Map Making Program For Mac

 

There are many very good options for mind mapping software to help you capture and organize your ideas, but we think that MindNode is the best for most people because it has a beautiful design, is easy to use, supports very reliable iCloud sync, and there are just enough import/export options to be a really useful tool in almost any workflow.

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What is a Mind Map, Anyway?

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A mind map is a diagram that connects information around a central topic or subject. The basic idea is that you start with a central idea and build branches (or “nodes”) around it.

Think of it as the right-brained version of a standard outline which is perfect for “radiant thinking,” an idea popularized by Tony Buzan.

We really like this definition of a mind map by David Sparks (aka MacSparky):

(A mind map is) visually looking at ideas and their connections and relationships with each other.

The advantage of “mind mapping” is that it enables you to make connections you might not normally see in a traditional outline by allowing you to see the big picture. In our opinion, Brett Terpstra encapsulates this concept perfectly:

With a mind map, scattered thoughts begin to solidify before my eyes.”

To create a mind map, you typically start with a central concept or subject in the middle of a blank page. For example, for this article the main topic was Our Favorite Mind Mapping App. From here, each category, subtopic, or chapter would get it’s own “node” branching off from the main topic (i.e. What is a Mind Map, Evaluation Criteria, etc.). Each of these would be fleshed out with their own set of subtopics (these are called “child nodes,” and the node that contains the child nodes is called the “parent node”). Nodes that are on the same hierarchical level (share the same parent node) are called “sibling nodes.” Here’s an example of what a basic mind map structure looks like:

What’s great about mind maps is that they are very flexible and can be used in a variety of ways. Here are just a couple of practical uses of mind maps:

  • Note Taking: Mind maps offer a non-traditional and non-linear way to take notes in meetings or lectures, allowing you to make connections between separate thoughts and concepts more easily (especially if you use a digital tool that allows you to rearrange them).
  • Brainstorming: One of the most popular applications of mind mapping is for brainstorming because it makes it easier to see the big picture. By escaping the traditional outline format, you’ll often find yourself “connecting the dots” in new and exciting ways.
  • Writing: Mind maps are great for content creation (like when writing this article). We started with the topics and points of interest and fleshed out all the details, which made the process of writing the article much easier. Creating a mind map can help you overcome the fear of sitting down to an empty page as it provides direction and structure for knowing exactly what to write.
  • Problem Solving: Mind maps can be a great way to solve problems because they allow you to analyze different parts of a complex problem to highlight new and creative solutions. As you write down different aspects of the problem and expand details where necessary, the answer often becomes clear.
  • Book Summaries: One of the best ways to retain what you learn when reading a book is to write down the basic book structure in the form of a mind map. This also provides an easy way for you to review the information at a later date. For example, you might not want to re-read the entire Getting Things Done book every year, but it can be helpful to at least review the core concepts to make sure there aren’t any glaring holes in your system.
  • Project/Task Management: If you just can’t seem to make a task management system work for you, try using a mind map instead. Being able to visually see how your tasks are related might help you see your to-do list in a new light and help you get more done.
  • Goal Setting: Setting goals is very powerful as it creates a plan and a vision for your week, month, year, etc. There are many books that talk about the importance of setting goals and making sure that you look at them regularly. Why not put those in a mind map that makes it easy see how everything ties and works together?

Keep in mind that this is not a comprehensive list. There are many more use cases for mind maps, but hopefully you can start to see how useful they can be. One of the beautiful things about a mind map is its flexibility in application.

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The Candidates

Over the past several years, the applications available for creating mind maps have evolved dramatically to the point where we’re pretty spoiled with both the quality and quantity of the options available. Here’s a list of the apps that we considered:

  • MindNode
  • iThoughts
  • MindManager
  • MindMeister
  • XMind
  • Scapple

There are many other options available, but these are the most popular or were the best fit for our selection criteria.

The Criteria

In order to pick our favorite mind mapping app, the following criteria was used:

  • Design: While appearance isn’t everything, it is important. Since mind mapping is a visual activity, the app has to look nice. If the app is designed well and the UI is nice, then the app will be a joy to use and you’ll find yourself mind mapping more often (which is a good thing).
  • Ease of Use: Nothing disrupts the flow of creative juices quicker than having to consult a technical manual. The best mind mapping app is one that allows you to focus on the exercise of creating your mind map as the application fades into the background. It should be simple, intuitive, and user-friendly.
  • Syncing: Mind mapping is one of those activities you can do anytime, anywhere — unless the file you were working with doesn’t sync across platforms or devices. A good mind mapping app should allow you to start building your mind map on your Mac and pick up on your iOS device (or vice versa).
  • Data Portability: Mind mapping is usually where ideas start, but seldom where they end. It’s important that a mind mapping app have support for import/export options so you can easily translate your ideas to another tool in your workflow.
  • Price: This isn’t weighted too heavily, but because the options that are available range from free to almost $500, it does have to be taken into consideration when you’re considering the value of the application you’re spending your hard-earned money on.

Our Favorite Mind Mapping App: MindNode

MindNode has the perfect balance between beautiful design, ease of use, standard features like iCloud syncing between your Mac and iOS devices, and import/export features to make it a functional part of any workflow.

The best thing about MindNode is that it is incredibly easy to use. The UI is simple and intuitive, even if you’re not an experienced mind mapper. In fact, you could probably start using MindNode without even fully understanding the concept of mind mapping because the user interface will actually teach you how to do it. Here’s what it looks like when you first open the app:

The text is even selected in the central topic node for you, so all you have to do in order to start making a mind map in MindNode is start typing. Once you get your central topic down, just click the “plus” button (or hit the Tab key) and a new child node is created.

When you add child nodes, the application uses a smart layout feature to automatically rearrange your nodes so that they’re spaced appropriately and you can still read everything.

As you build your mind map, you’re not just limited to text though. You can also attach images and hyperlinks to your mind map. To attach an image, just select a node and click the Image button in the toolbar. A photo picker will pop up, allowing you to select any photo from your Photos (or iPhoto) library. Just double-click the image you want to use, and it’s automatically attached to the node in your mind map:

Attaching a hyperlink is just as easy: simply select the node and click Add Link… from the Edit menu (you can also use the keyboard shortcut ⌘K). A pop-up window will appear where you can paste your URL:

You can even attach files to nodes in MindNode by simply dragging them over the node. This can be really useful when you want to refer to files on your Mac from your mind map without having to search or navigate through the Finder to locate the file.

Once you’ve been working on your mind map for a while and you have a bit of information down, your mind map might start looking a little crazy:

MindNode lets you clean things up with the ability to “fold” nodes. You can do this by right-clicking on the node and selecting Fold Nodes, selecting Fold Nodes from the Node menu, or by holding the option key and clicking the plus button (it will change to an ellipsis, or three small dots).

When you fold a node, all of its child nodes become hidden; when you unfold it, they all return to their original location. This allows you to get a high-level overview without getting into the minute details of your mind map.

As of version 6, MindNode also offers the ability to enter Focus Mode, a view that fades out non-active nodes and shows you only the branch you’re editing. On top of this, you now have the ability to toggle the visibility of connections between nodes if they’re cluttering up your view.

There’s even an outline mode in MindNode. It’s read-only, but it allows you to see your mind map in a traditional outline format if that’s your thing.

All of this functionality establishes the key benefits of using a mind mapping app instead of mind mapping on paper. A digital mind map is much more flexible and gives you many more options in terms of layout. For example, in MindNode, you can even detach nodes or files if you’re not exactly sure where they belong, then just drag onto the parent node as things start to come together and those connections will be made automatically for you. You can even make additional external connections between nodes with different parents if you really want to tie things together.

What’s New in Version 6

While it may not be as transformative an update as version 5 was, MindNode 6 adds a welcome layer of polish to an already-fantastic app.

MindNode version 5 completely revamped the layout and interface of the app to make it easier to use and improve discoverability of important features.

Version 6 builds on that overhaul by introducing Focus Mode, adding multi-select on iOS, unifying keyboard shortcuts across macOS and iOS versions, adding a search function to the sticker library, and allowing iOS users to customize the action panel to include their choice of two quick actions.

The ability to use an external display from iOS and customize its display resolution also sets the stage for more robust external display workflows in upcoming versions of iOS.

Syncing & Sharing

MindNode offers rock solid (in our testing) iCloud sync with the iOS version. iCloud had some struggles initially, but it’s improved quite a bit over the years and has evolved into a very solid sync platform. We encountered no problems in our tests with MindNode.

The iOS version of MindNode is clean, beautiful, and easy to use. And with version 6, the iOS version has near feature parity with the macOS version so you can work on your mind map just about anywhere. Even the Quick Entry feature has made it into the iOS version, but that doesn’t mean that the interface is cluttered as the iOS interface has been reengineered for the smaller screen size. While the Mac version has a slim toolbar across the top of your mind map file, the iOS version uses a couple of customizable quick action buttons and a swipe-up panel to access many of MindNode’s features. The end result is that it is incredibly easy to access and edit your mind map, even on the limited screen real estate of an iPhone.

On the larger screen of an iPad, MindNode 5 for iOS really shines. In fact, mind mapping on an iPad is sometimes even easier than on the Mac because you can just drag nodes around with your finger on screen. David Sparks and Katie Floyd talked about mind mapping in Episode 82 of Mac Power Users, and David talked for quite a while about how mind mapping on an iPad just “feels right” (and in our experience, we tend to agree with him).

MindNode also has some cool sharing features, including sharing to “MyMindNode,” which uploads your mind map to the MyMindNode service and creates a unique URL that allows you to open the mind map in a browser. You can even get a customized embed code to publish the mind map in a webpage if you’d like.

If you’re a Things user, MindNode 5 has a super handy integration to export a mind map directly to a project in Things 3.4. As Marius Masalar stated in our look at the latest MindNode and Things update:

When you share a mind map from MindNode to Things 3, you’ll get a new project in Things that inherits the MindNode document name as its title. Within the project, the outermost leaves of a branch become individual tasks, and intermediary nodes become project headings with simple text breadcrumbs to indicate further hierarchy.

It’s an elegant representation of the data, and the implementation is thoughtful. Notes attached to your nodes are brought over as notes attached to the resulting tasks in Things, and the project itself gets a deep link within its notes field that returns you to the mind map with a single tap, on macOS or iOS, using MindNode’s own URL scheme.

It’s important to note that all this is one-way: it’s an export system, not a synced integration. You must also explicitly set the outermost leaves as task type nodes in MindNode before it will let you export the project to Things — a step that makes sense semantically but is probably unnecessary.

You can also share mind maps in a variety of places through the Share extension.

Importing & Exporting

If you want to either import data into MindNode to get a head start on your mind map or export into another program or app, there are a variety of importing and exporting options in MindNode:

  • OPML: This is probably the most important one, as it allows you to take an outline from a standard outlining application (like OmniOutliner) and import it as a mind map. OPML is a fairly standard format, so support for this file type is essential.
  • FreeMind: FreeMind is a free mind mapping application built on the Java framework for both Mac and Windows that has been around for awhile, and MindNode can both import and export FreeMind files if you need to work with someone else who uses this format.
  • CSV: The format supported by most spreadsheet applications, and MindNode allows you to both import from and export to CSV files.
  • Plain Text: If you like the concept of mind mapping but work with outliners, MindNode allows you to export your mind map in a format that they’ll easily understand.
  • iThoughts (import only): You can import your mind maps from this popular mind mapping application.
  • Mindjet MindManager (import only): If you received a mind map file in the MindManager format (seems to be more common in corporate settings because of MindManager’s high price tag), you can import it into MindNode.
  • PNG (export only): MindNode also allows you to export your entire mind map as a PNG image file.
  • PDF (export only): PDFs are a standard file format that is great for archival, and MindNode allows you to export as PDF as well.

MindNode is available as a native Mac app for $39.99, and the iOS version is available as a universal app for $14.99. You can download the apps for free from their respective App Stores to try them before you buy, and both include a free 2-week trial of the additional features before deciding on the in-app purchase. And if you’re a previous MindNode user, there’s special upgrade pricing available for both the Mac and iOS versions (details for upgrading are available on the developer’s website).

Best for Power Users: iThoughts

If you find yourself needing a bit more from your mind mapping application, iThoughts could be for you. It’s not as easy to use as MindNode and the interface doesn’t look quite as nice, but it has some really powerful additional features that can take your mind mapping game to the next level.

One example of these additional features is that you can actually edit your mind maps in iThoughts via Markdown through the Marked 2 app integration. We’re big fans of Markdown here at The Sweet Setup, and we think the ability to edit mind maps in Markdown is pretty cool. By opening the same mind map file in both iThoughts and Marked 2, you can edit your mind map in real-time using Markdown in Marked 2 and see your changes displayed in real-time in iThoughts.

You can also create mind maps using your voice with Siri dictation with the iOS version of iThoughts. To distinguish between different nodes, just say “comma” after each node. David Sparks [wrote about this a while back](http://macsparky.com/blog/2011/12/16/mind map-with-your-voice.html), and his post includes a video by the developer showing this feature in action.

iThoughts also has a lot more importing and exporting options available. It supports just about every file format for mind mapping available, including:

  • CSV
  • Microsoft Word (export only)
  • Microsoft Powerpoint (export only)
  • Freemind
  • MindManager
  • Novamind
  • Freeplane
  • ConceptDraw
  • XMind
  • iMindMap
  • MindNode (import only)
  • MyThoughts (import only)
  • Mindmapper (import only)

If flexibility with different files types is important to you, than iThoughts is a great option.

The developer has done a great job of adapting the iOS version to take advantage of the touch interface, making it easy to use, but that doesn’t mean the application is stripped of any of its power. For example, there’s an integrated browser you can use for in-app research so you don’t have to switch back and forth from iThoughts to Safari. This is really handy as it keeps all your links right inside the app and adds them to your mind map automatically. In fact, all you have to do is select a node and press Research in the contextual menu and the in-app browser will open and do an internet search for the term from the node.

Software

Like MindNode, iThoughts also supports a ton of keyboard shortcuts. There’s also an iOS presentation mode for presenting your mind maps on an external display (either VGA or AirPlay).

Another power user feature is x-callback URL support. This allows it to integrate with powerful iOS automation apps like Launch Center Pro, Drafts, Workflow, and Editorial. The developer has a page that explains how to use it with iThoughts, but if you don’t know what that is then you definitely don’t need it.

iThoughts also has a bunch of other awesome features like versioning support, so if you make edits and realize that you made a mistake, you can go back and restore to a previous version. It is also extremely customizable, letting you tweak just about everything in the application like colors, fonts, text size, etc. (iThoughts calls these styles). Once you get everything just the way you like it, you can share your custom styles through email with colleagues or friends.

Just like MindNode, iThoughts has seen the addition of several additional features, including updates for iOS 11 and Drag-and-Drop. The iOS version integrates with the native Share sheet, there are Topic count tooltips that allow you to quickly count up the number of descendent topics, and even a new Windows version. But one of the most notable additions is the not a feature in the application itself, but the inclusion of iThoughts as part of the SetApp service. It you’re not familiar with SetApp, it’s like Netflix for quality Mac apps, giving you access to many fine applications (like Ulysses, 2Do, iStat Menus, and many more) for one monthly cost of $9.99.

If you don’t like the idea of subscription software, you can always buy iThoughts outright. It’s available on the Mac (iThoughtsX) for $49.99 and a universal iOS app (iThoughts) for $11.99.

Other Candidates

MindManager

MindManager has been around for a long time and has long been considered the go-to power user app. It’s supported a lot of standard features longer than most of the other apps on the list have been around, but it’s also VERY expensive and, frankly, the extra cost isn’t justified in our opinion (the standard version is $349, while the Mac version is $179). The Mac version also lags in development, which is reflected in the price being almost half of MindManager 2018 (the current version as of this writing). In fact, it’s still on version 10, which is the same major version that was available when the first version of this article was published — in 2015!

To be fair, MindManager has a lot of exclusive features — we just don’t think they’re useful enough to justify such a steep price, especially when considering our evaluation criteria and the quality of the other apps that are available. If you really want to make your mind maps do some crazy stuff (like have multiple links in a topic, link in a database, etc.) then maybe it’s for you. Their focus is primarily on the Windows-using corporate users, and the Mac version hasn’t been updated in several years. It’s worth mentioning here only so that you don’t make the mistake of investing in it.

XMind

XMind touts itself as “the most popular mind mapping tool on the planet.” Their website lists several large corporations where XMind is used, and it is a solid mind mapping application available for Mac, Windows, and iOS. XMind is available in two versions:

  1. XMind: Zen: Subscription-based app for personal use, which is $27.99 for 6 months.
  2. XMind Pro: Geared towards corporate users, which is a $129.00 one-time purchase.

The Pro version includes features that didn’t make our list of criteria for what’s important (like the ability to use Gantt charts), but for certain users they could prove useful.

XMind is a decent application, but there’s nothing that really sets it apart according to our selection criteria and is very expensive if you decide to buy it outright. $27.99 for a 6-month subscription is not a small chunk of change, and that doesn’t include the separate subscription for iOS ($9.99 for 6 months). Although you can buy both together for a discounted rate of $29.99 every 6 months, the pricing is still way too high (and can be very confusing).

XMind is available through SetApp, however. So if you already have a SetApp subscription, you may as well give XMind a shot and see how it compares to iThoughts.

MindMeister

MindMeister is a web-based mind mapping app that aims to alleviate the difficulty of collaborative mind mapping. It has a really cool “Opinions” feature that allows collaborators to vote “yay” or “nay” to individual nodes in your shared mind map. It also has some cool integrations, like a Google Docs add-on and even an integration to [turn your mind maps into agile projects](http://www.mindmeister.com/blog/2015/03/18/this-tool-turns-your-mind maps-into-agile-projects/), if that’s your thing.

MindMeister offers several different plans, including a free basic plan with support for up to 3 mind maps at no cost. You can upgrade to a Personal plan ($4.99 per month) that lifts the 3 mind map limit and also gives you a bunch of additional features, or a Pro plan ($8.25 per user per month) that gives you multiple users in a team as well as custom themes and branding. There’s also a business plan ($12.49 per user per month), which gives you multiple admins, custom domains, and group sharing.

If you find yourself needing to collaborate with others on a mind map, definitely check out MindMeister. For individual mind mapping, MindMesiter just isn’t as polished as either MindNode or iThoughts.

Scapple

Scapple is interesting because it has a little bit of a different take on mind mapping. Instead of starting in the middle with a central topic, Scapple allows you to put nodes anywhere on the page without making connections so you can just get everything on the page and then figure out how it all ties together later. In Scapple, you double-click to add a free standing node and then drag it on to another node to make a connection. This approach is more flexible and lends itself better to creating “concept maps,” which are basically mind maps with more than one central topic. If you’re into free-style mind mapping, Scapple may be for you.

Scapple is available for both Mac and Windows and is $14.99. It’s developed by Literature and Latte (the makers of Scrivener), so it integrates very nicely with Scrivener for large writing projects as well. In fact, all you have to do is drag your Scapple file into Scrivener and it will organize everything for you.

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Conclusion

In short, MindNode is going to be perfect for about 95% of people. It has a gorgeous UI, is extremely easy to use, syncs well between mac and iOS, and has enough import/export options to be really useful. The price point is also very fair. For power users who really like to make their software dance, iThoughts is the logical step up. It offers some really cool features like editing in Markdown and x-callback URL support. And, if you need to collaborate with others, MindMeister is a great (albeit limited) web-based option.

Here’s the good news.

Finally, we can be like Leonardo da Vinci’s in one small way. No, we are not getting his polymathic superpowers.

His penchant for taking free-flowing notes that filled notebooks with diagrams and scribblings is more achievable. Maybe, he knew that the human brain likes visuals more than words. Maybe, connecting words and images made him see things which most could not.

Today, we call these brain-cell like intertwinings mind maps.

It is the most popular brainstorming technique of all. Count the hits on Google if you don’t believe me. Check the number of books British psychologist Tony Buzan wrote for promoting it. A tiny 140.

For a student, a mind map is a memory aid to review notes. For an office worker, a mind map can be a solo brainstorming tool or a collaborative one. Brainstorming groups at work use mind mapping techniques for problem solving and decision making. Want to develop an agenda for an annual conference or plan your time as a manager? Maybe, a mind mapped SWOT analysis can help spot a weakness or an opportunity?

You can apply a mind map to any office scenario.

  • Forecast revenue.
  • Prepare for a hiring interview.
  • Chart product development and marketing.
  • Fine tune a RFP (Request for Proposal).
  • Organize a trade show.
  • Plan an office party.

Pick a Free Mind Map Tool

Choosing from the many excellent mind mapping sites and brainstorming web apps and tools is a matter of nitpicking. But how should you go about selecting the right tool that doesn’t befuddle you? Keeping your needs front and center, here are few standout features you can look at:

  • Free or paid. When you are starting out with mind mapping take what you find for free. Mind mapping is a habit before it is a practice, so build up the habit first without paying a dime.
  • Offline or online. There are many mindmapping web apps, but if you are on a spotty connection then definitely an offline tool works best. Also, storing mind maps containing confidential or sensitive information online could be a security issue.
  • Ease of use. The easiest tool to mind map with is pen and paper. Compare any software you pick with that ease. The fluidity of putting your thoughts on screen matters a lot in rapid brainstorming.
  • Look and feel. The aesthetic appeal of your mind maps will be a factor, if you need to display them to a team. Also, beautiful mind maps draw the eye (and mind) when you need to come back to them.
  • Template variety. With brainstorming templates8 MS Word Templates That Help You Brainstorm & Mind Map Your Ideas Quickly8 MS Word Templates That Help You Brainstorm & Mind Map Your Ideas QuicklyFree Word templates are not just about beautiful documents, perfect resumes, and cover pages. They can be vital for brainstorming and mind maps too. Here are eight Word templates for your ideation needs.Read More, you can save a lot of time when every mind map is imagined around a few common organizational processes.
  • Import and export options. A critical feature as you wouldn’t want your lovely creations trapped in one format. Many popular mind map tools, e.g. FreeMind, also accept other formats for import. An export format like PDF is necessary. Export to Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook, or Project helps with document integration.
  • Collaboration. Another critical feature, if you are working within a shared workspace and perform team brainstorms.

We have covered many mindmapping tools here at MakeUseOf. You might have discarded some and may have settled on one. FreeMind, XMind, and MindJet are popular. As not every tool will tick all the boxes, here are a few more mind mapping tools to consider.

1. Coggle

Platforms: Web, Chrome

This mind mapping Chrome extensionTrap Your Best Thoughts with 10 Note-Taking Chrome ExtensionsTrap Your Best Thoughts with 10 Note-Taking Chrome ExtensionsNotes are the simplest self-management tools. With information overload on your mind, use these ten extensions to jot down quick notes, manage them better, or just share them with others.Read More deserves a look again for its sheer simplicity. Use it in the browser instead of installing it on Chrome. Coggle saves your work in the browser just as well. Coggle comes in three flavors – Free, Awesome, and Organization.

The free version allows you to create unlimited maps, so it should be good enough for your needs. The commercial versions come with features like presentation modes and unlimited private mind maps.

Noteworthy Features:

  • Create mind maps with colored nodes and branches.
  • Add comments or detailed notes to branches. Supports Markdown.
  • Drag and drop images from the desktop into the mind map. No image limits.
  • Coggle mind maps are also collaborative. Work alone or invite team members.
  • Version tracking with a history mode. See who changed what and when.
  • Message team members, leave notes, and even chat in real time.
  • Download mind maps as PDF, text, PNG, or mind map (.mm) files.

2. MindMapple

Platforms: Windows, Mac, iOS

MindMapple (ver. 1.71) is a desktop and iOS application that has free and pro versions on offer. The ribbon interface should be familiar.

MindMapple is pre-loaded with themes and templates. Visual thinkers will like the software because it allows use of pictures and clip-art. Select any topic on your mind map and use the Clip Art library to add appropriate graphics. Cloud sharing via Google Drive is a key beta feature, but it’s not functional due to API changes.

MindMapple has powerful set of features for handling larger projects. Multiple mind maps can be collated in one document. You can track topics with priority and schedules – an essential for project managementThe Fool Proof System to Plan & Manage Multiple ProjectsThe Fool Proof System to Plan & Manage Multiple ProjectsFull Horizon Planning is an easy system to manage multiple active and dormant projects. It's superbly unbreakable when it comes to those guaranteed, daily distractions. We show you how to set it up digitally.Read More.

I would definitely recommend MindMapple for its completeness. The Pro version gives you advanced features like PDF export, password security, and advanced Microsoft Office exporting.

Noteworthy Features:

  • Add relationships, boundaries, hyperlinks, and files to a mind map.
  • Add extra information by adding topic notes and attachments.
  • Labels and bookmarks allow you to manage complex mind maps with ease.
  • Export your mind maps as PowerPoint, Word, Excel, HTML, TXT, image files, and XMind files.
  • Import mind maps created in FreeMind and MindManager.

3. NovaMind

Platforms: cross platform

NovaMind is a cross-platform brainstorming software. Try it on Windows desktop, Windows 8, iPad, Mac OS X, or Android, and online as NovaMind Cloud. It is a commercial software but has a capable free version. NovaMind starts you off with an interactive tutorial to introduce the basic concepts. A demo mind map is built as the tutorial progresses.

The application has a useful layout engine that helps you design quickly as the topics are not allowed to overlap on top of each other. A unique user-friendly “dial” holds all the mind mapping commands.

The Lite version is useful for trying out the software. It suffers because it doesn’t offer options to save or export mind maps in different formats.

Noteworthy Features:

  • Mind maps are limited to 25 topics.
  • Store up to 10 NovaMind documents online on NovaMind Cloud.
  • Share your documents publicly. Private sharing is not available in the free version.
  • Stylize mind maps with symbols, themes, and images.
  • Notes, external links, and callouts are also supported.

4. Text2Mindmap

Platform: Web

Text2Mindmap is one of my favorites for one reason – speed. As the name indicates, the online tool allows you to put down your thoughts as a text list. Each text line will become a node in the mind map. An indent (with a press of the TAB key) on the list translates into a new branch of nodes.

Text2Mindmap is free for this core purpose. Mini ($5/Month), Standard ($9/Month), and Pro ($11/Month) subscriptions open up more features, like private accounts, more storage space for maps, and printing mind maps without ads.

Noteworthy Features:

  • Download mind map as an image or as PDF.
  • Saved maps are available via a unique URL.
  • Keyboard shortcuts are supported.

5. Blumind

Fantasy Map Making Program

Platform: Windows

Blumind is three things everyone loves — powerful, portable, and free. The download is less than 1MB. Within that small portability factor Bluemind doesn’t pack in many bells and whistles. But it has all the basics for simple mind maps.

Apart from mind maps, you can use the freeware to create org charts, logic charts, and tree diagrams too. The software has a tabbed interface. You can import pre-existing mind maps from FreeMind. Import from Excel spreadsheets is also available.

Blumind also has an internal timer. That is useful for using a timed constraint for your brainstorming sessions. I would vouch for Bluemind, if you are looking for a simple portable mind mapping alternative.

Noteworthy Features:

  • The software has built in color themes and can be customized with user themes.
  • Draw a variety of chart layouts like: organization chart, tree diagram, and logic diagram.
  • Supports multiple export formats, including all common image formats, CSV, PDF, SVG, and text.
  • Support notes, icons, progress bars and other widgets for a richer view.
  • Keyboard shortcuts are supported.
  • Offers multiple languages.

6. Sketchboard

Map Making Software

Platforms: Web, Chrome

Sketchboard is more of a collaborative whiteboard rather than a dedicated mind mapping program. But whiteboards are vital for collaborative brainstorming paired with a good chat app.

You can also integrate Sketchboard with team tools like Slack, Google Drive, HipChat, GitHub, and FlowDock. Check out the Sketchboard user gallery for some fine examples.

Like the majority of mind mapping tools, Sketchboard.io also comes with a choice of free and paid plans. The free plan is for 5 users.

Map Making Program For D&d

Noteworthy Features:

  • Real-time collaboration. Free account is limited to 5 users.
  • Create boards with endless drawing space by dragging the canvas area.
  • Mix and match ideas with UML, freehand drawing, mind maps, notes, and roadmap.
  • Comment and annotate while you collaborate with team members.
  • Download Board as SVG, PNG, PDF.

7. Visual Understanding Environment

Platforms: Windows, Mac, OS X, Linux

The Visual Understanding Environment (VUE) is an Open Source project from Tufts University. The latest version of the software was released in October this year. The cross-platform mind mapping program is designed for teaching, learning, and research.

But you can re-purpose it according to your ideation needs. For example, VUE handles complex maps well. An Outline window is just the thing for concept maps that get too complex.

In the above screenshot example, Eva Gladek of Except Integrated Systainability uses VUE to create system maps of production processes.

Free Map Making Program

Noteworthy Features:

  • The “Merge Maps” tool can merge multiple maps into a new one for analysis.
  • Search nodes and links in large maps. Search results can be highlighted, hidden or filtered.
  • Add a VUE mind map to a Zotero collection. Zotero is another Open Source tool for organizing your academic research.
  • Supports external data from FTP sites, RSS feeds, and Google. You can also import CSV datasets. Multiple other external resources like Twitter and Wikipedia are also supported.
  • Present better mind maps on-screen by selectively fading out nodes and links. You can also zoom in and out of the map during presentations.
  • VUE files can be saved on the VUE site or to a drive. Formats supported include HTML, PDF, image formats, RDF, and XML.

8. WiseMapping (Web)

Platform: Web

Start mind mapping without logging in with this free online application. WiseMapping takes minutes to master. It works on all modern browsers as it uses vector graphics and HTML5 to render the mind maps.

You can start using it without logging in. But without an account, you can create just one mind map and when you exit the program, your mind map will not be saved.

Noteworthy Features:

  • Easy-to-use drag’n drop interface.
  • Embed mind maps on any website or blog.
  • Collaborate on maps with friends or coworkers.
  • Download and save maps as images, PDF document, or FreeMind file.
  • Import and export mind map files from FreeMind.

Other Mind Mapping Tools We Have Covered Before

This article is about the lesser known, but capable programs out there. Do look into what has come before.

We have covered mind mapping applications for the iPadMind Mapping on the iPhone & iPad: Here Are Your OptionsMind Mapping on the iPhone & iPad: Here Are Your OptionsWhether you're using an iPhone or iPad, these mind map tools can keep your thoughts flowing on-the-go.Read More and mind mapping apps for Mac6 Free Mind Map Apps for Mac to Get Your Creative Juices Flowing6 Free Mind Map Apps for Mac to Get Your Creative Juices FlowingLooking for the best free mind map apps for Mac? Here are some great free mind mapping tools to help organize your thoughts on macOS.Read More.

We have also re-purposed Microsoft Word as an effective mind mapping toolHow to Build a Mind Map in Microsoft WordHow to Build a Mind Map in Microsoft WordMicrosoft Word may not be the first tool you pick for mind maps. But with these tips, Word can be effective for mind mapping.Read More.

How to Best Use a Mind Map Application?

Before you pick the right software, you have to decide its role in your workflow. Maybe, asking yourself these questions will help you choose the right one out of all the beautiful mind mapping apps available.

Your answers will help to benchmark the best fit for the job. If your needs are extensive and system-wide, then a commercial powerhouse like MindMeister or MindJet works best. If you are already on Windows 10 and not looking for that elephant gun, but something simple – choosing M8 will save you a lot of bother.

Remember, it is as much about elimination as it is about selection.

If mind mapping doesn’t cut it, you could give outlines a try instead. Check out these 5 Mac outliners to help you organize your ideas5 Mac Outliners to Help You Organize Your Projects and Ideas5 Mac Outliners to Help You Organize Your Projects and IdeasOutlining can help you keep your ideas and projects organized. Here are some great Mac apps for outlining projects and ideas.Read More.

Image Credits:Mind Map by Ellagrin via Shutterstock

Explore more about: Mindmapping, Organization Software, Planning Tool, Study Tips.

  1. Hello. Great article, but there are a few broken links and some information that needs updating. It would be awesome if you guys could take care of it.
    Keep up the good work.
    Cheers!

  2. Are there any mindmapping programs that integrate with SquareSpace?

  3. Is there any mindmapping software that can integrate into Squarespace? We would like to include a mindmap of professional resources with images, videos, and clickable links into our company's website, rather than simply save as a .pdf where links and videos are lost. Thanks!

  4. I like your explanation. I'll definitely use one of these with my students. I'm also looking for a mindMap software for mapping emerging knowledge of a developing brain so I need one more dimension (like layers in a CAD) which is : time

  5. None of them seem to be even remotely sufficient for me. I could use something much more elastic in forms of presentation, connectivity and its levels of literality, directness, or able to find, discover and create connections, that could be completely invisible without seriously deep reflection or amount of steps leading from one place to another appearing as not in anyway connected with the prior, but after long development and evolution of the thread unvailing its strong mutual and not at all easily noticable (and absolutely unnoticable for probably quite numerous group ) correlation on much deeper uncertain and elusive planes of association forming and mutually influencing on many levels. It would for sure need to be shapable multidimensionally and multi trangressively. In visual sense, as well as meant in mental comprehensibility context. Could it be even possible that something that complex could be created? Im afraid not...

    Peace&Love

  6. I created a software to create Mind Mapping 100% free, those who want to try access memorize.ninja?

  7. Mind maps do help a lot in improving study and work efficiency. I've been using Edraw MindMaster since it was released in October 2017. Available for Mac, Windows and Linux, it's really worth trying! By the way, it's FREE! It's really worth trying!

    • Thanks. this is cool. and it's free !

  8. As a writer, I'm looking for something that doesn't look for team involvement. What is available for someone in my position?

    • Try Scapple.

  9. I recommend Coggle because I think that the Coggle is more easy for use, is colorful and specially I think that is the most accesible and Easy for de students

  10. I use bubbl.us and it works great. There is a free option so I could try it out to see how it works.

  11. MindMaple version 1.71 you mentioned above if the last version & it is dated 2011. Moreover, the last blog posts on the website date back to 2013, and a number of the pages they link to are 404 pages.
    Do you know if development has stopped? By the way, version 1.71 is really very impressive. I have both it & Freeplane currently installed (surprised you have not mentioned this truly free open source mindmapper) & find MindMaple slightly more attractive in a couple of aspects: you can move topics (nodes in Fp parlance) freely around without moving the other ones at the same time like Fp does, and you can attach files to MM, whereas Fp can only handle links to those files.
    I have not fully explored MM yet but already like it a lot.
    Hope you can shed some light on the development issue.

    • Is there still a free version of MindMaple to try out? I can´t seem to find v1.71 and the latest versions are obviously chargable.
      Thanks!

  12. Could you help recommend the best product based on my needs?
    - Ability to access and modify maps on PC, Mac, and iOS (ideally android/web too if possible)
    - collaboration with multiple users ideally in real time
    - comments with time stamp
    - backup/filing with Evernote, Dropbox and/or OneDrive
    - drop and drag
    - voice command input
    - versatile with including new members in future projects
    - not needing to be free
    - integration with Outlook/Office (tasks/calendar)
    - export to PDF or PPT
    - presentation mode

    Thanks!! Great article

  13. Hello, I'm looking for a mind map tool, in which I can add notes and pictures (photos) into the mind map. Some of the tools offers these requirements? Thank you very much.

    • ConceptDraw MindMap fitts your needs http://conceptdraw.com/products/mind-map-software

      • I attended a seminar today and really liked how this conceptdraw works. May you share some experience in using it?

  14. I'm looking for a Mind Map tool with the following features:

    - Must be able to save to Box for collaborative use (I cannot save to other cloud locations)
    - Must be able to crosslink

    Any thoughts on what options these two requirements filters me down to? I've looked at now about a half-dozen solutions and it doesn't seem that the combination of these two capabilities is very common.

  15. As a photographer I am of course 'visual', and I hate lists: boring and overwhelming. Kanban seems okay for project management (I only have a few at a time as a freelancer), but, although visual, KB is quite linear. I LOVE these mind maps I see (the simple and colourful ones!), but I need the program to be somewhat of a task/project manager. Can't tell which ones do that well. Can I set deadlines? To-do lists? Reminders? X-mind appears to do this under *Business toolbox, but that is only on 'Pro' at $99, drat. And when it says 'Task Management in there, how do I find out the capabilities? Any other programs you can think of that would fit a freelancer who wants mind-map style yet task management, too? (Oh, also I prefer residence ON my Mac, not cloud-dependant. Here in Thailand, where I do free projects for charity groups, the internet is NOT everywhere!) Thanks so much for how much work you put into these reviews and your expertise. Neat to see a thread where the author actually answers questions... amazing!

  16. Thanks, great article!

  17. Really good article Why no mention of Xmind? Free, cross platform and slick.

  18. This was one of the most thorough reviews of a lot of the mind mapping apps out there. But, I'm still a little lost....What do you suggest for a Chef of a restaurant where I would be doing my menus, prepping, and daily planning. Ideally, id like it to work on android and PC.

    I would love to add photos so my manager knows what the dish will look like

    Idea: dinner menu
    Topic/nodes : sides, main entrees
    Sub nodes: mashed potatoes, steak(some I may want to add photos) and
    sub sub node---perhaps a link to a recipe or something like that.

    Do you think a mindmap is for me or should I go with a flowchart and a checklist? Thanks Saikat!!

    • Hi, use Trello. As I understand the need youdont want a mindmap, lists and cards will do.

  19. Hello Saikat,

    Nice article that clearly describes capabilities of mind mapping tools available out there. The videos provided gives a glimpse of the GUI that helps people to choose a tool that suites their tastes. I tried few of them but 1 major lacking I see, which common in among the tools I tried is that there is little or no option to connect sub topics of different branches together.

    I intend to use the tool for an altogether different requirement. In short, I would like to collate my customers and prospects together. For example, there is this company A,B & C and there are 5 employees in each of the company (Let's name them as 1,2,3,4 & 5). So far, so good, I can chalk this out in any of the mind mapping tools. but when it comes to mapping the individual employees of company A to employees of Company B or a particular employee of company A to company B, there is no much flexibility or options I see in the listed tools by you. Hope I have put the point across

    Can you please let me know which tool best fits for my requirement please?

  20. Is there a tool (ideally for Mac OS X) to calculate the number of nodes in mind maps saved in different formats like PDF, JPEG, PNG, PowerPoint, Word, etc?

    I have hundreds of mind maps saved in such formats and would like to know the number of nodes in each other than counting it manually of course.

  21. Nice article. I have used XMind for 8 years for engineering projects and organizational project management and tracking. It has been really great, one think I found a need for in it is an easier way to link and view 'sub-maps'. Came here to see if there is anything new - i like the look of VUE, going to try it out.

  22. Thanks for this very useful article. Are there any you can suggest where i can create formulas to input numbers in to calculate percentages, etc ?

  23. Thanks Salkat - That's a great post, really helpful. I have just tried MindMaple and found it really intuitive, so I'm going to get the Pro version. Thanks again.

  24. Have a look at Mindomo, an online concept mapping software (homepage) that wasn't mentioned. Besides its concept mapping and mind mapping features, it also has an outline feature that lets you switch from the outline view to the mind map view and vice versa. Offers real-time collaboration too. I guess you can start with their free version, and if you want for example to create unlimited maps and export them as PDFs, you can upgrade.

  25. Please put the date in the article! Especially when it contains phrases like 'this year'

  26. Also a useful mindmaping software is YouMinds Composer which allows you to convert Mindmaps into notes, pinboards, diagrams and more.

  27. Xmind works best for me. Mindmup is another one.

  28. Another free platform that lets you easily create pretty good mind maps is GoConqr.com.

  29. I've never really understood the reasoning behind these types of programs.

  30. Take a look at Mohiomap when you have a chance. It's more of a viewing app than an actual map generation tool, but it's worth checking out because...

    It can link to your Evernote, Google Drive, Box or Dropbox and display all of your stored data as a mindmap. You'll be looking at your 'data mind' as something almost organic, instead of a flat folder tree.

    A dynamic way of seeing your files in a graphic representation, it can still do what mindmaps do best...give you a different view to spur your thinking.

    • I also meant to say that I like and use Mindmup and Draw.io! :)

  31. You missed Freeplane (better version of Freemind) and IHMC CmapTools, both of which are outstanding tools.

  32. The thing to keep in mind about mind maps is that the theoretical mind map is often limited by the software. A true mind map can point from any bubble to any bubble. Many, if not most, software packages cannot do this; they are really just graphical outlines and are limited by the hierarchical nature of outlines. That's not to say they can't be useful, just that they can't provide all the benefits of a true mind map.