Top 10 Free Xmind Alternatives for Data Visualization in 2024
Xmind is a multiplatform mind mapping and brainstorming tool. It bills itself as a "full-featured app that, like a Swiss army knife, offers a complete toolset for thinking and creativity. This app has over 100 million installations, a testament to how good it is.
But what if you don't like Xmind? Perhaps it does not have something that you consider very important. You could be looking for a great alternative. And you have come to the right place. Here are the 10 best Xmind alternatives in 2023.
Why Look for an Xmind Alternative
Xmind is one of the most popular apps for data visualization. It is cross-platform, so that's expected. The app offers so many useful features that let you create mind maps and such with ease. However, the application is neither perfect nor irreplaceable. Xmind comes with some limitations that may turn you off.
Three things come to mind. One, there are no free plans available. Two, large mind maps can take a while to load. Three, Xmind lacks project management features. So it is not suited for agile and scrum teams.
Best Xmind Alternatives
Here are the 10 best Xmind alternatives in 2023.
| 1 - Wondershare Mockitt | 2 - Freemind |
| 3 - Taskade | 4 - ThinkComposer |
| 5 - MindManager | 6 - MindMup |
| 7 - Creately | 8 - Mindomo |
| 9 - Bubbl.us | 10 - EdrawMind |
1 - Wondershare Mockitt
Wondershare Mockitt is one of the most reliable design, prototype, and diagram-creation tools. It offers a lot of useful features for data visualization. And the visuals are outstanding, as Mockitt lets you create picture-perfect icons and vectors for your mind maps.
Key Features:
- Different shapes and icons for mind mapping
- Insert images into mind maps
- Stock Library
- Personal and Team Libraries
- Add notes and annotations to mind maps
- Comments
- Collaboration tools
- Themes
Pros
Super easy to use.
Available on different platforms
Includes collaboration tools
Stock library with lots of resources
Lets you create dynamic mind maps
Cons
The mind mapping feature is only free for a limited time
G2 Rating: A user wrote a review on G2, saying that Wondershare Mockitt is "definitely a game-changer app." They loved how you could make custom libraries and share them with each other. This user gave the app 5 out of 5 stars.
2 - Freemind
Freemind is a free mind mapping and productivity tool. This piece of software doesn't just let you create mind maps. It also improves your efficiency.
Freemind's biggest strength is the folding feature, which lets you hide and unhide the things connected to a node with one click. It allows you have a clear view of your mind map.
Key Features:
- Built-in colors, icons, and fonts
- Export mind map to HTML
- Insert links
- Smart drag and drop
Pros
100% free mind mapping tool
The folding feature makes Freemind very convenient to use.
Switching to another mind-mapping program is easy. Mind maps are stored in XML format. Programmers will find it easy to write a conversion program.
Cons
The image files you add to the mind map should be on your device when you open the mind map. Otherwise, the image will not show.
Freemind does not have collaboration tools.
Fancy graphics are not much supported.
Sometimes, opening links and files from the mind map does not work.
3 - Taskade
Taskade is an app that lets you "build a second brain for your team." It has various task management and diagramming features. Its mind mapping feature is robust. There are templates you can use to set up a mind map quickly.
Key Features:
- Nodes
- List, Board, Org chart, and Mind Map views
- Built-in calendar
- Assign tasks and set due dates
- Comments
- Share files with your team
- Chat and call
- Mentions
- Templates
Pros
Offers robust collaboration tools
Mind maps made with Taskade double as planners/schedulers.
Includes a messaging feature
The mind maps are stunning.
Cons
No theme customization options
Free for only 30 days.
G2 Rating: One user left a review of Taskade on G2. She said Taskade is the best organizational tool for her goals. The user liked how you can work with your team, call them, and make mind maps for brainstorming. She gave the app 5 stars.
4 - ThinkComposer
ThinkComposer is a tool that lets you create expressive, advanced mind maps, concept maps, and flowcharts. The best thing about it is how it lets you have child diagrams for your ideas. It's especially handy when tackling vast subjects.
Key Features:
- Define your nodes and connectors.
- Insert attachments, tables, links, and custom fields.
- Add child diagrams for ideas.
- Generate reports for the document and export them to PDF, XPS, or HTML.
- Collapse or expand ideas' supertrees or subtrees
- Add markers
- Add notes, legends, call-outs, stamps, and rich description
Pros
Free
It has a lot of useful features
Easy to use
It lets you add diagrams inside your diagrams
Cons
ThinkComposer has not been updated since 2015
Does not have collaboration tools
5 - MindManager
MindManager is an app built specifically for making mind maps. Because the developers focus on this, MindManager offers robust mind mapping features. You will surely like how easy it is to visualize data using this cross-platform app.
Key Features:
- Add org charts or Gantt charts
- Systems Mapping
- Create presentations
- Timelines
- Integration with Microsoft products
- Flowcharts
Pros
Lets you create presentations using mind maps
Has integrations with Skype, MS Word, MS Excel, and Outlook
Offers different views
Available on different platforms
Cons
The free version lasts only 30 days
G2 Rating: A user wrote on G2 that he had downloaded MindManager because he saw a Strategic Thinking instructor teaching his class using MindManager. He was amazed by how easy it was to understand the lesson because of mind maps. The user claims that MindManager helps him excel. He rated the app 5 out of 5 stars.
6 - MindMup
MindMup allows you to "capture ideas at the speed of thought." It lets you make unlimited mind maps, absolutely for free! Also, you can brainstorm from anywhere, as this Xmind alternative is available on any device.
Key Features:
- Frictionless interface
- Convert mind maps to PDFs, PowerPoint presentations, or outlines.
- Cloud storage
- Integration with Google Drive and Google Apps
- Publish mind maps online and share them.
- Attach documents and images
- Collaboration tools
Pros
The free version allows you to create an unlimited number of mind maps.
MindMup automatically adds images and contextual information when publishing mind maps to social media so the maps will look good on the chosen platform.
Supports concurrent editing
Easy administrative controls
No account or log-in required
Cons
The free version limits the mind maps you can save on the MindMup storage to 100 kb. These maps are saved only for six months.
The collaboration tools are exclusive to paid users.
G2 Rating: A user review on G2 says that there is nothing to dislike about MindMup. It has all the tools you need to create mind maps to make focused efforts. They gave MindMup 4.5 stars.
7 - Creately
Creately provides you with a "data-connected Visual Workspace." There, you can brainstorm, plan your projects, and capture knowledge. This app lets you create so many types of diagrams. You can make whiteboards for brainstorming, org charts, cloud infrastructure diagrams, mind maps, etc. Indeed, it is a great app for data visualization.
Key Features:
- 50+ diagram standards
- Thousands of templates
- Add tasks, wikis, and resources to the canvas
- Links navigation
- Lots of integrations
- Collaboration tools
- Multi-perspective views
- Link data and notes
Pros
Includes collaboration tools
Usable for making any type of diagram
Pre-made templates make mind map creation easy.
The ability to add wikis, tasks, and links to the canvas offers convenience.
Affordable
Cons
The free version gives you only 3 canvases, each with a limit of 60 objects.
The free version can only export diagrams as raster images.
G2 Rating: A user review on G2 reads, "Creately is an intuitive and user-friendly diagramming software that has revolutionized the way we collaborate and communicate visually." The user loves the app's many templates and shapes, which enable them to create professional-looking diagrams in minutes. They gave the app a rating of 5 stars.
8 - Mindomo
Mindomo is an all-in-one visual tool that lets you visualize data by making mind maps, concept maps, outlines, and more. It offers real-time and offline editing and is multiplatform. Thus, Mindomo is a very accessible tool.
Key Features:
- Lots of layouts
- Pre-made themes
- Sync offline and online maps
- Various integrations
- Collaboration tools
- Templates
- Turn diagrams into presentations
Pros
Offers collaboration tools.
Available offline and online
Templates make diagramming easy.
The free version is sometimes enough.
Cons
You need to pay to use all versions (cloud-based, mobile, and desktops of Mindomo.
Free users are limited to 40 topics.
G2 Rating: A validated reviewer on G2 wrote that Mindomo is a great app for data visualization on the go. They love using the app on their phone or tablet. The reviewer gave the app 4 out of 5 stars.
9 - Bubbl.us
Bubbl.us lets you create mind maps to organize your ideas visually in a way that is easy for you and others to understand. It features a minimalist interface design, which helps you focus on the task at hand.
Key Features:
- Export mind maps as JPG, PNG, or text.
- Generate shareable links
- Collaboration tools
- Instant presentation creator
- Examples (templates)
- Attach files and images
- Revisions history
Pros
Works the same on mobile and on the web.
Intuitive
The minimalistic interface ensures there are few distractions
Fantastic collaboration and sharing tools.
Cons
The free version only allows you to make 3 mind maps.
No desktop version, meaning you can't use it offline.
G2 Rating: One advantage of using Bubbl.us is it lets you export the maps as lightweight image formats, wrote a user on G2. That makes sending by email, attaching to webpages, or editing the mind maps easy. They added that it is usable for students and work environments. Five stars is what this user gave Bubbl.us as a rating.
10 - EdrawMind
EdrawMind (formerly known as MindMaster) is an amazing collaborative mind mapping and brainstorming tool. With multi platform compatibility, real-time collaboration, and one-click generation, EdrawMind allows you to make mind maps very easily.
Key Features:
- Convert well-structured Word, HTML, or Markdown documents into a mind map with a single click.
- Real-time collaboration
- One-click mind map generation
- Smart formatting
- Export mind maps into PDF, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, or images.
- Themes
- Outline view
- Dropbox integration
Pros
Lets you easily export your mind maps to popular file formats
EdrawMind can create mind maps from well-structured files almost instantly
Offers collaboration tools
Available in different operating systems
Cons
The free version has limited capabilities
G2 Rating: A user left a review on G2, saying that EdrawMind provides them with all the features they need. Furthermore, it is not just a mind mapping tool but also a project management tool. The satisfied user gave it a perfect rating.
Conclusion
Xmind is a good app for data visualization. But it does not mean it is the "must-use" software. You can use other tools if you want. We recommend Wondershare Mockitt. Its mind mapping feature is so reliable. The stock library of photos, plus the note and annotation tools, ensure that the mind maps are easy to understand for everybody. And that is the main point of making a mind map.
