Technically, Mind Mapping is a brainstorming process aimed at creating mind maps that later convert into an idea map. The mind mapping process differs from one project to the other due to personal preferences, tools, and projects.
Mind mapping software turns your ideas into visual diagrams. It’s a brainstorming tool that lets you create an idea map. There are several types of Mind mapping software available based on the purposes they serve.
Table of Contents
Free & Top Mind Mapping Software 2021
From simple brainstorming apps to complex data visualization and diagramming tools, these software tools are currently in high demand for Brainstorming, diagramming, software development, and business intelligence.
1. Click up – Best collaborative mind mapping software
Let’s begin with ClickUp. It’s an excellent mind mapping software built for planning and organizing projects and ideas.
This feature-rich mind mapping tool lets users visualize complex workflows. With the help of this software, you can draw relationships between projects and tasks and effortlessly manage your visual roadmap.
The software is likely a product roadmap tool that offers teams the ability to create and link tasks within a mind map with an innovative drag-and-drop feature.
With this software, nothing can stop you. Create mind maps with your team and collaborate further. Click up provides integration support with Slack, G Suite, and Dropbox, etc.
2. MindMeister
This is a cloud-based mind mapping software. It enables project managers and teams to develop and share ideas. With its help, it becomes easier to collaborate, share, and present ideas. Its USP is a handy and intuitive user interface that allows to add ideas, attach images and insert links to convey a concept or idea.
Alongside a drawing feature, MindMeister houses several other amazing features too. These collaboration features help teams share ideas, cast votes, and comment.
The tool comes packed with a presentation feature that turns your map into a presentation. Your maps can be shared with others using a unique share link or an embed code.
There are many things that I found cool with this mind map software. Its user interface is too striking to resist. The software also bundles ready-to-use themes and templates. Just set up and start using.
You can easily integrate MindMeister with MeisterTask, a popular task management software to collaborate on projects. MindMeister offers seamless integration support with popular tools such as Microsoft Teams, and GSuite, etc.
3. Ayoa – Best multimedia mind mapping software
Ayoa is another top-notch mind mapping software. This cloud-based software clubs visual task management and collaboration to empower teams to perform mind mapping flawlessly. The software lets teams and project managers create mind maps, monitor projects, and collaborate.
The USP of Ayoa is its unique mind mapping styles. They help creators create versatile mind maps. For instance, organic Mind Maps enables you to create smooth curved branches while with Speed Mind Maps you can create auto-layout and box branches. Another feature called Radial Maps allows you to use a visual pie chart to present your ideas.
You can publicly share your map with multiple people. It’s also possible to trigger auto-hide to focus on selected branches and hide the rest.
Like other mind mapping tools in the list, Ayoa can be integrated with Dropbox, Google Drive, and Google Contacts. With its integration to email clients like Email2Task, you can send an email straight to Ayoa.
4. Milanote
Milanote is a very popular mapping software with an easy-to-use concept map maker. Using the tool you can organize your ideas and projects into running visual boards and collaborations.
Unlike other mapping tools, Milatone even lets you pushing up the level of creativity using rich media every time you create a conceptual map. You can also create multiple levels of hierarchy to make topics more précise.
The software has a drag and drop interface that help you organize your map ideas on an infinite virtual pinboard. You can use any number of notes, links, images, and files to create new ideas. The tool is available in both free and paid versions.
5. Microsoft Visio – Best mind mapping software for Microsoft users
It’s a mind mapping software from tech giant Microsoft. The Visio is more than just for mind mapping, it’s a visual diagramming tool.
It’s excellent software used for mind mapping and graphical representations. Due to its automatic integration with Office 365, it can automatically fetch data for real-time visualization.
Visio’s in-built templates can let users create block diagrams, flowcharts, timelines, floorplans, and AutoCAD drawings, etc.
They can also share their brainstorming ideas, maps, and creative diagrams as a link, attachment, image, or PDF. The best thing about Visio is that multiple users can collaborate simultaneously on the same mindmap.
If you’re interested in having a tool that works within the Microsoft ecosystem, Visio can be your choice. Microsoft is available as Visio Standard. Its one-time license costs $459.
6. MindGenius
MindGenius is software having features of a map creator and a project planning tool. The tool is an ideal choice for freelancers, agencies, and small businesses.
MindGenius is a complete project planning suite with a slew of fascinating features like Gantt charts, kanban task views, and some basic project reporting.
Tool’s filtering, highlighting, and labeling features enhance the presentation of your mind maps at scale. You can integrate MindGenius Microsoft Office to make it easy to export project data and mind maps to Office applications including Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint, and Microsoft Project.
MindGenius 2019 version offers integration support to Twitter, Facebook, and Dropbox too.
7. Miro – Best simple mind mapping software
This is another mind mapping software perfect fit for project management and brainstorming. The software comes loaded with useful widgets, prebuilt templates, and innovative toolkits for creating user stories and customer journey maps. It provides teams intuitive digital workspaces for seamless collaboration.
Miro’s free version is enough if you need standard features to use. Like other tools in the list, Miro Mind mapping tool offers integration support with Dropbox, Box, Google Suite, JIRA, and Slack. Subscription of Miro starts at $8/user/month.
8. Smartdraw
SmartDraw is claimed to be the most affordable and feature-loaded mind mapping tool. It’s easy to use and less complicated as compared to tools like Microsoft Visio. You can count on its innovative interface packed with essential mapping features.
SmartDraw houses a collection of 4000+ templates for over 70 different types of diagrams. Its collaborative online drawing ability online lets users work on the same diagrams at the same time from different places. It offers integration support with MS Office, Google Apps, Dropbox, and WordPress.
9. Lucidchart – Best for customization and flexibility
Your hunt for a powerful yet affordable concept map creator tool ends with Lucidchart. It can efficiently accomplish the needs of businesses of any size and capacity. It acts like a SaaS platform that allows users to create mind maps, flowcharts, and technical diagrams online.
The software offers you every feature that you expect from a standard tool idea mapping tool. These features include real-time collaboration, project export, revision history, and in-built templates. Using the embed code, you can use Lucidchart diagrams into your wiki, website, or blog.
Not only this tool is good at features, but it’s affordable too. In addition to its easy-to-use interface its integration with apps like Google Apps, Confluence, Jira, and Jive enhance its usability at scale.
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