# AI Diagram Maker MCP vs ExcaliClaw (slim)

> ExcaliClaw and AI Diagram Maker MCP score within a point of each other for diagram creation, 44.7 and 43.8 out of 100. Prices, MCP, x402, uptime and agent notes side by side.

- Full: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/ai-diagram-maker-mcp-vs-excaliclaw.md (~4,900 tokens) · this version ~2,880 tokens · JSON https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/ai-diagram-maker-mcp-vs-excaliclaw.json · canonical https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/ai-diagram-maker-mcp-vs-excaliclaw
- Index: https://www.anchorterminal.com/llms.txt · API: https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/index.json · MCP: https://www.anchorterminal.com/mcp · Updated: 2026-11-07
- Licence: CC BY 4.0, credit Anchor Terminal and link this page (https://www.anchorterminal.com/terms/#data)

ExcaliClaw and AI Diagram Maker MCP score within a point of each other on agent readiness, 44.7 (E) and 43.8 (E). AI Diagram Maker MCP leads on schema & documentation, agent ergonomics and security & auth. Both do diagram creation.

- AI Diagram Maker MCP: E 43.8, rank #1225 of 1486 · https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/ai-diagram-maker-mcp.min.md
- ExcaliClaw: E 44.7, rank #1195 of 1486 · https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/excaliclaw.min.md
- AI Diagram Maker MCP, good for Quick architecture, sequence, ERD and flowchart diagrams from a coding agent, with a link to edit them. Ahead on Schema & documentation, 75 against 37; Agent ergonomics, 66 against 55; Security & auth, 45 against 40. Also Runs on your own machine.
- ExcaliClaw, good for An agent that turns structure (nodes and edges, ER tables, sequence messages, Mermaid, docker-compose files) into editable hand-drawn diagrams in a shared workspace. Ahead on Reliability, 65 against 30; Payments & pricing, 30 against 20; Maintenance & community, 29 against 17.

| Category | AI Diagram Maker MCP | ExcaliClaw |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Reliability (16%) | 30 | 65 |
| Performance (10%) | pending | pending |
| Schema & documentation (13%) | 75 | 37 |
| Agent ergonomics (13%) | 66 | 55 |
| Security & auth (14%) | 45 | 40 |
| Payments & pricing (10%) | 20 | 30 |
| Task success (10%) | pending | pending |
| Maintenance & community (7%) | 17 | 29 |
| Transparency & trust (7%) | 35 | 39 |

| Fact (where they differ) | AI Diagram Maker MCP | ExcaliClaw |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Vendor | AI Diagram Maker (Rajasekar Elango) | ExcaliClaw |
| Hosted endpoint | `https://mcp.aidiagrammaker.com/mcp` | `https://excaliclaw.com/mcp` |
| Transports | Streamable HTTP, stdio | Streamable HTTP, HTTP |
| Auth | API key | OAuth or key |
| Licence | MIT for the MCP server. The AI Diagram Maker service it calls is closed, under terms last updated 24 September 2025 | The hosted service, its API and its MCP server are closed, under ExcaliClaw's terms of service. The web client is published as LGPL-3.0, as a modified version of ExcaliDash |
| Tools exposed | 5 | 37 |
| llms.txt | no | yes |
| MCP registry | `io.github.erajasekar/ai-diagram-maker-mcp` | `com.excaliclaw/excaliclaw` |
| Last release | 2026-04-10 | 2026-10-03 |
| Terms last updated | 2025-09-24 | couldn't be read |
| Privacy policy last updated | 2025-09-24 | couldn't be read |
| Customer content may train models | not found in the text | couldn't be read |
| Terms restrict automated access | yes | couldn't be read |
| Terms restrict benchmarking | not found in the text | couldn't be read |
| Terms or service can change without notice | not found in the text | couldn't be read |
| Arbitration or class-action waiver | not found in the text | couldn't be read |
| Popularity | 63 npm/wk | 0 stars |

Why the edge:
- Schema & documentation, AI Diagram Maker MCP +38: AI Diagram Maker MCP 75 (All five tools have zod input schemas in src/tools, and the repository ships an OpenAPI 3 file for POST /api/v2/diagrams/generate (25). No llms.txt (404) and no docs site for agents beyond the README (0). Each description says what the tool does and when to use it, listing trigger phrases and the diagram types, without saying when another tool fits better (16 of 20). `content` has a minimum length and `diagramType` an eight-value enum; the OpenAPI adds `inputType` and `format` enums (13 of 15). Examples in the parameter descriptions and README, and the OpenAPI documents 400, 401, 402, 422 (D2 failed to compile) and 429 with typed error bodies (13 of 15). Git tags from v1.1.1 to v3.0.8 and a /api/v2 path, with no changelog or release notes (8 of 15). 25 + 0 + 16 + 13 + 13 + 8 = 75.); ExcaliClaw 37 (The live tool definitions weren't read, because robots.txt disallows /mcp, and the 14 October copy was read from Smithery's registry data service, which this run doesn't use (that Smithery page answered 404 on 4 November 2026), so no contract was read (0 of 25). llms.txt, llms-full.txt and a Markdown copy of every manual page are published (10). The MCP reference and llms.txt say what each of the 37 tools does, mark `validate_design` as a dry run and `verify_design` as the required final check, and say Mermaid input is read for structure only (12 of 20). The reference gives the `theme` values, the Mermaid diagram types and size limits, but no input schemas were read (4 of 15). `get_diagram_example` returns worked examples, and REST error codes and validation errors are documented (11). No changelog and no version on the REST paths (0).)
- Reliability, ExcaliClaw +35: AI Diagram Maker MCP 30 (Hosted lines, because every tool call is generated on the AI Diagram Maker service, through the hosted endpoint or the npx server. No status page found on the site or in the README (0). No readable incident history (5). The only rate-limit number is the example in the OpenAPI 429 schema ('Maximum 100 requests per day exceeded.'), which isn't stated as the limit (5 of 15). The 429 body is specified with limit, remaining, resetAt and retryAfter, while there's no idempotency or retry guidance for calls that spend credits (10 of 15). No SLA found (0). Nothing labels the service or server beta (10). 0 + 5 + 5 + 10 + 0 + 10 = 30.); ExcaliClaw 65 (Scored on the hosted lines for the MCP server and REST API. A Better Stack status page at status.excaliclaw.com tracks seven components, including the MCP server and MCP sign-in (20). Its incident history covers September to November 2026 and has never posted an incident, about a month of monitoring since 4 October, so a short record (15 of 30). Rate limits are published, 60 MCP calls a minute per user and 300 REST requests a minute per user or key (15). REST answers 429 with `Retry-After`, and `validate_design` dry-runs a write through the same gate. No idempotency keys or safe-retry guidance for writes (10). No SLA found (0). The service carries no beta label, but the REST page says the API may change (5, kept from 14 October as a partial).)
- Maintenance & community, ExcaliClaw +12: AI Diagram Maker MCP 17 (Last release v3.0.8, published to npm on 10 April 2026, 210 days before this check (0). No release since 8 August (0). Four issues in all. The two open ones, from 4 May (hosted MCP credit usage) and 13 October 2026, show no reply, and one closed issue had a comment (5 of 25). In the official MCP registry under the GitHub-verified namespace io.github.erajasekar, but the entry is 1.0.0 from 19 March 2026 while npm is on 3.0.8 (10 of 15). The only workflow publishes to the registry. No tests or CI, and the MCP SDK floor is ^1.9.0 (2 of 10). 0 + 0 + 5 + 10 + 2 = 17.); ExcaliClaw 29 (The newest dated change found is the web client snapshot of 3 October 2026, 32 days before this check (20). No changelog and no three dated releases since 6 August (0). The manual's FAQ gives hello@excaliclaw.com for support, and GitHub issues couldn't be read (5, per the 14 October check). The official MCP registry entry was read on 14 October only through the registry's JSON API, which this run doesn't count, and no readable registry page was found (0). The client repository has 47 test files and no CI workflow (4).)
- Agent ergonomics, AI Diagram Maker MCP +11: AI Diagram Maker MCP 66 (Five compact tools (25). Output can be SVG or PNG and the API can return the D2 source with `debug`, but there's nothing to page or trim, and results carry the rendered image (10 of 20). Typed error bodies with codes, a 422 that returns the failing D2 code, and retryAfter on 429 (16 of 20). No readOnlyHint or other annotations in the source and no idempotency key, and every call spends credits (5 of 20). Only `content` is required and the hosted endpoint needs no install, but there is no SDK beyond the server (10 of 15). 25 + 10 + 16 + 5 + 10 = 66.); ExcaliClaw 55 (The MCP reference lists 37 tools, with no toolsets or read-only subset (5). `list_designs` takes limit and offset, `search_designs` finds drawings by name, `export_design` can return only a URL, and REST lists go up to 200 with `If-None-Match` support (18). A rejected write lists every error with element ids and a computed fix, and REST errors carry codes such as `plan_limit_reached` and `payment_required` (17). No idempotency keys, while a dry-run tool exists and a version is saved before each agent change. Annotations weren't readable (8, kept from 14 October as a partial). The server computes layout from nodes and edges or Mermaid text, but there is no SDK (7).)
- Payments & pricing, ExcaliClaw +10: AI Diagram Maker MCP 20 (No x402, MPP or L402 (0). Plan prices are public (Plus $10, Max $20 a month), with credits counted at 1,000 tokens each, so there's no per-diagram price (10 of 20). Basic is free forever with 50 credits a month, but the page doesn't say whether a card is needed or whether API and MCP calls are included (10 of 20, half as with an unstated card rule). A person signs up in the app and creates the key (0). 0 + 10 + 10 + 0 = 20.); ExcaliClaw 30 (No x402, MPP or L402 (0). Plan prices are public, Free €0, Starter €9 and Pro €29 a month, with no per-call price (10). The Free plan needs no card and MCP use is unlimited on every plan (20). A person has to create an account and approve the OAuth client in the browser, and REST keys are created by a person in Settings (0).)
- Security & auth, AI Diagram Maker MCP +5: AI Diagram Maker MCP 45 (Several named API keys per account, shown once and deactivated or deleted in Settings with a confirmation step, sent in a header, never a query string. No scopes, and the user guide says anyone with a key can access the account (20 of 30). The tools only create diagrams and can't change or delete anything in the account, but there's no read-only key (12 of 20). Tools return diagrams built from the caller's own input. Image inputs can be any public URL (10 of 15). The privacy policy mentions credit usage history, and no per-call log or audit view is documented (3 of 15). No security.txt, disclosure policy, bug bounty or certification found (0). 20 + 12 + 10 + 3 + 0 = 45.); ExcaliClaw 40 (MCP uses OAuth 2.1 with dynamic registration and PKCE S256, and REST keys are shown once and revocable at once. There is one scope, `drawings`, which grants every tool, and REST keys read and write every drawing and collection, though they can't change sharing or read version history (22). No read-only scope or key. Version history keeps the state before each agent change and `validate_design` writes nothing, but no confirmation step for `delete_design` was found (8). Agents read drawings that collaborators wrote and live scenes other people are editing, and no prompt-injection guidance was found (3). Version history records agent changes. No audit log was found (5). security.txt answers 404, and no bug bounty, certification or disclosure policy was found. Two-step sign-in and AES-256 encrypted EU backups are documented (2, kept from 14 October as a partial).)