Diagram Apps for Jira — Which Diagramming Tool Should Your Team Use?
Every engineering team needs diagrams in Jira — architecture decisions on epics, bug reproduction flows on tickets, wireframes on stories. But Jira has no built-in diagramming. You either paste screenshots from external tools or install a marketplace app.
We built two diagram apps for Jira: Mermaid+ Diagrams for Jira for text-based diagrams using Mermaid syntax (flowcharts, sequence diagrams, ER models, C4 architecture), and Excalidraw Diagrams + Whiteboards for Jira for freeform drawing with 229 built-in shape libraries. In this post we compare both against every alternative on the Atlassian Marketplace.
Two Styles of Diagramming
Text-based diagrams (Mermaid) — You write code, the app renders a diagram. Fast for developers who think in code. Great for flowcharts, sequence diagrams, ER models, class diagrams, and architecture docs. The diagram is version-controllable text.
Freeform drawing (Excalidraw) — You draw with a mouse or tablet. Great for whiteboarding sessions, wireframes, architecture sketches, and any diagram where you want creative freedom. Hand-drawn style keeps conversations focused on ideas instead of pixel perfection.
Both have their place. Let's see what's available for each in Jira.
What's Available on the Marketplace
The Jira diagram market is dominated by one player, with several smaller apps filling niches:
| App | Vendor | Installs | Rating | Last Updated | Hosting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| draw.io Diagrams for Jira | Seibert Media | 9,602 | 3.8/5 (349 reviews) | Mar 2026 | Cloud + DC + Server |
| Mermaid Charts & Diagrams for Jira | weweave | 544 | 4.0/5 (1 review) | Mar 2026 | Cloud |
| Draw UI Wireframes/Mockup/Diagrams | DevSamurai | 426 | 3.8/5 (13 reviews) | Mar 2026 | Cloud |
| Excalidraw Whiteboard for Jira Cloud | Fulstech | 111 | 3.5/5 (2 reviews) | Feb 2026 | Cloud |
| Excalidraw Mermaid Diagrams for Jira | Simplify | 40 | — | Feb 2026 | Cloud |
| Mermaid+ Diagrams for Jira | NGPILOT | Coming soon | — | Apr 2026 | Cloud |
| Excalidraw Diagrams + Whiteboards for Jira | NGPILOT | Coming soon | — | Apr 2026 | Cloud |
Data from Atlassian Marketplace, April 2026.
draw.io by Seibert Media is the clear market leader with 9,602 installs and a 3.8-star rating. It's been around for years, supports Cloud/DC/Server, and is Cloud Fortified. But it's a full-featured diagramming suite — heavier than what many teams need.
Mermaid Charts & Diagrams by weweave is the only other Mermaid-based option. 544 installs, Cloud Fortified, with a 4.0-star rating from a single review.
The Excalidraw space is small — Fulstech has 111 installs and Simplify has 40. Neither offers a comprehensive shape library or Mermaid integration alongside freeform drawing.
Feature Comparison: Text-Based Diagram Apps
For teams that prefer Mermaid-style text diagrams:
| Feature | Mermaid+ (NGPILOT) | Mermaid Charts (weweave) | draw.io (Seibert) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diagram engine | Mermaid.js | Mermaid.js | Custom (draw.io) |
| Diagram types | 26 | 15+ | Full drawing |
| Live preview | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Quick templates | 26 (one per type) | Limited | Templates |
| Syntax guide | Built-in (26 examples) | No | No |
| Custom colors | 5 (Node, Text, Border, Line, Bg) | Limited | Full |
| Font selection | 5 families | Limited | Full |
| Theme support | 4 themes (Default, Dark, Forest, Neutral) | Limited | Full |
| Dark mode | Auto-adapts to Jira | No | Yes |
| Output size control | 4 sizes | No | Yes |
| Cached rendering | SVG cache, library loaded only during editing | No | No |
| Cloud Fortified | No | Yes | Yes |
Where Mermaid+ Stands Out
Most diagram types — 26 Mermaid diagram types including flowchart, sequence, class, state, ER, C4 architecture, Gantt, mindmap, timeline, Git graph, pie chart, radar, Sankey, Kanban, and more. More than any other Mermaid-based Jira app.
Built-in syntax guide — Click the ? button to browse all 26 diagram types with descriptions and code examples. Insert any template directly into the editor. No need to look up Mermaid syntax externally.
Performance-first — Diagrams render from cached SVG on issue load. The Mermaid.js library is only loaded during editing, not when viewing issues. Your Jira stays fast even with diagrams on every issue.
Dark mode that works — Diagrams automatically adapt to Jira's dark/light theme. Text and background colors adjust for readability without manual configuration.
Full customization — Five color pickers (node, text, border, line, background), five font families, four output sizes, and four Mermaid themes.
Where We Could Improve
- Not yet Cloud Fortified — weweave's app and draw.io have completed Atlassian's Cloud Fortified program. We're working toward this.
- New app — Launching in 2026, no install base or review history yet.
- Text-only — Mermaid is powerful but requires learning syntax. If your team prefers drawing visually, our Excalidraw app is the better fit.
Feature Comparison: Freeform Drawing and Whiteboard Apps
For teams that prefer visual drawing:
| Feature | Excalidraw + Whiteboards (NGPILOT) | Excalidraw Whiteboard (Fulstech) | Excalidraw Mermaid (Simplify) | draw.io (Seibert) | Draw UI (DevSamurai) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drawing engine | Excalidraw | Excalidraw | Excalidraw | draw.io | Custom |
| Built-in shape libraries | 229 | Limited | Limited | Extensive | 300+ UI components |
| Mermaid support | Yes — generate diagrams from text | No | Yes | No | No |
| Hand-drawn style | Yes | Yes | Yes | No (clean/polished) | No |
| Freehand drawing | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Limited |
| AWS/Azure/GCP shapes | Yes | No | No | Yes | No |
| UML shapes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Limited |
| Wireframe components | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes (300+) |
| Diagram saved as | Issue attachment | Issue attachment | Issue attachment | Issue attachment | Issue attachment |
| Preview in issue panel | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Hosting | Cloud | Cloud | Cloud | Cloud + DC + Server | Cloud |
Where Excalidraw Diagrams + Whiteboards Stands Out
229 bundled shape libraries — The largest shape library collection of any Excalidraw-based Jira app. AWS, Azure, GCP, UML, networking, database, and more — all bundled and available offline. No internet connection needed for shapes.
Mermaid + freeform in one app — Type a Mermaid definition and get a visual diagram on the canvas. Then move, resize, and style it alongside your freehand drawings. No other Excalidraw app offers this combination.
Hand-drawn aesthetic — The Excalidraw style keeps diagrams looking approachable and focused on ideas. Great for architecture reviews, brainstorming, and early-stage design where polish isn't the priority.
Zero setup — All 229 libraries are bundled with the app. No downloads, no internet required. Open the editor and start drawing.
Where We Could Improve
- New app — Launching in 2026 with no marketplace history yet.
- No Cloud Fortified status — Still working through Atlassian's compliance program.
- No DC/Server support — Cloud-only for now. draw.io is the best option if you need Data Center or Server hosting.
- Not a full diagramming suite — If you need the polished, presentation-ready diagrams that draw.io produces, the hand-drawn Excalidraw style may not match. This is a deliberate tradeoff — speed and simplicity over polish.
Honest Comparison: NGPILOT vs draw.io (Market Leader)
draw.io dominates with 9,602 installs. Here's how our approach differs:
| draw.io (Seibert) | Mermaid+ + Excalidraw (NGPILOT) | |
|---|---|---|
| Approach | One full-featured diagramming suite | Two focused apps — text-based and freeform |
| Installs | 9,602 | Coming soon |
| Rating | 3.8/5 (349 reviews) | — |
| Hosting | Cloud + DC + Server | Cloud |
| Cloud Fortified | Yes | Not yet |
| Learning curve | Medium — full editor to learn | Low — Mermaid syntax OR freeform drawing |
| Shape libraries | Extensive built-in | 229 (Excalidraw) + 26 diagram templates (Mermaid) |
| Performance | Full editor loads on each issue | Mermaid+: cached SVG, library only during editing |
| Best for | Teams that want one app for everything | Teams that want fast, focused diagramming |
The tradeoff is clear: draw.io is the safe, established choice with the most features and broadest hosting support. Our apps are for teams that want something lighter and more focused — Mermaid for developers who think in code, Excalidraw for teams that want fast whiteboarding without the overhead of a full diagramming suite.
Which App Do You Need?
| You need... | Use this |
|---|---|
| Text-based diagrams from Mermaid syntax | Mermaid+ Diagrams for Jira |
| Freeform drawing and whiteboarding | Excalidraw Diagrams + Whiteboards for Jira |
| Both — code diagrams AND visual drawing | Both apps together |
| Full-featured diagramming suite with polish | draw.io by Seibert Media |
| Wireframes and mockups specifically | Draw UI by DevSamurai |
Related Posts
- How to Create Mermaid Diagrams in Confluence — Flowcharts, Sequence Diagrams & More
- How to Use Excalidraw in Confluence for Whiteboarding and Diagrams
Get Started
- Mermaid+ Diagrams for Jira — Coming soon to the Atlassian Marketplace. Read the docs
- Excalidraw Diagrams + Whiteboards for Jira — Coming soon to the Atlassian Marketplace. Read the docs
Have questions or want early access? Reach out to us at service@ngpilot.com — we'd love to hear from you.