Top 10 Mind Mapping software for business

November 11, 2024 | Editor: Adam Levine


Mind mapping tools allow professionals and entrepreneurs to brainstorm, make a plan, or turn ideas into the steps needed to make it real.
1
The Most Popular Mind Mapping Tool. Millions of people use XMind to clarify thinking, manage complex information, run brainstorming and get work organized. Unlike most alternatives XMind is an open source project, which means it's free to download and free to use forever. XMind Plus/Pro with more professional features are also available.
2
We've built MindMeister from the ground up to facilitate collaboration. Because of its sleek design and simple to use interface, MindMeister has been positioned as the number one mind mapping and online collaboration tool available today. Behind the product is a very strong team of developers following the company's philosophy of bringing the very latest advancements in web 2.0 technology to you.
3
With MindManager, brainstorming is just the beginning. It's powerful, productivity-boosting, project-building mind mapping software. Capture ideas. Manage meetings. Create strategic plans. Organize anything. MindManager has the robust features you need to get everything you do done better.
4
MindNode makes mind mapping easy. Mind maps are a visual representation of your ideas, starting with a central thought and growing from there. This allows you to brainstorm & organize your thoughts in an intuitive way, so you can focus on the idea behind it.
5
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 MindManager because of one-click "fold / unfold" and "follow link" operations.
6
SimpleMind is the world leader in cross platform Mind Mapping tools. Analyze your thoughts and structure them with SimpleMind. The unique free lay-out allows you to organize your ideas exactly how you want it.
7
Freeplane is a free and open source software application that supports thinking, sharing information and getting things done at work, in school and at home. The software can be used for mind mapping and analyzing the information contained in mind maps. Freeplane runs on any operating system that has a current version of Java installed. It can be run locally or portably from removable storage like a USB drive.
8
EdrawMind (Formerly MindMaster) is a full-featured collaborative mind mapping and brainstorming tool
9
iThoughts is a mind mapping app for iOS (iPad, iPhone and iPod touch.). iThoughts for iOS and Mac are not just about making beautiful context maps. They are utilities for getting your ideas down and then out to somewhere else. If you've never explored the file import and export options in iThoughts, then you are in for a treat.
10
Professional and easy to use tool for creating mind maps. Provides an extensive set of capabilities for organizing ideas and data. Compatible with MS Office: Word, PowerPoint, Project, and OneNote. Supports all common mind mapping formats.
11
MindView is a professional Mind Mapping software that allows you to optimize brainstorming sessions and present ideas visually. MindView's Mind Mapping capabilities are an effective way to organize and develop ideas, outline reports and streamline decision-making.
12
From all the mind mapping software apps out there, Mindomo is the most focused on providing the best solution for teachers and students. Collaborative mind mapping, concept mapping, outlining - the best way to understand and learn anything.
13
Ayoa Mind Mapping allows to generate infinite ideas, accelerate learning, and get tasks done in a fun, visual and neuro-inclusive way.
14
Coggle is a completely free, simple to use mind mapping tool that's easy to get started with. Produce beautiful notes, quickly and easily. Share them with friends and colleagues to enhance your ideas collaboratively. All for free!
15
VYM (View Your Mind) is a tool to generate and manipulate maps which show your thoughts. Such maps can help you to improve your creativity and effectivity. You can use them for time management, to organize tasks, to get an overview over complex contexts
16
TheBrain lets you digitize your mind so you can literally see your thinking and refine your ideas. Each of your Thoughts comes to life on-screen with connections to other related Thoughts, creating a context for thinking and action.
17
Ever scribbled ideas on a piece of paper and drawn lines between related thoughts? Then you already know what Scapple does. It's a virtual sheet of paper that lets you make notes anywhere and connect them using lines or arrows.
18
Mind map in the cloud. Zero-friction, free online mind mapping. Opensource mindmapping software. The most productive online mind map canvas on the Web.
19
MindGenius lets you manage your project from inception to delivery with features to help you understand the Project Scope, prepare your WBS, schedule tasks and manage your project to completion. A structured methodology to collectively discuss and view a challenge from different perspectives to find the best solution possible.
20
Backed by 14 years of Mind Mapping software development, NovaMind is built from the ground up to help you brainstorm, collect and organize ideas, develop and implement plans, and communicate them to others.
21
Mindly helps organize your inner universe. Like planets that circle around sun, moons around planets, each concept gets its place in a natural, hierarchical structure. Like an expanding universe, our thoughts evolve fast. One concept leads to another and soon we have a universe of thoughts in our minds.
22
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.
23
Outlining software tool that helps anyone with writing deadlines quickly and easily produce text documents using mind maps.

Important news about Mind Mapping software for business


2024. Mind Map template now available in Visio for the web



Microsoft has announced that the Mind Maps template is now rolling out to Microsoft Visio for the web users with a Visio Plan 1 or Visio Plan 2 subscription. Mind maps are a common way to capture ideas. People use them extensively to organize their thoughts and make sense of them. Microsoft Visio customers have been requesting the Mind Maps diagram type in Visio for years now. To make it simple for customers to get started, Microsoft has added eight new, customizable sample Mind Map diagrams: Conduct Meetings, Customer Persona, Family Tree, Finance Planning, Marketing, Project Planning, Project Tracking and Story Writing. You can explore them here.


2023. Xmind now allows to track tasks



In the latest improbable twist of software evolution, the mind-mapping marvel known as Xmind has woken up and decided it wants to be more than just a pretty place to park thoughts—it now tracks tasks, as if determined to keep humans on their toes. This feature, with no regard for the tangled mess of a mind it intrudes upon, allows users to cunningly sneak tasks into their mental spider webs, where they can be observed progressing, digressing, or possibly vanishing into the depths of one’s brain altogether. It slyly disassembles lofty ambitions into bite-sized steps, as if to say, “Go on, take one bite, it’s not as big as it looks.” Task management has officially moved in, dragging along friends like planning, time management and project management, each intent on turning the chaos of ideas into something respectably manageable. Users can now create and conquer tasks, ticking boxes with the kind of self-satisfaction reserved for those who still believe in "getting things done." Of course, only the truly critical tasks appear, filtering out the riff-raff of lesser objectives, thus avoiding the psychological equivalent of cluttered attic syndrome. In a clever move, task tracking even dabbles in the fine art of prioritization—granting users the illusion of control over what needs doing, as it nudges them toward sorting the urgent from the merely mundane, ensuring that when the day is done, they at least remember why they started it.




2019. MindManager 12 for Mac: See, Manage and Share Critical Information in Transformative New Ways



The newest version of MindManager for Mac introduces robust new methods to manage information, develop and share strategies and plans and operate more smoothly than ever. MindManager’s latest update establishes a new benchmark in mind mapping and information visualization on the Mac, now featuring SmartRules that automate processes and workflows; Objects and Smart Shapes that facilitate the creation of new diagram types; and compatibility with macOS Dark Mode and Touch Bar to allow users to work in their preferred environment.


2019. XMind adds audio-notes



Taking notes during meetings or lectures can be quite challenging, not to mention creating mind maps. XMind's new Audio Note is certainly an effective solution for this task. Unlike images or text, Audio Note consists of recordings. It can cover any topic and sync with text on mind maps, further elaborating on related subjects. Input efficiency is crucial for creating mind maps, especially on mobile devices. Inspiration can be fleeting and capturing it instantly is essential. XMind developers have added Audio Note to XMind for iOS, significantly improving input efficiency. Later, Apple also introduced a similar feature in iOS 12.


2019. WriteMapper 2 adds file import, custom shortcuts and preview mode



The latest version of the outlining mind-mapping software WriteMapper 2 is designed to enhance the capabilities of WriteMapper as a writing tool, making it an even more potent asset in your writing productivity toolkit. In addition to exporting, you can now import various file types into the WriteMapper app and work on them as a mind map. Initially, WriteMapper supports the import of most file types it currently exports, including Markdown (.md), HTML (.html) and DOCX (.docx) files. WriteMapper 2 also enables you to set custom keyboard shortcuts and introduces a preview mode that allows you to toggle different modes for exploring your preview, helping you process your writing faster and more efficiently than ever before.


2018. Mindomo gets new search functionality



Mindomo's search feature is undergoing significant enhancements. The search now examines all mind maps, both private and public, along with their content. For instance, if you need to locate a map where you listed this week’s tasks but can’t recall the title, but you remember that ‘grocery shopping’ was included in the mind map, simply enter ‘grocery’ into the Search bar. Initially, we will show all your private mind maps that match the keyword in terms of map title, content in topics, notes, comments and even in the Task Info section. Once you locate your mind map and access it, it will always open in a new tab. To make your search results more visible, we will highlight the keyword wherever it appears. If the keyword is in the notes, comments, Task Info, or multimedia panels, we will automatically expand the panel.


2018. MindManager 2019 adds Tag View and Icon View



The latest version of MindManager 2019 has arrived. It expands SmartRules and goes beyond basic formatting, allowing you to automatically trigger changes not just in the appearance of topics, but in the actual topic data — minimizing repetitive tasks and transforming maps from merely depicting your processes and workflows to actively driving and speeding them up. The new Tag view provides a comprehensive overview of a project's progress toward completion and shows where each individual task stands in the process, helping you make the necessary adjustments to keep things on track and timely. The developers have also upgraded Priority View to include all 500+ icons and improved all views with more adaptable sorting and organizing options, making it easier to access and display the precise information you need when you need it.


2018. Mindomo for desktop gets theme editor



The ability to design your own customized map themes now comes to Mindomo Desktop. You can now enjoy the convenience of creating your own themes where you can specify the default font size, color, shape, background color and relationships for all topics at a particular level so that any new topic added at that level will automatically use that formatting. To accomplish this, go to Themes and then select Theme Editor. You can also set your theme as the default so every new mind map will be created with this theme.


2018. New Funnel Diagrams Solution for ConceptDraw PRO



The latest addition to ConceptDraw is the Funnel Diagrams solution. It supports funnel management activities by providing numerous funnel samples, templates and extensive libraries of vector shapes and pictograms. These resources can significantly reduce the time required to track the progress of advertising and marketing campaigns, monitor key performance indicators and pinpoint bottlenecks in the marketing processes. The Funnel Diagrams solution, located in the Marketing section of Solutions, includes 5 stencil libraries with 145 vector objects and pictograms. The Funnel Diagrams libraries, samples and templates are available for US$25 to users of ConceptDraw PRO v11 and Office v4, in the ConceptDraw STORE.


2018. Curio 12 adds on-the-fly rich text syntax rendering



The latest version of the mind mapping software Curio 12 offers extensive support for markdown, including on-the-fly rich text syntax rendering, along with advanced importing and exporting capabilities. Other new features encompass greatly enhanced PDF exporting; support for OmniOutliner Pro, TaskPaper and OneNote; searching with boolean and regular expressions; significant new import/export functionalities; improvements to lists, mind maps, stacks and tables; and much more. This is indeed a substantial release with remarkable new features, excellent enhancements and a significant internal code overhaul to make Curio more resilient and optimized.

Editor: Adam Levine
Adam is an expert in project management, collaboration and productivity technologies, team management, and motivation. With an extensive background working at prestigious companies such as Microsoft and Accenture, Adam's in-depth knowledge and experience in the field make him a sought-after professional. Currently, he has ventured into entrepreneurship, owning a thriving consulting and training agency where he imparts invaluable insights and practical strategies to individuals and organizations, empowering them to achieve their goals and maximize their potential. You can contact Adam via email adam@liventerprise.com