Three Web-Based Mind Mapping Tools Reviewed
March 8th, 2007 (8:21am) Anne Zelenka 120 CommentsTweet This (9)
Mind mapping, originated by Tony Buzan, aims at capturing what’s going on inside your head. In this video, Buzan calls it a “swiss army knife for the brain” and makes all sorts of claims about how you should do it in order to get your mind absorbed and intrigued in the ideas you’re mapping.
There are a bunch of desktop tools for mind mapping including the no-cost Java-based FreeMind, the popular and very expensive MindManager from Mindjet for both Windows and Mac, and ConceptDraw’s MindMap, also for Windows and Mac. For devoted mind mappers, it’s probably worth your time–and maybe some money too–to get a feature-rich tool on your desktop.
If you only mind map occasionally or if you want to collaborate in real-time with your colleagues, maybe you’d rather use an online mind mapper or brainstormer such as bubbl.us, Mindomo, or MindMeister. These tools don’t conform to Buzan’s principles of mind mapping in all respects, which call for free form curving branches and multiple colors, as shown in the hand-drawn mind map here, created by Graham Burnett. However, they’re still useful for collecting your thoughts, taking notes, or sharing your ideas with your colleagues.
bubbl.us
Billed as “the simplest way to brainstorm online,” bubbl.us doesn’t claim to support full-blown mind mapping. This Flash-based offering suffers from what you sometimes see in Flash applications–overuse of gradients and animated effects, but at least you can turn the effects off. The keyboard access is not entirely intuitive; hitting enter to create a new child node and tab to create a sibling node works well enough, but I wanted to use the arrow keys to move around the diagram and couldn’t. Also, the diagram moves around as nodes are drawn, disrupting the flow of thought. You can pick up the diagram and recenter it, but it will just start moving again as you add nodes.
bubbl.us is early in its development and understandably rough around the edges. It has no import/export capability yet but does offer printing and sharing. Nodes are colored according to their level in the hierarchy, which makes sense if you’re creating an outline–and that’s probably how you ought to consider bubbl.us, as a graphical outlining tool less than a mind mapping or brainstorming tool.
Mindomo
Released in beta on February 22 of this year, Mindomo is aiming after the full mind mapping gestalt. It supports the curved connections favored by Buzan, though they are not organic and free form as Buzan suggests. Features include hyperlinks, rich text notes, customizable colors, and import from MindManager. The free version is ad-supported. Mindomo is based on Adobe’s Flash technology like bubbl.us.
You can customize the look of your mind map with different typefaces, line styles, and colors. However, drag-and-drop layout of nodes doesn’t seem to be available–you can only drag and drop nodes to connect them to a different parent. You can, however, choose from a variety of layout styles, which provides for some customization of the display.
Mindomo’s keyboard access is unusable for those on a Mac, because it uses the insert key to add child nodes–but Macs don’t have one. This is a strange choice of key because even on a Windows machine “insert” doesn’t mean “add something new.” It toggles between overwrite and insert mode in applications like word processors. However, arrow keys work to navigate through the nodes and the enter key can be used for adding siblings.
Unfortunately, one of the key benefits that you’d hope a web-based mind-mapping tool would provide is collaborative map building, the ability for two people to edit a map at the same time, and Mindomo doesn’t offer this yet.
MindMeister
Unlike the first two tools mentioned, MindMeister is Ajax-based, meaning it’s been implemented with HTML and JavaScript and doesn’t require a third-party player to run within a browser. Because it doesn’t have the fancy graphical effects of Flash available to it, the default display is more about the information you’re capturing and less about shapes and gradients and animated effects. In my mind, this is all to the better, but some users may want more visual excitement with their mind mapping.
MindMeister provides all the basic features you might look for in a web-based tool of this sort. I found the keyboard access mostly intuitive. The tab key adds a child, the enter key adds a sibling, and arrows navigate around the diagram smoothly. Saving happens automatically with no action required of the user. Nodes can be repositioned using drag and drop. You can share with write or view-only access. It offers import from FreeMind and Mindjet’s MindManager, as well as export to an RTF outline or a GIF image.
Conclusion
These tools don’t really support Tony Buzan’s free-form organic and colorful mind mapping techniques, but they can still be useful if you’d like to capture what you’re thinking about in a visual form.
MindMeister, with its smooth keyboard access, information-dense display, and export-to-outline capability, is my favorite of the three. I have a number of invitations to the beta; leave your email here if you’re interested in trying it out.


Thanks for the great overview. I blogged a pointer – you saved me a task I had on my to do list. Brava!
Mindomo probably picked the Insert key to add child nodes because that’s consistent with the user interface of the Windows version of MindManager.
I’d like an invite to the MindMeister beta if you still have one available. I used free map for a while but find that I have less time at my home computer than elsewhere, nowadays.
I sent you an invitation, Phil. Let me know if you didn’t get it.
I would like an invite as well. Have been using bubbl.us and although handy, it is definitely in need of some improvements.
Thanks
I’d love one, Anne. And nice to “see” you here.
I would also like an invite to MindMeister if you ave any available. This looks exactly like what I need!
This review is very timely, as my demo version of MindManager is about to run out, and at €200 it’s a little expensive. I also tried MindMap, but prefer creating maps which are a little less ‘visual’ – MindMeister looks ideal. So please send me an invite!
I tried mindmeister 2 days ago thanks to the Twitter Early Warning System, and well, maybe mind mapping tools aren’t for me, because it felt too unnatural. Of course, I like to doodle and make my own, and having a pencil and eraser and a bunch of 11×17 paper along with some capabilities to draw non-sucky lines makes the experience better than any software for me.
Overall, though, nice review.
Nice analysis…Have used Mindjet and Freemind. I agree with your sentiments that less is more…If you have an invite to mindmeister I would like to give it a go.
Cheers
Wes, Toolfarm, Peter, Duncan – I sent you all invitations. Let me know if you don’t get them and I’ll resend.
Elizabeth – Nice to see you too! I sent you an invitation. Akismet had marked your comment as spam but I rescued it. I wonder how many real comments we’ve lost to that.
I would love an invite to the mindmeister beta.
I’d like a Mindmeister beta invite, thanks!
Hi Anne,
Do you have any Mindmeister invites left? I’d definitely be interested!
–Dks
Yes, I do, I have 12 or so left, I will send you one David.
I think both Mindomo and Mindmeister offer a great opportunity for MindManager users like myself to involve non-MindManager users in asynchronous collaborative mind or business map development. I work with a large number of associates on a range of product and service development programmes and projects. These tools lower the threshold for them to work the way many people recognise as being better than some existing alternatives. Perhaps later on they will recognise that some of the sophisticated desktop tools such as MindManager are also worth their price point.
On other hand Mindomo and MindMeister may move forward very quickly. It is is going to be interesting part of the application world to watch over the next year.
I’ve used Freemind in the past with some success. I find it a bit clunky but the price is right. I’d love to find a decent online mind mapping solution. If you have any invitations for MindMeister please send one along.
Well you certainly have a larger readership than me! If you run out of invites, send ‘em my way …
Thanks for this summary; it was very helpful. I would appreciate an invitation to MindMeister. The import/export capabilities, coupled with the information focus, seems to the closest fit to what I need.
Hi! I’d really like an invite to MindMeister. I’ve been wanting to try it!!
I have sent invitations to everyone who asked so far. If you didn’t receive one by email, let me know and I’ll try resending. I have eight invitations left.
Mind mapping is based on a hierarchical, tree-like organization. This is often too constraining, and unable to represent all useful associations among things and ideas.
Concept mapping is a more general method of organizing ideas, and free of such limiting principles.
The relevant Wikipedia entries show the contrast between mind mapping and concept mapping.
A popular, Java-based, free concept mapping tool is Compendium.
A enlightening essay on the limitations of hierarchical organizations is A city is not a tree, by Christopher Alexander.
Hi Anne, I like the uncluttered look of MindMeister. I would appreciate an invite. New reader, new subscriber, here.
have fun,
pam
Hi pam, welcome! Always glad to have new subscribers. I’ve sent you an invitation to MindMeister. Let me know what you think after you try it.
Hey, thanks for the write up… I’ve been looking for a way to organize my thoughts without a notepad (I always forget to bring it).
Can I get a BETA invite? If you still have any.
These programs are great and I have used a few of them. However I prefer doing mindmaps on paper and created templates for mindmaps. See my URL and download for yourself.
Cheers
I got the invite.
Sposiba daragaja – Thank you Anne
If you still have one invite I would appreciate it.
Thanks
I ve received the invitation.
Thanks again Anne
I really enjoy WWD–just because you uncover new technologies like this.
I’ve been trying out online mind mappers as a basis for structured collaboration, and none has yet hit the mark. If you have any invites to MindMeister still available, I would certainly appreciate one.
Thanks.
I do have a few more invites, Brian. I’ll send you one right now.
Can I get a BETA invite? If you still have any.
Thanks!
Hi,
I’m new to your blog, but now subscribed to your feed.
If there are still any invitations going spare for MindMeister I woudl like the oppportunity to try it out.
Best regards
Allan
Great review! Have read Buzan and ever since been a practictioner. However, perhaps I am just messy ’cause in agreement with Nicola Larosa, freeform and flow is what I need.
I am new to all things techy and bumbled my way to your site and am impressed with the comments as well.
Good work.
Allan – I sent you an invitation, hope you got it. I have a couple invitations left.
justlearningman — I tried doing a hand-drawn free form flowing mind map last night. I was pretty absorbing, I have to say. Now I’m yearning for a Wacom tablet so I can draw pretty pictures and get them onto my computer.
I would really like to get an invite to the beta :-)
If you any invitations left to MindMeister, I would love to try it out. Thanks!
Charlie
any invitations left for MindMeister? I love mindjet mindmanager for mac and would love to try a web-based tool.
thanks,
luis.cota@gmail.com
- luis
I tried to send everyone invitations–however, MindMeister didn’t like your email address, Luis, for some reason. I have one invitation left. If you didn’t receive the invitation and have another email address I can try, let me know, I’ll give it a go.
Please send me an invitation to Mindmeister
Thank you Very much
Joe Wehr
Ahhh! just missed the last invite : If there is anyone out there with a spare I’d appreciate it- thanks!
I work in the area of Human Factors and usually this involves getting a lot of people together from different disciplines and agreeing and discussing things in order to agree on a common viewpoint. This is a demanding situation to facilitate – where you need to make sure everyone participates AND record the comments AND have the ability to restructure the information easily AND do it in real time. I’ve been using Mindjet’s Mind Manager for about 7 years now and have to say it is the best software I’ve ever used for supporting this process, being both intuitive and engaging – people like moving things about in real time and many of my clients are converted mind mappers now :) BUT it can be an expensive ‘first step’ if you aren’t sure so these web based tools sound interesting.
Any Mindmeister invites left? If so, please send me one.
Thanks!
Would appreciate an invite for Mindmeister if any left. Thank you!
I’m all out of MindMeister invitations. Sorry ’bout that. You can go to the site and subscribe to the newsletter there–they may give you an invitation if you do so.
And where do you get invites for mind meister?
would like an invite for mind meister if you still have it. thanks.
I too would like an invitation, if there are any left… Thanks in advance :)
I have 20 invitations to offer.
As with the generous actions of Anne Zelenka, I’d like to follow her lead, and in the spirit of web20-harmony, web20-togetherness, web20-love, etc etc … hahaha, I’ll send invitations to the first 20 emails listed.
:D
Can I have an invite?
One for me please
As per my offer up above, http://webworkerdaily.com/2007/03/08/three-web-based-mind-mapping-tools-reviewed/#comment-26959, I have 20 invitations to MindMeister.
Those interested please email me your invitation requests:
jamjammo at gmail dot com
IMPORTANT!!! please put mindmeisterinvite in your subject line.
I’ve got my gmail filters set for that subject line. :)
I have 17 invitations left.
Email me your requests as stated above! :)
Would love an invite to mindmeister is you still have any (I saw all the comments).
This was a great article and very helpful to me. I’m currently trialing mindjet and I like what I see BUT I’ve moved to an all-web model for my applications with everything else I do so I’d hate to be legacy with mind-mapping and have to use a piece of client software. I will also try freemind because I love open source software and communities but still hesitate due to the same reasons I mentioned with mindjet.
Thanks for the information!
Julian
I would love an invite to the mindmeister if there is still some aviable.
can i have an invite too? thanks!
su.uncle at gmail dot com
Invite? thanks a lot!
Please invite me too…
Tnx!
Could you please send me an invite too? Thanks in advance.
Hey,
i would be very greatful if you could send me an invite as well
thanks
I’m a FreeMind user but was searching for an online tool, please send me a invite for the MindMeister .
thanks a lot!.
I am interested in one or two beta invitations to MindMeister. Thank you in advance for sharing.
Thank you for the informative review. Your emphasis on useability above aesthetics is especially helpful. Would you happen to have another MindMeister beta invitation?
Hi,
i have been using Mindmanager from the beginning, never tried web-based mindmapping so far.
Would be great, if you had a invitation for Mindmeister for me.
have a nice day,
Jakov
Hi there
Thanks, I was looking for a review of web based mind mapping tools since my client wont allow the installation of software. Can I get an invitation to use the MindMeister tool?
John
I am actually looking for a mindmapping tool that has
1. Task management with status update
2. Gantt Chart based on the tasks
3. More than 1 users using at the same time
it seems like there is none that fit into this 3 features. Any help here?
If are you interesting, a new online mind map tool have been opened. It beta now.Look at http://www.mapul.com
Instantly create thematic mind maps of any document or ebook!
MS Word 2007 Add In allows you to create instant MindManager mind maps of your documents based on its thematic content. Themes are represented as Topic Nodes in the mind map. It also produces a Synopsis and Detailed Summary of the document, and allows you to locate every paragraph that contains that theme.
Our partner Mindsystems has released the second and Business Edition of ThemeReader for $100 US. It’s a great product and incorporates Cirilab’s Knowledge Generation Engine technology, and works with XP, Vista, Word 2003 and 2007, WordPerfect X3, and the new MindManager 7. Free Trial. Give it a try!
http://www.mindsystems.com.au/products/themereader/business.htm
Word MindManager ThemeReader = Productivity Improvement
Arnold Villeneuve
Vice President
http://www.cirilab.com
http://knowledgeuser.typepad.com
I am a PhD student, recently stumbled upon this “mind mapping” idea, seems to be good for my work on organizing and creating ideas…
Could you please send me an invite to mind mindmeister too.. if invites still available.
thanks
A. Khan
University of Sydney
Great review, I loved it and bookmarked it in my blog dedicated to information visualization along with some review of PowerPoint, the other great visual tool for the knowledge worker. See
The url link tags didn’t work out … the address is http://www.uswim.net
Can I get a BETA invite? If you still have any.
Thanks!
Hi Guys,
I suggest taking a look at http://www.wisemapping.com.
Paulo
pls send me an invitation for mindmeister.
thanks
Thanks for a balanced overview of the 3 tools. I’m still trying to decide which to use in instructional settings and distributed team projects; I found your article very helpful.
I’d like a Beta invite to try MindMeister please. These are very interesting collaboration ideas.
Anthony
I POUNCED ON BUBBL.US FIRST. BEFORE REALISING THAT THE OTHER TWO WERE BETTER. BUT THIS IS A V.USEFUL ARTICLE. THANKS ^^
I’d like an invite for MindMeister please, if you have any left.
bubbl.us, mindmeister and mindomo are a good start. Here are some more browser-based applications that do mind mapping or concept mapping
comapping.com :- Collaborative (but, for people who like free-format mind mapping, rigid) left-to-right mind mapping
glinkr.net :- Concept mapping and mind mapping (shared but not collaborative)
mindmaps.kayuda.com :- Collaborative mind mapping and concept mapping
mappio.com :- Unusual mind mapper where the user edits indented text to change the mind map
mapul.com :- Collaborative mind mapping with an organic flavour
mind42.com :- Collaborative mind mapping
wikimindmap.org :- Make mind maps from WikiMedia articles
wisemapping.com :- Collaborative mind mapping
webofweb.net :- Collaborative mind mapping
Some of the diagramming tools can do it, as well:
cumulatelabs.com/cumulatedraw/ :- Collaborative diagramming – can draw mind maps and concept maps
flowchart.com :- Collaborative diagramming – can draw mind maps and concept maps
gliffy.com :- Collaborative diagramming – can draw mind maps and concept maps
thinkature.com :- Collaborative on-line whiteboard service – can draw mind maps and concept maps
Regards
Vic
The master list of mind mapping sites
i’d like to try the mindmeister beta if you still have some invitations to pass along. Thanks for the great review.
Hey Patrick – MindMeister went out of beta a while ago. You can just head over to http://www.mindmeister.com/ to sign up if you’re interested.
Do any of these mindmanagers allow you to download and run on a server. I am concerned about the security of the doscuments and would like to able to collaborate over a secure connection to my own server.
Mindomo looks a lot more organized and professional and is a better product because of it. The file folder view for maps is great. Both Mindmeister and Mindomo suffer from not offering drag and drop file attachments onto nodes in the web browser, they both involve lond winded upload processes. Mindomo wins with Mindmeister a close second IMO.
Hi, I would like an invite to use Mind Meister. Thanks!