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Head-to-head · Mind Map Tool

Freeplane vs Ayoa

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 4 checks side by side
Higher score Freeplane #5 in Mind Map Tool 8.6/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 3 of 4 features Visit Freeplane
Ayoa #8 in Mind Map Tool 8.4/10 Free plan · 7-day trial Free planFree trial✓ 2 of 4 features Visit Ayoa

Freeplane leads on 1 check, Ayoa on 0, and 3 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 4 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreFreeplane · 8.6/10
  • Free planboth
  • Free trialonly Ayoa
  • Most featuresFreeplane · 3 of 4

Freeplane scores higher on our rubric for mind map tool: 8.6 against 8.4 out of 10; our editors rank them #5 and #8.

Freeplane offers offline mode; Ayoa doesn't.

Freeplane is the better fit for power users who want free offline desktop mapping. Ayoa is the better fit for teams combining maps with task workflows.

  • Freeplane fits best

    Power users who want free offline desktop mapping

  • Ayoa fits best

    Teams combining maps with task workflows

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Side by side

Feature Freeplane 8.6/10 Visit ↗ Ayoa 8.4/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 8.6 8.4
Ranking #5 in Mind Map Tool #8 in Mind Map Tool
Best for Power users who want free offline desktop mapping Teams combining maps with task workflows
Pricing model Free Free plan + paid
Starting price Free plan —
Free plan ✓ ✓
Free trial — 7 days
Deployment Desktop Cloud, Desktop, Mobile
Platforms Windows, macOS, Linux Web, iOS, Android
Support Community, Docs Docs
Built for Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Freeplane 3/4 · Ayoa 2/4
Real-time collaboration Not checked yet Not checked yet
AI features ✓ ✓
Offline mode ✓ (best) —
Presentation mode ✓ ✓
Specs
Platforms Not checked yet Not checked yet
Import formats Not checked yet Not checked yet
Export formats Asciidoc, MediaWiki, Markdown, XBEL, Twiki, PDF, OPML, LaTeX, JPEG, PNG, SVG, XML, XHTML, HTML, Microsoft Excel 2003, Word 2003, Project 2003, OpenOffice, TaskJuggler, Freeplane 1.1 JPG, PNG, PDF, TXT, HTML, DOCX, OPML
Our review
Pros
  • Creates mind and concept maps with rich node details and formatting
  • Exports to document, image, XML, HTML, and office formats
  • Supports scripting, add-ons, batch execution, and optional AI tools
  • Switch among organic, radial, canvas, workflow and document map views
  • Turn map branches into assigned tasks with deadlines and reminders
  • Collaborate through shared editing, chat and whiteboards
Cons
  • Desktop-only; there is no hosted collaborative service
  • Does not support real-time collaboration
  • Presentation functionality depends on the RoAn-Presentation add-on
  • The Free plan is limited to 10 mind maps
  • Offline capability is limited in this cloud-based product
  • Paid plan prices are not clearly presented on the pricing page
Our verdict

Freeplane is a free, open-source desktop application for mind mapping, concept mapping, and information management. It runs locally on Windows, macOS, and Linux, making it a fit for people who want to work offline and shape detailed maps…

Read the review →

Ayoa brings mind mapping together with task management, whiteboards and collaboration for individuals and teams that want to move from visual ideas into planned work. Its maps can take organic, radial, canvas, workflow or document forms,…

Read the review →
  1. FreeplaneMind Map Tool 8.6Free plan
  2. AyoaMind Map Tool 8.4Free plan · 7-day trial

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Freeplane — where it wins

    • Creates mind and concept maps with rich node details and formatting
    • Exports to document, image, XML, HTML, and office formats
    • Supports scripting, add-ons, batch execution, and optional AI tools

    Where it doesn't

    • Desktop-only; there is no hosted collaborative service
    • Does not support real-time collaboration
    • Presentation functionality depends on the RoAn-Presentation add-on

  • Ayoa — where it wins

    • Switch among organic, radial, canvas, workflow and document map views
    • Turn map branches into assigned tasks with deadlines and reminders
    • Collaborate through shared editing, chat and whiteboards

    Where it doesn't

    • The Free plan is limited to 10 mind maps
    • Offline capability is limited in this cloud-based product
    • Paid plan prices are not clearly presented on the pricing page
  • Freeplane8.6/10 · Free plan

    A feature-rich offline mapper for individuals who value control over live collaboration.

    Visit FreeplaneFull verdict →
  • Ayoa8.4/10 · Free plan · 7-day trial

    Ayoa connects flexible mind maps with tasks, whiteboards, AI and collaboration.

    Visit AyoaFull verdict →

More comparisons

All mind map tool comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update