There is more than one way to draw a single-line diagram. What suits a colleague perfectly can be a let-down for you, and the other way around. Below we put four commonly used programs next to each other: Trikker, AutoCAD, Visio and Voltuno. Voltuno is ours, so we are not a neutral referee. That is exactly why we also write down where the others do better.
This comparison describes the situation on 6 August 2026. All four programs keep being developed, so prices and features may change later on. If in doubt, check with the makers themselves.
Trikker: the established name in Belgium
Trikker has been the reference package for Belgian electricians for years. It is made for AREI diagrams and site plans, it is taught in technical schools and training centres, and there is a free demo version you can try. In that demo you can draw a limited number of circuits and the print carries a watermark.
It is software you install on a Windows PC. A macOS version and a web version have been announced. If you always work on the same fixed machine and you like software that simply runs locally, Trikker is still a solid choice. Certainly if you already know your way around it.
AutoCAD and Visio: strong, but not built for the inspection file
AutoCAD is professional drawing software. On precision, no diagram package comes close. If you exchange drawings with architects or engineering firms, or you would rather draw everything yourself down to the millimetre, AutoCAD is hard to beat. The catch is that it knows nothing about the AREI. The symbols, the circuits and the structure of an inspection-ready file are yours to build and to keep up to date. On top of that come a steep learning curve and a subscription.
Visio is often already part of the company Microsoft licence. For explaining something quickly in schematic form, that works fine. But it stays a general diagramming tool: no AREI symbols, no site plan, no print-ready file. Everything an inspector expects, you draw in by hand.
Voltuno: in the browser, with an AI assistant
Voltuno aims at the same thing as Trikker, namely AREI-compliant single-line diagrams and site plans, but it runs entirely in your browser. You install nothing, and it works just as well on a MacBook, a Linux laptop or a tablet on site.
All AREI symbols are built in, with a print-ready PDF for the inspector
Your work is saved to the cloud automatically, so you pick it up again on any device
An AI assistant that adds circuits or sets up a complete diagram for you
A free plan with one single-line diagram and one site plan, without a watermark
There is a caveat here too. Voltuno has not been around as long as Trikker, and for drawing work that goes beyond the electrical diagram a CAD package remains the better choice.
So which one should you pick?
Always the same Windows PC, software installed locally, years of habit: Trikker
Millimetre work and exchanging drawings with architects: AutoCAD
A quick sketch that will never go to inspection: Visio
Working anywhere, automatic saving and help from an AI assistant: Voltuno
The best test is still your own next file. You can try Voltuno for free without payment details. After that a Lifetime licence is a one-off €20 and Core + AI is €20 per month (excl. VAT). See the pricing or start drawing your first diagram right away.
