Evacuation Map Software Comparison 2026

Compare OSHAMap with SmartDraw, Lucidchart, Canva, EdrawMax, and Microsoft Visio. Find the best evacuation map maker for OSHA compliance and workplace safety.

View Full Comparison

Why Specialized Evacuation Map Software Matters

Creating OSHA-compliant evacuation maps isn't just about drawing exit routesβ€”it's about ensuring your workplace meets federal safety standards under 29 CFR 1910.38 and state-specific regulations. General diagramming tools like SmartDraw, Lucidchart, and Visio weren't designed for safety compliance, leaving businesses vulnerable to OSHA violations with penalties up to $16,131 per violation.

OSHAMap is the only AI-powered solution built specifically for OSHA-compliant evacuation maps, combining automatic compliance verification with industry-specific customization and support for all 50 U.S. states.

Feature Comparison: OSHAMap vs Alternatives

See how OSHAMap stacks up against popular diagramming tools for creating evacuation maps.

Evacuation Map Software Feature Comparison
FeatureOSHAMapSmartDrawLucidchartCanvaEdrawMaxMicrosoft Visio
AI-Powered Generationβœ“βœ—βœ—βœ—βœ—βœ—
OSHA 29 CFR 1910.38 Compliantβœ“βœ—βœ—βœ—βœ—βœ—
Free Tier Availableβœ“βœ“βœ“βœ“βœ“βœ—
State-Specific Regulationsβœ“βœ—βœ—βœ—βœ—βœ—
Industry Customizationβœ“βœ—βœ—βœ—βœ—βœ—
Multi-Language Support (16+)βœ“βœ—βœ—βœ—βœ—βœ—
Print-Ready PDF Outputβœ“βœ“βœ“βœ“βœ“βœ“
Hand Sketch Conversionβœ“βœ—βœ—βœ—βœ—βœ—
Real-Time Collaborationβœ—βœ“βœ“βœ“βœ“βœ“
Mobile Responsiveβœ“βœ“βœ“βœ“βœ“βœ—

Understanding the Key Differences

AI-Powered Generation

OSHAMap uses advanced AI to analyze your floor plan and automatically generate compliant evacuation maps in under 60 seconds. Upload any formatβ€”PDF, image, or even a hand-drawn sketchβ€”and receive a professional map with optimal exit routes, fire equipment placement, and assembly points. Competitors require manual placement of every element, taking hours instead of seconds.

OSHA 29 CFR 1910.38 Compliance

Only OSHAMap automatically ensures compliance with OSHA's Emergency Action Plan requirements under 29 CFR 1910.38. This includes proper exit route marking, fire extinguisher placement every 75 feet (per OSHA 1910.157), illuminated EXIT signage, and ADA-accessible evacuation routes. Generic tools like SmartDraw and Lucidchart have no built-in compliance verification, putting your business at risk.

State-Specific Regulations

Different states have unique fire safety requirements beyond federal OSHA standards. OSHAMap incorporates regulations from all 50 states, including California's strict Cal/OSHA requirements, Texas fire marshal codes, and New York City's specific building codes. Competitors offer only generic templates without state-level customization.

Industry Customization

A healthcare facility's evacuation needs differ dramatically from a manufacturing plant or retail store. OSHAMap provides specialized templates for 50+ industries including hospitals, warehouses, restaurants, schools, and construction sites. Each industry template includes specific hazard zones, equipment requirements, and egress considerations that general diagramming tools simply cannot provide.

Multi-Language Support

OSHA requires evacuation information be accessible to all employees. OSHAMap supports 16+ languages including Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, Tagalog, Korean, and moreβ€”essential for diverse workforces. While competitors offer interface translations, only OSHAMap generates actual evacuation maps with multi-language safety instructions.

Hand Sketch Conversion

Don't have digital floor plans? OSHAMap's AI can convert hand-drawn sketches, napkin drawings, or rough layouts into professional evacuation maps. This unique capability makes compliance accessible to small businesses without CAD files or architectural drawings. No other tool in this comparison offers this functionality.

Detailed Competitor Analysis

OSHAMap vs SmartDraw

SmartDraw is a versatile diagramming tool popular for flowcharts and org charts, but it lacks safety-specific features. While SmartDraw offers floor plan templates, users must manually add exit routes, fire equipment, and safety symbols without any compliance guidance. SmartDraw costs $9.95/month and requires significant safety expertise to create compliant maps. OSHAMap automates the entire process with AI, ensuring OSHA compliance without specialized knowledge.

Switch from SmartDraw β†’

OSHAMap vs Lucidchart

Lucidchart excels at collaborative diagramming and integrates well with enterprise tools, but it's designed for process flows and technical diagramsβ€”not safety compliance. Lucidchart has no OSHA-specific features, no automatic exit route calculation, and no fire equipment placement guidance. Teams using Lucidchart for evacuation maps risk non-compliance. OSHAMap provides the collaboration features you need while ensuring every map meets federal safety standards.

Switch from Lucidchart β†’

OSHAMap vs Canva

Canva is a fantastic graphic design tool for marketing materials, but it's entirely unsuitable for OSHA-compliant evacuation maps. Canva templates are decorative, not functional, and lack any safety compliance features. Using Canva for evacuation maps may result in visually appealing but non-compliant documents that fail OSHA inspections. OSHAMap combines professional design with automatic compliance verification.

Switch from Canva β†’

OSHAMap vs EdrawMax

EdrawMax offers extensive diagramming capabilities with floor plan support, but like other general tools, it has no OSHA compliance features. At $99/year, EdrawMax provides more value than Visio but still requires manual safety knowledge. OSHAMap's AI-powered approach eliminates the need for safety expertise, generating compliant maps from any floor plan format automatically.

Switch from EdrawMax β†’

OSHAMap vs Microsoft Visio

Microsoft Visio is a legacy diagramming tool with a steep learning curve and desktop-only functionality. At $15-30/month per user, it's one of the most expensive options without offering mobile support or OSHA-specific features. Visio requires extensive training and manual compliance verification. OSHAMap provides a modern, web-based alternative with automatic compliance and mobile responsiveness at a fraction of the cost.

Switch from Visio β†’

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about choosing evacuation map software for your business.

Is OSHAMap better than SmartDraw for evacuation maps?

Yes, OSHAMap is purpose-built for OSHA-compliant evacuation maps with AI-powered generation, automatic compliance with 29 CFR 1910.38, and state-specific safety regulations. SmartDraw is a general-purpose diagramming tool that requires manual compliance verification and safety knowledge. OSHAMap generates compliant maps in under 60 seconds, while SmartDraw requires hours of manual work.

How does OSHAMap compare to Lucidchart for creating fire escape plans?

OSHAMap specializes in fire escape and evacuation plans with built-in OSHA compliance, automatic exit route generation, and industry-specific templates. Lucidchart is a flowchart and diagramming platform without safety-specific features. With OSHAMap, you get automatic fire extinguisher placement (every 75 feet per OSHA standards), assembly point designation, and ADA-accessible route mapping.

Can Canva create OSHA-compliant evacuation maps?

Canva cannot create OSHA-compliant evacuation maps. While Canva offers general design templates, it lacks safety-specific features like automatic exit route calculation, fire equipment placement, or compliance verification. OSHAMap is specifically designed for OSHA 29 CFR 1910.38 compliance with built-in safety standards that Canva does not provide.

What makes OSHAMap different from EdrawMax for safety diagrams?

OSHAMap offers AI-powered map generation from floor plans (including hand-drawn sketches), automatic OSHA compliance, and industry-specific customization for 50+ industries. EdrawMax is a general diagramming tool that requires manual safety element placement. OSHAMap understands evacuation requirements for healthcare, manufacturing, retail, and other industries automatically.

Is Microsoft Visio good for evacuation map creation?

Microsoft Visio is not optimized for evacuation maps. It requires manual placement of all safety elements, has no OSHA compliance verification, no mobile support, and costs $15-30/month per user. OSHAMap provides automatic OSHA-compliant map generation, free tier access, and specialized evacuation map features that Visio lacks.

Which evacuation map software is best for small businesses?

OSHAMap is the best choice for small businesses because it offers a free tier (1 file upload with 5 regenerations), instant AI-powered map generation, and automatic OSHA compliance without requiring safety expertise. Other tools like SmartDraw and Visio require annual subscriptions and extensive manual work to create compliant maps.

Do I need design skills to use evacuation map software?

With OSHAMap, you need zero design skills. Simply upload your floor plan (even a hand-drawn sketch), and our AI generates a professional, OSHA-compliant evacuation map in seconds. Traditional tools like Visio, Lucidchart, and SmartDraw require significant design expertise and knowledge of safety regulations.

What is the cheapest evacuation map software?

OSHAMap offers the best value with a free tier that includes watermark-free maps for registered users. SmartDraw costs $9.95/month, Lucidchart starts at $7.95/month, Canva Pro is $12.99/month, EdrawMax is $99/year, and Visio starts at $5/month. However, only OSHAMap provides specialized OSHA compliance features at any price point.

Ready to Create OSHA-Compliant Evacuation Maps?

Join thousands of businesses using OSHAMap to generate professional, compliant evacuation maps in seconds. No design skills requiredβ€”just upload your floor plan and let our AI do the rest.

Free tier available β€’ No credit card required β€’ Results in 30 seconds