A Visio alternative for AV crews who are tired of drawing boxes and hoping.

Why AV crews outgrow Visio

Visio is genuinely good software: for flowcharts, network topology, and org charts. An AV signal path is none of those things. Visio doesn't know an HDMI output from an SDI output, so it will let you connect anything to anything, and the only proof it was wrong is a dark screen at load-in.

The other tell is the stencil hunt. Every new console, switcher, or LED processor means downloading a shape pack from a manufacturer's site (if one exists), resizing it to match the others, and hoping the connector count on the shape matches the real unit. That's an hour of setup before you've drawn a single wire.

What changes with connection-aware diagrams

WireFlow devices carry real ports: HDMI, SDI, XLR, RJ45 (Dante, NDI), USB, DMX, DisplayPort, fiber. Draw a connection and it validates as you make it: an HDMI output can't land on an SDI input, and a DMX run can't wander onto a network port.

• Port-aware devices instead of generic rectangles with anchor points
• Signal-path tracing across every hop, source to screen
• The same validation your crew sees when they open the diagram, not just you

The paperwork Visio can't generate

A Visio file is a picture. It doesn't know how many feet of SDI you need or what's plugged into slot 12 of the amp rack. Someone has to type that into a separate spreadsheet and keep it in sync by hand.

WireFlow generates the cable schedule and gear list from the same diagram data. Change a connection and the schedule changes with it. Export both as CSV, and the whole thing as a PDF tech pack for the client or the crew.

Switching from Visio

There's no direct importer, and we'd rather tell you that up front than have you find out after paying for something. Most crews rebuild a show file in an afternoon using the device library, and the rebuilt version validates every patch instead of just redrawing the shapes that were already wrong.

If you've got a handful of recurring show files, that afternoon pays for itself the first time a diagram catches a bad patch before the truck leaves the shop.

Frequently asked questions

Can I import my Visio diagrams into WireFlow?

There's no direct importer. Most crews rebuild a show file in an afternoon using WireFlow's device library, and the rebuilt version validates every patch instead of just carrying over shapes that were never checked in the first place.

Does WireFlow have the same stencils as Visio?

Not stencils. A device library. Instead of downloading and resizing a manufacturer's shape pack, you pick a preset with real ports already defined, or build a custom device once and reuse it everywhere.

Is WireFlow cheaper than Visio?

We won't quote Visio's licensing here since it varies by plan and org. What we can tell you is WireFlow starts free (three diagrams, no card) and Pro is $5/month at founder pricing. Compare that against whatever your current AV licensing costs.

Will my team need training to switch?

If they've drawn a box-and-line diagram before, they can draw one in WireFlow. The difference is the ports push back when a connection is wrong. Most people are productive in their first session.

Can a venue tech open the diagram without installing anything?

Yes. Share a read-only link and it opens in any browser on any device, no Visio, no account, no install. It always shows the latest saved version.

What does WireFlow cost to start?

Free. Three editable diagrams, five custom devices, the full preset library, and PNG export, no credit card. Pro unlocks unlimited diagrams, racks, LED walls, and clean PDF/CSV exports at $5/month founder pricing.