Ilograph

Overview

Ilograph is a system-documentation tool for turning components and their interactions into interactive diagrams. It is best for technical teams that need reusable architecture views or offline, local-file editing. Choose it for structured system documentation, not as a general-purpose drawing app.

Key features

Ilograph’s model-based diagrams-as-code approach gives system diagrams structure and reusability, which is useful when related views need to stay consistent. Readers can zoom from component-level detail to the broader system and switch perspectives; sequence views emphasize data, business, and security flows. That combination helps explain both what a system contains and how it behaves.

Diagrams support screen readers and keyboard navigation. Built-in AWS, Azure, GCP, and networking icons cover common infrastructure contexts, and YAML and HTML are supported for import and export. The Team Workspace API is deliberately limited: it can GET, PUT, and HEAD existing diagrams, but cannot create or delete them. Access requires valid keys and requests from allow-listed IP addresses, making it a controlled integration point rather than a complete diagram-management API.

Ilograph Desktop runs on Mac, Windows, and Linux and works with local files without internet access, including in behind-firewall and air-gapped environments. The Export API runs in an on-premises Docker container and exports standalone HTML without external internet access. These options are meaningful advantages for restricted environments; they do not remove the Team Workspace API’s limits.

The standalone Confluence Cloud app stores diagrams within the Confluence instance and requires no Ilograph account. That is a useful route for organizations already using Confluence, though it is a separate deployment choice from Ilograph’s other workspaces.

Pricing

The Ilograph Free plan costs nothing, billed per month. It allows unlimited public and private diagrams and unlimited diagram size, includes the built-in icon sets, and retains 14 days of diagram history. That is a generous starting point for individuals or teams evaluating diagramming needs, but the short history window may not suit teams that need to revisit older revisions.

Ilograph Pro costs $18 a month, billed yearly, and allows 20 viewers per diagram. It fits a project where a bounded audience needs to read diagrams; teams needing broader access should compare the Team plan rather than assume Pro offers unlimited viewers.

Ilograph Team costs $30 a month, billed $30 per editor / month billed monthly. It adds team collaboration and a workspace dashboard, with unlimited viewers. The per-editor charge matters for authoring teams, while unlimited viewers can make it more suitable when many people need to read the work.

Ilograph Team+ has custom pricing and includes single sign-on using SAML 2.0 and API access. It is the relevant tier for organizations requiring those controls, though API access remains subject to the stated API limits.

Ilograph Desktop costs $14.99 a month, billed $14.99 / month billed monthly. It includes local files, custom icons, HTML export, and offline use. This is the clearest fit for individual or organizational users who prioritize local editing; its terms differ from the collaboration-oriented Team plans.

Ilograph for Confluence Cloud has custom pricing and requires no additional Ilograph account or subscription. Ilograph also offers a 14-day trial. The freemium model gives users a no-cost way to keep diagrams, while paid plans separate viewer allowances, collaboration, API access, and desktop capabilities rather than packaging them all together.

Platforms

Ilograph is available on the web, Windows, macOS, Linux, through an API, and as a self-hosted option. Desktop downloads cover Mac M Series and Intel, Linux x86-64 and arm64, and Windows. Offline editing is specifically supported by Ilograph Desktop.

Who it's for

Ilograph is a strong fit for architecture and systems teams documenting component relationships and important flows, especially when they value structured diagrams, accessible navigation, or controlled offline deployment. The free plan can suit broad diagram creation with modest history needs; Pro suits a defined viewer group, while Team suits collaborative authoring with larger readership. It is less compelling for users seeking unrestricted programmatic diagram creation and deletion or a broad, general-purpose canvas.

Pros and cons

• Pro: Unlimited diagrams and diagram size on the free plan lower the barrier to documenting multiple systems.
• Pro: Multiple perspectives and sequence flows make it possible to communicate both system structure and key interactions.
• Pro: Local offline editing and on-premises HTML export support high-security and internet-restricted environments.
• Pro: Screen-reader and keyboard support improve access to diagrams.
• Con: Free-plan history lasts only 14 days, limiting how far back users can revisit diagram changes.
• Con: The Team Workspace API cannot create or delete diagrams, and its access is gated by keys and IP allow-lists.
• Con: Pro caps viewers at 20 per diagram; unlimited viewers are reserved for Team.

Alternatives

Compare diagramming software if you want to consider a wider range of tools. Choose draw.io instead for a free, open-source option with no sign-up requirement and support across web, desktop, and mobile platforms. EdrawMax is another freemium option with a free plan, trial, and broad platform support.

Consider Creately if unlimited collaborators and canvases on its free plan matter more than Ilograph’s system-focused views. Lucidchart is a web and mobile option with free basic diagramming access. Pick Preceden for timelines rather than system architecture diagrams. Software Ideas Modeler is a desktop alternative with UML and basic diagrams, including a free non-commercial Standard plan. UMLet is a free, open-source UML tool offered as desktop apps, an Eclipse plugin, a web app, and a VS Code extension. Cacoo may suit teams seeking real-time editing and in-app video chat on its free plan.

Verdict

Ilograph is a good choice for teams that need reusable system diagrams and value offline desktop editing or on-premises export. Its free plan is unusually open on diagram count and size, while paid tiers address collaboration and viewer scale. Look elsewhere if your workflow depends on an API that can create and delete diagrams, or if you need a general-purpose diagramming canvas rather than system documentation.