MindManager vs. Microsoft Visio

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
MindManager
Score 8.2 out of 10
N/A
MindManager is a mind mapping and project management tool that aims to boost users’ productivity. It is designed to facilitate a wide range of project types, and includes cross-platform functionality and 3rd party integrations.
$105
per year
Microsoft Visio
Score 7.7 out of 10
N/A
Microsoft offers Visio, a diagramming tool for building flowcharts, diagrams (e.g. network diagrams), org charts and floor plans, available online as a subscription and also in enterprise level packages (e.g. Visio Professional).
$5
per month per user
Pricing
MindManagerMicrosoft Visio
Editions & Modules
MindManager for Microsoft Teams
$105
per year
Annual Subscription
$179
per year
Organizations
Contact sales team
Visio Plan 1
$5.00
per month per user
Visio Plan 2
$15.00
per month per user
Visio Standard 2024
$309.99
one-time fee On-premises diagramming solution, licensed for one PC
Visio Professional 2024
$579.99
one-time fee On-premises diagramming solution, licensed for one PC
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
MindManagerMicrosoft Visio
Free Trial
YesNo
Free/Freemium Version
NoYes
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
YesNo
Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
Additional Details
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
MindManagerMicrosoft Visio
Considered Both Products
MindManager
Chose MindManager
Previously we used and loved Microsoft Visio, but the product has not improved much. The subscription pricing also increased so Visio is only licensed to users who need it. Everybody else now uses MindManager.
Chose MindManager
The primary reason for the switch was that I needed a lighter, no-frills tool. I saved big time on the licensing cost. A major need was the cross-OS platform, and this tool works irrespective of MacOS and Windows. I could not have found a better tool. Lucidchart is the next …
Chose MindManager
- the feature which are relevant for the majority of users are available in MindManager, and these feature can be learned easily and quickly; the alternative tools are more powerful (but have a lot of feature the standard user does not need) and are more expensive and difficult …
Chose MindManager
MindManager excels in visualizing complex ideas and projects through interactive mind maps and flowcharts, making it superior to traditional list-based tools. Its intuitive interface, robust features like task management, and integration with various platforms streamline …
Chose MindManager
They were very similar but the plugin options allowed us to use a third party software to benefit our line of work which was very specific.
Chose MindManager
Word in Outline view creates outlines but it is not possible to add pictures nor keep it in a coherent tree presentation.
Powerpoint are individual slides where the audience see only the current slides without looking at its relation with all other topics. When deploying a …
Chose MindManager
Did not use any. However, there are now some useful links to AI programs which create very interesting maps, really is just another way of outputting AI search results. These take the form of add ins so are not all that common now. Still it is easy to find them on line.
Chose MindManager
I've used a stack of other tools for Mind Maps but the one that pops into mind is Miro. Whilst MM doesn't look as pretty as Miro, the usability far outweights Miro and other tools alike. For example, Miro looks great but I find it cumbersome to join the dots or add or remove …
Chose MindManager
Each does very similar things. I like Miro because it is very easy to allow anyone to collaborate without having to have a file saved anywhere. Visio is great if you have spent a lot of time learning the ins and outs of it. I prefer Mind Manager for presentation and …
Chose MindManager
Our network is fluid. Previously, we had used software that allowed us to make changes to a fiber route, ring diagram, etc. immediately. It was easy to maintain and update. It allowed the Planner/Engineer to be creative and tell a story with their Market Assignments. When we …
Chose MindManager
We actually use all of them. We chose MindManager as we wanted to try out some new software in case it would be a better fit than the others. So far, while better, we haven't been using it extensively. We will most likely look to purchase some other software since MindManager …
Chose MindManager
I like that MindManager is local software instead of a cloud-based service like MindMeister. This lets me work on a map even when I don't have internet access. It's also faster and more fully-featured.

Visio is a cumbersome tool for mind mapping, as it is optimized for design …
Chose MindManager
I used to use Visio because MindManager didn't have an adequate process flow tool (which I always thought was strange). Now that it does, I am more than happy to stay within the same tool to take advantage of the other capabilities of MindManager like filtering and being able …
Chose MindManager
Xmind is not nearly as intuitive as MindManager. It is just as powerful, but there is a steeper learning curve. Lucidchart is a great cloud application, but web apps are often shunned in corporate environments where there are still concerns about storing intellectual property …
Chose MindManager
I actually use all these tools for different purposes. OneNote isn't ideal, but it's on my Mac, PC and iPad and all the notes are seamlessly available everywhere. Mindjet is better for documenting things that can be grouped or put into hierarchies. Visio is (for me) a …
Chose MindManager
Visio is a great mini-cad, layout and work flow design tool, however, it is cumbersome and requires more work that MindManager. Same for MS Project - bulky when the light design on MindManager works faster and easier for a non-power user.
Chose MindManager
It is way easier and better to use.
Microsoft Visio
Chose Microsoft Visio
MindManager and Visio are similar however MindManager doesn’t give you the same customization. Visio is definitely preferred when it comes to mapping out processes and documenting future and current state.
Chose Microsoft Visio
Microsoft Visio is easier to use than MindManager from the user experience. Whilst MindManager is lightweight and supports the browser which make it great with sharing diagrams, its display with information is not always intuitive especially when it becomes too nested. For …
Features
MindManagerMicrosoft Visio
Mind Mapping
Comparison of Mind Mapping features of Product A and Product B
MindManager
7.3
67 Ratings
0% below category average
Microsoft Visio
-
Ratings
Cross-Platform Compatibility7.353 Ratings00 Ratings
Customizable Templates7.561 Ratings00 Ratings
Import and Export Options7.163 Ratings00 Ratings
Real-time Collaboration Tools6.847 Ratings00 Ratings
Drag-and-Drop Capabilities7.957 Ratings00 Ratings
Notes and Attachments7.861 Ratings00 Ratings
Color and Style Customization7.761 Ratings00 Ratings
Presentation Mode7.354 Ratings00 Ratings
Integration with Task Management7.049 Ratings00 Ratings
Mind Map Revision History6.940 Ratings00 Ratings
Best Alternatives
MindManagerMicrosoft Visio
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Medium-sized Companies
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Enterprises
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User Ratings
MindManagerMicrosoft Visio
Likelihood to Recommend
8.1
(256 ratings)
8.5
(71 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
8.8
(24 ratings)
10.0
(2 ratings)
Usability
8.2
(19 ratings)
8.0
(6 ratings)
Availability
8.3
(7 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Performance
8.5
(6 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Support Rating
7.3
(16 ratings)
7.3
(14 ratings)
Online Training
6.4
(1 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Implementation Rating
8.3
(6 ratings)
10.0
(1 ratings)
Configurability
8.5
(5 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Ease of integration
8.8
(4 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Product Scalability
8.5
(6 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Vendor post-sale
8.8
(5 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Vendor pre-sale
8.8
(5 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
User Testimonials
MindManagerMicrosoft Visio
Likelihood to Recommend
Alludo
It is well suited for a quick prototype of product/development planning to show relationships amongst the APIs used. This helps developers understand the impact of the product changes and identifies the need to update integration components to avoid erroneous deployments. I have not personally experienced a less appropriate scenario at the moment.
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Microsoft
Visio is by far and away the best tool that I have used to do Value Stream Mapping sessions with the warehouse I support. It has all of the shapes needed built in to be able to represent all areas of the processes. I also like how you are able to make the drawing as big as needed and when printing it out of Visio you have the ability to use the necessary paper size. The biggest complaint that I have with the software if how it can be cumbersome for non-Visio users (that is, people without a license in the orgnaization) to interact with the Visio Map. We normally have to dedicate one Visio SME to be able to make the changes that Process SME's find since they do not have access to the software.
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Pros
Alludo
  • Allows me to learn by organizing notes.
  • Enables me to create and present strategic plans.
  • Empowers me to present complex concepts in a different and straightforward way.
  • Captivates my audience when I prepare and present a conference, a class, or a seminar in MindManager.
  • Allows me to share mind maps in a variety of formats like JPG, PDF, and HTML.
Read full review
Microsoft
  • Microsoft Visio is excellent for organizing thought processes related to our more complex research.
  • The diagrams created with Microsoft Visio are ideal for graphically displaying the internal organization of work and research groups through flow diagrams.
  • Microsoft Visio is a great tool for managing our students' activities by creating flowcharts that help us graphically visualize the steps of their group work.
Read full review
Cons
Alludo
  • There should be some more functionality in the Notes window, such as a "Paste Special " Icon in the notes area to maintain format control.
  • Although I create many of my own Web export templates, an add-on for web export design would be great, as I regularly create Interactive Electronic Technical Publications (IETP) in HTML export format.
  • The ability to sync Map shortcuts between devices would also be welcome. I use MM on three devices, and I have to add or amend the Map list individually. My maps are on OneDrive, so using them should not be that hard if they are cloud-based.
Read full review
Microsoft
  • When navigating through swim lanes, the user must be careful between switching from the point to the connection features as it can be difficult to remember which mode you’re in.
  • When drawing “decision points,” it can be difficult to type words like “yes” or “no” between the connection lines.
  • The exporting options aren’t ideal. They are hard to create in PDF format.
Read full review
Likelihood to Renew
Alludo
I feel the main issues of the old Mindjet seem to be gone with the
Corel purchase. With the huge advance of sharing via browser HTML even 1
user can affect many. And, actually, using MM kind of forced my rigid
brain to rethink how I categorize and classify information/projects.
The
idea of paying $69USD for an annual cost is more than fair and a great
model for Corel/Mindjet to keep rolling out improvements!
Read full review
Microsoft
We use Microsoft Visio to keep our diagrams updated and to that end we will need the subscription to keep using the software. Otherwise we will be left with PDF versions of the diagrams.
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Usability
Alludo
MindManager is very intuitive. The user interface is not cluttered and the ribbon icons are easy to understand. Several excellent "how-to" videos are available on the MindManager site as well as on YouTube. MindManager starts quickly and the user interface is very responsive. Launching other programs from MindManager such as Excel is very fast and issue free. The browsing feature is lightning fast. The drag-and-drop capability is also very fast and reliable.
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Microsoft
I have always struggled with some basics, such as connection points, object alignment, font consistency, arranging layers and their order (bring forward, send backward), and managing overlap. I usually need to create an initial rough draft and then do a separate cleanup pass to bring the diagram up to my quality standards. If I skip that step, the result generally does not look very good. And once a diagram becomes busy or the file gets large, Visio has been unstable for me in the past, including occasional crashes that caused non-recoverable edits.
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Reliability and Availability
Alludo
We have had no issues with the application's availability
Read full review
Microsoft
No answers on this topic
Performance
Alludo
The application is quick and responsive. We are able to produce mindmaps and reports with ease. The program is not complicated at all and integrates well with software and programs like Microsoft Outlook and Teams, which we truly appreciate.
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Microsoft
No answers on this topic
Support Rating
Alludo
I have called technical support a few times. During the COVID Crisis, I called a few times repeatedly due to a rush request. The technical support guy called me back in minutes. He somehow knew that I had called repeatedly and wanted to make sure my issue was resolved immediately
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Microsoft
Overall, I feel that Microsoft's support is weak. They are now such a behemoth that their model of putting documentation online for their users to sift through is totally outgrown. Given the amount of money you pay for these licenses, Microsoft should provide easy one-on-one support for their products via email or chat. The idea of paying their rates for support incidents is ridiculous. If you have an enormous amount of time on your hands, use their support websites and you will eventually find a solution most of the time.
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Online Training
Alludo
The videos are not well categorized...I had to do a bit of digging to get what I wanted and many videos on older versions. If Mindjet was to improve the titles used that would help.
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Microsoft
No answers on this topic
Implementation Rating
Alludo
You need a lot of time and training.
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Microsoft
No answers on this topic
Alternatives Considered
Alludo
MindManager stands out for its wide range of export options, customization and how they have enriched the format over time. As a constantly evolving tool, and having tried others, I consider it superior for the abovementioned reasons. Its cross-platform nature has been decisive, and although there are many alternatives in the form of web applications or the like, MindManager presents itself as a more complete and robust option.
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Microsoft
Even though it’s a more expensive solution, Vizio is built for the enterprise. Therefore, it integrates perfectly with our existing Microsoft stack, and quite frankly, because it’s such a more mature product, it provides exactly the functionality we need and expect.
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Scalability
Alludo
A team can collaborate on the same project but cannot create a shared project file. It would be helpful for that feature to be added.
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Microsoft
No answers on this topic
Return on Investment
Alludo
  • For a single person business presentation it is a plus.
  • Project difficulty is well assessed using the map.
  • Giving away a paper version of a map is a positive gesture. People like the map, the look, and what it says, and it may also be a way to promote MindManager to them.
  • Keep the PDF or JPEG saving capabilities for small customers like me. It's important.
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Microsoft
  • Reduces the amount of time I need to create process flow diagrams. In the past I would use Powerpoint or Word which required a lot more effort and time and never looked as good. Visio just takes that headache away.
  • Only negative is that I personally believe it should always have been part and parcel of the Office suite, thus giving more users the opportunity to use it rather than specifically having to justify its separate purchase within our organisation. Different now with Office 365 of course!
Read full review
ScreenShots

MindManager Screenshots

Screenshot of MindmapScreenshot of Reverse BrainstormingScreenshot of MindManager for Microsoft TeamsScreenshot of MindManager SnapScreenshot of MindManager GoScreenshot of Mind Maps in MindManager