A free alternative to Lucidchart for ER diagrams
Lucidchart is a general-purpose diagramming platform: flowcharts, org charts, network diagrams, and ER diagrams among them. EntityModel.com does one thing, data modeling, and is free with no document limits, account or install.
Comparison as of November 2026. Check Lucidchart's own site for its current plans and features.
At a glance
| EntityModel.com | Lucidchart | |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Data modeling: ER diagrams backed by a typed model | General diagramming, including ERD shapes |
| License and price | Open source (MIT), free, no limits | Proprietary; free plan limits documents and shapes; paid plans |
| Account | Not needed | Required |
| What a box is | An entity with typed attributes, keys and descriptions, checked by validation | A shape with text rows |
| SQL | Import DDL and DBML; export DDL for PostgreSQL, MySQL, Snowflake, Databricks | Varies by plan |
| Logical and physical models | Yes, derived from each other, with compare and migration SQL | Drawn by hand |
| Documentation | Data dictionary tables and a PDF design document from the model | The diagram |
| Real-time collaboration | Share links and model files; Git for teams | Yes, built in |
| Privacy | Models stay in your browser | Stored in Lucid's cloud |
The difference that matters: a model, not a drawing
In a drawing tool, an ER diagram is shapes and lines. Rename a column and nothing else knows. In EntityModel.com the diagram is a view of a model: attributes have types, keys and references; relationships know their foreign key; renames update every reference; and the same model produces the SQL, the dbt tests and the documentation. Validation tells you when something is inconsistent.
When Lucidchart is the better choice
- You need many kinds of diagrams in one place, not just ER diagrams.
- You need live multi-user editing of the same diagram, or your company already uses Lucid.
When EntityModel.com is the better choice
- You're designing or documenting a database and want the diagram to produce SQL and documentation.
- You don't want document limits, accounts, or your schema stored in a vendor's cloud.
Frequently asked questions
What is a free alternative to Lucidchart for database diagrams?
EntityModel.com is free and open source, runs in the browser without an account, and is built for ER diagrams: entities with typed attributes and keys, relationships in crow's foot notation, SQL import, and DDL export for PostgreSQL, MySQL, Snowflake and Databricks.
Can I make an ER diagram from SQL instead of drawing it?
Yes. Paste CREATE TABLE statements or a DBML file into EntityModel.com's Import SQL or DBML and the diagram is built for you, with foreign keys as relationships.