You can make a plan with pen and paper, but when you start getting ideas all over the place, it’s nice to be able to collect them in an organized way. The best free mind mapping tools will do just that.
Below you’ll find not only the best free mind mapping software online, but also desktop computer programs that are great tools for making plans. Get your ideas out of your head and onto paper!
Compendium
Compendium is a free and open source mind mapping software that CogNexus developed for making large scale mind map structures. This software supports both individual and group workspace. The latest version of Compendium is 1.7.1. Right from launching Compendium to completing a mind map, the user interface of this software is easy and interactive. It is available for free under GNU lesser general public license (LGPL).
Features:
- Create mind maps in collaboration with team members with the option to editing each other’s input
- Drag and drop documents and websites into a map
- Users can label the connections between concepts to illustrate links
- Display links between everyone’s ideas in group projects through dialogue maps
- Establish a link between idea and information
- Create different types of nodes (topic box) by dragging the icon from the toolbar
- Overlay a map on top of the image and add graphics and notes
- Scribble pad to scribble on the workspace
- Add comments, notes, annotations to the nodes
Freeplane
Freeplane is a free and open source mind mapping software application that creates and analyzes mind maps. Freeplane runs on any operating system having the current version of Java. Freeplane as an open source mind mapping software can be downloaded locally on your desktop computers, or if you don’t want to download it, then you can run it through a USB device. The main topic is called the root node, sub-topics are called the child nodes, and the broader topics are known as the free nodes.
Features:
- Ordering ideas into a hierarchy by connecting them with lines
- Classifying idea boxes with metadata (attributes)
- Grouping similar nodes with color containers
- Automatically styling nodes with color, bubble, etc.
- Structuring nodes in terms of the content type such as text, icon, formula, calculation etc
- Presentation area (core, details, attributes, notes, images, and tooltip)
- Option to fold branches, scrolling and navigating, filtering, and searching content
- Connecting nodes with dynamic links, free lines, and labels
- Password protecting the whole map with DES encryption
- Multi-language support with an inbuilt spell checker,
- Drag and drop functionality for icons, text, images, etc.
- Extensive support through Forum, tutorial, and documentation
Wisemapping
Wisemapping is a free and open source mind mapping software that can be used by individuals, professionals, businesses, and educators to make embeddable mind maps. It can be installed on your local servers, and its license is completely free. It is a Java-based software that provides both private and public workspace. Users can have their own mind maps and the shared maps with teams separately. It supports Windows, Linux, Mac (Open source version) and can also be accessed online ( in its cloud version).
Features:
- Topic creator and editor
- Team collaboration on mind maps is allowed. Simultaneously you and your team can work on a single workspace.
- Export in PDF, SVG, and other image formats
- Drag and drop functionality for inserting images, icons, etc. to your map from the desktop
- Recover map history to see all previous changes
- Customize text size, formats and background style
- Add and expand branches radially in various formats
- Add color to the topic boxes
- Add borders and color borders
- Add icons, emojis to the map to make it more engaging
Semantik
Semantik is a free and open source mind mapping software application designed to help individuals and teams create effective mind maps. It was first developed in 2005 and was named Kdissert. Later the name was changed to Semantik. This further assists in making reports and presentations. Semantik is free under the GPL V3 license. It is an ideal mind mapping software tool for businesses, teachers, students, creative users, and project managers.
Features:
- Create mind maps using linear views
- Simply and interactive UI
- Covert mind maps into documents and presentations
- Insert image, picture, table, and diagrams
- Create UML diagrams and flowcharts
- Supports HTML, LaTex, Openoffice document formats
- Export the document in PNG or PDF format
- Command-line tools for document export
- In Semantik mind maps can be edited in 2D format or flat tree format
- Add texts and attachments to the maps
Xmind
Xmind is an open source mind mapping software application that is designed to generate ideas. Xmind features a center with branches radiating from it. It has an interactive and elegant user interface. This software is used by millions of users worldwide for its deep analysis capabilities. It works easily with Mac, Windows, Android, and iOS platforms.
Features:
- Comes with in-built templates for mind map designing
- Slide base presentation of the mind map
- Various map structures such as Org-chart, Tree-chart, and Logic-chart can be drawn
- Classify ideas based on their connections
- With Xmind you can convert your mind map into Gantt Chart which is a very useful feature for project management
- Beautiful workspace user interface
- Integrates with Office and export in PDF is enabled
- Extensive clip art library
- Toolbox with marker, label, notes, information card, and many more.
Coggle
Coggle is an online tool for creating mind maps. The app lets you and your team collaborate on notes, brainstorm ideas, and create project plans. Every mind map starts with a single central topic. Click the Plus (+) button to add a branch and enter your text in the box.
You can format text, insert links, add images, and icons to elaborate the key points. From here onwards, continue adding branches as per your needs. You can even create a cross-link to other items in a mindmap. Open the context menu, press the Shift key to bring the cross-link icon. Then, drag the cross-link line.
You can create three private diagrams with a free account, collaborate in real-time, and upload unlimited images. The export options include .MM, TXT, Microsoft Visio, PDF, and JPEG. Check out the pricing page to explore premium features.
Unique Features
- Add multiple central nodes in a single workspace. Then, create loops and branches to connect other mind maps and see relationships.
- It supports keyboard shortcuts and has a vast collection of templates in Coggle Gallery to quickly start your projects.
- View the version history of the mind map. Check who last edited the map along with the date and make a copy of it at a particular time.
- Message team members, leave notes, and even chat in real-time to brainstorm ideas. You can auto-arrange branches to associate the content of each branch with the things around it.
GitMind
GitMind is an easy-to-use online mind map tool. With it, you can visualize complicated concepts, generate new ideas, make lists with task priorities, and prepare for the presentation. Type in the topic name, and click Insert Node.
Choose Insert subnode to create sub-branches. And click the Relation line to show any relationship between ideas. You can assign a task priority, progress meter, flag, and more with the built-in symbols. To add a symbol, select the target node and click Icon from the toolbar.
At each node, click the Attachment button to insert links, images, and comments. There are many export options available, including TXT, PNG, PDF, DOCX, and SVG.
Unique Features
- Variety of themes, including classic, colorful, and business templates. Click the Style button to customize node spacing, background color, line, border shape, and more.
- Arrange the mind map in seven different layouts and reset them at any time. Click the Layout button and change it to mind map, logic chart, tree chart, and fishbone.
- View, edit, and export the mind map in outline mode. And share the mind map you created with a link or collaborate in real-time.
Canva
Canva is a web-based graphic design app that makes it easy to create mind maps. Equipped with ready-to-use templates and toolset, you can use this app for educational presentations, business pitches, corporate proposals, and project planning.
Enter the term ‘mind map’ in the search field, and within a few seconds, you’ll see a variety of templates. The built-in tools let you insert elements like shapes, frames, arrows, gradients, and more. You can even modify the text, photos, and background. The export options include PNG, JPEG, GIF, and PDF.
The free account gives you 5GB of free storage space, access to 2,50,000 templates, image uploads, and collaboration with team members in real-time. Check out the pricing page for more details.
Unique Features
- Embed the mind map in any file. Then, share it on social media or email right from the app.
- Insert pictures, embed videos, links from the web or Twitter, and GIF to make the mind map informative and catchy. Use symbols, color codes, speech bubbles, and icons for informative presentations.
- Manage your design pages from inside the editor. You can add pages, rearrange them, and add notes for the presentation.
- Present your reports, discuss brainstorm sessions, pitch decks, and more. Click the Present button to get started.
Download: Android, iOS (Free, Pro Plan: $12.99/user/month)
InfoRapid KnowledgeBase Builder
Traditional mind mapping tools are hierarchical. When you start creating complex linkages, they quickly get confusing and unusable. But with this app, you can join multiple ideas, and yet it adjusts your map dynamically to an elegant layout. You click a topic, and everything rearranges around it automatically.
You can build a mind map from scratch, import notes, links, images, and attach them to any item or a relation. There is also an option to integrate it with a data source to create a mind map from text files, Wikipedia articles, and tweets.
To get started, type in the topic name and click New Item. For each topic, type a name and add a description. You can add descriptive linking phrases on relationship lines and select colors, dotted or solid lines. Or even customize the style of the ends, with or without arrows.
Unique Features
- Insert multiple items, edit or delete them, and use drag-and-drop for moving relations.
- Toggle between a 2D and 3D displaying mode and show or hide cross-connections. You can export 3D mind maps with hyperlinks and embed them on your website.
- Build a map from MediaWiki, including all the sister Wikipedia sites. And import outlines from CSV, RDF, XSD, and more.
- Generate flashcards to memorize items and practice the quiz sessions.
Download: Windows 10 ($10), Mac ($9) | iOS ($9), Android ($11)
Scapple
When you draft an outline, you can work out if the ideas connect, what order works best, identify gaps in your thinking, and confirm your thoughts with proven facts. Scapple is an intuitive app for jotting your ideas down by developing connections between them. It’s the software equivalent of pen and paper.
Unlike typical mind-mapping software, Scapple doesn’t force you to make connections, nor do you have to begin with a central idea. It’s a freeform writing app with an expandable canvas to fit all your notes. You can move notes around to make room for new connections, edit and resize them, and export them to PDF.
Unique Features
- Stack notes on top of one another to create lists or columns of text. They’re useful for maintaining a list of related ideas that don’t belong in a single note.
- Add links to the text within notes or even files on your computer. You can even draw a background shape around a group of links and concepts.
- Incrementally search through the document and even replace text. It is useful for quickly jumping from one cluster to the next on a large canvas.
- If you use Scrivener to write essays or novels, you can freely interchange notes between Scapple and Scrivener.
Download: Scapple (30-day trial; $18)
EdrawMind
EdrawMind is a cross-platform mind mapping software. The user interface matches the familiar Office UI. The app lets you insert various mind map objects like relationship lines, callout, clipart, picture, link, attachment, note, tags, and more.
The left panel is your canvas. You’ll find options to adjust the content in the right sidebar, change the appearance of your diagrams, add a background, view, and export outlines. There’s a handy color strip below the canvas to set the line and fill color.
Unique Features
- Twelve different mind map layouts along with dozens of ready-made templates to infuse creativity.
- Automatically create slides by disassembling your mind map into separate branches. Add notes, background, design to the slides, and export them as PPT or PDF.
- Store files in Edraw cloud storage for access and collaboration in real-time. You can run group brainstorming sessions and collect ideas.
- Handy Gantt Chart mode to visualize and track progress on any project.
Download: EdrawMind (Free, Pro: $59/yr, Perpetual: $145)
Mindmeister
Mindmeister is a free mind mapping software that comes with an advanced mind mapping editor. It is a web-based online mapping tool that can be used for brainstorming, project planning, and note-taking. It works with Windows, Mac OS, and Linux. Its free version has limited features with a maximum of 3 free mind maps allowed. For more features, one has to switch to its personal, pro, or business plan.
Features:
- Create a structure for idea with notes and attachments
- All maps safely get stored in the cloud
- Choose map mode and chart layout from pre-built templates, and charts
- Customize chart with beautiful themes, fonts, icons, background images, and format
- Share and collaborate with other team members
- Assign tasks on the workspace to collaborators and set deadlines
- Convert map into a stunning presentation in one click
- Add notes, links, icons, images, and videos to map
- See map building history and revert changes if required
- Import and export text and images in various formats
- Upload attachment from Google Drive and Dropbox platforms
You can choose from the above list of 7 best free and open source mind mapping software for your brainstorming sessions and save your time. If you still need more robust software with better features to unleash your creativity, then you can add MindMup to your list. MindMup is one of the most popular and collaborative mind mapping software solutions available in the market. Let us see its features in detail:
MindMup
MindMup is a free mind mapping software that is used to create, share, and publish mind maps online. It lets users create unlimited mind maps for free. This software is used to brainstorm ideas, and one can directly publish the mind maps to social media using this software. It has some powerful set of keyword shortcuts and frictionless interface.
Features:
- Create a structure for idea with notes and attachments
- Capture and organize thoughts and put them on a storyboard
- Adds contextual information and images to mind maps automatically before publishing on Facebook, Pinterest, Google+, and LinkedIn.
- Plan and manage projects
- Concurrent editing by other team members is allowed for maps saved in the cloud.
- Add spreadsheet, text, and videos to your mind
- Add and images and icons to your maps for illustrations and context
- Allows integration with Office365 and Google authentication
Conclusion
Mind mapping is sometimes called organic or free-form thinking or brainstorming. The mind map is created around a central key word, which can be either an issue or solution. Mind maps allow the user to see all the possible solutions for a problem in one glance. It is an interactive map that grows around a main concept.