ARIS BPA vs Lucidchart vs Visio comparison

The compared Software AG and Lucid Software solutions aren't in the same category. Software AG is ranked #6 in BPD , with an average rating of 7.8, and holds a 7.2% mindshare in the category. Lucid Software is ranked #2 in MMS , with an average rating of 7.9, and holds a 19.7% mindshare. Additionally, 89% of Software AG users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 95% of Lucid Software users who would recommend it.

ARIS BPA

Read 69 ARIS BPA reviews

7,250 Views
4,568 Comparison Views

89% willing to recommend

Lucidchart

Read 66 Lucidchart reviews

5,491 Views
933 Comparison Views

95% willing to recommend

Visio

Read 110 Visio reviews

8,386 Views
6,877 Comparison Views

80% willing to recommend

ARIS BPA

Lucidchart

Visio

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between ARIS BPA, Lucidchart, and Visio based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

Find out what your peers are saying about Camunda, Bizagi, Microsoft and others in Business Process Design.

To learn more, read our detailed Business Process Design Report (Updated: May 2026).

Buyer's Guide

Business Process Design

May 2026

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Helped 896,387 peers since 2012

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Mindshare comparison

Business Process Design Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
ARIS BPA	7.2%
Bizagi	8.4%
Camunda	8.0%
Other	76.4%

Business Process Design

Mind Mapping Software Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Lucidchart	19.7%
Visio	20.4%
Xmind	13.9%
Other	46.00000000000001%

Mind Mapping Software

Business Process Design Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Visio	8.0%
Bizagi	8.4%
Camunda	8.0%
Other	75.6%

Business Process Design

Featured Reviews

BeenishMustafa

Consultant at KAFD DMC

Has improved process modeling and analysis while supporting integration with organizational data

The process design in ARIS BPA does help with our operational efficiency. What we are doing is object library management for various kinds of objects that we are using in ARIS BPA during our process modeling. We are using that to do a lot of analysis on how many times a system is being used in how many processes, who are the major stakeholders, and if we enhance one system, how is it going to impact other processes and integrated processes. This is helping us a lot. Everything related to ARIS BPA is helping us with regards to enhanced processes, strengthened controls, identifying risks, assessing process capabilities, and identifying where the gaps are and what kinds of activities within the processes are automated and manual. We are doing a lot of things with regards to the processes as it is at our heart. Processes are one thing and then we have different kinds of things which are related to it, such as SLAs, guidelines, and policy. We are identifying areas of improvement in other documents as well.

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AlexMartin1

Senior Software Engineer at Nestlé

Visual collaboration has improved remote workflows and supports faster shared decisions

The best features Lucidchart offers are that it diagrams processes very well. It allows for project management to help with client timelines. It is also easy to use and create diagrams, especially mermaid diagrams. Collaborating is easy. Out of all those features, collaboration stands out to me the most because it is easy to share with team members to do joint design work. Lucidchart has positively impacted my organization by improving productivity and collaboration. In terms of specifics, collaboration helps us come to conclusions. I notice better throughput as it is easy to use. Improved productivity allows us to express ourselves more quickly.

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NitinSharma

Senior Network Specialist at a computer software company with 51-200 employees

Created detailed rack and network diagrams that streamline documentation and collaboration

For creating diagrams, I definitely use Visio for HLD, LLD, and traffic flow diagrams. Apart from Visio, I use Jira only if the customer specifically requests it; otherwise, I do not use an in-house version of Jira in my organization. One of the good features of using the Microsoft umbrella product is that if I create a big diagram and then work on the HLD or LLD in Word, I can select everything from Visio and paste it as an image without needing to resize it, which streamlines the process of creating documentation for customers. The main benefits Visio provides me include simplifying processes, saving time on manual work with diagram creation, and delivering a clean architecture, whether it is network architecture or application flow. I have created diagrams for AWS, Azure, GCP, and on-premises data centers, including rack elevation diagrams and organization charts. Modifications can be made easily and reflected immediately, and I can create PNG images to share with the executive team.

Read full review

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"This is the most comprehensive tool for capturing the process details."

"The whole ARIS BPM solution is a bit special, because from the very beginning it was targeted more to Business users and the Management."

"ARIS BPM is a good program; it's one of the leaders in the management of business processes."

"We chose ARIS because of its good reputation and familiarity with Software AG Tools."

"ARIS has a good collaboration function. You create a portal where any authorized users can work on the models. There are simple flows for making and approving changes."

"Everything related to ARIS BPA is helping us with regards to enhanced processes, strengthened controls, identifying risks, assessing process capabilities, and identifying where the gaps are and what kinds of activities within the processes are automated and manual."

"Good at controlling the workflow and relevant key processes."

"The ease of use is the most valuable. I have tried a number of BPMN packages, and I find the user interface of ARIS BPM easier and more intuitive than others. If your team is knowledgeable on BPMN, it is really pretty easy to figure out on your own because it adheres to the standards extremely well. I have tried Bizagi, BizFlow, and a variety of such solutions, and I just liked ARIS BPM better."

More ARIS BPA pros

"Its capabilities for visualizing and understanding these types of workflows are really good."

"Lucidchart's ability to create a visualization that people prefer to look at, over reading written documents, has definitely saved me a lot of time, and it has helped to make my code bug-free because I no longer have broken endpoints."

"Lucidchart's capabilities for visualizing and understanding process flows are very good."

"The biggest lesson that I have learned from using this product is that I don't need to struggle with creating org charts; it's quick and easy to use."

"In terms of return on investment with Lucidchart, I would say I have saved time."

"Lucidchart is fairly intuitive, has a low learning curve, and makes it easy to get immediate output, so you can get results very quickly without a lot of direct effort."

"The most valuable feature is the ease of use, and just being able to drag and drop."

"It is a very interesting tool, I love using this tool and have recommended Lucidchart to my colleague and other developers in different companies because it is a good tool that is easy to use with a good UI and is also easy to understand."

More Lucidchart pros

"The fact that it's on-premises allows you to get fantastic speed; it's got a faster response rate, it doesn't lag, and it doesn't have any latency when you're working on it."

"As a presentation tool and a high-level design tool, I rate Visio at least a nine out of ten."

"Very interactive with an intuitive interface."

"The ability to clearly demonstrate and create labels has helped the organization immensely."

"The solution makes it very easy to make exciting pictures and designs. Everything is very intuitive and simple to figure out."

"It is a standard and easy-to-use solution from Microsoft, and you benefit from the general functions of Microsoft solutions."

"The most valuable features are ease of use and flexibility."

"Visio is outstanding because it has features that are useful for project management."

More Visio pros

Cons

"It needs external API and the ability to navigate back, similar to "Back" in web browser."

"In terms of improvement, the app could use some small details and functionalities."

"Simulation is one area that is a bit complex."

"Most of our customers and myself would expect that the next complementary step for this platform would be to offer easily customizable content governance."

"There are reports available in ARIS and you can modify them a bit if you want something more specific, but it's not that easy to adjust them and make modifications. It would be nice to have some kind of tool to do that, something that is more user-friendly for people who are not too technical, so that they could create reports the way they want them."

"The reporting capabilities and the ability to create custom reports need to be simplified and made easy so that people even with a good functional understanding of the tool can leverage it to create their own custom report."

"We should have the ability to download ARIS EPCs to Visio."

"Integration with third-party tools should be improved (e.g. based on APIs)."

More ARIS BPA cons

"I choose seven because of those things I mentioned where adjusting different things and drawing the lines is basically not very intuitive at all."

"The flowcharting feature would be improved if it had some kind of prediction capability that helped to create the diagrams, such as the ability to automatically join components with my database."

"The layering is something that can be improved because sometimes, it is confusing for me when I'm trying to get to the layer that I want to edit."

"When I was using the free version last summer, I don’t remember there being an option to change the look of the arrow."

"There is a basic function that I struggle with, in the interface, which is having to switch between the editing and navigation modes."

"One way Lucidchart can be improved is that finding a document that has been shared with me without having the link is tricky, or the amount of diagrams can become overwhelming and bury the document I actually need."

"The system is a bit clumsy when it comes to stylizing to match corporate imaging styles."

"I have used the solution to modify existing data structures but I would only rate it as a six out of ten in its capabilities."

More Lucidchart cons

"It is now being used for just basic drawings; it is no longer an enterprise-quality development or documentation tool."

"The solution could include better modeling and an interface with workflow capability, better integration would make the Visio to Power Automate connection a lot better."

"Some of the improvements that have been made in Visio have not been beneficial, at least to me, personally. Too many things have been added to it, and it makes it kind of clunky sometimes."

"The database modeling has deteriorated significantly in the more current versions."

"Microsoft should include Visio as part of their Office 365 offering."

"I cannot say anything that needs improvement in Visio; it was quite user-friendly, but I think the organization may have found it costly."

"This is just disappointing as the functionality is there for programs like Word but it is completely missing on Visio."

"I would like to see the project planning element improved, although it won't happen because Microsoft deliberately made it worse."

More Visio cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Pricing is a bit on the higher side."

"The pricing and licensing costs are available on their website. They will assign a relationship manager to assist if you show further interest in their products."

"ARIS has different licensing mechanisms for different modules, but they are perpetual licenses. So you pay once."

"The price of the solution is reasonable."

"Usually, our company buys technical support from the Software AG site. We bought the technical support for the first year of usage for ARIS version 6 and 7. So, when we migrated to ARIS version 7, we bought support only for the first year. Then, we didn't use it the next year. Our experience was that we use it only one to three times during the first year. Therefore, there wasn't much value for us to buy this service because we have no problem with using ARIS after the first year."

"It depends on different parameters."

"From my point of view, no, it is not cheap, but it is not too expensive because you get this big organization behind it, technical support, and all those things. It's not so expensive to use. It's a Rolls Royce in this field, I know that. Even for small organizations, they can get so much effect from using this tool, in a very fast way, so the money will be back in the customer's pocket very fast."

"The price could be better."

More ARIS BPA pricing and cost advice

"The pricing is very reasonable, and they have a free trial available that you can play with."

"Pricing comes in at about $100 for a year's subscription, which is very reasonable if this is a tool that you will use more than once."

"One of the reasons we were able to get approval within two hours from our management was that it was cheap enough. We have a 3% or 10% collaboration package, which comes out to be 70 bucks a year. It was very cheap, and we had no issues actually getting the full version. It was very affordable for a business."

"The price of this product is a little bit high. It is probably 20% higher than what I expected to pay for such a solution."

"We chose Lucid based on the price comparison between it and draw.io... Lucidchart was about 15 percent cheaper per user... I was surprised to learn that it came with a separate subscription model and was not included in my existing Lucidchart subscription."

"The pricing and licensing are fine, though I wish they didn't require you to buy the licenses in batches of five."

"I'm happy with the pricing of Lucidchart but I can't say I'm completely happy with it. It could be cheaper for what it offers, about $5 cheaper, or Lucid could charge $5 more and add more features, like automation. Right now, it's $15 per user per month... On the other hand, they have made their billing super-easy for users, such as for people who have to do expense reports. It is probably the easiest platform I'm using when it comes to billing for software as a service."

"I have a subscription as an individual user for one year, and it is not expensive."

More Lucidchart pricing and cost advice

"The pricing of Visio is much better. It has a free version of the cheapest functionality which is enough for us."

"It is a free solution for us. It is integrated with our pack. We are trying to use the solutions that we already have."

"It's cheaper than other solutions."

"Visio is the cheapest solution because it has the basics. Everyone starts with Visio for designing processes because doing it in PowerPoint is a mess. I'm still a student, so I don't pay for licensing."

"Cloud-based tools are always cheaper since they are subscription-based. I use the on-premises version of Visio hence the price is quite expensive. However, I believe that the cloud version of Visio may not be as expensive as the on-premises version."

"It's not the cheapest product, but it's extremely valuable."

"I know you can pick it up in retail for under a thousand per person. You can also pick it up for cheaper than that. Microsoft has about 7,000 licensing models, and you get certain percentages off specific licensing. If you're a partner, you get specific numbers of licenses with the partnership price."

"We probably have an M-365 E3 license."

More Visio pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

14%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Computer Software Company

Comms Service Provider

Financial Services Firm

11%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Government

Comms Service Provider

Financial Services Firm

13%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Government

Computer Software Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	32
Midsize Enterprise	9
Large Enterprise	47

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	30
Midsize Enterprise	15
Large Enterprise	29

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	36
Midsize Enterprise	19
Large Enterprise	61

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for ARIS BPA?

It is a bit expensive regarding ARIS BPA. However, ARIS BPA does save a lot of effort because this is one tool which ...

See all answers

What needs improvement with ARIS BPA?

We are not using any what-if scenario features in ARIS BPA. Currently, we are not using the performance monitoring an...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for ARIS BPA?

ARIS BPA is being used for process modeling, and we are planning to upgrade and enhance it for process mining and oth...

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LucidChart vs LucidSpark for brainstorming sessions over Zoom

Hi @Krista Thompson - Yes, LucidSpark is a much more nimble and, in some ways, user-friendly tool than LucidChart. ...

See all answers

Do you recommend Lucidchart?

I definitely recommend Lucidchart. I feel it is one of the top visual collaboration platforms that’s available on the...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Lucidchart?

It is cloud-based, so no setup is required. Currently, we are using a free plan.

See all answers

How easy is it to migrate process flow charts (modeled using tools like Visio) into Bizagi?

I have been using Bizagi with a major project for a state government agency for about four years now. It is pretty st...

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Visio?

The pricing is reasonable now. Whereas before, I had used it when it was paid for by my work, but then as I moved to ...

See all answers

What needs improvement with Visio?

I would have said the pricing, but the pricing is fine now, so it's a good tool and a powerful one. When you know how...

See all answers

Comparisons

SAP Signavio Process Manager vs ARIS BPA

Compared 9% of the time

Camunda vs ARIS BPA

Compared 6% of the time

Bizagi vs ARIS BPA

Compared 5% of the time

ADONIS vs ARIS BPA

Compared 4% of the time

Apache Airflow vs ARIS BPA

Compared 2% of the time

More ARIS BPA Competitors

Figma vs Lucidchart

Compared 12% of the time

Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect vs Lucidchart

Compared 9% of the time

Bizagi vs Lucidchart

Compared 7% of the time

erwin Data Modeler vs Lucidchart

Compared 6% of the time

More Lucidchart Competitors

Bizagi vs Visio

Compared 26% of the time

SAP Signavio Process Manager vs Visio

Compared 7% of the time

Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect vs Visio

Compared 6% of the time

Visual Paradigm vs Visio

Compared 5% of the time

MEGA HOPEX vs Visio

Compared 2% of the time

More Visio Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

ARIS BPA

May 2026

Download ARIS BPA product report

Buyer's Guide

Lucidchart

May 2026

Download Lucidchart product report

Buyer's Guide

Visio

May 2026

Download Visio product report

Also Known As

ARIS, ARIS BPM

No data available

Microsoft Visio

Overview

ARIS BPA is a sophisticated tool for business process analysis and modeling, featuring robust capabilities in integration, reporting, and collaboration. It bridges strategy and execution, leveraging a centralized repository for enhanced governance and efficiency.

ARIS BPA provides a comprehensive platform for modeling and analyzing business processes. It includes features like SAP integration, semantic checks, and a unified repository that supports cross-functional collaboration. Despite having a high cost compared to competitors, ARIS BPA supports frameworks like CMMI and EFQM and is used for process improvement, enterprise architecture modeling, and digital management. Its flexibility and powerful API allow for diverse reporting and data integration, making it a key tool for bridging strategies with execution in complex environments. It requires improvements in interface design, scripting, and simplification of reporting capabilities, with training resources needed to address complexity.

What are the most important features of ARIS BPA?

Comprehensive Process Modeling: Enables detailed design and analysis of business processes.
Robust Integration: Provides integration capabilities with platforms like SAP.
Centralized Repository: Facilitates cross-functional collaboration and documentation.
Simulation and Reporting: Offers simulation features and diverse reporting capabilities.
Customization and API: Features customizable options and a powerful API for enhanced functionality.

What benefits should users consider in reviews?

Enhanced Efficiency: Bridges strategic objectives with operational execution.
Improved Visibility: Offers better governance and process transparency.
Collaboration Support: Centralized repository aids cross-team collaboration.
Integration Capability: Strong integration with existing systems to streamline workflows.
Flexibility: Adaptable to meet different operational requirements and needs.

In industries such as manufacturing, finance, and healthcare, companies utilize ARIS BPA for optimizing business processes, managing application landscapes, and ensuring compliance. It is a preferred tool for enterprise architecture modeling and process mining, supporting organizations in driving process efficiencies and maintaining high standards through frameworks like CMMI and EFQM. These capabilities allow for effective digital management and automation, positioning ARIS BPA as a valuable asset in transforming operational processes.

Software AG

Lucidchart offers a dynamic platform for visual collaboration, enabling teams to enhance workflows and boost productivity through real-time updates and diverse templates.

Lucidchart provides an intuitive interface designed for seamless integration with tools like Google Workspace and Salesforce. This enhances team collaboration by reducing misunderstandings and accelerating workflows. Its cross-platform compatibility ensures both Mac and PC users achieve visual clarity in process management. While users value its efficiency, there is a desire for improvements in handling complex diagrams, more accessible pricing for advanced features, and enhanced offline capabilities. Customization, such as color schemes and dark mode, along with robust tutorials, remain areas for potential enhancement.

What features define Lucidchart?

Real-time Collaboration: Allows teams to work simultaneously on diagrams.
Drag-and-Drop Interface: Simplifies the creation process with intuitive controls.
Diverse Templates: Offers a variety of pre-built templates for extensive usage scenarios.
Seamless Integration: Connects effortlessly with Google Workspace and Salesforce.

What benefits can be expected from Lucidchart?

Enhanced Productivity: Facilitates efficient collaboration and workflow acceleration.
Time Savings: Streamlines process mapping, saving teams significant time.
Visual Clarity: Aids in clear project management and teamwork communication.

In sectors like technology and business, Lucidchart is extensively used for visualizing workflows, system architectures, and process maps. It serves as a powerful tool for collaboration, brainstorming, and documenting procedures. Teams find it effective for demonstrating technical and business structures, improving coordination, and supporting tasks like planning, migration, and development.

Lucid Software

Visio integrates seamlessly with Microsoft Office, offers extensive shape libraries, and supports BPMN 2.0 validation. Its intuitive design and cloud accessibility make it an essential tool for creating diverse diagrams across industries.

Visio's strengths lie in its integration with Microsoft Office, a robust shape library, and BPMN 2.0 validation capabilities. It simplifies diagram creation through templates and offers online support and tutorials for enhanced usability. The drag-and-drop functionality and template variety facilitate diverse design needs, benefiting industries with customizable features for process mapping, architecture planning, and network diagramming. Its intuitive interface and cloud accessibility further optimize user experience. There is room for improvement in XPDL file compatibility, pen input, and integration with Word, SharePoint, and databases. Enhancing data linking and collaboration features is essential. Performance, layering, and layout adjustments need attention, along with cost and 3D capabilities.

What are Visio's most important features?

Microsoft Office Integration: Seamless compatibility with Office suite enhances productivity.
Shape Library: Extensive range of shapes supports a variety of design needs.
BPMN 2.0 Validation: Ensures accuracy in process modeling.
Templates: Streamlines diagram creation for users at all levels.
Cloud Accessibility: Provides access to projects from anywhere.

What benefits and ROI should users look for?

Enhanced Productivity: Integrates within existing workflows for efficient operations.
Customization: Tailor-made features enhance specific industry needs.
Visual Communication: Simplifies complex data presentation.
Collaboration: Improves teamwork with shared access and real-time editing.

Organizations use Visio across IT, business management, and engineering sectors for process modeling, business process design, and creating diagrams like flowcharts, network architectures, and architectural diagrams. It aids in illustrating business processes, workflows, and system designs, facilitating improved understanding and visual communication.

Microsoft

Sample Customers

Tesco, Weifu, Airbus, Siemens, Proximus, Alicorp, Sekerbank, Bancor, Philips,Sky, Emirates NBD, Dubai Municipality, Suva, U.S. Army, Australia Post, Westfalen Weser Energie - ARIS serves customers across all industries and of every size worldwide. Companies trust ARIS as the market leader for process excellence with more than 30 years of experience in the market, 10 million users worldwide, from 1 user companies to the Fortune 500.

Google, Salesforce, Adobe, Whirlpool, Uber, Wal Mart, Pearson, Twitch, Riot Games, Western Union, Trimble, Starbucks

Thomas College, Hamburg Port Authority, Portigon AG, Conseil G_n_ral du d_partement des Hautes-Alpes, AAA Auto a. s., Commonwealth Financial Network, ICA, Abu Dhabi National Energy Company

Buyer's Guide

Business Process Design

May 2026

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