From Wikit

Jump to: navigation, search

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.

 

Contents [hide] 1 3D concept and mind maps 2 Concept maps 3 Development platforms for map forms 4 Diagrams, Flowcharts 5 Hyperbolic trees 6 Information & knowledge management 7 Maps of Arguments, Belief, Idea support, Debates, Decisions and Influence 8 Mind maps 9 Ontologies and Taxonomies 10 Presentations 11 Treemaps 12 Whiteboard 13 Wiki-related 14 With significant limitations in Free version

3D concept and mind maps

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

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
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

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

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
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

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

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

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

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
EDraw Mind Map	Free	Windows	Edraw Mind Map screenshot
Ekpenso	Free	Adobe Air, Web based, Google Gears	Ekpenso screenshot
FreeMind	Free	Windows, Mac, Linux	FreeMind screenshot
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	Freeplane screenshot
Gliffy	Free	Web based	Gliffy screenshot
Glinkr	Free	Web based	imgimgimgimg