Appearance
EasyGenogram vs EdrawMax: A Genogram Tool vs. a Diagramming Suite
EdrawMax is a general diagramming suite with genogram templates buried among hundreds of other diagram types. The platform has no dedicated genogram symbols, no relationship-line notation, and its genogram marketing page pushes you toward downloading a desktop app. EasyGenogram was built specifically for this.
The Problems With Building a Genogram in EdrawMax
- Genogram isn't a first-class template type
It's absent from EdrawMax's own onboarding category picker. Flowchart, Org Chart, Mind Map, Gantt Chart, Network Diagram, Floor Plan, and more are offered up front, but genogram isn't one of them. You have to search for it rather than being offered it as a starting path.
- No genogram symbols
Relationships are described with plain text labels under generic shapes, not a coded clinical symbol set.
- No relationship-line notation
Close, distant, fused, cutoff, hostile, abuse; none of these exist as line types. Every connection is a generic connector line with a text caption typed in by hand.
- Templates push you toward the desktop app
EdrawMax's genogram landing page markets downloadable templates that funnel you into installing the desktop application rather than building directly in a browser.
- Generic AI generation, not clinical notation
EdrawMax's AI assistant can generate a diagram styled like a genogram from a prompt, but it produces decorative cards and generic visual hierarchy, not McGoldrick-style symbols, and requires accepting an AI-accuracy disclaimer before you can use it.
What a Genogram Tool Should Actually Do
Here's what EasyGenogram, a genogram-specific tool, does:
- Purpose-built symbols: Gender/relationship symbols plus a free-text Gender Identity field, not boxed into a fixed list.
- A real relationship-line library: roughly 50 preset types across emotional, family, and children's connections.
- A custom connection builder: define your own line type when a preset doesn't fit; include the title, line count, pattern, color, middle symbol, direction.
- AI drafting with manual editing: create a first draft from a plain-language description, refine it with more instructions, then edit the genogram directly.
- One-click family structure: add a parent, partner, child, sibling, or connection directly from a selected person.
- An Institution node: a dedicated symbol for CPS, court, school, or agency involvement.
- Structured clinical fields: Health Conditions and Sexual Communication as named fields, not text boxes.
Quick Comparison
Which Should You Use; EasyGenogram or EdrawMax?
If genograms are a regular part of your work, clinical practice, casework, or coursework, EasyGenogram is the clearer choice. It's built specifically for this, with no per-diagram shape cap and pricing scoped to exactly this task.
EdrawMax only makes sense if you already need a general diagramming suite for many other diagram types, like flowcharts, org charts, network diagrams, and only need an occasional, non-clinical family sketch. Even then, its free tier's 60-shape cap will bind quickly on anything beyond a small family.
Build your genogram using EasyGenogram.
FAQ
Does EdrawMax have genogram symbols?
No. Its genogram templates use generic shapes with text-label descriptors, not a coded clinical symbol set.
Can I make a clinical genogram in EdrawMax?
You can approximate one manually or by prompting its AI assistant, but there's no relationship-line notation, no clinical symbol set, and the free tier caps you at 60 shapes. EasyGenogram can generate an editable draft from text and still gives you manual genogram controls afterward.
Is EasyGenogram free to use?
Yes. Building and editing a genogram is free with no published cap on genogram size or number. Exporting requires the $9/seat/month Interactive Tools plan, with a 7-day free trial, but is entirely free for verified students.
Does EdrawMax's AI generate genograms?
It has a general AI diagram generator that can produce something styled like a genogram from a prompt, but it isn't genogram-aware and doesn't use clinical notation. EasyGenogram's AI workflow creates an editable genogram you can refine with instructions or adjust manually.
Which is better for therapists, EasyGenogram or EdrawMax?
EasyGenogram, for clinical or casework use specifically. EdrawMax fits better if you already use it for many other diagram types and only need genograms occasionally.