yEd
Free desktop graph editor from yWorks GmbH in Tübingen with automatic layout, Excel import and Windows, macOS and Linux versions
Quick Overview
| Company | yWorks GmbH |
|---|---|
| Category | Diagram Software |
| Headquarters | Tübingen, Germany |
| Founded | Not stated |
| EU Presence | Yes - Germany (EU) |
| Data Location | The desktop application runs on your machine; yEd Live runs in the browser and sends no diagram data to yWorks servers unless you use a supported cloud storage or the AI feature |
| Open Source | No |
| GDPR Compliant | Yes |
| Self-Hosting | Desktop application that runs locally |
| Main Features | Automatic layout algorithms, import from Excel (.xls) and XML, export to PNG, JPG, SVG, PDF and SWF, flowcharts, UML class diagrams, BPMN, family trees, social networks, yEd Live in the browser |
| Pricing | Free of charge, including in a commercial environment, under the yEd Software License Agreement |
| Best For | Network, org and process graphs where automatic layout saves manual arranging |
| Replaces | Microsoft Visio, Lucidchart |
Detailed Review
yEd is the free diagram editor of yWorks, the company behind the yFiles diagramming library. The vendor describes it as a desktop application for creating diagrams by hand or importing external data and arranging large data sets with a button press.
The yEd Software License Agreement is between yWorks GmbH and the licensee and is governed by the laws of Germany. The yWorks legal page gives the address as Vor dem Kreuzberg 28, 72070 Tübingen.
Automatic layout
The feature that sets yEd apart from a plain drawing tool is automatic arrangement. The vendor says its layout algorithms arrange even large data sets with the press of a button, and the editor imports data from an Excel .xls file or XML.
Diagrams export as PNG, JPG, SVG, PDF and SWF according to the product page.
yEd Live in the browser
yEd Live is the browser version. yWorks says it runs completely in your local browser and the graph is never sent to a server unless you explicitly store it in a supported cloud service.
Its AI features use integrated ChatGPT functions to create and edit graphs from a text description, and data leaves the client when you use them.
Licence terms
The use of yEd is free, including commercially, but only under the licence agreement: for example you may not distribute yEd yourself or use it in an automated process.
Limitations to Consider
yEd is not open source and the licence forbids redistributing it or running it in an automated process. The desktop app is a Java Swing application. The pages checked describe no real-time team editing and no Visio file import. Import is from .xls Excel files, not the newer format. The AI features in yEd Live send data to an external service.
Who Should Use yEd
Individuals and teams who want a free local editor for large graphs and are fine with a non-open-source licence.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Free of charge, including commercial use
- Automatic layout algorithms for large diagrams
- Runs on Windows, macOS and Linux
- yEd Live keeps diagrams in the browser
- German vendor with German-law licence
Cons
- Not open source, with redistribution limits
- No real-time collaboration described on the pages checked
- Excel import is limited to .xls
- AI features in yEd Live use ChatGPT
Alternatives to yEd
Other European diagram software worth comparing before you decide:
draw.io
United Kingdom · Free Apache-licensed diagram editor that keeps files in your own storage
Software Ideas Modeler
Slovakia · UML, BPMN, ArchiMate and SysML modeling tool from a Slovak developer
Camunda Modeler
Germany · BPMN and DMN process modeler where the diagram is what runs
Modelio
France · GPL-licensed UML, BPMN and ArchiMate modeler, now offered by Docaposte
See all European diagram software or compare them directly against Microsoft Visio on our alternatives page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. yWorks states that the use of yEd is free of charge and that you can use it in a commercial environment at no cost, provided you follow the yEd Software License Agreement.
Not in the desktop app, which runs on your machine. yWorks says yEd Live runs completely in your local browser and the graph is never sent to a server unless you explicitly store it in a supported cloud service.
yEd is based on the yFiles diagramming library from yWorks, which supplies the automatic layout algorithms and the editing interface, and it is a pure Java Swing application.