Visio vs Visual Paradigm comparison

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12,185 views|9,296 comparisons
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Comparison Buyer's Guide
Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between Visio and Visual Paradigm based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

Find out in this report how the two Business Process Design solutions compare in terms of features, pricing, service and support, easy of deployment, and ROI.
To learn more, read our detailed Visio vs. Visual Paradigm Report (Updated: September 2023).
735,432 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Featured Review
Quotes From Members
We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use.
Here are some excerpts of what they said:
Pros
"It is a useful tool to map data flows, network objects, and computer science technology and show to clients. It does what I need it to do. It's a tool I've used the longest, so I know it the best, and that's probably the claim to fame.""It is ideal for putting out flowcharts and swim charts. It's really good. It has all the various options to use, particularly depending on what kind of audience you have. It provides you different kinds of options to insert the pictures and explain things.""The solution is finely stable.""The thing I like most about Visio is the stencils. As the product has matured over time, it comes with more stencils and objects that you can just pick out of the menu and go with.""The solution is very user-friendly.""Installing Visio is straightforward.""Architecture modeling software with satisfactory standard features. It's also stable and effective in facilitating communication with others.""The main reason I choose Visio is that it is easy to use. The user interface is familiar and straightforward. Additionally, it offers a variety of templates, such as those for Cisco solutions, which make it easy to create diagrams for specific use cases. For example, we use a Cisco Meraki switch and we can find the exact template for it, then we can easily drop in the components and connect the cables to create the diagram."

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"What I like best about Visual Paradigm is its simple GUI, especially since I'm a new user. In my two years of experience with this tool, I didn't find it complex because I was able to learn how to use it via YouTube videos. Visual Paradigm is enough for me. I also find the bridging feature in the tool valuable.""It is easy and intuitive to use, not excessively rigid, and quite flexible.""It is a scalable solution...The initial setup was straightforward.""It is a scalable solution since it can be used at an individual level as well as for enterprise-sized businesses.""What I found most valuable in Visual Paradigm is diagramming. I had a great user experience as diagramming in the tool is easy and convenient, even for complex diagrams or models. Visual Paradigm is the perfect tool for me, and I prefer it over Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect. Visual Paradigm is better for collaboration if you consider, for example, versioning, so this is another valuable tool feature that's simple and embedded in the solution. In Visual Paradigm, it's also easy to set up the project with team members and collaborate, and it's also a pro of the tool.""The Visual Paradigm business process forms for designing we good. There was not a lot of configuration for the process diagram.""The most valuable feature of the Visual Paradigm that I use is process modeling. Additionally, the solution has a complete set of features.""Some of the most valuable features of this process modeling tool are process simulation and process animation."

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Cons
"The control flow feature needs to be improved. I compared Visio to Bizagi and found that control flow is better with Bizagi. The improvements that can be made to the solution depends on the user.""There is a limitation in Visio.""The improvement I want to see in Visio is being able to edit it more quickly, particularly when pulling it out of another software and then editing it on that non-Visio software. Currently, the process affects the overall performance because it's not as quick as I want it to be.""Visio can be more user-friendly.""The export and import functionality from Visio to other tools and the import and export functionality from other tools to Visio are areas with shortcomings.""Sometimes, there is a little bit of a learning curve with it, especially while doing complex network diagrams and getting the lines to snap the way you want them and not overlap or be confusing. It would be great if there was a built-in tutorial. It is not that you can't YouTube, but it would be nice if they gave you some free training. I've been using it forever, but every now and then, I got to do something complicated with it and I wonder how do I do that again. Maybe they do have such information, and I don't know. I have not done research on it because a bunch of people work for me, and some of them are better at it than I am, so I just ask them to do this for me.""There should be more items available from a variety of other products that can be integrated.""Visio's scalability could be improved. I had a license through my school and it would have been great to be able to collaborate with more people."

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"The solution's technical support can be improved and accessible for our company location since Visual Paradigm follows a remote support model with some challenges.""For me, what needs improvement in Visual Paradigm is the limited features included in the $99 license, which is the cheapest option. If more features could be included in the cheapest licensing package, Visual Paradigm would be better, especially for businesses that have a limited budget for buying software.""The user interface is not easy to navigate, so it should be made easier.""Visual Paradigm could improve many aspects. The performance could be better because it can be low. When we have large and complicated models, it has a low speed and many bugs. Sometimes the solution stops and you have to restart Microsoft Windows on your PC. The larger database modeling cannot be done properly, I have to use another solution called SAP PowerDesigner.""I was looking to generate code from the diagrams, but it was not totally clear how to do it.""Takes up a lot of resources.""Visual Paradigm is heavier and has more complexity than one of its competitors, e.g. Lucidchart. It could have been better if it was more simplified.""In terms of room for improvement in Visual Paradigm, I tried looking for one. I'm pleased with the tool, but it would be great if you could integrate Visual Paradigm with more tools. For example, when moving from Visual Paradigm to another tool, such as Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect, the process could be improved a bit. Still, I wonder if it's not limited by the standards Visual Paradigm follows, such as XMI files. It could be connected to limitations related to the standards rather than a tool limitation. When you move projects from Visual Paradigm into Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect via XMI files, you lose all your notes from the elements, so this is an area for improvement in Visual Paradigm. TOGAF support is an additional feature I'd like to see in the next release of Visual Paradigm. I'd also like the tool to have ArchiMate support. If both TOGAF and ArchiMate could be supported in Visual Paradigm and made part of a lower level of licensing or cheaper licensing models, that would be best for me."

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Pricing and Cost Advice
  • "The solution could be less expensive."
  • "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."
  • "I pay for the license and it is very expensive. If you're only going to use this tool from time to time, you can save money by just using the available online tools. But if you plan on using it heavily, then it's worth it to invest."
  • "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."
  • "The popularity of a product is an indicator of its price. Because of the popularity of Visio, its price is on the higher side. We need better pricing for it."
  • "We probably have an M-365 E3 license."
  • "The licensing process is actually a breeze. Simply buy the license and download it from Microsoft, enter the license key in Visio to activate the software, and you're done."
  • "Visio is a pricey tool. It's a five out of ten, cost-wise. It would be great if it had a pay-per-use licensing model because my company uses it sparingly."
  • More Visio Pricing and Cost Advice →

  • "The pricing of Visual Paradigm is very appropriate and affordable. There are no hidden costs involved."
  • "This product is fairly cheap, but if you want more complex features, e.g. integration with other products, it does require an additional cost."
  • "Visual Paradigm has two models available. One of them is the educational edition, and another is the business edition. For my personal usage, I use the educational version mostly. In a project, my customers have to purchase a license."
  • "Visual Paradigm costs $99 per license. I chose the cheapest option from the pricing list."
  • "Pricing for Visual Paradigm is a four out of five for me. I'm happy with its pricing."
  • "Compared to other solutions such as IBM Rational which is expensive, This solution is priced low."
  • "This is an open-sourced solution, it is free to use."
  • "I rate the pricing a three on a scale of one to ten, where one is cheap, and ten is expensive."
  • More Visual Paradigm Pricing and Cost Advice →

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    Questions from the Community
    Top Answer: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… more »
    Top Answer:Visio is a very easy tool in general, making it easy for anyone to understand.
    Top Answer:My company does pay toward the licensing costs of Visio. It is a cheap product based on my experience, and since I purchased Visio for my own use.
    Top Answer:It is easy and intuitive to use, not excessively rigid, and quite flexible.
    Top Answer:I think that the pricing model is good. If you're only using simple things, it costs as little as $10 a month. If you're doing very sophisticated, enterprise-level things on it, then it scales up… more »
    Top Answer:I don't think there are a lot of things to improve when it comes to Visual Paradigm. The only thing I would mention is that it is quite heavy on resources. So it seems to run my computer hard.
    Ranking
    1st
    Views
    12,185
    Comparisons
    9,296
    Reviews
    34
    Average Words per Review
    449
    Rating
    8.0
    7th
    Views
    7,154
    Comparisons
    4,523
    Reviews
    11
    Average Words per Review
    422
    Rating
    8.1
    Comparisons
    Also Known As
    Microsoft Visio
    Learn More
    Visual Paradigm
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    Overview

    Visio is an innovative collaborative solution that enables users to quickly visualize data-connected business process flows with a host of integrated intuitive features that bring the power of Microsoft 365 to Visio. Visio allows users to easily create professional diagrams, graphs, and other visual data, easily anywhere, anytime, and with anyone. Users are able to confidently and easily transform data into creative powerful visuals. Visio provides dozens of easy-to-use templates along with thousands of customizable colorful shapes that bring a user's best ideas to life. Visio is available for all Microsoft 365 commercial users and is available on desktop and Web applications.

    Visio Features

    Visio can easily create visual data for today’s business needs. Some of its most useful visual data include:

    • Flowcharts: Users can easily bring business concepts to fruition with Visio’s robust flowchart features. Visio provides a huge library of shapes, stencils, and templates to transform numbers and data into impactful, easy-to-understand business stories.
    • Organizational charts: Visio makes it easy to design articulate org charts to better visualize team, reporting, and hierarchy structures. Users are then able to seamlessly share the charts with stakeholders, teams, and employees.
    • Network diagrams: Users are able to creatively display how a system design processes function and visually illustrate how devices and networks interact with each other using a variety of network shapes, templates, and connector tools.
    • Brainstorming: Visio makes brainstorming simple and actionable with a wide range of templates designed specifically for interpreting problems and mapping out solutions, including fishbone and Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) diagrams.
    • Floor plans: Users can design ergonomic workspaces, retail store layouts, new homes, and more with accurate, scalable templates and tools to help them better visualize function, flow, and overall aesthetic appeal.
    • Accessible: Visio is able to integrate with a wide variety of accessibility tools, such as Narrator, Accessibility Checker, and high-contrast support, to ensure Visio diagrams are available to your entire team.

    Reviews from Real Users

    Visio has improved my workflow by making it easy to create charts, diagrams, and essential illustrations to use in my client reports and proposals. It has saved me a lot of time I would otherwise spend creating visuals for clients manually.” - Michael B., Principal Consultant at Lexington Consulting

    “I use it for diagramming networks, racks, data centers, data flow applications, etc. It is a useful tool to map data flows, network objects, and computer science technology and to show to clients. It does what I need it to do. It's a tool I've used the longest, so I know it the best, and that's probably the claim to fame.” - Greg S., Director of Solution Architecture at Winslow Technology Group

    “We use Visio for architecture modeling. We also use it to facilitate communication with other people. The feature I like most about Visio is that it acts as a facilitator of communication, as it displays information in a way that's easier to understand.” - Guy M., IT/Business Architect at a financial services firm

    Visual Paradigm is a UML tool. The tool is designed for a wide range of users including software engineers, system analysts, business analysts and system architects, or for anyone who is interested in reliably building large-scale software systems using an object-oriented approach. In addition, Visual Paradigm supports the latest standards of UML notation.
    Offer
    Learn more about Visio
    Learn more about Visual Paradigm
    Sample Customers
    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
    Adobe, Apple, at&t, Caterpillar, Intel, NASA, Nokia, Toyota
    Top Industries
    REVIEWERS
    Financial Services Firm20%
    Computer Software Company16%
    Manufacturing Company10%
    Insurance Company9%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Financial Services Firm13%
    Government12%
    Computer Software Company10%
    Manufacturing Company8%
    REVIEWERS
    Computer Software Company33%
    Financial Services Firm25%
    Aerospace/Defense Firm8%
    Government8%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Computer Software Company12%
    Educational Organization10%
    Financial Services Firm10%
    Government9%
    Company Size
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business29%
    Midsize Enterprise18%
    Large Enterprise53%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business17%
    Midsize Enterprise13%
    Large Enterprise71%
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business67%
    Midsize Enterprise10%
    Large Enterprise24%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business21%
    Midsize Enterprise15%
    Large Enterprise64%
    Buyer's Guide
    Visio vs. Visual Paradigm
    September 2023
    Find out what your peers are saying about Visio vs. Visual Paradigm and other solutions. Updated: September 2023.
    735,432 professionals have used our research since 2012.

    Visio is ranked 1st in Business Process Design with 32 reviews while Visual Paradigm is ranked 7th in Business Process Design with 11 reviews. Visio is rated 8.0, while Visual Paradigm is rated 8.2. The top reviewer of Visio writes "Provides a quick way to spruce up client reports and proposals with rudimentary yet impactful visuals". On the other hand, the top reviewer of Visual Paradigm writes "Complete feature sets, plenty of models, and useful document engine". Visio is most compared with Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect, Bizagi, IBM Blueworks Live, SAP Signavio Process Manager and Lucidchart, whereas Visual Paradigm is most compared with Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect, Lucidchart, No Magic MagicDraw, Bizagi and ARIS BPA. See our Visio vs. Visual Paradigm report.

    See our list of best Business Process Design vendors.

    We monitor all Business Process Design reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.