Mind mapping gives focus to your free time, allowing you to get the most out of your brainstorming sessions. Below I have included three mind mapping tools which all have similar features but approach them in different ways. I hope that you find this blog post useful and look forward to feedback by leaving a comment below.
Table of Contents
Microsoft Mind Mapping Tools
1. MindNode
If you want an app that is build for Mac and brings a fluid mind-mapping experience, MindNode is the one for you. It has a beautiful UI and works buttery smooth. If you are just starting out, MindNode will help you learn the basics of the mind mapping technique without in your face instructions. It also has iCloud sync and an app for iPad and iPhone. Its interface is designed in such a way that you are not losing much functionality even if you are using it on mobile devices. The nodes are foldable hence allowing to create a large mind mapping tree without being overwhelmed by the data.{}
You also get awesome features including the ability to create outlines, a quick entry shortcut for quickly adding ideas, support for stickers and themes, visual tags, notes, and more. MindNode is what a great Mac app looks and feels like and I like it. Its’ one of the best mind mapping apps for Mac.
Install: (Free trial, $39.99)
2. Ayoa
Previously known as iMindMap — Ayoa, is one of the most powerful mind mapping applications on the market right now. Where is MindNode is for users who are looking for a fluid and simple mind mapping experience, Ayoa is for individual and teams that need all the features. One of the beloved features of Ayoa is the radial maps feature that allows you to create mind maps in concentric circles. This is great for organizing as it gives you a broad overview of your goals and projects.
Then there are normal mind maps that you can create by using nodes and connecting lines. What’s great here is that you can share these mind maps with your co-workers, allowing you to easily communicate your thoughts and brainstorming process. There’s also something called speed mind mapping, that allows you to quickly create mind maps by stripping all the extra features and serving you with basic mind mapping features. If you are in a hurry to jot down ideas, this is the perfect place to start.
Ayola also brings productivity features for teams such as a Gnatt timeline view that allows you to create Gnatt chats for easily managing time. You get a visual task manager along with built-in team chat features. Overall, I would say Ayola is great for teams that want to break out from mundane project planning and use a more visual approach. You can also use it as an individual, but it makes more sense for a team. Thankfully, there’s a generous free tier so you can check it out without paying a penny.
Install: Free, premium plans start at $10/month
3. XMind
XMind got itself on this list due to its theming capability. Of course, it does everything a mind mapping software is supposed to do. You can create mind maps, attach photos, links, and notes. You can share it or print it into PDF of OPML. It also allows you to directly share your mind maps to your Evernote account. You can choose from pre-formatted templates or you can create you own from scratch. You can change the theme of your mind maps at any given time. There are dozens of themes to chose from and each one looks better than the other. If you like theming, give it a go.
It also has a free version, however, it is fairly restricted. You are only allowed to create maps and you can neither save nor share them. You can read the full details in the link below.
Install: (Free/$79/$99)
4. Mindomo
Mindomo, like other apps on this list, does everything a mind mapping software is required to do. What sets it apart from others is that it allows us to attach audio notes, go into presentation mode and its cross platforms availability. It also has theming capabilities like XMind. Since it is available for both Android and iOS, you can be sure that you will have your mind maps with you all the time no matter which mobile OS you use. The only thing that holds Mindomo back is its pricing strategy. It follows a subscription based payment which is always a pain. While it does offer a free version, it’s heavily limited, as it only lets you create 3 maps.
Install: (Free, Subscriptions start at $36/6 months)
5. Mindly
If you are looking for a unique mind-mapping experience on Mac, check out Mindly. Mindly is a beautiful mind mapping application that uses a solar-system approach to mind mapping. Your main idea remains in the center (like Sun) and then you can add related ideas around its perimeter in a circle. You can in-turn use the related idea as the center and create ideas around it, and so on. What I like about this approach is that it lets me get a quick overview without getting overwhelmed.
I also love the animations here. The animation for bouncing back and forth between circles is just fun. Apart from adding ideas, you can add notes, images, and links. But that’s pretty much it. Mindly though beautiful, is not a powerful mind mapping software. It’s simple and elegant and lets the creative juices flow, but if you are looking for more features, you should check out other options on this list.
Install: $29.99
6. Milanote
Talking about uniqueness, Milanote takes a very different approach to mind mapping. Instead of letting you play with nodes and lines, Milanote gives you an infinite canvas, where you can create, add, and link anything you want. It’s perfect for users who like to think on boards. You can add notes, links, images, columns, comments, tasks, and more. Apart from the features, I also love the UI of the software.
It uses minimal lines and clean UI that makes the board look soothing. Milanote is also great for teams as you can share boards with members and assign tasks to them, right there on the board. If you love visual boards, this is the best mind-mapping software for you.
Install: Free, $9.99/month
7. SimpleMind
SimpleMind, as it name suggests, is a very easy to use software which gets the job done. It also has a iOS client and cloud sync. It has a very colourful UI which is pleasant to look at. The app also comes with a couple of themes to customize the look and feel of your mind maps. It does not have any complex features and the sync is almost instant allowing to hand over your work between Mac and iPhone. The best part is that it also has a free version which is as powerful as the paid one. The only big missing feature is that there is no cloud support for the free version hence you cannot sync your maps across devices.
Install: (Free, $29.99)
8. The Brain
The Brain is a mind mapping software which is not suitable for the average user. This is for someone who wants to use mind mapping for business. It has a lot of inbuilt mind mapping templates dedicated to different aspects of business such as marketing, operations and much more. The best feature of this app is its nesting ability. It is far superior to any other apps on this list when its come to nesting. Hence, you can create a large multi-layered mind map without being overwhelmed. It also has very good organisational tools.
As mentioned, the app specifically targets businesses and it is also priced like one. If you need a great brainstorming, idea mapping and organisational tool for business, look nowhere else. For an average user, it is too costly and too complex to be used.
Install: ($219/month)
9. MindJet MindManager
This software is probably one of the first mind mapping software ever built. It has gone through a number of iterations to receive its current form. It used to be one of the best but now it has become very complex and is not suitable for an average user. Don’t get me wrong, it is excellent when it comes to features and you cannot go wrong in choosing it. However, the learning curve is too steep and the price is too high. It might be suitable for big businesses, just like TheBrain, but not for individual users. You are better off spending your money somewhere else. The only reason it is on this list is because of its legacy and to inform our readers to not to make a choice depending on its past performance.
Install: ($Starts at $205)
10. FreeMind
If you are looking for a completely free mind mapping software without any strings attached, look no further. FreeMind is an open source software, which is completely free to download and use forever. It has all the required features and goes head to head with the paid apps on this list. The only thing you are really sacrificing on is its UI and sync feature. The UI looks outdated, and creating a rich looking map which catches your eye is not possible. Also, it does not have any sync feature hence your maps will live only on your Mac. However, you can export the maps in PDF and share it. Considering it is a free software, it packs a punch way above its weight.
Install: (Free)
mind mapping tools examples
Coggle (Web)
The moment you start a diagram in Coggle, you’ll see the central node of a new mind map, along with an enticing plus sign to get started adding new nodes and ideas. Each time you click on the plus sign to create a new child node, Coggle will automatically choose the direction, placement, and color of the new node. But you can always drag the nodes around to rearrange things into a format that fits your layout a little better. Or you can right-click on them and select Choose Style to change the color, or if you’re on the Awesome plan, the line style and thickness of the connections.
If you prefer to use keyboard shortcuts during your mind mapping process, there’s a cheat sheet of keyboard shortcuts in the bottom-right corner of the canvas. Click the green X icon to hide it and the green question mark icon to bring it back.
One of our favorite features is that Coggle lets you format your mind map items and messages with Markdown, so you can get as fancy as you need to while adding your text, images, and links to the canvas.
If you want to bounce some ideas off a colleague, you can go ahead and add them to your mind map, carry on a conversation in the messages sidebar, or go into full-screen presentation mode to take a step back and do more high-level ideation.
Coggle Pricing: Free for up to three private diagrams; $5/month for unlimited private diagrams and extra mind mapping tools (like additional shapes and color control).
Best mind mapping software for mobile
Mindly (macOS, iOS, Android)
Mind mapping on a mobile device comes with a lot of special challenges, thanks to small screen sizes, the inconvenience of scrolling and zooming, and the readability issues that accompany all that. But Mindly‘s outside-the-box thinking makes mind mapping on a smartphone possible—and, honestly, pretty fun.
Like most mind maps, you’ll start with your central node, add text and icons, and change the color if you want. Then, it’s time to start adding any associative ideas in the surrounding circle. To do this, tap on the + icon on the outer circle: Mindly will automatically create a new node and zoom in to let you focus on the matter at hand. As you go deeper into sub-ideas (and sub-sub-ideas!), you’ll always be able to find your way back to the original center node by tapping on the circle in the top-left corner of the screen.
Mindly keeps things organized by folding away any sub-ideas as you work your way back toward your main node. You can drill back down into any node by tapping on it, or tap the arrow icon in the bottom-right and then Mindmap to see a mind map overview of everything. From the same menu, you can also print or share your mind map.
Of course, you can also sync your mobile mind maps with the desktop version of Mindly, so you can switch from on-the-go ideation to formal mind mapping sessions at your desk.
Mindly Pricing: Free mobile version includes 3 mind maps each with up to 100 elements; $6.99 on iOS and $5.49 on Android for additional features, including unlimited elements, passcode, and search; $29.99 on macOS.
Best mind mapping software for creating public mind maps
MindMup (Web)
MindMup is an easy-to-use mind mapping app—and you don’t even need an account to get started.
The toolbar at the top provides quick links to all the basic needs of mind mapping, from changing the color of each node to adding detailed text and file attachments. But it’s the ability to publish and share your mind maps that sets MindMup apart.
While many mind mapping tools require at least an email address, MindMup allows anyone to create and post public mind maps. Free mind maps are automatically deleted after six months, but if you’re using it for a quick brainstorming session, that does the trick. If you want to sign up or save private maps, you have to pay $2.99/month for MindMup Personal Gold.
MindMup Pricing: Free for public maps up to 100 KB; from $2.99/month for MindMup Personal Gold that includes larger, private maps and collaboration.
Best mind mapping software for collaborating with a team
MindMeister (Web, iOS, Android)
MindMeister is a robust tool that includes everything from quick keyboard shortcuts to the ability to embed live videos inside your nodes. And its collaboration features are extensive: you can add team members to your mind map, upvote and downvote ideas, and leave comments.
MindMeister is owned by the same people that make MeisterTask, a web-based, kanban-style project management app. The two tools are integrated so you can turn your brainstorm session into an actionable project, assigning individual items on a mind map to members of your team, tracking task progress, and syncing it all with your other project boards inside MeisterTask—which even integrates with Zapier.
As of this writing, MindMeister is in the process of beta testing a new editor. You can try it out yourself by clicking Open with New Editor in any mind map. It’s got a cleaner, more minimalist user interface that, if anything, is even easier to use. Not all the features of the old MindMeister editor have been ported yet, like inserting live videos, so we’re flagging this more as a point of interest. MindMeister still makes this list on the strength of its existing app, not the promise of the beta.
For an in-depth look at what a sample MindMeister/MeisterTask project might look like, take time to read through our article about how to jumpstart new projects with mind maps.
MindMeister Pricing: Free for the Basic plan that includes up to three mind maps and real-time collaboration. From $4.99/month for the Personal plan that includes unlimited mind maps, file attachments, and PDF exports.
Best mind mapping software for fluid, non-traditional mind mapping
Scapple (macOS, Windows)
Most mind maps require you to begin with a central node, branching outward from that single point as your mind comes up with new ideas and associations. But if you’re using Scapple, you have more flexibility in terms of where your visual mind map leads.
For example, you’re not limited to starting your mind map with a central theme. Instead, you might start with a tiny idea, then work “backward” to find the main idea. And Scapple lets it all happen organically, since individual nodes will only connect when you tell them to by dragging and dropping one on top of the other. In this way, complex relationships can be sketched out quickly, without losing the flow of rapid ideation. One handy trick is to use background shapes (right-click then New > Background Shape to add one) to create buckets for different groups of ideas. You can then move things about and link them as needed.
When compared with some of the other mind mapping apps on this list, Scapple’s interface is relatively simple. You can’t even style a note unless you activate the inspector by going to View > Show Inspector. But that simplicity also gives you the ultimate flexibility in terms of what goes where and how things should look.
One great touch is that the 30-day free trial is for 30 days of use, not 30 consecutive days. Use Scapple a couple of times a month and it’s free for almost a year.
Scapple Pricing: 30-day free trial; $18 for the Mac or Windows app.
Best mind mapping software for in-person mind mapping sessions
Stormboard (Web)
Stormboard puts a twist on traditional mind mapping by using sticky notes and index cards, rather than nodes and branches, to record your ideas. You’ll group your notes on different parts of the screen to represent connections during the initial mind map creation, then add the visual correlations with lines afterward.
There’s even a “rapid-fire” mode that will pop up a new sticky note the minute you post the one prior, so you can literally type out your ideas one after another with no extra effort—and save the organization for later.
Stormboard also makes it easy to get your entire team involved in the process, since collaborators can record comments, create tasks, and add their votes to each idea. Plus, you can automate the process with Stormboard’s Zapier integrations, creating ideas and storms automatically whenever trigger events happen in the other apps you use most. For example, new Trello cards or GitHub issues can automatically pop up on a dedicated board.Create Stormboard ideas for new Trello cardsStormboard + TrelloUse this ZapCreate Stormboard ideas from new GitHub issuesGitHub + StormboardUse this Zap
Stormboard Pricing: Free for the Personal Plan that includes a maximum of 5 stormboards; from $5/month for the Startup Plan that offers access to additional features like advanced recording, live editing on Microsoft Office Online, template section labels, and additional export options.
If you’re gravitating toward creating your mind maps with sticky notes, you might also consider Padlet or MURAL.
Best mind mapping software for a modern mind mapping approach
Ayoa (Web, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows)
Ayoa is the follow-up to one of our previous mind mapping picks, iMindMap. It was created by Chris Griffiths, a mind mapping expert and author who has collaborated with Tony Buzan, the man responsible for popularizing mind mapping in the 1970s. Put simply, it’s got a serious mind mapping pedigree—and it shows.
Open Ayoa, and you have a choice of making an Organic Map, a Speed Map, or a Radial Map. You can also make a Whiteboard if you’re doing some more corporate-style brainstorming.
The Organic Map is the most traditional, and mimics the kind of thing you’d draw with a pen and paper. You aren’t confined to just putting words in boxes. Instead, you’re encouraged to label the swooshing, Sharpie-like branches that connect different ideas. It’s a much more natural process than a lot of the other apps.
A Speed Map is similar, but with a stripped-down setup designed for rapid brainstorming. You’re almost forced to use keyboard shortcuts, like Tab for a new child branch and Enter for a new sibling branch, as the buttons to do the same are hidden away unless you deliberately click on a node. It’s great when you want to ideate quickly.
A Radial Map is a totally modern approach to mind mapping. Instead of nodes and lines, every idea becomes part of a series of concentric circles. A peripheral segment of your central idea becomes the center of its own circle of ideas as you move outward. It’s mind mapping that’s moving beyond the limits of what can even be imagined with paper.
And Ayoa isn’t just limited to basic (and not-so-basic) mind mapping. The chat, real-time collaboration, whiteboard, and task management features make it ideal if you’re part of a small team looking to realize your ideas. Ayoa is also under rapid development so it’s worth keeping an eye on their roadmap to see what features are coming down the line. When we reviewed this app last year, the whiteboard features didn’t exist.
Ayoa Pricing: Free Basic plan with up to 5 boards, 50 branches per board, and real-time collaboration; $13/month Pro plan with unlimited boards, file attachments, and the ability to export your mind maps.
Best mind mapping software for Apple users
MindNode (iOS, macOS)
Most mind mapping apps are web apps and, if there’s a native app available, it’s really just a shell for the web app. It’s fine if you want the collaboration, sharing, and other features you get with an online service, but what if you just want a simple way to brainstorm by yourself?
MindNode, a native Mac, iPhone, and iPad app, is perfect for Apple users. Start a new map on one device and it instantly syncs to your other devices using iCloud. The app is just as easy to use (and as powerful) whether you prefer to tap the plus icon to add a new node on your iPhone or click it on your Mac. And since it’s a fully native app, no internet connection? No problem.
MindNode also has a load of other features that will keep you happy if you’re deep in Apple’s ecosystem, like a Watch app, Apple Pencil support, and integration with popular to-do apps Apple Reminders, Things, and OmniFocus. Select any node, and click Add Task to turn it into a to-do item. Or click the share menu and Export to Things (or OmniFocus), and your mind map will get converted into a project in your chosen app with all your to-dos ready to be checked off. It’s a great way to turn a brainstorming session into something actionable.
MindNode Pricing: Free limited Mac and iOS app; $2.49/month for MindNode Plus with image support, tasks, themes, and styling options.
Best mind mapping software without a subscription
SimpleMind (Windows, macOS, iOS, Android)
If you just make mind maps for yourself and have no need to collaborate with other people, it can be painful to have to pay up every month for a subscription service or deal with the hard limits of a free one. What we love most about SimpleMind is that it’s an affordable cross-platform app without a subscription fee that does basic mind mapping really well. It’s far from the flashiest app on offer, but for many mind mappers, it might be the best.
Open SimpleMind, and you’ve got a blank canvas with a Central Theme bubble to work with. Tap or click on it to change it to whatever idea you’re mind mapping, then tap or click on the small plus icons to create new branches and nodes. It’s simple and intuitive, and there are keyboard shortcuts aplenty on the desktop platforms. As we said, not flashy—but done right.
And SimpleMind also has a few extra features that make mind mapping even easier. There’s an outline view that converts your mind map to a bulleted list, there’s a brainstorm mode for throwing ideas out there fast, and you can even sync your mind maps across all your devices using whatever cloud platform you like.
SimpleMind Pricing: Free limited mobile apps; from €24.99 for Windows or macOS (€44.99 for both), $9.99 for iOS, and $8.49 for Android.
Do you need a mind mapping app?
Mind mapping can be a great way to generate and connect ideas, but unless you do it all the time, you probably don’t need a dedicated app—or at least not a paid one. If none of the apps above seems like the perfect fit, you do have other options.
First, reconsider the pen-and-paper method. It’s really hard to beat, and you can always take a photo of it to save it or share it. It’s not as tech-y as an app, but it works.
Also, check out Diagrams.net. It doesn’t have the mind map-specific features required to make this list, but it’s a free diagramming app that’s great for making the occasional mind map. It doesn’t have any limits on the number of connections or nodes you can place or on how you share your mind map, unlike a lot of the free plans in more feature-filled mind mapping apps.
Conclusion
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