Guest vs Account

A core principle of livediagram is that the canvas always works without signing in. A first-time visitor can open a new diagram, build something real, share it, and collaborate, all as a guest. Signing in is never a wall in front of the editor; it simply unlocks a few things that need an account to make sense. This article explains the difference so you can choose what suits you.

What you get as a guest

As a guest you have the full editing experience. Your work is saved automatically against your browser, so it is there when you come back on the same device.

• The full canvas: every shape, arrow, drawing tool, theme, and template.
• Persistence for your diagrams, per browser (not yet synced across devices).
• Sharing and collaboration: open share links as a viewer or editor, and mint your own share links so others can join.
• Real-time presence on any shared session.

The one trade-off: guest storage lives in your current browser. Clearing your browser data, or switching to another device, means that guest library does not follow you.

What an account adds

Creating a free account (sign-in lives at the sign-in route, sign-up at the get-started route) adds the things that only make sense once you have an identity:

• Cross-device sync. Your diagrams travel with your account, so they appear on every device you sign in to.
• A persistent identity. Your display name comes from your profile rather than being set per session.
• Teams. Join or create a team to work in a shared space with teammates.

Accounts are free like everything else in livediagram, there is no paid tier.

Moving from guest to account

You do not lose anything by signing up. The first time you sign in, the diagrams you built as a guest migrate into your account automatically, so the work you have already done carries over rather than being left behind.

The two paths also coexist forever: a signed-in user can hand a share link to a guest, who edits the same diagram with no account at all.