Best Org Chart Software in 2025

You searched "best org chart software" because you need an org chart. Not a three-month implementation. Not a per-seat licensing negotiation. Not a demo call with someone named Chad from Enterprise Sales.

Here's the honest version: the best software to create org charts depends entirely on what you're actually trying to do. A 50-person startup doesn't need the same program as a 5,000-person enterprise with compliance requirements and HRIS integrations.

Whether you're looking for the best company org chart software or just need to make an organizational chart for tomorrow's board meeting, the right tool varies. We make Org Chart Studio, so we have opinions. But we'll tell you exactly when our tool makes sense—and when you should use something else.

What actually matters when choosing org chart software

Before the list, let's talk about what separates good org chart software from bloatware. If you're wondering what is the best program to create org charts, these are the criteria that actually matter.

Speed to first chart. How fast can you go from "I need an organizational chart" to "here's the chart"? The best tools get you there in minutes. The worst require training sessions.

Ease of trying. Can you actually use it before committing? Some tools hide behind demo requests and sales calls. Others let you start building immediately.

Data import/export. Can you get your data in (from a spreadsheet) and out (as an image or PDF)? Vendor lock-in is real, and it's annoying.

Pricing model. Per-seat pricing punishes growth. Subscriptions charge you during months you don't use the tool. Some tools have found better models.

Automation vs. manual updates. Do you need your org chart to auto-sync with HR data? Or is a chart you update quarterly good enough? This single question separates $10/month tools from $10,000/year platforms.

Collaboration. Does your whole team need to edit simultaneously? Or does one person maintain the chart and share exports? Most teams overestimate how much collaboration they actually need.

Now, the tools.

The best org chart software in 2025

Here are the best programs to create organizational charts, sorted by what they're actually good at—not by who paid for placement.

For enterprise automation: ChartHop

What it is: A people analytics platform that happens to have excellent org charts. It's the heavyweight option—HRIS integration, DEI dashboards, scenario planning for reorgs, and historical timeline views.

Pricing: Starts at $2/employee/month for basics, but the good stuff (Core modules) runs $8/employee/month with a $9,000 annual minimum. Implementation takes 2-3 months for complex setups.

Best for: Mid-to-large organizations (200+ employees) that need their org chart to stay automatically current and want analytics on top.

Skip it if: You need a chart this week, your budget is under $9K/year, or you don't have dedicated HR ops to manage the platform.

Honest take: ChartHop solves a real problem—org charts that are outdated by the time you hit send. But it's an enterprise investment, not a quick fix. The interface has a learning curve, and users report it gets "buggy and clunky" with very large datasets. For the right organization, it's worth it. For everyone else, it's overkill.

For diagramming flexibility: Lucidchart

What it is: A general-purpose diagramming tool that does org charts well. Real-time collaboration, 1,000+ templates, BambooHR integration for auto-generating charts from HR data.

Pricing: Free tier gets you 3 editable documents with limited features. Paid plans start at $9/user/month.

Best for: Teams that need org charts plus flowcharts, wireframes, and other diagrams. Organizations already using BambooHR.

Skip it if: You only need org charts (you're paying for capabilities you won't use), or per-seat pricing will hurt as your team grows.

Honest take: Lucidchart is genuinely good software. The collaboration features work well, and the BambooHR integration is useful if you're already in that ecosystem. The downside: performance issues with large, complex charts, and that per-seat model adds up fast. A 50-person team paying $9/user/month is $5,400/year for diagramming software.

For Microsoft shops: Visio

What it is: Microsoft's diagramming tool. Imports from Azure Active Directory and Exchange, integrates with the Microsoft 365 ecosystem, and offers both web and desktop apps.

Pricing: $5/user/month for web-only (Plan 1) or $15/user/month for desktop apps (Plan 2). Or buy the standalone desktop app for $580.

Best for: Organizations already deep in Microsoft 365 that want everything in one ecosystem.

Skip it if: You're on Mac (desktop app is Windows-only), you need real-time collaboration (requires Plan 2), or you want something that feels modern.

Honest take: Visio is powerful but feels dated. Reviewers consistently describe it as "clunky" compared to cloud-native alternatives. The Organization Chart Wizard can auto-generate from Active Directory data, which is genuinely useful for enterprise deployments. But the collaboration features lag behind Lucidchart and Miro, and Mac users are stuck with the web version.

For budget-conscious teams: Organimi

What it is: A purpose-built org chart tool with flat-fee pricing instead of per-seat.

Pricing: Free for up to 25 people. Paid plans start at $10-20/month flat (not per user). That's the same price whether you have 30 employees or 300.

Best for: Growing organizations watching costs. Anyone allergic to per-seat pricing.

Skip it if: You need real-time HRIS sync (integrations update every 4 hours, not instantly) or you want the most intuitive interface (some users find the UX less polished than competitors).

Honest take: Organimi's pricing model directly addresses the most common complaint in this category: "Pricing quickly rises as you add users." The SmartChart Legend feature for color-coding by department or location is genuinely useful. Trade-off is that it's not as automated or slick as pricier options.

For getting it done fast: Org Chart Studio

What it is: The fastest org chart creator on the market. Purpose-built for managers who need a chart in minutes, not a platform to manage.

Pricing: Free tier includes 10 charts with up to 100 people each—no credit card, no account required to start. No subscriptions. One-time export passes start at $5 when you need watermark-free PNGs.

Best for: Managers who need to create or update an org chart quickly. Teams that don't want another subscription. Anyone who values speed over enterprise features.

Skip it if: You need HRIS integration and auto-sync (we don't have it). You need team collaboration with simultaneous editing (we don't have it). You need PDF or SVG export (PNG only).

Honest take: We built Org Chart Studio around one thing: speed. CSV import with typo-tolerant matching that handles messy data. Automatic tree layout so you're not dragging boxes around. Quick-add handles to add direct reports, managers, or peers with a click. Drag-and-drop reparenting when the org changes. You can go from spreadsheet to finished chart in minutes.

You can start building immediately without creating an account. No signup wall. No "request a demo." Just open the tool and start. When you're ready to save or export, then you sign in. We're not aware of another org chart tool that works this way.

The free tier (10 charts, 100 people each) covers most small-to-medium organizations entirely. And when you do need clean exports, it's a one-time pass—not a subscription that charges you every month whether you use it or not.

What we don't do: HRIS sync, collaboration, PDF export, custom colors. If those are requirements, use something else. But if you need to build an org chart fast without another account, another subscription, or another per-seat negotiation, that's exactly what we're for.

For collaborative workshops: Miro

What it is: A collaborative whiteboard platform with org chart templates. Built for teams working together in real-time.

Pricing: Free tier includes 3 editable boards. Paid plans start at $8/user/month.

Best for: Teams that need org charts as part of broader strategic planning sessions. Organizations already using Miro for workshops and brainstorming.

Skip it if: You only need org charts (Miro is a general collaboration tool), or you want any automation (no HRIS integration, fully manual updates).

Honest take: Miro's collaboration is best-in-class—it was built for design teams working simultaneously. But it's not really "org chart software." It's a whiteboard that has org chart templates. No data import, no auto-layout, no HR integration. Great for planning a reorg together; tedious for maintaining an ongoing chart.

For visual appeal: Canva

What it is: A design tool with org chart templates. Makes beautiful charts for presentations and reports.

Pricing: Generous free tier. Pro at $10/month adds SVG export and premium templates.

Best for: One-off charts for board presentations, pitch decks, or company all-hands. Small teams where visual polish matters more than ongoing maintenance.

Skip it if: You need to import data from a spreadsheet (you can't). You need to update your chart regularly (every change is manual). Your org has more than 30-40 people (it becomes tedious).

Honest take: Canva makes the prettiest org charts. Full stop. But it's a design tool, not org chart software. No CSV import. No auto-layout. No HRIS integration. Every box is manually placed and manually updated. For a 20-person startup creating a quarterly investor update, it's perfect. For anything you need to maintain over time, it's not the right tool.

For general-purpose diagramming: draw.io (diagrams.net)

What it is: A free, open-source diagramming tool. Works in browser or as a desktop app.

Pricing: Free. Actually free. Not "free tier with limitations" free.

Best for: Anyone who needs flowcharts, network diagrams, and other diagrams alongside occasional org charts. People who want a general-purpose tool with no cost.

Skip it if: You specifically need org chart features like CSV import, auto-layout from data, or HRIS integration. You'll be manually drawing boxes and connectors. And if speed matters—it's noticeably slow compared to purpose-built tools.

Honest take: draw.io is solid free diagramming software. But it's a general-purpose tool—you're using the same interface you'd use for flowcharts or network diagrams. That means no CSV import to auto-generate your chart, no automatic tree layout, no fuzzy matching for manager names. You're drawing shapes and connecting them manually, and the interface isn't snappy. For general diagramming when you already have a workflow, it works. For org charts specifically, purpose-built tools will be faster and less tedious.

Quick comparison table

Tool	Best For	Pricing	HRIS Sync	CSV Import	Free Tier
ChartHop	Enterprise automation	$8/employee/month ($9K min)	Yes	Yes	Up to 150 employees
Lucidchart	Diagramming + collaboration	$9/user/month	BambooHR only	Yes	3 documents
Visio	Microsoft ecosystem	$5-15/user/month	Azure AD	Yes	No
Organimi	Budget-conscious teams	$10-20/month flat	Limited	Yes	25 people
Org Chart Studio	Fastest creation, no subscription	Free (passes from $5)	No	Yes	10 charts, 100 people each
Miro	Collaborative planning	$8/user/month	No	No	3 boards
Canva	Visual presentations	Free / $10/month	No	No	Yes (generous)
draw.io	General diagramming	Free	No	No	Unlimited

How to choose

You need enterprise-grade automation and analytics: ChartHop. Budget accordingly.

You need a diagramming Swiss Army knife: Lucidchart. Accept the per-seat cost.

You're a Microsoft shop: Visio. Accept that it feels dated.

You're watching costs and hate per-seat pricing: Organimi or Org Chart Studio. Both reject the per-seat model.

You need the fastest path from data to finished chart: Org Chart Studio. No signup to start, CSV import, automatic layout. Minutes, not meetings.

You need collaborative planning sessions: Miro. Accept fully manual chart maintenance.

You need beautiful presentation charts: Canva. Accept manual everything.

You need a free general-purpose diagramming tool: draw.io. Accept slower performance and manual box-drawing.

What is the best free org chart software?

If you're specifically searching for free options, here's the honest breakdown:

Best free option for actual org charts: Org Chart Studio. No signup required to start building. CSV import, auto-layout, 10 charts with 100 people each. The fastest path from "I need a chart" to "here's the chart."

Best free option for general diagramming: draw.io. Completely free with no limits, but it's a general diagramming tool—you're manually drawing boxes and connectors, and it's slower than purpose-built tools.

Free with generous limits: ChartHop Basic (up to 150 employees with HRIS features), Canva (unlimited designs with basic templates).

Free with tight limits: Lucidchart (3 documents), Miro (3 boards), Organimi (25 people).

No free tier: Visio, SmartDraw.

The key distinction: draw.io is free but generic and slow. Org Chart Studio is free, fast, and purpose-built—CSV import, automatic tree layout, fuzzy matching for manager names. For org charts specifically, the free tier handles most small-to-medium organizations entirely.

Bottom line

The organizational chart software market is weirdly bifurcated. On one end: enterprise platforms that cost five figures and take months to implement. On the other: design tools where you're manually positioning boxes like it's 2003.

The best software to make an organizational chart depends on what you actually need—not what sounds impressive in a feature list.

If you need your org chart to auto-sync with Workday and provide DEI analytics, ChartHop is probably worth the investment. If you need to create an org chart this afternoon and export a clean PNG for tomorrow's board meeting, you don't need a platform—you need a tool that gets out of your way.

We built Org Chart Studio to be the fastest org chart creator available. No signup wall to start. No per-seat pricing. No subscription. Import your CSV, let the auto-layout do its job, export your chart. Minutes, not meetings. For that use case, we think we're the best option available.

But we'll also tell you straight: if you need HRIS integration, real-time collaboration, or PDF export, we're not the right choice today. Use ChartHop, Lucidchart, or whatever fits your actual workflow. The goal is the right tool for the job—not loyalty to any particular vendor.

Need to build an org chart now? Try Org Chart Studio free — no account required to start.