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Head-to-head · Mind Mapping Software

Freeplane vs SimpleMindMap

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 5 checks side by side
Higher score Freeplane #7 in Mind Mapping Software 8.6/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 3 of 4 features Visit Freeplane
SimpleMindMap #8 in Mind Mapping Software 8.5/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 4 of 4 features Visit SimpleMindMap

Freeplane leads on 0 checks, SimpleMindMap on 1, and 4 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 5 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
  • Most featuresSimpleMindMap · 4 of 4

Freeplane scores higher on our rubric for mind mapping software: 8.6 against 8.5 out of 10; our editors rank them #7 and #8.

SimpleMindMap offers real-time collaboration; Freeplane doesn't.

Freeplane is the better fit for free offline open-source desktop mapping. SimpleMindMap is the better fit for open-source users wanting feature-rich desktop maps.

  • Freeplane fits best

    Free offline open-source desktop mapping

  • SimpleMindMap fits best

    Open-source users wanting feature-rich desktop maps

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Side by side

Feature Freeplane 8.6/10 Visit ↗ SimpleMindMap 8.5/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 8.6 8.5
Ranking #7 in Mind Mapping Software #8 in Mind Mapping Software
Best for Free offline open-source desktop mapping Open-source users wanting feature-rich desktop maps
Pricing model Free Free plan + paid
Starting price Free plan —
Free plan ✓ ✓
Free trial — —
Deployment Desktop Cloud, Self-hosted, Desktop
Platforms Windows, macOS, Linux Web, Windows, macOS, Linux
Support Community, Docs Email, Docs
Built for Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Solo, Small business
Features Freeplane 3/4 · SimpleMindMap 4/4
Real-time collaboration — ✓ (best)
Offline mode ✓ ✓
AI assistance ✓ ✓
Presentation mode ✓ ✓
Specs
Supported platforms windows, macos, linux web, windows, macos, linux
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 PNG, PDF, SVG, XMind, Mermaid, HTML, JSON, Markdown, TXT, XLSX, FreeMind
Collaborator limit Not checked yet Not checked yet
Our review
Pros
  • Free and open source across Windows, macOS, and Linux
  • Encrypted local maps with autosave and backup settings
  • Broad export options, scripting, add-ons, and presentation support
  • Multiple map structures, rich node content, and broad export formats
  • Offline local storage with WebDAV synchronization
  • Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, Obsidian, and UTools support
Cons
  • No real-time online collaborative editing
  • No documented mobile or web application
  • Presentation functionality depends on the RoAn-Presentation add-on
  • The web version provides only basic mind mapping features
  • The desktop client and plugins are closed source
  • Collaboration is documented for the underlying library, not the product
Our verdict

Freeplane is a free, open-source mind-mapping application for organizing information, brainstorming, outlining, note-taking, and knowledge management. It runs locally on Windows, macOS, and Linux, with portable distributions available for…

Read the review →

SimpleMindMap is a mind mapping tool for individual users and developers who want customizable maps across web, desktop, and plugin environments. It supports mind maps, logic structures, timelines, fishbone diagrams, and tables, with nodes…

Read the review →
  1. FreeplaneMind Mapping Software 8.6Free plan
  2. SimpleMindMapMind Mapping Software 8.5Free plan

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Freeplane — where it wins

    • Free and open source across Windows, macOS, and Linux
    • Encrypted local maps with autosave and backup settings
    • Broad export options, scripting, add-ons, and presentation support

    Where it doesn't

    • No real-time online collaborative editing
    • No documented mobile or web application
    • Presentation functionality depends on the RoAn-Presentation add-on

  • SimpleMindMap — where it wins

    • Multiple map structures, rich node content, and broad export formats
    • Offline local storage with WebDAV synchronization
    • Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, Obsidian, and UTools support

    Where it doesn't

    • The web version provides only basic mind mapping features
    • The desktop client and plugins are closed source
    • Collaboration is documented for the underlying library, not the product

More comparisons

All mind mapping software comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update