

Note: the screenshots below were taken from XMind: ZEN, which was replaced with a newer version later on. In each subsection, I’ll explore what the app offers and then share my personal take. XMind is all about mind mapping, and I’ll list the app’s features in the following five sections.
#Xmind open source alternative trial#
I hadn’t tried the new version of XMind before, so I downloaded the trial version to get to know it. Over the years I’ve used most of the major apps, including MindManager, MindMeister, XMind, iThoughts, and MindNode. Using mind maps on the iPad is a more tactile experience, and works well, though adding thoughts can be slower. On the Mac, I like to get my ideas down quickly using the keyboard and use the mouse to move ideas around and create some structure.
#Xmind open source alternative software#
Now I use mind mapping software on both my Mac and iPad. I also found mind mapping on paper to be a quick way to get started on a new article or project. I started with the open-source app FreeMind, one of the only apps available at the time. Why Trust Me for This XMind Review?Īround ten years ago, I discovered mind maps and realized how useful they are when planning and brainstorming. He popularized the concept in his book “Use Your Head”. Because it activates the right brain and makes it easy to show the relationships between ideas, it’s a useful practice for note-taking, brainstorming, problem-solving, outlining writing projects, and more.ĭiagrams have been used to visually organize information for centuries, and in the 1970s Tony Buzan coined the term “mind map”. No cloud sync between devices.Ī mind map is a diagram with the central idea in the middle, and related ideas radiating out like a tree. What I Don’t Like: Subscription-based model won’t suit everyone. What I Like: Mind maps are easy to create using the keyboard. You never know, XMind may offer the right balance of features and usability to sway you. I recommend you add it to your shortlist, then evaluate the trial versions of several apps to see which best meets your needs. There are more fully-featured apps (at a price) if you need them, and other alternatives offer similar features at a cheaper price, but also include cloud sync. However, it is not substantially better than its competitors.

XMind offers a smooth workflow, a responsive graphics engine, a distraction-free mode, and all the basic features you’ll need to create and format mind maps. By spreading ideas over the page rather than in a straight line, new relationships become apparent, aiding understanding. Additionally, XMind charts make the relationship of one thought with another quite clear, allowing the organization in one's thoughts.Mind maps are like outlines that engage the creative right brain. These charts are scientifically proven to be more effective than bland notes. Charts types that can be created include matrix charts, timelines and fishbone charts, which can be further supplemented with images and different color combinations. The mind maps created with XMind are customizable to a great degree, which means that they can be created the way deemed most comfortable and memorable by the user. The customizability of mind maps allowing idea retention Even students can use XMind to organize their thoughts and learn at a quicker pace. Innovators can easily chalk out their ideas anytime they want with the mobile version of XMind, and can even share them with other innovators like themselves in the popular documents formats, giving rise to a great new project. For example, it can be used to quickly etch out a highly-descriptive analysis of any type of meeting, which can help a lot in future events. Mind maps can be used in a variety of practical situations. With XMind, innovators and students can get a beautiful platform for ideating and sharpening their creativity. Turning disorganized thoughts into feasible ideas To supplement all these features, it also has an extensive capability to share these ideas in a highly organized document form which can be easily accessed and comprehended by the recipients. It can be used for any form of project with any level of complexity and can resolve them with a variety of techniques, including but not limited to, mind maps, tables and fishbone diagrams. XMind is such a solution enabling millions of users and teams to present their ideas and concepts in an ideal manner and driving them towards creating the most innovative products the world has ever seen. With mind mapping software programs, people can organize, manage and share their ideas in a much better way, than with simple pen and paper-based techniques. The digital revolution has put its effect on every human activity, including ideation and thinking.
