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MindMeister

MindMeister

Overview

What is MindMeister?

MindMeister is an online mind mapping tool that lets users share maps with an unlimited number of users and collaborate with them in real-time. The vendor says more than 11 million people around the world use MindMeister to brainstorm ideas,…

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Recent Reviews

TrustRadius Insights

MindMeister is a versatile tool that caters to a wide range of users and their needs. For companies, it provides a convenient solution for …
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Reviewer Pros & Cons

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Pricing

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Personal

$4.99

Cloud
per user per month

Pro

$8.25

Cloud
per user per month

Business

$12.49

Cloud
per user per month

Entry-level set up fee?

  • No setup fee
For the latest information on pricing, visithttps://www.mindmeister.com/mind-map…

Offerings

  • Free Trial
  • Free/Freemium Version
  • Premium Consulting/Integration Services

Starting price (does not include set up fee)

  • $5.49 per month
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Product Details

What is MindMeister?

MindMeister is an online mind mapping tool that lets users share maps with an unlimited number of users and collaborate with them in real-time. The vendor says more than 11 million people around the world use MindMeister to brainstorm ideas, plan projects, take meeting minutes, develop business strategies, create stunning presentations and much more. It is designed to be intuitive.

MindMeister runs in any standard web-browser as well as on iOS and Android devices, so users can access, edit and present their mind maps anytime, wherever they are.

With MindMeister, users can:

  • Share mind maps with other people and provide different access rights to them
  • Review the entire change history of mind maps and revert to any previous version if needed
  • Turn mind maps into engaging, dynamic slideshows to present them online or in person
  • Connect mind maps with project boards in MeisterTask, to turn ideas into actionable tasks at the click of a button
  • Make mind maps public and embed them in a website or blog

MindMeister Features

Additional Features

  • Supported: Collaborate with multiple people
  • Supported: Custom mind mapping templates are available for use
  • Supported: Attach files to each topic

MindMeister Screenshots

Screenshot of Screenshot of Screenshot of Screenshot of

MindMeister Videos

Introducing the all-new MindMeister
How to Mind Map: Apply Themes and Styles in the All-New MindMeister
MindMeister's Geistesblitz app for the Apple Watch
How to Mind Map: Add Notes, Links, Files and Images to Map Topics in the All-New MindMeister

MindMeister Technical Details

Deployment TypesSoftware as a Service (SaaS), Cloud, or Web-Based
Operating SystemsUnspecified
Mobile ApplicationApple iOS, Android, Mobile Web
Supported LanguagesEnglish, German, Chinese, Danish, Dutch, French, Russian, Japanese, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian

Frequently Asked Questions

MindMeister starts at $5.49.

MindManager, Xmind, and Lucid Visual Collaboration Suite are common alternatives for MindMeister.

The most common users of MindMeister are from Small Businesses (1-50 employees).
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Comparisons

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Reviews and Ratings

(53)

Community Insights

TrustRadius Insights are summaries of user sentiment data from TrustRadius reviews and, when necessary, 3rd-party data sources. Have feedback on this content? Let us know!

MindMeister is a versatile tool that caters to a wide range of users and their needs. For companies, it provides a convenient solution for opening and viewing Xmind files stored in Google Drive without the need for additional software. This streamlines workflow and eliminates the hassle of switching between different applications.

Students and teachers find great value in MindMeister as it allows them to create mind maps of academic concepts, organize data, and approach learning in a creative and modern way. By visualizing information, students can better understand complex topics and identify connections between different ideas.

Organizations also benefit from using MindMeister to mind map various aspects of their operations. From mapping out complex processes and functionalities to structuring contact information across departments, MindMeister serves as a comprehensive tool for enhancing organizational efficiency and collaboration.

In addition to the corporate world, MindMeister finds utility in creative fields. Artists in studios use it to develop detailed plans, jot down ideas, suggestions, and comments about their workflow. This facilitates smooth communication among team members and ensures that everyone is on the same page.

MindMeister is also popular among remote access software and product development companies. It enables users to plan and scope projects, perform business planning, and map their thoughts using pre-made templates or designing from scratch. The software’s intuitive interface makes it particularly useful for visual learners who prefer seeing an overview of information without constantly relying on others.

Furthermore, MindMeister is highly recommended for collaborative brainstorming, research, SWOT analysis, and creating action plans for start-up projects. Its user-friendly interface allows teams to easily link and expand on various topics while providing excellent customer support.

Overall, MindMeister proves invaluable in numerous scenarios such as project management activities, academic endeavors, creative brainstorming sessions, corporate organization efforts, and more. Its versatility and ease of use make it a valuable asset across various industries.

Wide range of tools: Users have found MindMeister to be a highly capable mind mapping tool, allowing them to quickly create maps with a diverse array of tools. The extensive options and variety offered by MindMeister are greatly appreciated.

Excellent integration with Google Drive: Many reviewers have praised the seamless integration between MindMeister and Google Drive, making it effortless for users to open compatible formats. The integration enhances the overall user experience with the software.

Ability to import XMind files: Several users have mentioned that they value MindMeister's ability to import XMind files, giving it an advantage over much of its competition. Even in the free version, MindMeister allows for the importation of mind maps from other programs like Xmind and Freemind.

Limited Free Plan: Some users have found the free plan to be limited compared to other tools, wishing it offered more features to make the testing experience more engaging and comprehensive.

Issues with XMind Import: The XMind import option has sometimes caused issues for users, with nodes overlapping and being positioned differently than expected. This can disrupt the overall structure of the mind map and create inconvenience during the import process.

Specific Formatting for Google Drive Documents: Working with documents converted from Google Drive can be challenging due to the need for very specific formatting. This makes it difficult to collaborate seamlessly and may result in errors or inconsistencies in document layout and design.

Users of MindMeister commonly recommend the following:

  1. Try the free sample of MindMeister. Many users suggest giving the free version of MindMeister a try before making a purchase. This allows potential customers to experience the software and determine if it meets their needs without committing to a paid plan.

  2. Consider MindMeister for organizing and structuring creative thinking. Reviewers highlight MindMeister as an effective tool for organizing and structuring ideas in a creative manner. It provides users with a visual aspect that aids in organizing their thoughts and projects.

  3. Use MindMeister for building mind maps and site maps in the cloud. Users frequently recommend MindMeister for creating mind maps and site maps. The software's cloud-based nature enables collaboration and access from anywhere, making it an ideal solution for brainstorming and planning projects.

Attribute Ratings

Reviews

(1-16 of 16)
Companies can't remove reviews or game the system. Here's why
Score 1 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
We tried it and it did not work. Then the team I was with disbanded and now my company is left with a 2nd year bill because we did not cancel their software. By the way, this is for over $1K for a 2nd year of a software that was not used. They are holding my company hostage for over $2,200, as they will not refund nor cancel the 2nd year due to their policy requiring you to cancel 30-days before hand. However, they do not send you a notice of charges, the automatically charge you and are unwilling to work with you.

This policy is clearly in place because they are losing money and customers. Why else would you not put the customer first and establish such a predatory policy. If the customer is not using your product, why do you want to steal their money?

There are other products you can try for mind mapping, even FREE solutions like ClickUp can get you going with more capabilities and integrations.
  • mind mapping
  • capturing ideas
  • License, renews, cancellations should be instant and refunds should be processed
  • More integrations
  • Respect their customers
Their licensing is over priced and they will not tell you your agreement is due for payment until its due. They designed it this way, because according to their policy you need to provide them 30-days notice before canceling the next billing cycle. This is especially worrisome, because if you have an annual plan with them, they claim you are on the hook for another year.

This is very predatory in nature and indicates a desperate company. There are actually similar capes for free, really free, not will a pay wall added after a time frame.
Mark Firth | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 3 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
I use it for mind mapping exercises and then sharing with my team
  • No positives compared to the competition anymore
  • Better with Miro
  • Customer service took 23 days to respond to a ticket
  • feature set is out dated
  • they have not invested and there are now better alternatives
I can't think of why anyone would use this given the alternatives in the market in 2021
Luciano Gardesani Marques | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
We started to use MindMeister as a brainstorming tool but it was adopted gradually for other activities like project logs, and to organize information gathered during workshops and product designing meetings. Actually, it is used by different teams, but especially for marketing and project management activities. It helps us to achieve better management of information and also give us an interesting format which is much more helpful to share knowledge and support our training initiatives.
  • Engaging and easy-to-use (an attractive tool for new users)
  • Very simple to start using and getting results quickly
  • Nice variety of features
  • I think that the free plan should offer a bit more terms of features to make the testing experience more engaging.
  • My experience using the App version was not so good when compared to the web version of it. I feel more comfortable using it in my notebook.
  • Paid plans could be more flexible to support small or temporary demands.
I think that MindMeister can be very useful for so many activities when it is necessary to gather, organize and share information. I think it can be especially good if we are dealing with a small or medium amount of information. In cases when we need to handle too much detailed information, the mapping tool may become a bit confusing to manage, just like in many other tools. For brainstorming and/or flow/process mapping it is really great ans useful.
Calum Maxwell | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 1 out of 10
Vetted Review
Reseller
We chose to test it and see if it fit our need in creating sitemaps and resource material.
I do not recommend MindMeister. We paid for and tested the software and it did not meet our needs. When I was invoiced another 12-months, I requested a refund advising that I had forgot to cancel they refused. As a small business we are now out of pocket for something we aren't going to use. Even if I decide to revisit software like this in future, they will not be on the list.
Gary Shouldis | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
MindMeister is a great tool for those who want a more visual workflow. It is used by our design and marketing teams to collaborate and brainstorm on marketing campaigns. It allows for a visual tree of ideas that all users can see and contribute to. The adoption of MindMeister over other collaboration tools was due to the visual workflow and general ease of use. If you are a visual person, this is the perfect collaboration and workflow tool.
  • The UI is well laid out and easy to use. The workflow makes perfect sense and makes creating tasks a breeze.
  • The collaboration features make brainstorming not only easy but fun! Everyone enjoys using the tool, which was not the case with other collaboration software we used.
  • I love being able to get all of my thoughts and ideas on the screen to see them and then be able to connect them in a logical way.
  • The web app could be better, we only use the desktop as it is much easier to use.
  • More integration and export options would be great.
  • The free plan is pretty limited on features so it does not fully represent what the tool can do.
MindMeister is the perfect tool if you and your team are visual in nature. I love the brainstorming aspects of the tool where you can let ideas flow onto the screen and then arrange them in a more logical format later. This would be a great option for creative projects like branding and marketing campaigns. This may not be the best choice if you are used to more text-based collaborative tools as you need to change your mindset a bit in order to fully use MindMeister.
Miroslav Bobryshev | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
MindMeister is used within the team of artists in our studio. We develop detailed plans for future work, write down ideas, suggestions, and comments about the workflow.
  • The free account has all the basic functions for good planning.
  • It has a great and intuitive design. Very easy to learn.
  • Integration with Meister Task
  • In the paid version there is a great opportunity to export to pictures and PDF. In the free version, the program imports mind maps from other programs such as Xmind, Freemind, etc.
  • There is no desktop version, all work is online only.
  • Only three maps in the free version, there is no good export, only to RTF.
  • Can not be paid monthly, only six months and a year.
This program is great for collaborative planning for anything. You can even work remotely and record important thoughts/ideas, and every member of the team will see it. But the program is not suitable for work without the Internet. The lack of internet makes it necessary to work with other programs that have desktop versions, for example, Freemind. Then, you have to import Freemind's files into MindMeister.
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
As a company who often works with Xmind files for building sitemaps for client websites, MindMeister has become a very handy tool to be able to open Xmind documents stored in Google Drive easily and view them from anywhere without having to install extra software. This is where our primary use case lies.
  • MindMeister is a very capable mind mapping tool, allowing you to create maps quickly with a wide variety of tools.
  • MindMeister offers great Google Drive integration, allowing you to open compatible formats very easily.
  • MindMeister allows importing Xmind files which gives it an edge over much of the competition.
  • The free plan is a bit limited compared to some tools that seem more generous with their free plan or are entirely free.
  • The Xmind import option doesn't always work perfectly. Sometimes nodes overlap and often are oriented or positioned differently than they would be if opened with Xmind. However, everything is there and the structure is still correct, and that's what matters.
MindMeister is ideally suited for building mind maps, site maps, or similar types of data maps in the cloud without needing to install extra software. I find that it isn't quite as ideal for other types of diagrams (ERDs, flowcharts, etc) as some other tools, though it definitely can handle those things as well.
Sarah Ciras Rousseau | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 7 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
MindMeister is being used in several departments at my school. We use it for students to create mind maps of different academic concepts, and often use this kind of program when reading a novel or textbook. It helps digitize concept mapping in a modern way, and allows for creativity within the process. It provides a way for students and teachers visually organize their data.
  • It has a huge amount of options and variety.
  • It is super user friendly, in that the buttons are visually appealing and very clear as to their function.
  • Integration with Google Drive helps provide multiple experiences with the software.
  • Formatting for documents converted from Google Drive has to be very specifically laid out.
  • Can be difficult to navigate larger maps.
  • Does not have any kind of free educational licensing.
This product is well suited for making mind maps and outlining projects and ideas from the start. It can be tough if you are trying to convert something you began in Docs. It allows for a lot of intuitive creation, making your work flow easily. It can get to be a bit clunky though if you make your map too large.
November 30, 2018

Great mind mapping tool

Carlos Eduardo de Souza | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
It’s being used by our development team to help better organize concepts, ideas and even structure data for CMSs.
  • User friendly
  • Very customizable
  • We’re able to share our documents
  • It works very well as a web application (doesn’t require any download)
  • They could change the way it alerts us to upgrade our plan, since it’s too intrusive
  • If you’re using the free plan, you’re able to create only 3 documents
  • Could have better annotation system
I really like to use MindMeister whenever I’m structuring data input for our content management system (CMS), it really helps us. I think it’s not that great to use as a management tool, since it’s rather simple in terms of functionality.
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
We began to use MindMeister as a way of 'brain dumping' on a start up project. Multiple people were able to collaborate as we researched, ran SWOT analyses and subsequently created a plan of action for our new business.

MindMeister is incredibly user friendly and intuitive. We had all types of users participating - from our tech team, to our manufacturers. Everyone enjoyed the interface and I especially loved the ability to link and expand on topics.

The best part about MindMeister is the customer care. Professional, highly responsive and organized. I highly recommend this company.
  • User-friendly and intuitive
  • Ability to collaborate with the entire team
  • Enjoy the various templates to choose from
  • Larger basic/standard text
MindMeister is perfect for those entrepreneurs in Start-up/dream-up mode. It was also particularly helpful whenever we were doing some in depth competitive analysis. Being able to look at a 'birds eye view' of all our research was incredibly helpful - especially when it became time to discuss our projects amongst the entire team.
Daniel Cruz | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
I use Mindmeister in my whole organization for mind mapping complex processes, functionality, features and contact information over different departments.

  • Clean and modern visual design.
  • Helps to organize ideas quickly and easily.
  • Really good free version, a fair pricing structure in general for what you get.
  • Offers a quick and easy way to visually organize topics by content area
  • Mindmeister could have more templates.
  • Limits functionality by requiring purchase for some features
  • May cause confusion to non-visual learners
This software has played a roll in many different cases for me in a few different companies. In my company, I use it for education:

In Language Classes:
  • arrange vocabulary words by general categories
  • trace new verb stems back to their original roots
In History Classes:
  • link historical events visually
  • create a living timeline
In Math Classes:
  • display solutions to problems in a colorful way
  • emphasize how formulas are used in a problem set
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
I used my own MindMeister account because the company tools were too rigid and didn't have the capabilities to graphically model and illustrate complex dependencies and structures.
  • Easy to add new ideas
  • The automatic 'split into topics' function when pasting text from other sources
  • Easy to add Links to other maps and also to webpages etc.
  • Maybe the home view (my maps) could have a graphical representation
  • Would like a function to open my latest map
  • Would be nice to have the choise 'add new idea' by right clicking on a 'parent' idea.
Well suited to give an overview of complex dependencies. Less suited for task management
Chris Glandon | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
I've been using Mindmeister for about 7 years now. This software has played a roll in many different cases for me in a few different companies. I use this software for mind mapping complex processes, functionality, features and contact information over different departments. I was employed in a remote access software company and also product development and engineering company.

This software gives you the ability to plan and scope projects, business planning so many other things using the pre-made templates and also building and designing your own from scratch, which is what I usually do.

I'm a visual learner and when I can see an overview, open certain sections to help me remember things and processes, it speeds up my ability to perform because I don't have to ask people questions because all the info is there. With organization, you can map your own mind using this software.

I highly recommend this software for those that like plotting out complex things and want to see things from a different perspective. I was able to share my maps with others for example someone in sales needed to know overviews of processes, pricing for different tiers or different versions of our releases, I was able to break down these things in a simple way so my colleagues could understand. This is much better than reading a manual or a typed document and it's cloud based so you can always access this even on a mobile device.
  • Strategic planning and mapping out processes or functionality. You can add files, attach links and notes to any area of the map. Various tools to highlight specific topics and levels of importance.
  • Many templates to choose from that fit many different backgrounds, industries and projects.
  • They offer a free account for those that want to try this out, giving you 3 maps to use.
  • For any visual learners, this is the ultimate way to take notes and simplify the way you document information.
  • Affordable subscription pricing.
  • I honestly do not have any, it works great for me.
Mind mapping works for almost anything you do. You will need to have a creative mind in order to start one from scratch, however they provide so many templates to choose from you can get ideas from those and remove and add to them so they are custom to your thought processes.

I've not yet found a scenario where MM does not work, this is just a fancy way for me to do note taking.
Murilo Pinto, PMP® | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
I currently use MindMeister for my engineering skills improvements. I used it successfully during my preparation for one of the most difficult certification that I got so far, which was the PMP certification. I`ve tried many other mind-mapping programs but MindMeister is far the best. Every student and person that aims for improvement in their knowledge should give it a try. Definitely, it will work 100%.
  • Best user-friendly environment.
  • Automatically saving. Use of Googles Drive or local folder.
  • Interaction with Youtube during searching process.
  • Could have a kind of possibility for use the active recall methodology, with space repetition integrated.
Pros: General Studying. Anything that you may think is important. Cons: Nothing so far.
Chip Nowacek | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
We use MindMeister to design our offerings: podcasts, literature, presentations, and books. It allows us to coordinate our workflow. Everyone uses it. Our work requires both brainstorming and piecing together the disparate products of research. MindMeister's flexibility is critical. It allows us to rapidly change our designs at both micro and macro levels.
  • Their ability to edit while in search mode is brilliant. Large maps don't have to be opened to make additions and changes. It's a sensational feature.
  • My ability to add to and reverence my maps from a browser, my iPhone and my Apple Watch helps deal with our various sources of research information.
  • MindMeister makes collaboration easy. I don't have to pay for every person that needs to see a map.
  • I wish collaborators could add comments without having to be given editor privileges. A "Reviewer" role would be helpful.
  • I would like to be able to toggle note visibility on and off. If there is a way to do it now, I haven't found it. As it is, I have to hover or use the sidebar to see notes.
  • Two or three times I have seen my nodes spontaneously reverse order in a big map (over their recommended limit). Even so, they are working on tracking the issue down.
MindMeister is ideal for sorting though thoughts, material that needs to be organized, ideas and the like. I can also see it being helpful for task management though I haven't used MeisterTask much yet. I imagine it can help with slide deck organization too. I haven't done that yet.

For those needing full graph (not bar charts) editing, MindMeister is not the tool — though I wish they would consider building a full graph tool. That market will do nothing but grow. I would buy it right now.
James Carrington | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
MindMeister is used across the entire organisation, at varying levels, and for different purposes. We do not enforce its use. It is there as a tool to aid teams when relevant.
  • Quick capture of meeting minutes and actions.
  • Quick means of capturing ideas and the thought process in meetings and workshops.
  • Quick means of capturing and mapping processes as they are talked through in meetings.
  • Being cloud and browser based, teams and clients do not need to install any special software, and it's easy to share and collaborate on files.
  • Having a very simple and intuitive interface means non technical users are not phased by it
  • It is still quite restrictive in terms of only working for mind maps and organisation charts, if it allowed the user to create process flow diagrams, this would be amazing.
  • Sometimes it struggles a little when the mind maps become large and complex.
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