MindManager vs. Xmind

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
MindManager
Score 8.9 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
Xmind
Score 6.8 out of 10
N/A
Hong Kong based Xmind offers their diagramming tool featuring a range of templates, alternate brainstorming and presentation modes, a clip art library, and export to a wide variety of file types (e.g. PDF, JPG, Word or Excel, etc.).
$5.99
per month
Pricing
MindManagerXmind
Editions & Modules
MindManager for Microsoft Teams
$105
per year
Annual Subscription
$179
per year
Organizations
Contact sales team
No answers on this topic
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
MindManagerXmind
Free Trial
YesYes
Free/Freemium Version
NoYes
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
NoNo
Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
Additional Details
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
MindManagerXmind
Considered Both Products
MindManager
Chose MindManager
SImply put, MindManager is the only enterprise focused mind mapping utility that can attach to data and use conditional formatting to give a true visual image to translate the complexity of the data that lies beneith. The closest coparison is Xmind. However MindManager is …
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 am pretty much accustomed to using MindManager. Used Xmind only on a limited basis.
Chose MindManager
I have tried Xmind but MindManager has way more capabilities. Over the last decade, MindManager grew exponentially in terms of its capabilities, especially in the area of project management (not only traditional waterfall type of project management but agile type of project …
Chose MindManager
I think each of these have many positives, however from my perspective being a private business I do not want to invest in other solutions unless they have a major differentiator. My main temptation to move would be to a product that would allow me to share via Google or MS …
Chose MindManager
MindManager has many more capabilities
Chose MindManager
It is different from other project management software because it is easy to use and can be used by just about anyone. With its intuitive interface, you can create mind maps and brainstorm up to four levels of notes and ideas. It has over 50 predefined shapes to capture your …
Chose MindManager
MindManager is by far the most feature rich and capable solution in the market today. The key reasons for selecting MindManager as the tool of choice are:
  1. Breadth of templates and document types (beyond the conventional mind map).
  2. Ability to import and export to different file …
Xmind
Chose Xmind
MindManager:
  • We used MindManager on Windows for many years and were happy with the product. However, at some point, MindJet dramatically raised the price which we grudgingly accepted. At some point, we switched to Macs and the MindManager on a Mac is a very different product. …
Top Pros

No answers on this topic

Top Cons

No answers on this topic

TrustRadius Insights
MindManagerXmind
Highlights

TrustRadius
Research Team Insight
Published

Both XMind and MindManager are mind mapping tools, a type of diagramming software. Each tool includes concept ideation features that aim to help users create topics and visualize relationships between them. MindManager and XMind are both preferred by enterprise businesses on TrustRadius, though XMind offers a forever free version for personal use while MindManager does not. 

Features 

Each product includes a range of mind mapping and productivity features, including: 

  • Various types of mindmap templates (radial map, fishbone, treemap, matrix, timeline, org charts, free-form, concept, flow-chart, etc.) 
  • Ability to export maps as PNG, SVG, PDF, and markdown files
  • Map customization using colors, fonts, stickers, bubbles, themes, boundaries, shapes, etc. 
  • Ability to link to other files or webpages within maps 
  • Ability to add notes to specific topics or relationships within the map 

Both products have a few unique features as well. For example, XMind allows users to view a written map outline, insert chemical and mathematical equations, and directly share their map via email, on social media platforms, and through note-taking applications. The platform also offers mobile and desktop applications and allows users to log into up to five devices with one subscription.

MindManager has a winder variety of mindmap templates than XMind, including templates for ven diagrams, funnels, onion charts, and Kanban-style charts. It also has a set of project planning and management features such as adding resources and priority markers to topics, Gantt charts, topics task tags, start & end dates, task duration and effort levels, and the ability to assign tasks to other users.

Limitations 

When compared with MindManager, XMind’s biggest limitation is the lack of robust project management features, including Gantt charts and task creation and assignment. 

On the other hand, MindManager’s main limitation is that it does not have a flexible pricing model and does not have a forever free version, while XMind does. MindManager also does not offer mobile applications. 

Pricing

Both products have a one-time license fee, however, XMind also offers biannual and annual subscription pricing options as well.  

XMind offers a basic version of its software for free and has subscription-based pricing that starts at $40 per 6 months or $60 per year. Users can also pay a one-time license fee of $129 for access to XMind Pro 8.x. XMind offers a special discount for students, teachers, and education institutions. 

While MindManager doesn’t have a forever free version, it does offer a 30-day free trial. After that, it has a one-time license fee of $349 for Windows and Mac desktop applications. It also has a ‘special licensing program’ for enterprise and government users, though prices for these plans are not disclosed on MindManager’s website. 

Which Is Right For You?

Both products provide users with robust mind mapping features, but each has different ideal use cases. 

XMind is a great option for individuals looking for easy to use mind mapping software for personal use. It’s a good fit for concept ideation and workflow mapping. However, it may not be the right solution for large organizations looking for diagramming software with built-in project management features. 

MindManager is better suited for teams that need software to help them ideate, manage, track, and execute projects. It can also handle complex topics mapping and visualize relationships between topics, tasks, and processes. However, MindManager is not ideal for users looking for a free mind mapping software for personal use.

Best Alternatives
MindManagerXmind
Small Businesses
SmartDraw
SmartDraw
Score 6.3 out of 10
MindManager
MindManager
Score 8.9 out of 10
Medium-sized Companies
Freehand by InVision
Freehand by InVision
Score 7.8 out of 10
MindManager
MindManager
Score 8.9 out of 10
Enterprises
Miro
Miro
Score 9.0 out of 10
MindManager
MindManager
Score 8.9 out of 10
All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
User Ratings
MindManagerXmind
Likelihood to Recommend
9.4
(194 ratings)
9.0
(2 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
8.2
(21 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Usability
7.6
(16 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Availability
8.2
(5 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Performance
8.2
(4 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Support Rating
8.2
(13 ratings)
5.0
(1 ratings)
Online Training
6.4
(1 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Implementation Rating
7.3
(4 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Configurability
8.2
(3 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Ease of integration
3.6
(2 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Product Scalability
8.2
(4 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Vendor post-sale
9.1
(3 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Vendor pre-sale
9.1
(3 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
User Testimonials
MindManagerXmind
Likelihood to Recommend
Alludo
I love to outline in MM and its ability to link related maps. Great help to me as a writer! I don't love the export of the outlines. Needs to be a cleaner, simpler look. I work around it, though. I rated the above question 6 only because it's too expensive. I've had it for years and, until recently, got almost every upgrade. I can't afford it now and may have to look for an alternative to keep updated software. Bummer!
Read full review
Xmind
Well suited:
  • Organizing information.
  • Doing research.
  • Organizing goals.
  • Planning tasks.
  • Planning meetings.
  • Structure for writing documents.
Less appropriate:
  • Sharing documents among the teams/multiple users.
  • General-purpose infographics.
  • Writing longer paragraphs in the note field is very limited.
  • Integration with GitHub.
  • Integration with Confluence.
  • XMind uses a proprietary document format which is not indexed by search programs on a PC or a Mac. This means that one cannot search in the content of the XMind documents.
Read full review
Pros
Alludo
  • Great to segment things out (projects, organizational charts, processes, workloads, etc) and gives you a full picture of the job.
  • It is user friendly, simple to use, and powerful.
  • MS Office and Teams integration is great. Allows for easy collaboration.
  • Great GUI and visuals
  • Excellent method for project planning and brainstorming
Read full review
Xmind
  • User interface.
  • User experience.
  • .Simplification
  • Enables digital write up.
Read full review
Cons
Alludo
  • I find formatting a challenge. Example, make all the boxes the same format and fonts so when you add a box, it understands the format of the top level box.
  • I have played around with some of the templates but find creating my own each time is better route. The project plan template is very good but I find myself deleting boxes and again, takes more time than creating a new map every time.
  • I try to get colleagues to use MM but they are intimidated by the UI. I am really comfortable with it but to them it can look more complex than it really is.
Read full review
Xmind
  • Sharing documents among the teams.
  • Plugins for the tool that can enhance functionality.
  • Better printed output for large mindmaps.
  • Faster updates to new versions.
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
Xmind
No answers on this topic
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.
Read full review
Xmind
No answers on this topic
Reliability and Availability
Alludo
Almost perfect.
Read full review
Xmind
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.
Read full review
Xmind
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
Read full review
Xmind
The support around a bug in the tool which prevented the correct printing of diagrams. Support came back after a few days, and there was no workaround. Eventually, the bug was fixed in a future release. The company does not pay much attention to user forums. With better support and plugin mechanism for user contributions, the product would be more convincing.
Read full review
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.
Read full review
Xmind
No answers on this topic
Implementation Rating
Alludo
Wasn't involved but works great for me.
Read full review
Xmind
No answers on this topic
Alternatives Considered
Alludo
Both are equally good. Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect is used to get the models in a more technical format in comparison to the MindManager. MindManager is easier to use in comparison to Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect. MindManager makes collaboration easy and can be understood by a layman and does not need to have specific software training.
Read full review
Xmind
It has a different form. Trello is good for task management. Xmind will give an overall connection between different tasks and how all the tasks interconnect to each other. The reminder function in Trello is good to keep track. However, a bird's eye view in Xmind will put conversations into context, and ease the navigation of any discussions.
Read full review
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.
Read full review
Xmind
No answers on this topic
Return on Investment
Alludo
  • When scope planning before I was introduced to this tool, I needed to make one master Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) for the entire project and move on. With MindMapper, I typically generate about 20 WBS-like charts throughout the project, which encouraged conversation with staff members. The major key in such ease of use has been some well thought out and very intuitive keystroke planning that allows me to keep up with the free flow of ideas.
  • This software's cross-functional capability allowed 10 engineers to create their projects directly within their own environment without use of a virtual machine.
Read full review
Xmind
  • Increased productivity of employees.
  • Provided structure and clear thought processes.
  • Reusable content.
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