Editions & Pricing
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Mermaid Studio is available as two separate plugins: Mermaid Studio Core (freemium) and Mermaid Studio (paid). Both cover all supported diagram types. The difference is which paid features are included.
Three tiers
Section titled “Three tiers”- Free — Install the Mermaid Studio Core plugin. Syntax highlighting, live preview, Markdown integration, and export for all supported diagram types.
- Core ($25/yr) — Add a Core license to the Mermaid Studio Core plugin. Full code intelligence for the 6 core diagram types, with visual editing where supported. Shared tools such as MCP, diagram sync, and custom icon sets work for all supported diagram types, and your own custom themes and the Theme Generator for all of them except C4.
- Studio ($49/yr) — Install the Mermaid Studio plugin. Adds every paid feature across all supported diagram types.
Feature comparison
Section titled “Feature comparison”| Feature | Free | Core | Studio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diagram types supported | All 30 | All 30 | All 30 |
| Syntax highlighting | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Basic validation | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Live preview | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Export to PNG/SVG | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Markdown integration | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Brace matching & code folding | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Frontmatter YAML completion | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bundled icon sets (FontAwesome, AWS, Azure, GCP) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bundled custom themes (8) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Semantic inspections | — | 6 core types | ✓ |
| Smart completions | — | 6 core types | ✓ |
| Code formatting | — | 6 core types | ✓ |
| Refactoring & find usages | — | 6 core types | ✓ |
| Structure view | — | 6 core types | ✓ |
| Code vision & inlay hints | — | 6 core types | ✓ |
| Documentation hover | — | 6 core types | ✓ |
| Gutter icon color picker | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Drag-and-Drop flowchart editor | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Theme CSS highlighting & completions | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| MCP tools for AI agents | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Diagram sync (auto-export) | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Print dialog | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Custom icon set import | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Custom themes & Theme Generator | — | ✓ | ✓ |
Feature availability varies by diagram type. See the Diagram Types Overview for supported features per type. Custom themes, bundled or your own, apply to all supported diagram types except C4; see Custom Themes.
Core diagram types
Section titled “Core diagram types”The 6 core diagram types were chosen for what software developers reach for daily:
| Type | Use case |
|---|---|
| Flowchart | Logic flows, algorithms, decision trees |
| Sequence | API interactions, service calls, protocol design |
| Class Diagram | OOP modeling, package structure, inheritance |
| State Diagram | State machines, lifecycle modeling |
| ER Diagram | Database schema design, data modeling |
| Block Diagram | Component layouts, system diagrams |
Swimlane is built on the Flowchart language, so it receives the same Core coverage as Flowchart.
Which edition should I install?
Section titled “Which edition should I install?”Start with the Mermaid Studio plugin. Its 30-day trial opens every feature across all supported diagram types, with no credit card required. A few weeks of normal use is the quickest way to learn which features you rely on, and Studio is the only edition that puts all of them in front of you at once.
If the trial shows you don’t need the full plugin, move to the Mermaid Studio Core plugin instead:
- Want the paid tools, but mainly work in the popular diagram types? — A Core license unlocks full code intelligence for the 6 core types (Flowchart, Sequence, Class, State, ER, and Block, plus Swimlane as a Flowchart variant), with visual editing for the ones that support it. It also includes the tools that work across all supported diagram types: MCP tools, diagram sync, custom icon sets, and custom themes with the Theme Generator (themes excluding C4).
- Just want the best free Mermaid editor? — Stay on the Mermaid Studio Core plugin’s free tier, the only Mermaid editor anywhere with full semantic highlighting for every diagram type, plus live preview, Markdown integration, and export, free for good.
The Mermaid Studio and Mermaid Studio Core plugins both install from the JetBrains Marketplace, and they cannot be installed at the same time.
Pricing
Section titled “Pricing”| Personal | Commercial | |
|---|---|---|
| Core | $2.50/mo or $25.00/yr | $7.50/mo or $75.00/yr |
| Studio | $4.90/mo or $49.00/yr | $14.90/mo or $149.00/yr |
30-day free trial for both Core and Studio. No credit card required.
Volume discounts available for commercial licenses (5+ seats: 10%, 15+ seats: 20%, 50+ seats: 35%).
Switching editions
Section titled “Switching editions”Mermaid Studio and Mermaid Studio Core are separate plugins with separate marketplace subscriptions.
Free to Core: Purchase a Core license from the JetBrains Marketplace. Activate it in your IDE under Settings > Plugins > Mermaid Studio Core.
Core to Studio (monthly): Cancel your Core subscription, uninstall Mermaid Studio Core, install Mermaid Studio, and subscribe to a Studio license.
Core to Studio (annual): Contact support@tachilabs.dev to request a prorated upgrade discount.
Studio to Core: Cancel your Mermaid Studio subscription, uninstall Mermaid Studio, then install Mermaid Studio Core and purchase a Core license.
Your IDE settings and preferences are preserved when switching plugins.