Difference between revisions of "Free mind mapping (and related types) software"

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!width="180pt"|Licence
 
!width="180pt"|Licence
 
!width="120pt"|Platform
 
!width="120pt"|Platform
!width="150pt"|Screenshot
 
|-
 
| [http://www.inforapid.de/html/english.htm InfoRapid KnowledgeMap]
 
| mind maps
 
| Free with nag (private use)
 
| Windows
 
| [[Image:InfoRapidKnowledgeMap.jpg|thumb|right|InfoRapid KnowledgeMap screenshot]]
 
|-
 
| [http://my.lovelycharts.com/ Lovely Charts]
 
| diagrams
 
| Free limited option
 
| Web based
 
| [[Image:LovelyCharts.jpg|thumb|right|Lovely Charts screenshot]]
 
|-
 
| [http://www.mindmeister.com MindMeister]
 
| mind maps
 
| Free option with limitations
 
| Web based
 
| [[Image:MindMeister.jpg|thumb|right|MindMeister screenshot]]
 
|-
 
| [http://www.mindomo.com/ Mindomo]
 
| mind maps
 
| Free with ads: up to 7 maps
 
| Web based
 
| [[Image:Mindomo.jpg|thumb|right|Mindomo screenshot]]
 
|-
 
| [http://www.thebrain.com/ PersonalBrain]
 
|Concept maps
 
| Free (no attachments allowed)
 
|Windows, Mac
 
| [[Image:PersonalBrain.jpg|thumb|right|PersonalBrain screenshot]]
 
|-
 
| [http://prezi.com/ Prezi]
 
| presentations
 
| With the free option, all your content is public
 
| Web based
 
| [[Image:Prezi.jpg|thumb|right|Prezi screenshot]]
 
|-
 
| [http://www.wisdomap.com/ Wisdomap]
 
|mind maps
 
| Free for up to 3 maps
 
|Web based
 
| [[Image:Wisdomap.jpg|thumb|right|Wisdomap screenshot]]
 
|}
 
 
== Concept maps ==
 
The term 'Concept maps' is used rather loosely in this list to mean 'anything can connect to anything' in contrast with mind maps where there is a strong hierarchy and central topic.  For a proper definition please refer to the WikIT article on [[Concept maps]], [[How to make a concept map]] and [[Concept maps or mind maps? the choice]].
 
{| class="wikitable" style="background-color:#f8f8f8; border:1px solid darkgray;" cellpadding="10" border="1"
 
|-style="background-color:#eeeeee;"
 
!width="190pt"|Software
 
!width="170pt"|Licence
 
!width="110pt"|Platform
 
!width="150pt"|Screenshot
 
|-
 
| [http://www.topicscape.com/student-edition.php 3D Topicscape Student Edition]
 
| Free
 
| Windows
 
| [[Image:Topicscape_SE2.0.jpg|thumb|right|Topicscape SE screenshot]]
 
|-
 
| [http://www.bubbl.us Bubbl.us]
 
| Free
 
| Web based
 
| [[Image:Bubbl.us.jpg|thumb|right|Bubbl.us screenshot]]
 
|-
 
| [http://cayra.net/ Cayra]
 
| Free (Defunct but still available from download sites)
 
| Windows
 
| [[Image:Cayra.jpg|thumb|right|Cayra screenshot]]
 
|-
 
| [http://cmap.ihmc.us/ CmapTools]
 
| Free to personal, education and government users'''<nowiki>*</nowiki>'''
 
|Windows, Mac, Linux
 
| [[Image:Cmap.jpg|thumb|right|CmapTools screenshot]]
 
|-
 
| [http://www.coffee-soft.org/home.aspx CoFFEE]
 
| Free
 
| Windows, Mac, Linux
 
| [[Image:CoFFEE.jpg|thumb|right|CoFFEE screenshot]]
 
|-
 
| [http://compendium.open.ac.uk/institute Compendium]
 
| Free
 
| Windows, Mac, Linux
 
| [[Image:Compendium.jpg|thumb|right|Compendium screenshot]]
 
|-
 
| [http://www.conzilla.org/wiki/Overview/Main Conzilla]
 
| Free
 
| Windows, Mac, Linux
 
| [[Image:Conzilla.jpg|thumb|right|Conzilla screenshot]]
 
|-
 
| [http://www.glinkr.net/ Glinkr]
 
| Free
 
| Web based
 
| [[Image:Glinkr.jpg|thumb|right|Glinkr screenshot]]
 
|-
 
| [http://hypergraph.sourceforge.net/ Hypergraph]
 
| Free
 
| Web based
 
| [[Image:Hypergraph.jpg|thumb|right|Hypergraph screenshot]]
 
|-
 
| [http://www.gnome.org/~dscorgie/labyrinth.html Labyrinth]
 
| Free
 
| Linux
 
| [[Image:Labyrinth.jpg|thumb|right|Labyrinth screenshot]]
 
|-
 
| [http://www2.ucsc.edu/mlrg/mlrgtools.html LifeMap]
 
| Free
 
| Mac
 
| [[Image:LifeMap.jpg|thumb|right|LifeMap screenshot]]
 
|-
 
| [http://www.visuwords.com/ Visuwords]
 
| Free
 
| Web based
 
| [[Image:Visuwords.jpg|thumb|right|Visuwords screenshot]]
 
|-
 
| [http://vue.uit.tufts.edu/index.cfm VUE (Visual Understanding Environment)]
 
| Free
 
| Windows, Mac, Linux
 
| [[Image:VUE.jpg|thumb|right|VUE screenshot]]
 
|}
 
'''<nowiki>*</nowiki>'''Some people find navigating the '''Cmap''' site idiosycratic -- the interface is a little unusual -- so here's the skinny:
 
:*Under most of the concept boxes there's a small icon
 
:*hover over that and you will see a text link just below
 
:*click on it.
 
:*Some links are to other very similar looking Cmaps, so you may think that it's linked back to the same page.  It hasn't. 
 
:*Still lost, here to speed you on your way is the [http://cmap.ihmc.us/download/ download link for Cmap].
 
 
== Development platforms for map forms ==
 
These are programs that allow you to build programs that make information maps.  One stage removed from the end-user software that most visual thinkers use.  Because they are flexible, picking one representative screenshot is impossible.  It is best to visit the sites to see the full scope of some of these, which can make an amazing range of map types.
 
{| class="wikitable" style="background-color:#f8f8f8; border:1px solid darkgray;" cellpadding="10" border="1"
 
|- style="background-color:#eeeeee;"
 
!width="190pt"|Software
 
!width="170pt"|Licence
 
!width="110pt"|Platform
 
!width="150pt"|Screenshot
 
|-
 
| [http://www.creativesynthesis.net/blog/projects/graph-gear/ Graph Gear]
 
| Free
 
| Web based
 
| [[Image:GraphGear.jpg|thumb|right|Graph Gear screenshot]]
 
|-
 
| [http://jgraph.com/ JGraph]
 
| Free option
 
| Windows, Mac, Linux
 
| [[Image:JGraph.jpg|thumb|right|JGraph screenshot]]
 
|-
 
| [http://www.jsviz.org/ JSViz]
 
| Free
 
| Web based
 
| [[Image:JSViz.jpg|thumb|right|JSViz screenshot]]
 
|-
 
| [http://prefuse.org/gallery/ Prefuse]
 
| Free (please visit the gallery! One thumbnail most inadequate)
 
| Windows, Mac, Linux
 
| [[Image:Prefuse.jpg|thumb|right|Prefuse screenshot]]
 
|-
 
| [http://genie.sis.pitt.edu/ GeNIe & SMILE]
 
| Free
 
| Windows, Mac, Linux
 
| [[Image:SMILE.jpg|thumb|right|SMILE screenshot]]
 
|-
 
| [http://www.pantha.net/index.php?NodeID=2 transLucid]
 
| Free
 
| Web based
 
| [[Image:transLucid.jpg|thumb|right|transLucid screenshot]]
 
|-
 
| [http://www.yworks.com/en/index.html yEd]
 
| Free
 
| Windows, Mac, Linux
 
| [[Image:yEd.jpg|thumb|right|yEd screenshot]]
 
|}
 
 
== Diagrams, Flowcharts ==
 
These applications can be used to make mind maps and concept maps, but they are mostly equipped to make more general diagrams and do not have features that support mind or concept maps specifically.
 
{| class="wikitable" style="background-color:#f8f8f8; border:1px solid darkgray;" cellpadding="10" border="1"
 
|- style="background-color:#eeeeee;"
 
!width="190pt"|Software
 
!width="170pt"|Licence
 
!width="110pt"|Platform
 
!width="150pt"|Screenshot
 
|-
 
| [http://creately.com/ Creately]
 
| Free &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
 
| Web based
 
| [[Image:CreatelyScreenShotWiki.png|thumb|right|Creately screenshot]]
 
|-
 
| [http://live.gnome.org/Dia Dia]
 
| Free
 
| Windows, Linux, Unix
 
| [[Image:Dia.jpg|thumb|right|Dia screenshot]]
 
|-
 
| [http://www.drawanywhere.com/ DrawAnywhere]
 
| Free
 
| Web based
 
| [[Image:DrawAnywhere.jpg|thumb|right|DrawAnywhere screenshot]]
 
|-
 
| [http://www.gliffy.com/ Gliffy]
 
| Free
 
| Web based
 
| [[Image:Gliffy.jpg|thumb|right|Gliffy screenshot]]
 
|-
 
| [http://www.graphviz.org/ GraphViz]
 
| Free
 
| Mac, Linux
 
| [[Image:GraphViz.jpg|thumb|right|GraphViz screenshot]]
 
|-
 
| [http://www.imaginationcubed.com/LaunchPage ImaginationCubed]
 
| Free
 
| Web based
 
| [[Image:ImaginationCubed.jpg|thumb|right|ImaginationCubed screenshot]]
 
|-
 
| [http://thinkature.com/ Thinkature]
 
| Free
 
| Web based
 
| [[Image:Thinkature.jpg|thumb|right|Thinkature screenshot]]
 
|-
 
| [http://draw.labs.autodesk.com/ADDraw/draw.html Project Draw]
 
| Free for non-commercial use
 
|Web based
 
| [[Image:ProjectDraw.jpg|thumb|right|Project Draw screenshot]]
 
|-
 
| [http://www.dabbleboard.com/draw Dabbleboard]
 
| Free option
 
|Web based
 
| [[Image:Dabbleboard.jpg|thumb|right|Dabbleboard screenshot]]
 
|-
 
| [http://www.yworks.com/en/index.html yEd]
 
| Free
 
| Windows, Mac, Linux
 
| [[Image:yEdDG.jpg|thumb|right|yEd screenshot]]
 
|}
 
 
== Hyperbolic trees ==
 
{| class="wikitable" style="background-color:#f8f8f8; border:1px solid darkgray;" cellpadding="10" border="1"
 
|- style="background-color:#eeeeee;"
 
!width="190pt"|Software
 
!width="170pt"|Licence
 
!width="110pt"|Platform
 
!width="150pt"|Screenshot
 
|-
 
| [http://www.graphviz.org/ GraphViz]
 
| Free &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
 
| Mac, Linux
 
| [[Image:GraphViz.jpg|thumb|right|GraphViz screenshot]]
 
|-
 
| [http://hypergraph.sourceforge.net/ Hypergraph]
 
| Free
 
| Web based
 
| [[Image:Hypergraph.jpg|thumb|right|Hypergraph screenshot]]
 
|-
 
| [http://www.randelshofer.ch/treeviz/index.html Treeviz]
 
| Free
 
| Windows, Mac, Linux
 
| [[Image:Treeviz.jpg|thumb|right|Treeviz screenshot]]
 
|-
 
| [http://www.yworks.com/en/index.html yEd]
 
| Free
 
| Windows, Mac, Linux
 
| [[Image:yEdHT.jpg|thumb|right|yEd screenshot]]
 
|}
 
 
== Information & knowledge management ==
 
{| class="wikitable" style="background-color:#f8f8f8; border:1px solid darkgray;" cellpadding="10" border="1"
 
|- style="background-color:#eeeeee;"
 
!width="190pt"|Software
 
!width="170pt"|Licence
 
!width="110pt"|Platform
 
!width="150pt"|Screenshot
 
|-
 
| [http://www.topicscape.com/student-edition.php 3D Topicscape Student Edition]
 
| Free
 
| Windows
 
| [[Image:Topicscape_SE2.0.jpg|thumb|right|Topicscape SE screenshot]]
 
|-
 
| [http://www.eyeplorer.com/eyePlorer/ eyePlorer]
 
| Free &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
 
| Web based
 
| [[Image:eyePlorer.jpg|thumb|right|eyePlorer screenshot]]
 
|-
 
| [http://www.creativesynthesis.net/blog/projects/graph-gear/ Graph Gear]
 
| Free
 
| Web based
 
| [[Image:GraphGear.jpg|thumb|right|Graph Gear screenshot]]
 
|-
 
| [http://www.jsviz.org/ JSViz]
 
| Free
 
| Web based
 
| [[Image:JSViz.jpg|thumb|right|JSViz screenshot]]
 
|-
 
| [http://protege.stanford.edu/overview/protege-frames.html Protégé-Frames (protege)]
 
| Free
 
| Windows, Mac, Linux
 
| [[Image:Protege-frames.jpg|thumb|right|Protégé-Frames screenshot]]
 
|-
 
| [http://protege.stanford.edu/overview/protege-owl.html Protégé-OWL (protege)]
 
| Free
 
| Windows, Mac, Linux
 
| [[Image:Protege-OWL.jpg|thumb|right|Protégé-OWL screenshot]]
 
|-
 
| [http://freshmeat.net/projects/xebece/ Xebece] '''<nowiki>+</nowiki>'''
 
| Free
 
| Windows, Mac, Linux
 
| [[Image:Xebece.jpg|thumb|right|Xebece screenshot]]
 
|-
 
| [http://www.visuwords.com/ Visuwords]
 
| Free
 
| Web based
 
| [[Image:Visuwords.jpg|thumb|right|Visuwords screenshot]]
 
|}
 
'''<nowiki>+</nowiki>'''Xebece was previously known as Calientra or Ontographics
 
 
== Maps of Arguments, Belief, Idea support, Debates, Decisions and Influence ==
 
{| class="wikitable" style="background-color:#f8f8f8; border:1px solid darkgray;" cellpadding="10" border="1"
 
|- style="background-color:#eeeeee;"
 
!width="190pt"|Software
 
!width="170pt"|Licence
 
!width="110pt"|Platform
 
!width="150pt"|Screenshot
 
|-
 
| [http://www.argunet.org/ Argunet]
 
| Free &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
 
| Web based or desktop
 
| [[Image:Argunet.jpg|thumb|right|Argunet screenshot]]
 
|-
 
| [http://cohere.open.ac.uk/ Cohere]
 
| Free
 
| Web based
 
| [[Image:Cohere.JPG|thumb|right|Cohere screenshot]]
 
|-
 
| [http://debategraph.org/ Debategraph]
 
| Free
 
| Web based
 
| [[Image:Debategraph.jpg|thumb|right|Debategraph screenshot]]
 
|-
 
| [http://prefuse.org/ Prefuse]
 
| Free
 
| Windows, Mac, Linux
 
| [[Image:Prefuse.jpg|thumb|right|Prefuse screenshot]]
 
|}
 
 
== Mind maps ==
 
The term 'Mind maps' is used rather loosely in this list to mean supporting a central topic form with a hierarchy around it.  For better definitions, and explanations of a term that is used in widely different ways, see other articles here, such as [[What is a mind map?]], [[How to make a mind map]], [[Buzan's mind map guidelines in practical use]], and [[Concept maps or mind maps? the choice]].
 
{| class="wikitable" style="background-color:#f8f8f8; border:1px solid darkgray;" cellpadding="10" border="1"
 
|- style="background-color:#eeeeee;"
 
!width="190pt"|Software
 
!width="170pt"|Licence
 
!width="110pt"|Platform
 
!width="150pt"|Screenshot
 
|-
 
| [http://www.topicscape.com/student-edition.php 3D Topicscape Student Edition]
 
| Free
 
| Windows
 
| [[Image:Topicscape_SE2.0.jpg|thumb|right|Topicscape SE screenshot]]
 
|-
 
| [http://bookvar.net/ Bookvar]
 
| Free
 
| Windows
 
| [[Image:Bookvar.jpg|thumb|right|Bookvar screenshot]]
 
|-
 
| [http://cayra.net/ Cayra]
 
| Free (Defunct but still [http://download.cnet.com/Cayra/3000-2076_4-10777905.html available from download sites])
 
|Windows
 
| [[Image:Cayra.jpg|thumb|right|Cayra screenshot]]
 
|-
 
| [http://code.google.com/p/chartr/ CharTr]
 
| Free
 
| Linux
 
| [[Image:CharTr.jpg|thumb|right|CharTr screenshot]]
 
|-
 
| [http://creately.com/ Creately]
 
| Free
 
| Web-based
 
| [[Image:CreatelyScreenShotMindMap.png|thumb|right|Creately Mindmap screenshot]]
 
|-
 
| [http://en.ekpenso.com/ Ekpenso]
 
| Free
 
| Adobe Air, Web based, Google Gears
 
| [[Image:Ekpenso.jpg|thumb|right|Ekpenso screenshot]]
 
|-
 
| [http://freemind.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php/Main_Page FreeMind]
 
| Free
 
| Windows, Mac, Linux
 
| [[Image:FreeMind.jpg|thumb|right|FreeMind screenshot]]
 
|-
 
| [http://sourceforge.net/projects/freeplane/ Freeplane]
 
| Free and in beta version (as at November 2009).  For now, files are compatible with FreeMind, so the screenshot is the FreeMind example.
 
| Windows, Mac, Linux
 
| [[Image:Freeplane.jpg|thumb|right|Freeplane screenshot]]
 
|-
 
| [http://www.gliffy.com/ Gliffy]
 
| Free
 
| Web based
 
| [[Image:Gliffy.jpg|thumb|right|Gliffy screenshot]]
 
|-
 
| [http://www.glinkr.net/ Glinkr]
 
| Free
 
| Web based
 
| [[Image:Glinkr.jpg|thumb|right|Glinkr screenshot]]
 
|-
 
| [http://hypergraph.sourceforge.net/ Hypergraph]
 
| Free
 
| Web based
 
| [[Image:Hypergraph.jpg|thumb|right|Hypergraph screenshot]]
 
|-
 
| [http://freehackers.org/~tnagy/kdissert.html Kdissert]
 
| Free
 
| Linux
 
| [[Image:Kdissert.jpg|thumb|right|Kdissert screenshot]]
 
|-
 
| [http://www.mind42.com/ Mind42]
 
| Free
 
| Web based
 
| [[Image:Mind42.jpg|thumb|right|Mind42 screenshot]]
 
|-
 
| [http://eric-blue.com/projects/mindmapviewer/ Mind Map Viewer (Eric Blue)]
 
| Free
 
| Web based, for MindManager files
 
| [[Image:MindMapViewer.jpg|thumb|right|Mind Map Viewer screenshot]]
 
|-
 
| [http://www.mindnode.com/ MindNode]
 
| Free
 
| Mac
 
| [[Image:MindNode.jpg|thumb|right|MindNode screenshot]]
 
|-
 
| [http://mindraider.sourceforge.net/ MindRaider]
 
| Free
 
| Windows, Linux
 
| [[Image:MindRaider.jpg|thumb|right|MindRaider screenshot]]
 
|-
 
| [http://www.kde-apps.org/content/show.php?content=55242 Semantik]
 
| Free
 
| Linux
 
| [[Image:Semantik.jpg|thumb|right|Semantik screenshot]]
 
|-
 
| [http://www.text2mindmap.com/ Text2Mindmap]
 
| Free
 
| Web based
 
| [[Image:Text2Mindmap.jpg|thumb|right|Text2Mindmap screenshot]]
 
|-
 
| [http://thinkature.com/ Thinkature]
 
| Free
 
| Web based
 
| [[Image:Thinkature.jpg|thumb|right|Thinkature screenshot]]
 
|-
 
| [http://www.thinkgraph.com/english/index.htm ThinkGraph]
 
| Free
 
| Windows
 
| [[Image:ThinkGraph.jpg|thumb|right|ThinkGraph screenshot]]
 
|-
 
| [http://thoughtex.net Thoughtex]
 
| Free
 
| Windows
 
| [[Image:Thoughtex.jpg|thumb|right|Thoughtex screenshot]]
 
|-
 
| [http://upsilon.cc/~zack/blog/posts/2006/10/tomboy_mindmap/ Tomboy mindmap]
 
| Free
 
| Linux
 
| [[Image:Tomboy-mindmap.jpg|thumb|right|Tomboy screenshot]]
 
|-
 
| [https://sourceforge.net/projects/vym/ VYM (View Your Mind)]
 
| Free
 
| Windows, Mac, Linux
 
| [[Image:VYM.jpg|thumb|right|VYM screenshot]]
 
|-
 
| [http://www.wikimindmap.org/ WikiMindMap]
 
| Free
 
| Web based tool to map Wikipedia topics
 
| [[Image:WikiMindMap.jpg|thumb|right|WikiMindMap screenshot]]
 
|-
 
| [http://www.webofweb.net WoW (Web of Web)]
 
| Free
 
| Web based
 
| [[Image:WoW.jpg|thumb|right|WoW screenshot]]
 
|-
 
| [http://freshmeat.net/projects/xebece/ Xebece] '''<nowiki>+</nowiki>'''
 
| Free
 
| Windows, Mac, Linux
 
| [[Image:Xebece.jpg|thumb|right|Xebece screenshot]]
 
|-
 
| [http://www.xmind.net/ Xmind]
 
| Free option
 
|Web based
 
| [[Image:XMind.jpg|thumb|right|XMind screenshot]]
 
|-
 
| [http://www.xwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/Code/MindMap?language=en XWiki MindMap]
 
| Free
 
| Windows, Mac, Linux
 
| [[Image:XWiki.jpg|thumb|right|XWiki screenshot]]
 
|}
 
'''<nowiki>+</nowiki>'''Xebece was formerly known as Calientra or Ontographics
 
 
== Ontologies and Taxonomies ==
 
{| class="wikitable" style="background-color:#f8f8f8; border:1px solid darkgray;" cellpadding="10" border="1"
 
|- style="background-color:#eeeeee;"
 
!width="190pt"|Software
 
!width="170pt"|Licence
 
!width="110pt"|Platform
 
!width="150pt"|Screenshot
 
|-
 
| [http://www.thechiselgroup.org/jambalaya Jambalaya]
 
| Free &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
 
| Windows, Mac, Linux
 
| [[Image:Jambalaya.jpg|thumb|right|Jambalaya screenshot]]
 
|-
 
| [http://protege.stanford.edu/overview/protege-owl.html Protégé-OWL (protege)]
 
| Free
 
| Windows, Mac, Linux
 
| [[Image:Protege-OWL.jpg|thumb|right|Protégé-OWL screenshot]]
 
|-
 
| [http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2105/8/460 Dendroscope]
 
| Free
 
| Windows, Mac, Linux
 
| [[Image:Dendroscope.jpg|thumb|right|Dendroscope screenshot]]
 
|}
 
 
== Presentations ==
 
{| class="wikitable" style="background-color:#f8f8f8; border:1px solid darkgray;" cellpadding="10" border="1"
 
|- style="background-color:#eeeeee;"
 
!width="190pt"|Software
 
!width="170pt"|Licence
 
!width="110pt"|Platform
 
!width="150pt"|Screenshot
 
|-
 
| [http://vue.uit.tufts.edu/index.cfm VUE (Visual Understanding<br> Environment)]
 
| Free
 
| Windows, Mac, Linux
 
| [[Image:VUE.jpg|thumb|right|VUE screenshot]]
 
|}
 
== Treemaps ==
 
{| class="wikitable" style="background-color:#f8f8f8; border:1px solid darkgray;" cellpadding="10" border="1"
 
|- style="background-color:#eeeeee;"
 
!width="190pt"|Software
 
!width="170pt"|Licence
 
!width="110pt"|Platform
 
!width="150pt"|Screenshot
 
|-
 
| [http://treesheets.com/ TreeSheets]
 
| Free
 
| Windows, Mac, Linux
 
| [[Image:Treesheets.jpg|thumb|right|TreeSheets screenshot]]
 
|-
 
| [http://www.randelshofer.ch/treeviz/index.html Treeviz]
 
| Free
 
| Windows, Mac, Linux
 
| [[Image:Treeviz.jpg|thumb|right|Treeviz screenshot]]
 
|}
 
 
== Whiteboard ==
 
For collaboration in a free-form visual thinking space.
 
{| class="wikitable" style="background-color:#f8f8f8; border:1px solid darkgray;" cellpadding="10" border="1"
 
|- style="background-color:#eeeeee;"
 
!width="190pt"|Software
 
!width="170pt"|Licence
 
!width="110pt"|Platform
 
!width="150pt"|Screenshot
 
|-
 
| [http://www.imaginationcubed.com/LaunchPage ImaginationCubed]
 
| Free
 
| Web based.
 
| [[Image:ImaginationCubed.jpg|thumb|right|ImaginationCubed screenshot]]
 
|-
 
| [http://thinkature.com/ Thinkature]
 
| Free
 
| Web based.
 
| [[Image:Thinkature.jpg|thumb|right|Thinkature screenshot]]
 
|}
 
== Wiki-related ==
 
Visual tools specifically designed for use with wikis.
 
{| class="wikitable" style="background-color:#f8f8f8; border:1px solid darkgray;" cellpadding="10" border="1"
 
|- style="background-color:#eeeeee;"
 
!width="190pt"|Software
 
!width="170pt"|Licence
 
!width="110pt"|Platform
 
!width="150pt"|Screenshot
 
|-
 
| [http://mindraider.sourceforge.net/ MindRaider]
 
| Free
 
| Linux, Windows
 
| [[Image:MindRaider.jpg|thumb|right|MindRaider screenshot]]
 
|-
 
| [http://sourceforge.net/projects/ppqwiki/ QwikiWiki]
 
| Free
 
| Any supporting Python
 
| No QwikiWiki screenshot found on the web, but it uses FreeMind to create Wiki-based mind maps, so would probably look much like the sample for QwikWiki.
 
|-
 
| [http://code.xwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/Macros/MindMapMacro XWiki MindMap]
 
| Free
 
| Web based
 
| [[Image:XWiki.jpg|thumb|right|XWiki screenshot]]
 
|}
 
 
= With significant limitations in Free version =
 
This is software for which a free version is available but with significant limitations when compared to the full version:
 
{| class="wikitable" style="background-color:#f8f8f8; border:1px solid darkgray;" cellpadding="10" border="1"
 
|- style="background-color:#eeeeee;"
 
!width="190pt"|Software
 
! Type
 
!width="170pt"|Licence
 
!width="110pt"|Platform
 
 
!width="150pt"|Screenshot
 
!width="150pt"|Screenshot
 
|-
 
|-

Revision as of 03:21, 21 July 2010

The general policy of WikIT is not to deal with mind mapping software (see Policies of WikIT) because this is first and foremost a wiki about information maps and visual aids to thinking. It covers what they are, how to use them, which type to choose when, and how to make them.

But there are regular inquiries on Twitter and in forums about free mind mapping software, so to provide answers, InformationTamers have put together this list. We built this article, with permission, using the most complete source for details of information mapping software on the Web: Mind-mapping.org. Hat tip to Vic Gee who put Mind-mapping.org together and keeps it up to date.

Mind-mapping.org has a good capability for selecting software by map type and operating system (click on the ‘Refine software list’ tab at the top right of its web page), and shows the price. Unfortunately, it doesn’t allow you to filter on price or choose to see only the free ones. This article is therefore a quick list to current software that is free or has a free option. It excludes applications that have a time limit on their operation, for example, free trial software or web applications.

“Free” here is as in beer, not in freedom, though some of the software listed is open source, so is free in both senses.

Of course a pencil and paper is always free – or almost.

3D concept and mind maps[edit]

Software Licence Platform Screenshot
3D Topicscape Student Edition Free Windows
Topicscape SE screenshot
Conspicio Mindmapper Free Windows
Conspicio screenshot
Morcego 3D Network Browser Free                                                                                 Windows, Mac, Linux
Morcego screenshot

Concept maps[edit]

The term ‘Concept maps’ is used rather loosely in this list to mean ‘anything can connect to anything’ in contrast with mind maps where there is a strong hierarchy and central topic. For a proper definition please refer to the WikIT article on Concept maps, How to make a concept map and Concept maps or mind maps? the choice.

Software Licence Platform Screenshot
3D Topicscape Student Edition Free Windows
Topicscape SE screenshot
Bubbl.us Free Web based
Bubbl.us screenshot
Cayra Free (Defunct but still available from download sites) Windows
Cayra screenshot
CmapTools Free to personal, education and government users* Windows, Mac, Linux
CmapTools screenshot
CoFFEE Free Windows, Mac, Linux
CoFFEE screenshot
Compendium Free Windows, Mac, Linux
Compendium screenshot
Conzilla Free Windows, Mac, Linux
Conzilla screenshot
Glinkr Free Web based
Glinkr screenshot
Hypergraph Free Web based
Hypergraph screenshot
Labyrinth Free Linux
Labyrinth screenshot
LifeMap Free Mac
LifeMap screenshot
Southbeach Modeller Free Windows
Visuwords Free Web based
Visuwords screenshot
VUE (Visual Understanding Environment) Free Windows, Mac, Linux
VUE screenshot

*Some people find navigating the Cmap site idiosycratic – the interface is a little unusual – so here’s the skinny:

  • Under most of the concept boxes there’s a small icon
  • hover over that and you will see a text link just below
  • click on it.
  • Some links are to other very similar looking Cmaps, so you may think that it’s linked back to the same page. It hasn’t.
  • Still lost, here to speed you on your way is the download link for Cmap.

Development platforms for map forms[edit]

These are programs that allow you to build programs that make information maps. One stage removed from the end-user software that most visual thinkers use. Because they are flexible, picking one representative screenshot is impossible. It is best to visit the sites to see the full scope of some of these, which can make an amazing range of map types.

Software Licence Platform Screenshot
Graph Gear Free Web based
Graph Gear screenshot
JGraph Free option Windows, Mac, Linux
JGraph screenshot
JSViz Free Web based
JSViz screenshot
Prefuse Free (please visit the gallery! One thumbnail most inadequate) Windows, Mac, Linux
Prefuse screenshot
GeNIe & SMILE Free Windows, Mac, Linux
SMILE screenshot
transLucid Free Web based
transLucid screenshot
yEd Free Windows, Mac, Linux
yEd screenshot

Diagrams, Flowcharts[edit]

These applications can be used to make mind maps and concept maps, but they are mostly equipped to make more general diagrams and do not have features that support mind or concept maps specifically.

Software Licence Platform Screenshot
Creately Free Web based
Dia Free Windows, Linux, Unix
Dia screenshot
DrawAnywhere Free Web based
DrawAnywhere screenshot
Gliffy Free Web based
Gliffy screenshot
GraphViz Free Mac, Linux
GraphViz screenshot
ImaginationCubed Free Web based
ImaginationCubed screenshot
Thinkature Free Web based
Thinkature screenshot
Project Draw Free for non-commercial use Web based
Project Draw screenshot
Dabbleboard Free option Web based
Dabbleboard screenshot
yEd Free                                                                                 Windows, Mac, Linux
yEd screenshot

Hyperbolic trees[edit]

Software Licence Platform Screenshot
GraphViz Free                                                                                 Mac, Linux
GraphViz screenshot
Hypergraph Free Web based
Hypergraph screenshot
Treeviz Free Windows, Mac, Linux
Treeviz screenshot
yEd Free Windows, Mac, Linux
yEd screenshot

Information & knowledge management[edit]

Software Licence Platform Screenshot
3D Topicscape Student Edition Free                                                                                 Windows
Topicscape SE screenshot
eyePlorer Free Web based
eyePlorer screenshot
Graph Gear Free Web based
Graph Gear screenshot
JSViz Free Web based
JSViz screenshot
Protégé-Frames (protege) Free Windows, Mac, Linux
Protégé-Frames screenshot
Protégé-OWL (protege) Free Windows, Mac, Linux
Protégé-OWL screenshot
Xebece + Free Windows, Mac, Linux
Xebece screenshot
Visuwords Free Web based
Visuwords screenshot

+Xebece was previously known as Calientra or Ontographics

Maps of Arguments, Belief, Idea support, Debates, Decisions and Influence[edit]

Software Licence Platform Screenshot
Argunet Free                                                                                 Web based or desktop
Argunet screenshot
Cohere Free Web based
Cohere screenshot
Debategraph Free Web based
Debategraph screenshot
Prefuse Free Windows, Mac, Linux
Prefuse screenshot

Mind maps[edit]

The term ‘Mind maps’ is used rather loosely in this list to mean supporting a central topic form with a hierarchy around it. For better definitions, and explanations of a term that is used in widely different ways, see other articles here, such as What is a mind map?, How to make a mind map, Buzan’s mind map guidelines in practical use, and Concept maps or mind maps? the choice.

Software Licence Platform Screenshot
3D Topicscape Student Edition Free Windows
Topicscape SE screenshot
Bookvar Free Windows
Bookvar screenshot
Cayra Free (Defunct but still available from download sites) Windows
Cayra screenshot
CharTr Free Linux
CharTr screenshot
Creately Free Web-based
File:CreatelyScreenShotMindMap.png
Creately Mindmap screenshot
Ekpenso Free Adobe Air, Web based, Google Gears
Ekpenso screenshot
FreeMind Free Windows, Mac, Linux
FreeMind screenshot
Freeplane Free For now, files are compatible with FreeMind, so the screenshot is the FreeMind example. Windows, Mac, Linux
Freeplane screenshot
Gliffy Free Web based
Gliffy screenshot
Glinkr Free Web based
Glinkr screenshot
Hypergraph Free Web based
Hypergraph screenshot
Kdissert Free Linux
Kdissert screenshot
Mind42 Free Web based
Mind42 screenshot
Mind Map Viewer (Eric Blue) Free Web based, for MindManager files
Mind Map Viewer screenshot
MindNode Free Mac
MindNode screenshot
MindRaider Free Windows, Linux
MindRaider screenshot
Semantik Free Linux
Semantik screenshot
Text2Mindmap Free Web based
Text2Mindmap screenshot
Thinkature Free Web based
Thinkature screenshot
ThinkGraph Free Windows
ThinkGraph screenshot
Thoughtex Free Windows
Thoughtex screenshot
Tomboy mindmap Free Linux
Tomboy screenshot
VYM (View Your Mind) Free Windows, Mac, Linux
VYM screenshot
WikiMindMap Free Web based tool to map Wikipedia topics
WikiMindMap screenshot
WoW (Web of Web) Free Web based
WoW screenshot
Xebece + Free Windows, Mac, Linux
Xebece screenshot
Xmind Free option Web based
XMind screenshot
XWiki MindMap Free Windows, Mac, Linux
XWiki screenshot

+Xebece was formerly known as Calientra or Ontographics

Ontologies and Taxonomies[edit]

Software Licence Platform Screenshot
Jambalaya Free                                                                                 Windows, Mac, Linux
Jambalaya screenshot
Protégé-OWL (protege) Free Windows, Mac, Linux
Protégé-OWL screenshot
Dendroscope Free Windows, Mac, Linux
Dendroscope screenshot

Presentations[edit]

Software Licence Platform Screenshot
VUE (Visual Understanding
Environment)
Free                                                                                 Windows, Mac, Linux
VUE screenshot

Treemaps[edit]

Software Licence Platform Screenshot
TreeSheets Free                                                                                 Windows, Mac, Linux
TreeSheets screenshot
Treeviz Free Windows, Mac, Linux
Treeviz screenshot

Whiteboard[edit]

For collaboration in a free-form visual thinking space.

Software Licence Platform Screenshot
ImaginationCubed Free                                                                                 Web based.
ImaginationCubed screenshot
Thinkature Free Web based.
Thinkature screenshot

Wiki-related[edit]

Visual tools specifically designed for use with wikis.

Software Licence Platform Screenshot
MindRaider Free                                                                                 Linux, Windows
MindRaider screenshot
QwikiWiki Free Any supporting Python No screenshot found.
Uses FreeMind to create mind
maps, so see FreeMind.
XWiki MindMap Free Web based
XWiki screenshot

With significant limitations in Free version[edit]

This is software for which a free version is available but with significant limitations when compared to the full version:

Software Type Licence Platform Screenshot
InfoRapid KnowledgeMap mind maps Free with nag (private use) Windows
InfoRapid KnowledgeMap screenshot
Lovely Charts diagrams Free limited option Web based
Lovely Charts screenshot
MindMeister mind maps Free option with limitations Web based
MindMeister screenshot
Mindomo mind maps Free with ads: up to 7 maps Web based
Mindomo screenshot
PersonalBrain Concept maps Free (no attachments allowed) Windows, Mac
PersonalBrain screenshot
Prezi presentations With the free option, all your content is public Web based
Prezi screenshot
Wisdomap mind maps Free for up to 3 maps Web based
Wisdomap screenshot