Cacoo vs Gliffy
Side-by-side comparison of features, pricing, ratings, and alternatives.
Cacoo, made by Nulab, is an online diagramming tool for creating flowcharts, wireframes, network diagrams, and org charts with real-time collaboration built in. Multiple people can edit the same diagram simultaneously, with in-app video chat and commenting so teams can talk through a diagram without leaving the canvas. It integrates with tools teams already use, including Slack, Google Drive, Confluence, Microsoft Teams, and Adobe Creative Cloud, and offers enterprise options like SAML authentication and private server hosting. Cacoo reports over 4 million users worldwide, spanning project managers, software architects, and small business teams who need shared visual diagrams rather than static files.
Gliffy, owned by Perforce, is a diagramming tool built to work natively inside Confluence and Jira, letting teams create flowcharts, UML diagrams, BPMN process maps, and network diagrams without leaving their existing Atlassian workflow. It supports drag-and-drop editing, freehand drawing, and full-text search of diagram content within Confluence. Gliffy also offers a standalone Gliffy Online product and a Gliffy Zero Egress option built for regulated industries that require diagram data to stay within their own Atlassian environment for compliance reasons such as ITAR, GDPR, and HIPAA. The product holds SOC 2 Type II compliance and ISO 42001 certification.
- Free plan supports unlimited users, useful for small collaborative teams
- Real-time editing and in-app video chat streamline remote diagram discussions
- Wide range of third-party integrations (Slack, Confluence, Teams)
- Backed by Nulab, an established company also behind Backlog and Typetalk
- Deep native integration with Confluence and Jira workflows
- Free tier covers small teams of up to 10 users
- Compliance-focused Zero Egress option for regulated industries
- Supports importing existing Visio and draw.io diagrams
- Free plan is capped at just 6 sheets total
- Revision history and premium templates require a paid plan
- Enterprise security features require contacting sales for pricing
- Primarily useful for teams already invested in the Atlassian ecosystem
- All purchases route through the Atlassian Marketplace, adding a dependency
- Standalone diagramming outside Confluence/Jira is less of a focus
More alternatives & similar tools
Alternatives to Cacoo
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Alternatives to Gliffy
View all →The Verdict
AI-generated from listing dataGliffy is the safer default for Atlassian‑centric teams needing embedded, compliant diagrams, while Cacoo excels for broader real‑time collaboration across tools.
Key differences
- •Gliffy embeds directly into Confluence and Jira with Zero Egress compliance; Cacoo offers real‑time multi‑user editing and video chat.
- •Gliffy’s free tier supports up to 10 users; Cacoo’s free tier allows unlimited users but only 6 sheets.
- •Cacoo integrates with many non‑Atlassian services (Slack, Google Drive, Teams, AWS, Adobe); Gliffy focuses on Atlassian ecosystem integrations.
- •Gliffy provides SOC 2 Type II and ISO 42001 compliance; Cacoo’s security features (SAML, SCIM) are enterprise‑only and require sales contact.
Pricing & value
Cacoo’s unlimited‑user free plan offers more users than Gliffy’s 10‑user free limit.
Ease of use / learning curve
Gliffy’s native Confluence/Jira embedding reduces context switching for Atlassian users.
Features & depth
Gliffy includes AI‑generated diagrams, full‑text search, and Zero Egress compliance not mentioned for Cacoo.
Integrations & ecosystem
Cacoo lists Slack, Google Drive, Teams, AWS, Adobe; Gliffy only lists Atlassian products.
Collaboration
Cacoo provides real‑time multi‑user editing and in‑app video chat; Gliffy lacks real‑time co‑editing features.
Scalability
Cacoo’s unlimited‑user free tier and enterprise options scale beyond Atlassian‑only environments.
Security & privacy
Gliffy offers Zero Egress, SOC 2 Type II and ISO 42001 compliance; Cacoo’s security features are enterprise‑only and not detailed.
Choose Cacoo if…
Teams that prioritize real‑time collaboration and need many third‑party integrations.
Choose Gliffy if…
Atlassian teams needing embedded, compliant diagrams with minimal integration effort.
Common questions
Can I use Gliffy outside Confluence/Jira?
Gliffy focuses on Atlassian integration; standalone diagramming is less emphasized and not highlighted in the facts.
Does Cacoo’s free plan limit the number of users?
No, the free plan supports unlimited users but caps total sheets at six.
Which tool offers compliance certifications for regulated industries?
Gliffy provides SOC 2 Type II and ISO 42001 certifications and a Zero Egress option.