Here’s the good news.

1. Free Mind Mapping Tool For Students
2. Free Mind Map Software For Mac Os X
3. Download Free Mind Mapping Tool

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

FreeMind is a premier free mind-mapping software written in Java. The recent development has hopefully turned it into high productivity tool. We are proud that the operation and navigation of FreeMind is faster than that of Mind Manager because of one-click 'fold/unfold' and 'follow link' operations. Mind Vector, the free mind mapping software grants you the power to represent your ideas and concepts in a unique way. Utilize this potent tool to capture key information and unique ideas visually. Mind Vector is the most advanced tool for learning, planning, problem-solving and decision-making, trusted by 500,000+ users worldwide. Download FreeMind for free. A premier mind-mapping software written in Java. A mind mapper, and at the same time an easy-to-operate hierarchical editor with strong emphasis on folding. Download your free copy of the premier mind mapping tool for Windows or Mac. Free, fully-functional & easy to use. Select your platform, fill the form, and get ready for the journey. ConceptDraw MindMap helps you sort your thought out as beatiful mindmap, roadmap, project or outline. Visual collaboration mind mapping tool for your ideas. Collection of cards for website and app prototyping. MindNode 2.0 for Mac. Delightful mind mapping. Text 2 Mind Map. Make a dynamic mind map from a plaintext nested. For when that time comes, here are 11 free mind mapping applications and web services. (View Your Mind) is an application for Mac OS X and various Linux distributions. There seems to be a Windows port, but it is accompanied by bug reports. Get the right tools. Your environment can have a profound effect on your enthusiasm.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

Free Mind Mapping Tool For Students

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.

Free Mind Map Software For Mac Os X

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.

Download Free Mind Mapping Tool

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.

• Hi, I am gratefully using this tool for about 10 years and like its easyness for fast handling and collecting thoughts. I rarely used it for fancyness but a lot with priority symbols to manage tasks and workpackages in a team. Looks 'kind of' agile to me. So thanks for the looong years development and support.

• FreeMind has made it possible for me to get through undergrad and grad school! Great for super-flexible & detailed Note-taking, Amazing for organizing papers and unbeatable for creating stellar outlines. As a visual-thinking & fairly scatterbrained individual, by 'emptying my head' into a FreeMind mindmap, my flow of unconnected ideas can be reorganized in a way that ultimately makes linear sense. It's amazing. It's indispensable. Also: the tech support has been fantastic when I've encountered snafus (thank you!).

• thank you a lot for this Tool and Idea. It is a good tool to make, in less time, some info-connect-trees. It is not very intuitive and there are some workflow slow downs. More simplicity and workflow optimizing necessary. - new* makes a new tab, not a new project - can´t delete tabs in a project, anyway (no [X] , no left click option) - double click on Node open editor and sometimes open subnodes - Node Size is not resize the Text inside, no auto-fit to the Nodesize - Icons looking poor - too much focus on icons - second Tool bar in scroll-window, not two rows - second tools bar overfilled with icons - zoom out of the project decrease the text also in the editor - zoom in and out de-focus the Nodes - the chart/table is not separate size-able, some options needed, like enumeration per Row, editing headers Please pimp that nice idea. I can make u a new Logo ;)

• Excelente!

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