My primary use case is for designing the architecture diagram and the network diagram.
Lead architect at Tech Mahindra Limited
Useful and easy to use
Pros and Cons
- "The most valuable feature is how easy it is to use."
- "Visio could be improved by adding more features. If you look at draw.io, they have more features. Also, if you want to design something for the cloud, Microsoft Azure still isn't enabled, so you need to install the plugin. This prototype is easily available, though."
What is our primary use case?
What is most valuable?
The most valuable feature is how easy it is to use.
What needs improvement?
Visio could be improved by adding more features. If you look at draw.io, they have more features. Also, if you want to design something for the cloud, Microsoft Azure still isn't enabled, so you need to install the plugin. This prototype is easily available, though.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using this solution for almost ten years.
Buyer's Guide
Visio
October 2025
Learn what your peers think about Visio. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: October 2025.
872,869 professionals have used our research since 2012.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The stability is quite good. There is not much maintenance really required. If it's on your desktop and something goes wrong, it is usually available to repair again. You don't need anyone else to maintain it.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I previously used the Sparx System Enterprise Architect, but my experience with it was limited. It was discontinued because they stopped the licensing.
How was the initial setup?
The installation was straightforward. It takes about five to ten minutes and you can do it yourself.
What about the implementation team?
I implemented myself.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
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.
What other advice do I have?
I would rate this product an eight out of ten. I recommend this product to others because it's a useful tool for designers and architects.
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Group DWH and BI Senior Manager at Virgin Mobile Middle East and Africa
Easy to use, flexible, and responsive support
Pros and Cons
- "The solution is easy to understand with some hands-on experience."
- "Microsoft should include Visio as part of their Office 365 offering."
What is our primary use case?
Visio is mainly used for documentation purposes. For example, drawing flow charts or network diagrams. It can also be used for defining schemas or application development.
In my organization, people from multiple departments use it, especially the IT team. They prepare documentation on the network architecture. Additionally, the data team uses it to create flow charts, sequence diagrams, and schemas.
What is most valuable?
The solution is easy to understand with some hands-on experience.
What needs improvement?
Microsoft should include Visio as part of their Office 365 offering.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have used Visio for approximately 10 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution is scalable and flexible.
We have approximately 15 people using the solution.
How are customer service and technical support?
Microsoft technical support is convenient. They have an online community for Visio and if we have created a ticket with the support they always respond promptly. We have not had any problems with the support.
How was the initial setup?
The installation is easy, it only takes approximately five minutes. You only need to go to the vendor website and download an executable file and then it is straightforward.
What about the implementation team?
We did the implementation ourselves. The solution does not require a technical team for implementation.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
You can purchase a corporate license for more users to use the solution. We have purchased a stand-alone license and which could be cheaper.
What other advice do I have?
I rate Visio a nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Buyer's Guide
Visio
October 2025
Learn what your peers think about Visio. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: October 2025.
872,869 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Sr. Industrial Hygienist at a manufacturing company with 10,001+ employees
Helps with organization by facilitating diagramming of complex procedures
Pros and Cons
- "It works really well for flowcharting, it can label."
- "It should be easier to transition into a new version without having to spend so much time in just one area."
What is our primary use case?
I am a health and safety professional. I use it for flowcharting, but I also use it for drawing diagrams.
I will do a technical assessment of a workplace scenario of equipment as well as noise measurements, and I will use Visio to draw out the scale.
There are many images that you can put in there and data to create images of workplace exposures.
How has it helped my organization?
It has improved the way our organization functions.
It's a tool that helped me diagram complex procedures. More as a picture versus words.
It also for training and letting other people know how to do that same procedure.
What is most valuable?
It works really well for flowcharting, it can label.
Also, being able to pull the finished drawing out and put it in a Word document is easy, and very useful.
It allowed me to do some things and save them really well. And I found many different things to do with it. It's beyond flowcharting.
The latest version has taken some transitioning and it's a bit of a workaround, but it's also been good. I found the ctrl 1,2,3 buttons that I didn't know about and have been very useful. If you hit ctrl 3 it lets you do your line draw.
What needs improvement?
I just uploaded the latest version and using it now, and I'm struggling with it. It's very different than the other version I have used, and I haven't done any tutorials.
The previous version was easier. It was easy to intuitively figure out what it did. I learned it on my own and it didn't require the review of tutorials. But with this updated version, I am definitely struggling with it. I need to go through the training and go through the tutorials. So far it seems more complex, but maybe it's just different.
It may handle images well, but I don't know yet. It is something that I would like to see in this solution.
It should be easier to transition into a new version without having to spend so much time in just one area. Providing information on what has changed and how to do it would be very helpful.
I would like the option of going back to the way of doing things in the previous version. I don't understand the block system. I had the favorites that I have to build again because somehow they got lost with the upgrade.
In my favorites, I had shapes, fans, and other things. You pull up all of your basic images or search for them, and you could drag them over into your diagram.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Visio for approximately eight years.
We are using the latest version.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I have not had any issues with stability. It's a stable solution.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is easy to scale this solution.
How are customer service and technical support?
I have never contacted technical support.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Previously, I did not use another solution. It was a discovery.
I came across Visio, I saw what I could do with it, and I just continued to expand my uses.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is straightforward. With this new version, it is a bit confusing.
With the previous version, I was able to have all of my favorites, I was able to pull objects and do an arrow as a connector, and I had to stop and learn how to do that.
I like the way it was earlier, but it could be just my learning curve.
What other advice do I have?
If you have a need for flowcharting, organizing, or creating diagrams, I think you should check it out. It's worthwhile.
Based on my previous experience with the previous versions, I would rate Visio a nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Principal Consultant at Lexington Consulting
Provides a quick way to spruce up client reports and proposals with rudimentary yet impactful visuals.
Pros and Cons
- "Visio has improved my workflow by making it easy to create charts, diagrams, and basic illustrations that I can use in my client reports and proposals. It has saved me a lot of time I would otherwise spend creating visuals for clients by hand."
- "There could be better integration between Visio and Word, especially when it comes to importing graphics from the one to the other."
What is our primary use case?
I use Visio when I'm writing a client report in Microsoft Word, and I want to put in a simple graphic to supplement the text or better explain something. Visio's graphics are not complicated. They're quick and easy to create, so I use them mainly for what I would call static graphics, like simple charts and diagrams.
How has it helped my organization?
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.
What is most valuable?
One of the most valuable features is the online support from Microsoft. Whenever I'm stuck with a problem, I can contact customer support. They will almost certainly get back to me within a reasonable time frame. They're good with that.
It is easy to use online tutorials and training videos provided by Microsoft and elsewhere, such as on YouTube. So, if I want to create a new diagram, add some shapes, or increase the weight of a connection from one object to another in my graph, I can easily find out how to do that.
Another aspect that I enjoy is the seamless online integration. For example, there's the ability to download all sorts of extras like different shapes, stencils, objects, etc., for free directly from Microsoft into Visio. Also, I like that you can drag and drop online pictures straight from the Web into Visio.
What needs improvement?
There could be better integration between Visio and Word, especially when it comes to importing graphics from one to the other. Visio's graphics don't seem to play well with other applications. Sometimes I move a business process graphic to a Word document. It doesn't copy the picture correctly, or it leaves some of the connectors off. Or it puts the wrong one in or changes the font for no apparent reason. That's a pain in the neck, and it's one of my biggest complaints about Visio.
Moreover, when I connect a caption to a drawing and move the drawing, sometimes the caption gets left behind. And if you shrink the size of a drawing, I'd like Visio to scale the font automatically. Small details like this would significantly improve the product.
Aesthetically speaking, the graphics can be a bit crude and simplistic. The graphics are sufficient for most purposes, though dated in their appearance. Visio is a static program that tries to keep things simple for most users. However, I would appreciate it if Microsoft made an allowance for at least slightly more complicated graphics. As they are now, they do not inspire or motivate interest in the subject. People don't look at the graphics and say, "Wow, that's a great graphic." They look at it and say, "Uh-huh, move on. Next!" It's a lot of the sameness.
I would also love to see Visio with a more intuitive and reliable data linking feature. I shouldn't have to program or develop any complicated code. Just press a button, connect to the spreadsheet, and update it. For me, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. You should trust your application so that when you need it to link, it links. It would help to know that Visio is using the latest data, mainly because you don't want to embarrass yourself in front of a customer with wrong or outdated data especially when you have a time crunch and have little time to verify if an application worked as you wish it would.
I like dynamic programs. I want to take inputs from other places and have the application automatically update my chart and know that it's correct. And not only do I want it updated, but I wish to document updates, so I can see what updates were selected and used. So, if the document references a spreadsheet or an Access database, it shows where the data came from, what version it is, and the date. If you're doing a nice bar chart in Visio and you want all the bells and whistles, you can see the source material and revision of the chart so that you don't have to go back and say, "Is this right?"
I want to create my objects and my object library more easily. I think you can do some of that, but it's not that simple. I haven't had a lot of experience creating objects, but when I did tried, it was awkward.
The support is okay, though not super great; I wouldn't expect it to be. Visio is not a program where you need a lot of hand-holding for most tasks. It's quite suitable for those who want to drag and drop, so support isn't too crucial, though there is room for improvement.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Visio since it first came out in the early 1990s. It hasn't improved much in that time.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It's very stable. I have never had a crash in Visio ever.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
For my use case, there's not much need to scale it up in any meaningful sense. When I'm writing a proposal or preparing a report for a client, I try only to put in a sufficient number or well-considered graphics to get my point across.
I typically create my graphics and place them in a Word document. And then I hope they stay together as I move things around during the editing and review processes. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't. So, in terms of scalability and accuracy, Microsoft could improve integration and consistency between their Office applications.
How are customer service and support?
I haven't had to use technical support very often at all over the years. I might have used it only once or twice in the past twenty-something years. I'd rate the support I received as a five out of ten. Not too good, not too bad. Thankfully, they've gotten rid of a lot of the need for that kind of tech support by putting better help and documentation online.
Microsoft offers training videos online that teach the basics of Visio well enough. I can also go on YouTube if there's something unique or unusual that I need to do. Frequently, somebody's already done it, and I can quickly learn how they did it.
Suppose you do want technical support. In that case, Microsoft has a reasonably active Visio user group. However, it's not real-time help, and you may have to wait a little while for a response. If you want somebody to help you live, you're going to have to pay a third-party company for that kind of support. I don't use Visio so much that it's worth going that route.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Neutral
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I used a similar solution to Visio many years ago, designed for business flowcharts and business processing. The company that built the software went out of business.
How was the initial setup?
It's easy to get started with mocking-up simple flow charts and diagrams. Still, it can get very complicated when setting out anything a bit more detailed—especially when getting titles, labels, and font sizes to match up. Suppose you want to make a custom organizational chart or a product line chart with all the details and specifications. In that case, I suspect you'll need to set aside some time to learn the user interface more thoroughly.
What about the implementation team?
In-house.
What was our ROI?
I haven't actually calculated an ROI, but I would approximate that I save at least two hours' time of cumulative manual effort for each graphic built with Visio.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The licensing process is a breeze. Buy the license and download the application from Microsoft. Enter the license key in Visio to activate the software.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
No. I've used Visio for many years. It does what we need it to do and is good enough for the simple graphics we use, but perhaps, we could improve our graphics if we had a more dynamic and creative graphics application.
What other advice do I have?
I like to call Visio a program for the graphically impaired. I use it because I hate spending lots of time preparing graphics, especially when our clients don't spend a lot of time studying them. I would recommend skipping any fancier alternatives unless your business demands it. Most people might benefit from adding quality visuals to their documents but don't have design skills. In that case, I recommend using Visio instead.
As long as you don't have excessive expectations, it will do what you need it to do and do it for a reasonable cost.
I would rate Visio an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Technical Sales Specialist at a manufacturing company with 10,001+ employees
Provides good stability, but its scalability needs improvement
Pros and Cons
- "The product is stable."
- "The product only functions well professionally, with adding additional software for configuration."
What is our primary use case?
We use the product for business modeling and workflow design.
What needs improvement?
The product only functions well professionally, with adding additional software for configuration.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been Visio for more than 20 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The product is stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The product is only scalable if utilized with additional software.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is straightforward. However, it only fits a professional approach if you add additional software. It can be deployed on-premises and on the cloud.
What other advice do I have?
I rate Visio a seven out of ten. I recommend it for beginners. However, I advise others to use it along with additional software.
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Lead Enterprise Domain Architects at a financial services firm with 1,001-5,000 employees
A very easy-to-use tool that provides stability to its users at an affordable price
Pros and Cons
- "Visio is a very easy tool in general, making it easy for anyone to understand."
- "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."
What is our primary use case?
Visio is used as a diagramming software for ITM.
What is most valuable?
Visio is a very easy tool in general, making it easy for anyone to understand.
What needs improvement?
Visio is a very good product.
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. Widening the export and import functionality of Visio will be a great improvement.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Visio for twenty years. I am using the solution's latest version.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Visio is a very stable product.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is used to buy a single user at a time because it is meant to be client-side software, so scalability does not apply to it.
For my company, we have around one hundred licenses.
I don't know what the license cost is, but we are not planning to extend the usage of the solution in our company.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I had previously used Sparx Enterprise Architect. Every company has its own standards, which is why you use what is meant for the company, provided by the company, which is not a big deal.
How was the initial setup?
Visio's setup phase was very straightforward and easy. I bought a license to use Visio at my home.
An hour at the most was needed to deploy the solution.
One needs just to purchase the license and download it from the internet as a part of the deployment process.
The solution is deployed on-premises.
What about the implementation team?
The installation phase of Visio was carried out in-house.
What was our ROI?
I never calculated the ROI, but Visio provides me with far better than what I am paying.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
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.
What other advice do I have?
To those planning to use it, I would say that it is the simplest tool.
Overall, I rate the solution a nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Integration developer at Blackwoods
Initial setup is straightforward, but customer support service needs to be improved
Pros and Cons
- "The solution is finely stable."
- "Its support team could be well-equipped with the required information."
What is our primary use case?
We use the solution mainly for designing purposes. It helps us design activity charts, sequential charts, and other diagrams.
What needs improvement?
They should improve the solution's customer support service.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using the solution for more than twenty years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is finely stable.
How are customer service and support?
The solution's customer service team could be well-equipped with the required information.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We used PowerDesigner earlier.
How was the initial setup?
The solution's initial setup is straightforward.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
You have to purchase a license to use the solution.
What other advice do I have?
I rate the solution as a six.
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Executive Director at Pilares Consultores
It's stable and the setup is straightforward, but the price is too high for some South American markets
Pros and Cons
- "Installing Visio is straightforward."
- "The price could be lower because it is too expensive in South America when paying in dollars or euros."
What is our primary use case?
I use Visio to go to meetings on Zoom.
For how long have I used the solution?
I use Visio all the time.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Visio is stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Visio is scalable.
How was the initial setup?
Installing Visio is straightforward.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The price could be lower because it is too expensive in South America when paying in dollars or euros.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Buyer's Guide
Download our free Visio Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros
sharing their opinions.
Updated: October 2025
Popular Comparisons
Camunda
SAP Signavio Process Manager
Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect
Bizagi
Lucidchart
ARIS BPA
IBM Blueworks Live
erwin Data Modeler
Visual Paradigm
MEGA HOPEX
Bonita
BiZZdesign HoriZZon
No Magic MagicDraw
iServer
ARIS Cloud
Buyer's Guide
Download our free Visio Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros
sharing their opinions.
Quick Links
Learn More: Questions:
- How easy is it to migrate process flow charts (modeled using tools like Visio) into Bizagi?
- When evaluating Business Process Design, what aspect do you think is the most important to look for?
- Which tool do you recommend for business process modeling only?
- What is your favorite tool for Business Process Design?
- Which is the best and affordable business process simulation software?
- We are looking for BPM or Business Process Design software to connect the top layer of Enterprise Architecture (EA) to processes
- What is the difference between NIEM plugin and Sparx?
- What is the difference between microservices orchestration and choreography?
- How to model an enterprise architecture? What tools and templates can I use?
- Sparx Enterprise Architect vs. iServer - has anyone compared them?

















