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Visio vs erwin Data Modeler comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 23, 2025

Review summaries and opinions

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

ROI

Sentiment score
4.4
erwin Data Modeler enhances productivity with automation, standardization, and efficiency in data management, benefiting organizations with significant time savings.
Sentiment score
1.3
Visio streamlines documentation, enhancing efficiency and reducing delivery timelines, offering significant ROI within three to four years.
It replaces manual charting in Visio with a structured tool, providing significant return on investment.
Data Architect at a energy/utilities company with 10,001+ employees
If the modeling is compromised, then the entire structure will be compromised.
Senior Data Architect at a computer software company with 1,001-5,000 employees
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
5.9
Erwin Data Modeler offers helpful support with some response delays; users value assistance despite technical and version challenges.
Sentiment score
6.4
Most Visio users avoid direct support, preferring documentation and online resources, though premium support users find it helpful.
The quality and speed of their support are excellent; everyone is very helpful, and they can solve problems quickly.
Senior Data Scientist at a consultancy with 10,001+ employees
Quest is committed to keeping the product robust.
Data Architect at a energy/utilities company with 10,001+ employees
Erwin Data Modeler requirements function at a standard level.
Data Modeler at Capgemini
While I like Microsoft products in general, the main issue is with the licensing options and the problems associated with them.
IT Professor at Sakarya University
The cost to deploy this 170-page solution was too high and the needed time was months. It was almost not an answer.
Chief Executive Officer at Easy Touch
I would rate their support a nine or even 9.5, recognizing that their support system is robust and cooperative.
Senior Network Specialist at a computer software company with 51-200 employees
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
6.5
Erwin Data Modeler is adaptable, supporting diverse platforms and handling large data volumes efficiently despite minor performance issues.
Sentiment score
7.2
Visio is manageable for organizations but faces challenges with scalability, compatibility, and broader deployment due to desktop constraints.
I would rate it probably a nine, making it a leader in data modeling.
Data Architect at a energy/utilities company with 10,001+ employees
erwin Data Modeler had a very good standardization infrastructure and supported a controlled multi-user environment with check-ins and check-outs.
Data Metrics Engineer at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees
Regarding scalability, erwin Data Modeler is performing well; from a few tables to 100 tables, it is working effectively so far.
Senior Data Scientist at a consultancy with 10,001+ employees
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
5.9
erwin Data Modeler is evolving, stable, with performance variations, lacks autosave, but features responsive support and frequent updates.
Sentiment score
8.3
Visio is mostly stable, with improved recent versions, though complex tasks or hardware limits may cause occasional issues.
This lack of an auto-save methodology can be improved so that if a system crash occurs, work can be saved and rework can be avoided.
Data Modeler at Capgemini
New versions often introduce enhanced features but may cause model crashes due to memory exhaustion.
Data Architect at a energy/utilities company with 10,001+ employees
Sometimes when I want to open the attribute editor, it stops working and the whole application freezes.
Senior Data Scientist at a consultancy with 10,001+ employees
 

Room For Improvement

Erwin Data Modeler users seek better big data compatibility, improved UI, and enhanced support for integration, performance, and collaboration.
Visio users encounter challenges with templates, integration, performance, costs, and licensing, seeking better functionality and user experience.
The previous version of erwin Data Modeler used to crash unaccountably, but this one hasn't ever crashed on me, so it's been a lot more stable than the previous version that we had.
Data Warehouse Architect at a healthcare company with 10,001+ employees
There are many features, and I would expect good documentation detailing each feature, including when and how to use it, to be very useful because data modeling is not very popular in the data area and there aren't many educational videos regarding erwin Data Modeler.
Senior Data Scientist at a consultancy with 10,001+ employees
Erwin Data Modeler could improve in areas such as the interface, as there are features like copy and paste, creating duplicates, and the visualization elements and toolbars which feel quite old.
Data Modeler at Capgemini
Visio should implement more complex tools or graphics to facilitate processing and use flexible templates.
IT Professor at Sakarya University
Licensing cost is one of the major points for improvement since it is quite high for personal use.
Senior Network Specialist at a computer software company with 51-200 employees
The visual icons and shapes for different vendors like Cisco network could be improved.
field service manager at Saudi Business Machines - SBM
 

Setup Cost

Erwin Data Modeler is costly but its features and scalability justify the price for large organizations despite regional price differences.
Enterprise buyers must navigate varied Visio pricing, with options like cloud subscriptions offering cost efficiency through integration and discounts.
It is more targeted toward an enterprise level since organizations looking to store business information and relationship values may consider the pricing.
Data Modeler at Capgemini
If asked to rate the price, I would give it around nine points out of ten, indicating it is somewhat expensive.
IT Professor at Sakarya University
 

Valuable Features

Erwin Data Modeler excels in visualizing complex data structures, integrating cloud databases, and enhancing collaboration and data governance.
Visio enhances productivity with seamless Microsoft integration, diverse templates, and user-friendly features for creating professional diagrams.
One of the key aspects of data governance is defining the data dictionary and clearly identifying which data is accessible by whom and what is not accessible, particularly regarding PII-related data.
SPM at Infosys
The way the data is organized and you have a visual of that organization helps a great deal in terms of trying to remember what you did and trying to retrieve the information.
Data Metrics Engineer at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees
One of the best aspects of the tool is its reverse engineering capability.
Data Architect at a energy/utilities company with 10,001+ employees
When you use this template, you find directly the related buttons. It saves time and effort.
Chief Executive Officer at Easy Touch
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.
Senior Network Specialist at a computer software company with 51-200 employees
Visio allows me to create detailed diagrams that provide value to customers by giving them a clear view of their network and devices.
field service manager at Saudi Business Machines - SBM
 

Categories and Ranking

erwin Data Modeler
Ranking in Business Process Design
8th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
5.8
Number of Reviews
45
Ranking in other categories
Enterprise Architecture Management (2nd), Data Governance (15th)
Visio
Ranking in Business Process Design
2nd
Average Rating
7.8
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
109
Ranking in other categories
Mind Mapping Software (1st)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of January 2026, in the Business Process Design category, the mindshare of erwin Data Modeler is 2.5%, up from 2.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Visio is 11.3%, down from 12.4% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Business Process Design Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Visio11.3%
erwin Data Modeler2.5%
Other86.2%
Business Process Design
 

Featured Reviews

reviewer2795649 - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior Data Architect at a computer software company with 1,001-5,000 employees
Data modeling has enabled end-to-end designs and has improved collaboration between teams
Areas of erwin Data Modeler that I think could be improved or enhanced include a few things. I have not worked in erwin for the past four to five years, but based on my 20 years of career experience, I worked with erwin one or two years on an earlier project and currently am working with it again. Based on my overall 20 years of career experience, I have worked with erwin modeling for four to five years. I am not a master of the tool, but I cannot identify significant flaws. The price should be reduced. That could be one area of improvement. Additionally, the licensing system could be enhanced. In our current project, there are five licenses within the business. If anyone is moving to erwin, the other person cannot enter the erwin solution. There should be a message indicating that five persons are involved in erwin, and you cannot use it at that time. However, that is a minor issue.
NitinSharma - PeerSpot reviewer
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.
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Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Business Process Design solutions are best for your needs.
880,844 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
18%
Government
8%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Performing Arts
5%
Financial Services Firm
15%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Government
8%
University
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business14
Midsize Enterprise3
Large Enterprise34
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business36
Midsize Enterprise19
Large Enterprise61
 

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for erwin Data Modeler by Quest?
Regarding pricing, I am unsure what the exact price is for erwin Data Modeler, but I believe it is not useful for an individual. It is more targeted toward an enterprise level since organizations l...
What needs improvement with erwin Data Modeler by Quest?
I write code and I write code accessing erwin Data Modeler's API, the Application Programming Interface, so that I can use Excel to update erwin Data Modeler and then get those updates and put them...
What is your primary use case for erwin Data Modeler by Quest?
I work for CVS with a pretty big database as a data modeler on the PBMs, the Caremark PBM side, which is the Pharmacy Benefits Manager. There's a retail side too for all the stores, but our data wa...
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 straightforward to load in files that are BPMN 2.0 compliant. The option to load V...
What do you like most about Visio?
The diagrams Visio creates are quite impressive in the sense that we can cooperate with more colleagues in one task and see the flow of the process.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Visio?
One of the main problems with Visio is its licensing options and associated issues, which lead to discussions about the price with a Microsoft representative. If asked to rate the price, I would gi...
 

Also Known As

erwin DM
Microsoft Visio
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

 Premera, America Honda Motors, Aetna, Kaiser Permanente, Dental Dental Cali, Cigna, Staples
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
Find out what your peers are saying about Visio vs. erwin Data Modeler and other solutions. Updated: December 2025.
880,844 professionals have used our research since 2012.