatically:

flowchart TD
    A([Issue filed]) --> B[Triage]
    B --> C{Priority?}
    C -- P1 --> D[Assign immediately]
    C -- P2 --> E[Add to sprint]
    C -- P3 --> F[Add to backlog]
    D --> G[In progress]
    E --> G
    F --> H([Backlogged])
    G --> I([Resolved])

Export PNG to embed in Confluence as an image attachment, or SVG for a scalable embed. The resulting diagram looks identical to what Gliffy produces for this type of flowchart — the difference is the creation experience (text-based vs drag-and-drop) and the cost ($0 vs $7.99/month).

Free Gliffy Alternatives for Confluence Users

If you specifically need diagram integration within Confluence, Gliffy's main alternatives:

• Draw.io for Confluence: The most popular Gliffy alternative in the Confluence ecosystem. The Confluence plugin costs $0.95/user/month — significantly cheaper than Gliffy. The standalone web app is free.
• Mermaid macros: Some Confluence configurations support rendering diagram syntax natively through a Mermaid macro — free if the macro is available in your instance.
• Image attachments: Create your flowchart in the free browser tool, export PNG, and attach to the Confluence page. Manual update process, but zero cost.

For teams specifically replacing Gliffy in Confluence, Draw.io is the standard recommendation. For standalone flowchart creation outside of Confluence, the free browser tool has no Confluence dependency and no cost.

When Gliffy Is Worth Paying For

Gliffy justifies its cost when:

• Your entire team works in Confluence and maintains a library of diagrams that need to stay current
• You need embedded live-edit diagrams in Confluence pages (not static image attachments)
• Your organization has an existing Gliffy contract and the diagrams are integral to your documentation workflow

For individual users or teams without a Confluence-first workflow, Gliffy's pricing is hard to justify when Draw.io (free standalone) and this browser-based flowchart tool cover the same use cases.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a free version of Gliffy?

No — Gliffy discontinued its free standalone tier. The product now requires a paid subscription starting at $7.99/user/month. For free flowchart creation, the browser-based tool or Draw.io are the alternatives.

Can I use the free flowchart tool to create diagrams for Confluence?

Yes — export PNG or SVG and attach it to your Confluence page as an image. You lose the live-edit integration that Gliffy or Draw.io for Confluence provide, but the diagram looks identical and costs nothing.

Is Draw.io the same as Gliffy?

No — they are separate products. Draw.io (diagrams.net) is free for standalone use and has a paid Confluence plugin ($0.95/user/month). Gliffy is a different product with no free tier. Draw.io is the most direct free Gliffy alternative for Confluence users.

What happened to the free Gliffy account I used to have?

Gliffy eliminated its free tier and moved to a fully paid model. Your old diagrams may still be accessible if you log in, but creating new diagrams requires a subscription.