Sacrificing time to write down ideas is a good way to remember them but sometimes just remembering them is not enough. You need to share and visualize ideas at times and present them to others.
Today, we will be taking a look at some of the best mind mapping software and apps you can use to organize ideas, thoughts, and processes.
Mind Mapping vs. Brainstorming: What’s the Difference?
The two might have been confusing you, but there’s a fine line between mind mapping and brainstorming. Both of these serve different purposes and are represented differently.
Mind mapping essentially involves the hierarchal structuring of ideas, concepts, and words. The technique visualizes concepts in the form of diagrams and charts. These diagrams have one focal point which further generates multiple branches and sub-branches representing their relationship with the center.
A mind map can turn all of your intertwined ideas into a highly organized structure and give them more meaning.
In contrast, brainstorming can be considered a little less structured way of generating ideas. It’s a group activity focusing on expanding the thinking process and producing new ideas. Simply put, brainstorming results in an arbitrary production of ideas without any type of filter.
Writing out the entire thought process can be an overwhelming task. This is where digital mind mapping apps can offer you the flexibility that a piece of paper can’t. They can organize, structure, and visualize your thought process.
So, I decided to write about the best mind mapping software you can find out there on the internet today.
Let’s get started.
The 27 Best Free Mind Mapping Software – 2023
Which is the Best Mind Mapping App?
1. Ayoa – Best Mind Mapping Software of 2023
Supported Platforms: Web, Windows, Mac, iOS, Android
Ayoa is a cloud-based mind mapping software tool that brings together the creative power of mind mapping with visual task management and collaboration. Ayoa is suitable for both individuals and teams who want to unleash their most creative ideas and turn these into reality.
Unlike other mind mapping tools, Ayoa provides an all-in-one platform where users can create beautiful mind maps, monitor projects, and to-do lists, and collaborate with others. Ayoa’s uniquely visual interface is designed to inspire creativity and spark great ideas.
Features and Functionality
- Three Mind Map Styles
Ayoa has a unique variety of mind mapping styles. Inspired by the traditional, hand-drawn mind map, you can use organic mind maps to create smooth, curved branches.
For auto-layout maps with box branches, choose their speed map option to capture ideas quickly. Their newest mind map style, radial maps, allows you to present your ideas in a visual pie chart and add structure to your goals and ideas.
- Task & Project Management
Until action, an idea remains just an idea. Ayoa’s built-in task management functionalities allow you to turn your ideas into reality within one workspace. With Kanban boards, due dates, attachments, task assignments, and more, you’ll be able to visualize your workload as you’ve never seen it before.
- NEW Whiteboards
Ayoa’s new whiteboard feature allows you to brainstorm ideas, plan projects and create visual dashboards using sticky notes, annotations, images, and more. You can also choose from an extensive range of templates to get you started.
- Real-Time Collaboration
Collaborate in real-time by inviting colleagues and friends to your maps where you can brainstorm ideas together. You can even set your map to ‘public’ and share the link with multiple people – even if they don’t have an account! The auto-focus feature allows you to focus on selected branches and hide the clutter for professional presentations. Easily export and print Mind Maps with the click of a button.
Integrations: Zoom, Dropbox, Google Drive, Google Contacts, Google Calendar, Evernote.
Pricing
- Free – Create up to 5 boards for free with their basic plan.
- Pro (from $10/month) – Unlimited boards. Also includes file storage, Gantt charts, task assignment, and more.
- Ultimate (from $13/month) – Unlimited boards. Also includes Google Calendar integration, Zoom integration, live share, mind map present, and more.
They also offer discounts for teams.
2. MindMaster
Supported Platforms: Windows, MacOSX, Linux
MindMaster is a versatile, user-friendly, and professional mind mapping tool. Available on multiple platforms, including PC, tablet, mobile, and web, you can create mind maps and access them from each platform. With this excellent collaborative mind mapping tool, working with teammates has never been easier.
They are a relatively new company, but the cool thing about the dev team is that MindMaster isn’t the only product they have worked on. According to the company correspondents, they have made several mind mapping software available for people associated with project conceptualization stages.
Of all the things that make MindMaster unique, their 700+ Clip Arts, different templates and the overall versatility of the program is what makes it worth buying. If you are a student, teacher, an individual contractor or a professional project manager, this program is definitely worth a shot.
Features and Functionality
- Brainstorming Mode
With the brainstorming mode, you can conduct group brainstorming sessions effectively. Simply record ideas with different colors on the left pane, and later drag them to the right pane to generate a mind map.
- Project & Task Management
Switch to Gantt view to track task start/end date and progress. Task information is also editable in Gantt mode.
- Presentation
With just a few clicks, you can effortlessly present your stunning mind map in MS PowerPoint file.
… and about a bazillion more.
Pricing:
MindMaster has different pricing models going on under different tiers. Although they don’t have a free package, they are offering a 15 Day trial period, which is more than enough to evaluate the software.
For specific pricing-related queries and information, you can check their price page at:https://www.edrawsoft.com/pricing-mindmaster.html.
3. IOctopus
Supported platforms: Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, Android, and iOS.
If you want to create mind maps without going through a long process of signup, you can quickly get started with IOctopus. It is an online mind mapping tool that can bring out your flow state, and help you to create and share multiple mind maps with your team.
It offers a simple drag-and-drop tool to help make mind maps, create branches, set background colors, icon search, add images, and offers a very minimalistic user interface to help focus more on idea generation. The tool offers better privacy with all files encrypted using aes-256. The IOctopus offers several themes to get started for new users.
The online collaboration with mind maps is enabled with the help of IOctopus which can bring teams to work together on idea generation, project planning, and kickoff meetings. Moreover, you can easily embed your mind maps on any website just like a YouTube video. Moreover, the tool is compatible with several different devices and makes it easy to manage mind map files in folders.
Features and Functionality
- Add icons and images from the library or your computer
- Create branches and set branch color
- Create tasks and checklists
- Team collaboration enabled
- Export functionality for the mind maps
- Save files in folders
- Create relationships between branches and mind map files
- Icon filters, dates, language separation, and more
Pricing
IOctopus has four different plans:
- Free plan: 5 files, 1001 icons, themes, import, export, and sharing as read-only.
- Star plan: $2.7/month. 1 million files, folders, tasks, colors, links, images, drawings, relationships, and plugins
- Galaxy plan: $3.7/month. All things in Star plan plus collaboration, and sharing as editable.
- Enterprise plan: $149/50 employees/month and $249/100 employees/month.
4. Lucidchart
Supported Platforms: Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Linux
From simple flowcharts to complex diagrams, Lucidchart has something for all kinds of mind mapping needs. It has numerous templates to get started quickly, making it easier to create professional diagrams and collaborate with your team.
There are great features, like real-time collaboration, change and history management, team and access management, native apps for Windows, macOS, and Linux, hundreds of available integrations, and much more that make teamwork a breeze in Lucidchart.
Another powerful feature that Lucidchart has its data linking capabilities. With data linking, users can connect their shapes and diagrams to live data stored in spreadsheets.
Any changes made to the live data present in the spreadsheets are automatically reflected in your charts and diagrams, saving you lots of time and unwanted manual work.
With over 15 million users, Lucidchart ranks #1 on my list of the best free mind mapping software.
Features and Functionality
- Custom text/shape styling and editing
- Keyboard shortcuts to make work easier
- Swimlanes to organize complex diagrams
- Presentation mode to present your diagrams as slides
- Group chat to communicate as you work
- Enterprise-level security and admin controls including data deletion policies, maximum uptime, SAML/SSO, priority support, and more
- AWS Import (PCI Compliance Documentation)
Pricing
Lucidchart is available with the following pricing plans:
- Basic – $4.95 per month, single-user plan, unlimited shapes and documents, 100 MB of storage
- Pro – $9.95 per month, single user plan, professional shapes and features, Visio import and export, Chart AI
- Team – starting $20 per month, 3 users minimum, team management, third-party integrations
- Enterprise – contact sales for a quote, license management, enterprise-wide control
5. VistaCreate
Supported Platforms: Web, iOS, Android
VistaCreate is a multipurpose design tool for various needs, ranging from creating professional visuals for social networks to logos and mindmaps. Without any complex registration steps or steep learning curve, you can build a logical, informative, and modern-looking mind map in the editor you’ll enjoy using.
Getting started, you’re free to choose from tons of high-quality mind map templates of a pre-set format, then employ any as a canvas to build and customize yours. All the tweakable design objects, such as images, fonts, colors, and more are super handy to manipulate to reach a desirable result for your mind map.
Features & Functionality
- Numerous mind map templates of diverse concepts and ideas.
- Modern material designs.
- Work with a team on your mind map design thanks to the collaborative features.
- Easily resize your design even after all the changes.
- Various types of diagrams with essential design objects such as lines, shapes, and illustrations.
- Stress-free, drag-and-drop editing.
- Affordable premium version with many more customization and productivity tools.
Pricing
- Starter (free) – almost all tools (the ‘starter pack’), although limited productivity and brand kit instruments.
- PRO ($10/mo) – all included.
6. MindMeister
Supported Platforms: Web, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows
Second on our list of the best mind mapping software is MindMeister, a great tool to visualize and present thoughts and manage ideas. It has over 9 million users taking notes, planning projects, and brainstorming tasks.
With MindMeister, you can create and share mind maps, customize them with different styles, icons and images, add notes, links, and tasks to your tasks and more.
There is also a presentation mode to visually present your mind map using engaging animations. You also get other team collaboration features, such as team chat, usage statistics, and reports.
Overall, MindMeister is a great mind mapping tool and its simple interface places it at the top of our list of the best mind map software.
Features and Functionality
- Create and share mind maps with your team
- Create tasks, add notes to give them context
- Export your mind maps in over 10 different formats
- Import mind maps from other free mind mapping apps
Pricing
MindMeister offers you the following pricing plans:
- Basic – Free, 3 mind maps, 1 user, 0 GB storage space, import, and basic export features, no customization options, no customer support available
- Personal – $4.99 per month, unlimited mind maps, 1 user, 0.5 GB storage space, standard email support, chat, print, and other customization options
- Pro – $8.25 per user/month, unlimited mind maps, 1+ users, 1 GB storage space, priority email support, team signup page, custom branding and styling, team reports
- Business – $12.49 per user/month, unlimited mind maps, 1+ users, 10 GB storage space, priority email support, customization, backups, multiple administrators and more
7. XMind
Supported Platforms: Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS
Next up – XMind. I heard about this tool and its mind mapping capabilities from a few friends, so decided to check it out. It doesn’t disappoint one bit – the interface is intuitive, the design is very user-friendly, and the platform is powered by useful tools for mind mapping, brainstorming, and collaboration.
There are two variations for XMind, and you can choose the mind mapping software that best fits your needs.
XMind: ZEN is available with all the necessary features needed to organize thoughts and ideas. For advanced collaboration, you can opt-in for the full-fledged product, the XMind 8 Pro.
XMind: ZEN requires a subscription plan whereas the XMind 8 Pro is available as a perpetual license. On the Free trial, you get limited access to features.
Features and Functionality
- ZEN Mode to focus on one chart
- Snowbrush 2.0 Engine
- Gantt view for project management
- Templates and new clip art library
- Brainstorming
- Slide-based presentation mode
- Dark UI
- Themes for personalization
Pricing
Free trial
- ZEN Desktop – starting at $4.58 per month
- ZEN Mobile – starting at $1.24 per month
- XMind: ZEN Desktop + Mobile – starting at $4.99 per month
- XMind 8 Pro – buy now for $129, access to all future updates of the 8.x family
Special discounts are available for students, non-profits, early-age startups, and educators.
8. Mindomo
Supported Platforms: Web, macOS, Linux, Windows, Android, iOS
#4 on this list of the best mind mapping software is Mindomo. A mind mapping tool that can be used to create concept maps, manage tasks and projects, collaborate, create outlines and more – Mindomo has everything you will expect from a mind map software.
One thing that I like about Mindomo is its ability to integrate with tons of other apps. Be it cloud storage services, education apps, learning management systems; Mindomo is one of the best free mind map software to offer native integrations for a range of different platforms.
Features and Functionality
- Collaborative mind map assignments
- Google Apps + Office 365 integration
- Google Drive + Dropbox integration
- Real-time collaboration
- 10+ export formats to choose from
- Video/audio upload + sound recording
- Custom themes
Pricing
Mindomo is available with the following pricing plans:
- Free – 40 topics in a map, task management, and mapping, export options, limited syncing
- Premium – €69.00, unlimited everything, search images and videos on the internet for 1 year
9. Cacoo
Supported Platforms: Web, Google Chrome Extension
Cacoo is an online drawing software trusted by over 2 million users that can help users create diagrams. It is a product of Nulab, a software company from Japan. Cacoo lets you and your team create organization charts, wireframes, sitemaps, mind maps, and more.
Cacoo offers integrations with other apps like Confluence, Google Drive and Dropbox, among others.
This free mind map software gives you several pre-designed templates for various diagrams, including:
- wireframes,
- mind maps,
- floor plans,
- flowcharts,
- infographics,
- organizational charts, and
- network maps
Features and Functionality
- Brainstorm, explore and manage all ideas
- Create beautiful shareable mind maps
- Multi-user editing so you can collaborate together
- Revision history management
- In-app comments to keep track of conversations
- Activity notifications so you can stay posted
- Various templates to choose from and get started with
Pricing
Cacoo is offered in user packages. The pricing starts with a minimum of 3 users at $5 per user/month. Individual users can sign up for Cacoo at $4.95 per month.
There is no Free plan for teams, however, single users can sign up for a Free plan that offers 6 diagrams, up to 3 collaborators, basic PNG export, and 500 KB upload limit.
10. MindManager by MindJet
Supported Platforms: Web, Windows, macOS, Android, iOS
Next on my list of the best mind mapping software is MindManager, a product of MindJet. You can use MindManager for brainstorming, organizing thoughts, presenting business plans, managing tasks and projects, and more.
You can create timelines, organize tasks to do and projects to deliver, schedule follow-ups, and lots more. Because of the extensive feature set, MindManager is best suited for seasoned professionals and project teams who would like to collaborate to meet set goals.
Features and Functionality
- Create interactive mind maps, flowcharts, concept maps, timelines, schedules, Gantt charts, Venn diagrams, and more
- 60+ built-in diagram templates
- Visual framework and information management
- Compatible with Microsoft Office and Apple productivity apps
- Budgeting and forecasting
- Project planning and task management
Pricing
MindManager is available with the following pricing plans:
- For Windows: $349 perpetual license, upgrade to MindManager 12 from the older version for $179
- For Mac: $179 perpetual license, upgrade to MindManager 12 from an older version for $89
11. Coggle
Supported Platforms: Web, iOS, Android
Coggle is a mind mapping software that makes it easy to visualize complex information, processes, systems, and flowcharts. There are text boxes, unlimited image uploads, real-time collaboration for mind maps, loops/branches, flowcharting, and multiple starting points, along with various other useful features.
Coggle works online on your browser – no setup required, simply log in and start using it. It has an iOS and Android app so you can take your mind maps with you on the go. One thing, however, is that Coggle only allows you to keep 3 private diagrams on the Free plan – the rest are all public.
Features and Functionality
- Multiple starting points
- Private and public mind maps
- History of changes
- Real-time collaboration
- Change and chat history to restore at an earlier point
- Embeddable diagrams
Pricing
- Basic – Free, 3 private diagrams, unlimited public diagrams, over 1,600 icons
- Awesome – $5.00 per month, unlimited private diagrams, high-res image uploads, and more styling options
- Organization – $8.00 per user/month, bulk export, user & data management, custom branding
12. MindMup
Supported Platforms: iOS, Web, Android
On #8 for this roundup of the best mind mapping software, is MindMup. With this tool, you can add notes and attachments to your mind maps, create storyboards, add measurements to nodes and use it as a project management tool, and more.
A great add-on with MindMup is its social sharing feature. Simply publish your online mind map, and then use the social sharing within MindMup and it will automatically add contextual information to your mind maps.
Features and Functionality
- Create beautiful mind maps online and on the go
- Attach notes and attachments to your maps
- Add estimates to nodes to use MindMup for project management
- Insert images and icons to your maps
- Integrate MindMup with Google Drive to easily access all of your data on the cloud
Pricing
MindMup is available with the following pricing plans:
- Free – public maps, 100 KB maximum map size, 6-month retention period, save maps to Google Drive
- Personal Gold – $2.99 per month, share and collaborate on maps, view map history, 100 MB map size, lifetime retention, Google Analytics tracking, priority support
- Team Gold – $50 per year, 10 users minimum, private and team maps, organization management, access, and rights management
- Organizational Gold – $100 per year for all users, all of MindMup’s features and advanced integrations
13. Mind Genius
Supported Platforms: Windows, iOS
MindGenius lets you create work breakdowns of your project structure from your plan with ease. You can break down ideas and understand the goal of the project. It comes with a collection of mind mapping templates to implement your ideas faster.
What is special about MindGenius is that it not only offer strong features for mind mapping and idea management but also as a project management software. MindGenius claims it has 6 tools built inside one platform so you won’t have to juggle between tools to get things done as a project team.
You can arrange your plans using appealing photos from MindGenius image library.
Features and Functionality
- 6 tools in one platform:
- Mind Maps
- Gantt charts
- Resource Management
- Categories View
- Priority View
- Status View
- Create mind maps and assign work to your team
Pricing
MindGenius comes with the following pricing plans:
- Perpetual – $256, one-time cost
- Subscription – first year $160, then $56/year onwards
- MindGenius for Education – $91, perpetual license
14. SmartDraw
Supported Platforms: Web, iOS, Windows
Whether you are a beginner or a professional designer, SmartDraw is just the right tool for you. It’s a diagram software that gives you hundreds of templates and the ability to share diagrams.
This mind mapping software also makes it easy to quickly create quality diagrams, thanks to its vast library of templates and useful integration options.
Because it is a diagram software, you can do much more with SmartDraw than just create mind maps and structure your thoughts. You can create flowcharts, floor plans and tons of other diagrams.
This diversity is really needed when you’re a creative or design team. SmartDraw ranks #10 on this roundup of the best mind map software for 2023.
Features and Functionality
- Choose from over 4,500 templates to get started with a diagram (70+ different diagram types available)
- Over 34,000 symbols and icons for different professions
- Easy import and export options to and from Visio
- Open API for custom extensions and integrations
- Intelligent formatting – your diagram will automatically adjust and maintain its arrangement as you make changes
- Integrate SmartDraw with Microsoft Suite, GSuite, Atlassian’s apps, WordPress, Dropbox and more
Pricing
- Single User – $297, one-time purchase – no monthly or annual fees
- Business – $595/year (billed annually)
15. SimpleMind
Supported Platforms: Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android
The last tool on my list of the best free online mind mapping software is SimpleMind, an online diagram and mapping software that provides a limitless canvas to put all your thoughts and maps on a single page.
Create as many maps as you want, use as many shapes and icons, and SimpleMind will allow you to put everything on a single canvas if you’d like. From daily itineraries to business tasks, SimpleMind can be used as a productivity app to manage tasks at hand.
Features and Functionality
- Add notes, links, and attachments to your maps
- Create storyboards and mind maps on the go
- Real-time collaboration
- Organization administration
Pricing
SimpleMind has various pricing plans based on the platform of your choice and your team size. Further information can be found on their pricing page.
16. MindNode
Supported Platforms: Mac, iOS
A tool exclusively for Mac and iOS users, MindNode made it to my list of best mind mapping software. A blissfully simple tool, MindNode allows you to organize your complex ideas through a clean user-interface. The quick entry feature makes it easy for you to convert the slate into a beautiful visual chart in an instant.
MindNode also makes it convenient for you to fetch pieces from other programs through easy drag-and-drop functionality. You can swiftly make changes to your mind maps through smart editing tools, including reconnecting and detaching concepts.
Another pretty handy feature of this mind mapping software is the ability to convert your ideas into respective tasks. Export them to your favorite task manager and get things done faster.
Features and Functionality
- Quick entry to instantly add ideas
- Drag and drop interface to pull content from other apps
- Focus mode to keep concentration on specific parts of the map
- Multiple layouts and themes for personalization
- Conversion of ideas into tasks for better execution
- Sync across devices, along with import/export of files
Pricing
MindNode comes with a free trial of 2 weeks, after which there are different prices of Mac and iOS:
- For Mac – $39.99 (one-time purchase)
- For iOS – $14.99 (one-time purchase)
17. Scapple
Supported Platforms: macOS, Windows
If flexibility is what you’re looking for in mind mapping software, Scapple is for you. It is one of the best mind mapping software which provides massive room for customization. Dribble your ideas and start making connections the way you want, without any hard and fast rules.
Like most of traditional mind maps, Scapple doesn’t focus on a central point. It gives you the freedom to start putting ideas together from anywhere. Make connections from wherever you want and move along by making quick changes when required.
As the software’s focus is on flexibility, the interface is quite simple and does not make you go nuts with complicated features and add-ons.
Features and Functionality
- Create quick notes and connect them through lines and arrows
- Drag and drop interface for making instant changes
- No pre-built templates to avoid rigidity
- Columns for putting related ideas together
- Customization of the appearance of notes
- Export and print option for ideas
Pricing
Scapple provides a 30-day free trial, along with following licenses:
- Standard License – $14.99
- Educational License – $12
18. Canva
Supported Platforms: Web
The next mind mapping software I’ve reviewed for you is Canva. A designing software at heart, Canva makes sure you end up with amazing designs using the platform. The short learning curve and the ease of functionality make it a go-to tool for even the most novice.
The tool comes with built-in graph templates to save you the hassle of creating them from scratch. These graphs or diagrams are customizable, letting you make changes as you jot down ideas.
The types include bar diagrams, donut charts, Venn diagrams, Gantt charts, and much more.
The templates are not limited to graphs or diagrams only. You can also make professional quality presentations and reports and share them for collaboration.
Features and Functionality
- Built-in graphs and diagram templates
- Graph editing tools to make appropriate changes
- Custom styles and backgrounds for editing diagrams
- Presentations, infographics, and charts
- Complete photo editing suite for making great designs
- Download and print options for sharing
Pricing
- Free Forever – 1GB storage, over 8k templates, and few other features
- Canva Pro – $12.95 per user/month, unlimited storage, team features, design templates, brand customization capabilities, and more
- Canva Enterprise – custom plan for more than 20 team members, administrative controls, account manager, and more
19. Padlet
Supported Platforms: Android, iOS, Kindle, Web
Padlet is an online bulletin board for sharing information across teams. Choose a pre-made template or a clean slate to translate ideas the way you want. Anyone from your team can access the exclusive account to edit and share the ideas conveniently.
The tool allows you to add any document or files to your text for providing context and giving it more meaning.
The software also gives special abilities to businesses for secured idea sharing. Some of it includes custom permissions, branding, user management, and more. An interesting thing about Padlet is that it supports numerous file types, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Google Drive, Spotify, and lots more.
Features and Functionality
- Native design templates
- Custom access and permissions
- File attachments from multiple sources
- Idea editing and commenting abilities
- Simple sharing, with unlimited contributors option
- Auto-saving of changes across devices
- Multi-lingual support (29 languages)
- Custom branding for enterprises
Pricing
Padlet provides multiple tiers of pricing catering to individuals, schools, and businesses. The plans are:
- Backpack for Schools – $99 for per teacher/month, or $1499 per school per year
- Briefcase for Businesses – $12 per user/month or $99 per user/year
- Pro for Individuals – $8.25 a month, unlimited padlets, domain mapping, and more
20. FreeMind
Supported Platforms: Windows, Linux, Mac
FreeMind is an open-source mind mapping software for developing structured diagrams. The software provides everything that you would expect from a standard mind mapping tool. It allows you to easily create and organize your mind maps through an automatic shifting of branches (or nodes).
You can copy and paste the nodes, or move them around simply by dragging and dropping them. This helps in quickly identifying the relationships without messing up the format of a mind map. The nodes can also be edited in bulk for saving time organizing the map.
Through the HTML links support, you can easily add reference material, and export maps in HTML format too. Although it’s free, MindMap can be a powerful mind mapping software.
Features and Functionality
- One-click navigation for quick changes
- Easy copy and pasting capabilities
- Drag and drop functionality
- Batch editing of nodes
- Export maps to HTML
Pricing
MindMap is a free, open-source software
21. GoConqr
Supported Platforms: Web, Android, iOS
If simplicity, yet elaborateness are your requisites for best mind mapping software, GoConqr is for you. All the basics that you would expect to be in a mind mapping software are well placed within the tool. Create maps through brainstorming with your colleagues and easily make changes wherever and whenever required.
Additional text and images can also be added to your respective maps for giving more context. You can also personalize maps according to your preferences through colors, different font types, and sizes.
The created maps can be shared with your team members to collaborate on a wealth of ideas.
Features and Functionality
- Creation of maps through connections between concepts
- Addition of images and text within the maps
- Simple and intuitive user interface
- Customization through colors and font preferences
- Mind map sharing with colleagues
Pricing
GoConqr’s mind mapping tool is free to use.
22. Edraw Mind Map
Supported Platforms: Windows, Linux, Mac
Edraw Mind Map is another free mind mapping software. Although it doesn’t have a beautiful and clean user interface, it still passes as a pretty intelligent mind mapping solution.
The software comes with lots of built-in features to minimize the effort required to create a mind map. Some of it includes native templates, drawing guides, themes, and lots more.
The plenty of editing options may come off as over-whelming to some of you. So, if your hunt for a mind mapping software revolves around simplicity and intuitiveness, this might not be a smart choice for you. However, if your work is centered on complex projects involving large mind maps, Edraw might be best suited.
The tool has a familiar look with Microsoft Office applications, so if you’re used to that, you’ll experience a flat learning curve.
Features and Functionality
- Built-in mind map templates and topics
- Smart mind mapping guide
- Pre-built symbols and shapes for maps
- Multiple themes, layouts, and designs
- Advanced presentation modes
- Integration with MS Office applications
Pricing
Edraw Mind Map comes with multiple licenses and bundle offers. These offers start from $41.4.
23. StormBoard
Supported Platforms: Android, iOS, Windows, Web
StormBoard comes with its own interesting take on mind maps. Instead of standard branches and sub-branches, this mind mapping software takes sticky notes a little too seriously. The tool enables you to record your ideas by grouping the notes together and then making relationships afterward.
Through minimum effort, you just create a mind map by randomly writing down your ideas and organizing them. You can even add images, videos, or any files to your notes for additional information. Of course, there are built-in templates too, for you to choose from.
There are team collaboration functions available too, like comments and team chat. This further streamlines the brainstorming process.
Features and Functionality
- Quick dumping of ideas through sticky notes
- Built-in templates for instantly gearing up
- File attachments, including images and videos
- Team chat and comments for collaboration
- Virtual workspaces for teams to discuss ideas
- Report generation in the form of PDF, Word, Doc, and more
- Multiple third-party application integrations
Pricing
Stormboard offers the following subscription plans:
- Personal – Free for 5 users and 5 workspaces, templates, integrations, and more
- Business – $10 per user/month, unlimited workspaces, unlimited users, advanced reporting, data imports, and more
- Enterprise – starts at $16.67 per user/month, all Business features, along with advanced support and security controls
24. Mindly
Supported Platforms: Android, iOS, Mac
An intuitive tool with a minimalistic interface, Mindly is the next addition in my round up of best mind mapping software. Just like the majority of other mind maps, you start with a central theme and stretch out branches, or nodes. You continue with adding layers till the mind map is complete.
In the usual way, you add colors, text, or icons to give more meaning to your map. The smooth navigation of Mindly allows you to add details to any node you want to and keep moving forward without experiencing any technical glitches.
You can also zoom in or out on any element of your mind map to improve your focus.
Features and Functionality
- Easy creation of maps through branches and sub-branches
- Text, color, and icons addition to maps
- Focus on specific elements of a map through zoom in
- Sync across multiple devices
- Sharing of maps with friends and colleagues for brainstorming
Pricing
The pricing plan of Mindly includes:
- Free – for up to 200 elements per mind map
- For iOS and Android – $6.99 for unlimited elements, passcode, and search
- For Mac – $29.99 (one-time payment)
So, this brings us to the end of our roundup. Which is the best mind mapping software for you? Which one did you like the most, which one least met your requirements? Let me know in the comments below.
25. Docear
Supported Platforms: Windows, Mac OS, Linux, Web
Next up on your best mind mapping software list is Docear. It is a unique literature management solution used in academics. The application helps you to create, organize, and find academic literature. It offers a desktop application with open data formats such as XML and BibTeX.
It allows a comprehensive organization of academic work and document sorting. Moreover, users can sort annotations into categories. The Docear ‘Literature suite concept’ brings together several tools in one app, like; mind mapping, reference management, and PDF management. It gives the ability to search and download academic papers for free.
You should not worry about losing your mind maps, as they have a free online backup. Apart from mind mapping, Docear can be used for note-taking and task management.
Key Features and Functionality
- Simple mind mapping interface
- Import PDF annotations
- Social Tags
- Search, filters, and attributes
- Open data and export format
- External add-ons such as MS Office, LibreOffice, LaTeX
- PDF viewer and compliance
- Information management
- Multilingual support
Pricing
- It is a Freeware open-source software solution
26. VUE (Visual Understanding Environment)
Supported Platform: Mac, Linux, Windows
VUE is a concept mapping software for organizing, integrating, and managing digital information. It caters to resources such as learning, teaching, and research. It is a simple tool consisting of links and nodes. The teachers and students can create mind maps between ideas, concepts, and online content.
It offers a concept mapping interface to manage digital resources on the web or through VUE’s resource panel. The application is helpful for presenters by creating annotation trails with mind mapping and guided walkthroughs.
Users get the ability to merge and export maps into statistical packages.
Key Features and Functionality
- Pathways creation
- Playback pathways
- Exploration tool
- Interactive Zoom tool
- Visual pruning with basic toggle element
- Ontologies
- CSV and RSS import
- Maps merging and keyword tool with tag
Pricing
- Free to use
27. ClickUp
Supported Platform: Web, iOS, Android
ClickUp is an incredible mind mapping tool that allows you to plan and organize all your ideas, projects, and all the other extensions like maps associated with your project development process.
The software’s mind mapping features enable you to create different relationships between your tasks and projects, visualizing different projects or task structures and workflows. This helps you to create and manage different tasks directly from your visualized roadmap.
You can use software to create free-form diagrams, and convert different nodes associated with your projects into tasks.
You can also create different link tasks within a mind map using a drag-and-drop functionality which ultimately makes the tool quite intuitive and easy to use.
Key Features and Functionality
- Bug tracking
- Client management
- Completely customizable
- Custom statuses
- Document management
- File sharing
- Image comments
- Multi-task management
- Prioritization
- Risk management
- Supports Kanban
- Workflow automation
Pricing
- There is a free trial of the software available to use if you want to get to know the software before making an informed decision about purchasing the subscription
- There is a free version of the application that enables you to have 100MB of storage for all your unlimited tasks and users
- The Unlimited version of the application has unlimited storage, integrations, views and reporting, and many other features for the price of $5/user/month
- The Business version of the application has all of the features of the unlimited version and much more
- If you want to purchase the Enterprise version, you need to contact the company so that they can tailor a custom subscription for you according to the needs and requirements of your project
Check out these other useful articles
- 22 Best To-Do List Apps of 2023
- 15 Best Free Chrome Extensions and Add-ons of 2023
- 15 Best Gmail Add-ons, Extensions and Apps of 2023
- 8 Best Free Note Taking Apps to Use in 2023
- 14 Best Free Cloud Storage Services of 2023
- The Best Productivity Apps of 2023
- The 10 Best Business Management Software of 2023
- 5 Best Graphic Design Software of 2023
- 28 Best Project Management Software of 2023
- 10 Best VPN Services of 2023 | Free VPN Software and Tools
Hi Frank, Really appreciate you taking the time to produce this article and include MindGenius in your list. We will share the article on our social channels. Thanks Ash
Hi Ash, thank you for the comment. I’m glad you liked the roundup 😊
Our online diagramming tool Creately also supports mind maps and we have many mind map templates which allow our users to create the mind map of their choice. Plus we have some cool features object linking which allows your nodes to be linked to external pages/sites. This allows you to create data-rich mindmaps without cluttering the interface. And the links are preserved if you export it as a PDF. Check out Creately and consider adding it to the list.
Hi Nishadha, Creately looks like a good tool. I’ll check it out soon 😊
omg.
sorry but your app,Creately is not worth to recommend others according to my experience.
And i want you to read reviews about your app on playstore.
Hey Riril, I read your comment about Creately. Is there a special reason you dont like this app? Please let us know. I’d like you to elaborate on “omg sorry, but your app is not worth recommending”, so that we can offer better content to Productivity Land regular readers.
Frank, Cool article. It’s a really good list of Mind Mapping tools. You should check out MindView, it has really great MS Office integration and really strong project management features. Here’s a link…
https://www.matchware.com/mind-mapping-software
Mr Frank , Frankly speaking : Awesome ! Thank you so much for such a comprehensive article 🙂
Just only one additional comment for MindGenius software : MindGenius has Project Management feature, allowing users to build and manage projects regarding: times, dates, priorities, resources and Gantt charts, no matter how large is the project.
I’m surprised that iMindQ is not on the list.
Hi, Frank. Could you pls recommend some totally free mind mapping software for small business and personal use?
Hi Frank, you should add Brainio (brainio.com) to your list. It’s really impressive.
Thank you for this terrific information!
I went right to your first choice, LucidChart and their functionality looks terrific, but their free plan is severely limited (compared to some of the others): 3 document, 60 shapes per, all shape libraries, link sharing.
That three document limit is a dealbreaker for me, so, moving on.
I appreciate the quality and scope of your site. Thanks!
SmartDraw is the only alternative to Visio that runs on a Mac, online, and under Windows (and behind the firewall). With the industry’s best Visio import and export capabilities, SmartDraw is the simple, powerful, and affordable Visio alternative.
SmartDraw is more powerful and user-friendly than the standard drawing tools included in Microsoft Office and G Suite. Every SmartDraw drawing can be inserted in Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Google Docs.
Do you want a permanent free mindmap app, try Mind Map Maker
No registration, no installation. Unlimited mind mapping and (really !) permanently free.
You have lucidchart listed as free – but in it’s writeup, no free option is available.
Please include Sɪᴀ — the serious mind mapping tool, in your next review. Unlike the competition Sia can handle tens of thousands of items. If one is ever left without Sɪᴀ one can still read one’s information in a web browser, even if the document is encrypted. It is also easy to use: space to create a new item, right click for options. Items can be coloured for clarity.
The only mindmap program that I have tried that is worth mentioning if you want to use it to take fast notes (productivity) is Xmind 8. Xmind zen is bad and does not compare to Xmind 8. I use it in university when reading the literature or in lectures or to decipher a task.
You can auto format the mindmap: the new topics find a place for themself automatically (less mouse usage and more productivity) , the branches can autoformat in color have you can preset how the topics should look like. You can make submaps to knit pick a subject, insert pictures and background, hyperlinks, topic links and so on. You can actually make it during the time constraints of a lecture. Mostly because the ease of using the keyboard to make it: tab for a new subtopic, ctrl enter for a parent topic, enter for a sibling topic. you have to use the mouse of course but much less and it is great for ease and speed and also strain on your mouse arm. For me xmind reduces the time it takes to make a mindmap that looks acceptable so I can focus on using it to study instead of making it.
The only con is that you can not make the branches converge (concept map) to a common topic. This is a big con I think but I have to date never found a speedy tool that could do it.
Nice overview. Always nice to see at different types of programs. I like to ad another one: Mind Maple. I use it on both IOS and W10. Very easy to use, incl. resources, start and end time, pictures, progress icons, export to excel creates a simplified project planning, etc. No program is perfect, but this one I have used in a few years now.
By the way, it’s free for the most features 🙂
Why not choose MindMaster, available on Windows, Mac, Linux, browser and IOS, Android.
you could also find it in google extension. The Formula library function is truly helpful for students and teachers.
I have tried lots of mind map programs and settled at freeplane. It is fork of freemind. Truly free with lots of features and it is mostly intuitive application, at least for simple users. I use it mostly as organizer in job and private. It is great for basic use in brain storming as any mind map application. I have made realy big maps with it. When you are making some map for few years it becoms realy big and I use this application for 15 years (frist like freemind)! It is possible to make links on files and web locations, between maps also, calculations with nodes something like Excel but on map! And in the end for advanced users it has possibility for macros and add-on in Java or Groovy languages so you can adapt it for any job and be fast by automatizing some standard procedures in job. For instance you can make macro which on one click make child nodes with links on files in directory from parent node link! Great for organizers. It has great filtering and searching what is necessary on real big maps specially of organizer or project type. Works on all platforms except Android because it is written in Java. It has simple viewer on Android platform for now. It is unfortunately overlooked and often ignored but great application.
HI Frank, I just noticed that most of the tools you reviewed are subscription based. Although it is not an issue since they provide quality features. However, I feel like the need for free but worthy mind mapping tools is a must. That is why if I may suggest, you can include GitMind on your next article. It is free, and I personally use it so this is based on experience. GitMind provides different templates, and doesn’t require any software to be installed. In short, it stays true to its free-to-use format, and I think many users will find it useful. Hope to hear your response about it. Thanks.
Please add our new tool to your list as well: https://www.mindmapeditor.com.
It’s completely free and works online in your browser.